Have any good tips for teaching a kid to ride a bike?

chimisme

We have helmets and bikes...and children who are not particularly coordinated. Ages 3, 4, and 9. The younger ones have training wheels, but are nervous of tipping over and can't quite get the rhythm of pedaling. Our 9 year old does fine with training wheels, but has outgrown her old bike. I'm thinking that replacing her bike without the training wheels will spur her to give it a try (she's refused to have them removed up to this point). We finally have a driveway that is great for practicing and a large school parking lot just down the street so the kids can learn safely. Anything I should keep in mind before we start our next practice session? Thanks!

Answer
The little ones need to keep the training wheels on until they figure out how to pedal forward. You should adjust the saddle height of each bike so that the child can comfortably extend his or her leg almost straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke. A big parking lot is a good place to practice without worry about cars. If they can practice holding the wheel straight, they should not have to worry about tipping over, but make sure they have their helmets. Long pants and sleeves will cut down on the scrapes and skins. FYI - I ride several thousand miles a year, and I used to race. I didn't take my training wheels off until I was 6, so don't be in a hurry.

For your older child, here is a trick you probably wouldnât think of; itâs used to train adults whoâve never learned to ride a bike: remove the pedals. No, Iâm not nuts. Taking the pedals off at the same time you remove the training wheels will make it easier for your child to learn how to balance on the bike. She should be able to straddle the bike with both feet on the ground and still be able to sit down on the saddle. She can push forward with her legs and get the feel of balancing on two wheels as she coasts along. Without the pedals in the way, she can put her feet down at any time, so it will not be as scary for her. When she gets more comfortable with it, you can try pushing her along while she balances with both feet off the ground. Eventually, you will be able to put the pedals back on, and she should know enough about balancing the bike that she can coast with her feet on the pedals. All thatâs left after that is learning how to propel the bike and balance at the same time. This is trial and error - helmet, long pants, and sleeves again, but sheâll be riding solo before she knows it.

smallest motorcycle helmet?

Thomas

what is the smallest half helmet in production?

Answer
I've seen helmets at my local motorcycle accessories store for 5 year olds! I didn't even know if they were real, I thought they might be to eat ice cream out of. 8^) But they're for little kids who learn to ride those tiny dirt bikes. Wish those were around when I was a kid!

But they're all 3/4 helmets. Half helmets are like those fake Nazi helmets, they are for bad-boy Harley riders who play by their own rules, who march to a different drummer. The law says they have to wear a helmet, so they get one that has no actual protection value. I'm sure they go down to 'small'.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Have any good tips for teaching a kid to ride a bike?

chimisme

We have helmets and bikes...and children who are not particularly coordinated. Ages 3, 4, and 9. The younger ones have training wheels, but are nervous of tipping over and can't quite get the rhythm of pedaling. Our 9 year old does fine with training wheels, but has outgrown her old bike. I'm thinking that replacing her bike without the training wheels will spur her to give it a try (she's refused to have them removed up to this point). We finally have a driveway that is great for practicing and a large school parking lot just down the street so the kids can learn safely. Anything I should keep in mind before we start our next practice session? Thanks!

Answer
The little ones need to keep the training wheels on until they figure out how to pedal forward. You should adjust the saddle height of each bike so that the child can comfortably extend his or her leg almost straight at the bottom of the pedal stroke. A big parking lot is a good place to practice without worry about cars. If they can practice holding the wheel straight, they should not have to worry about tipping over, but make sure they have their helmets. Long pants and sleeves will cut down on the scrapes and skins. FYI - I ride several thousand miles a year, and I used to race. I didn't take my training wheels off until I was 6, so don't be in a hurry.

For your older child, here is a trick you probably wouldnât think of; itâs used to train adults whoâve never learned to ride a bike: remove the pedals. No, Iâm not nuts. Taking the pedals off at the same time you remove the training wheels will make it easier for your child to learn how to balance on the bike. She should be able to straddle the bike with both feet on the ground and still be able to sit down on the saddle. She can push forward with her legs and get the feel of balancing on two wheels as she coasts along. Without the pedals in the way, she can put her feet down at any time, so it will not be as scary for her. When she gets more comfortable with it, you can try pushing her along while she balances with both feet off the ground. Eventually, you will be able to put the pedals back on, and she should know enough about balancing the bike that she can coast with her feet on the pedals. All thatâs left after that is learning how to propel the bike and balance at the same time. This is trial and error - helmet, long pants, and sleeves again, but sheâll be riding solo before she knows it.

smallest motorcycle helmet?

Thomas

what is the smallest half helmet in production?

Answer
I've seen helmets at my local motorcycle accessories store for 5 year olds! I didn't even know if they were real, I thought they might be to eat ice cream out of. 8^) But they're for little kids who learn to ride those tiny dirt bikes. Wish those were around when I was a kid!

But they're all 3/4 helmets. Half helmets are like those fake Nazi helmets, they are for bad-boy Harley riders who play by their own rules, who march to a different drummer. The law says they have to wear a helmet, so they get one that has no actual protection value. I'm sure they go down to 'small'.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Question for people who are experianced nurses/docs?

bike helmets for 3-4 year olds image

JuliaShort

My mom is a nurse and doing a presentation on bicycle safety. (Wearing a helmet, etc...) We are already projecting pictures and my mom is doing a plastic-egg-filled-with-jelly drop as an example of someone not wearing their helmet and falling off their bike. She's also giving out coloring books to the younger ones. She's teaching two groups: 7th/8th graders and around 3rd/4th graders. Do you have any ideas on how to grab their attention and to make it more interesting? Thanks a bunch!

Answer
Make it funny...include funny stuff in between the important messages. Nothing bores people more than a well-intended lecturer presenting morbid facts and examples...like the "look at these lungs" presentations to discourage smoking. If it bores adults, it will put kids to sleep! I taught girl scouts/brownies about horse care years ago. I invented a cartoon horse, drew cartoons on large poster boards, and included the important information in a story line. Those kids are now adults and when I run into them on occasion, every one of them talks about the adventures of "Dobbin" and how much they learned. Most importantly, they actually followed the precautions and still remembered them years later. My presentations were targeting girls around 10 years old, give or take (can't remember exactly). If I were your mom, I'd draw a face on the egg, name it, make a body and bike for it, and create a story line that is 50% funny and 50% facts. For 3rd and 4th graders I'd include their issues; for 7th and 8th graders I'd create a different story line...more teen issues. Maybe give the egg a cool hairdo...even a fan blowing it "in the wind" before the fall. Develop an introduction that prepares them to be bored...then shock them with funny and keep rolling. I'm also a nurse...and a very funny but effective college instructor...humor always worked for me, and my students actually enjoyed learning!

Learning how to ride a motorcycle?

DatGuy

I've never been on a motorcycle. What steps should I take to properly learn how to ride a motorcycle?

Answer
it's sorta like a bike.
with help.
and more stuff to keep track of.
and falling down hurts way more.

my first thought is, don't.
they're extraordinarily dangerous.
one friend i had id now dead.
not his fault fault.
drunk came onto his side of the road and killed him.
left a 5 year old daughter without a dad.
another has only 1 leg left.
another almost died, and his wife, a nurse, made him promise never to ride again.

many years ago, i remember standing at an intersection.
light turned, and a bike coming down the street didn't have to stop.
but a car ran the light, and the motorcyclist ran into the side of the car.
i remember him laying down holding his helmet (couldn't get to his head) saying, "Oh my head hurts. Why did he run the light. My head hurts."
know what nurses call motorcyclists that don't wear helmets? organ donors.

they're fun --- lots of fun.
i used to ride off-road some. even better.
at least you only have trees aiming at you.
bull fighting might be lots of fun too.
i ain't about to find out.

i did ride a little, and still take the test, so I'm legal in Calif.
but last time i rode was more than 10 years ago, and only a couple miles to see if i still could.

get a small bike, maybe 125 cc or so.
they're just easier.
keep in mind, drivers talking on cell phones won't see you.
you might as well be riding around in a shooting gallery.
rip.

EDIT: concerning using the front brake. it should be used. it's not a decoration. 60-70% of your braking comes from the front brake. if you lock up the back brake, you'll skid just as bad. learn to use them together. (or, find yourself a nice safe car :)

one more thing occurs to me. some people are just better at it. i have a friend who really likes to ride. he had 3-4 really serious accidents. more than once i went and picked him up at the hospital. one time he scraped along the top of the railing on the upper level of a freeway overpass. several stories. up. he now has a car. and probably will never ride a bike again. (thank you lord.)

i do know what I'm talking about. skiing is fun. skate boarding is fun. riding a bicycle is fun. riding a motorcycle is fun. riding a motorcycle is just far, far more dangerous. my general take is, if you're dead, it's over. it might'a hurt a lot, but it's over. if you have to go through the rest of your life on one leg, that'd be different. i have another friend that almost did that. good rider, been riding for years. came around a curve and faced 2 trucks, one trying to pass the other. on a 2 lane country road. fell down and slid between them. one foot got run over. the only reason he still has the foot is because there was an army surgeon who patched the bones up kind of funny - there's a bump on his ankle where it shouldn't be. but he still has his foot. and i note he uses his car a lot more these days. i suspect that he really likes his bike, but just realizes more how close he came to having only 1 foot.

Powered by Yahoo! Answers

Does anybody have any experience with cheap gas motor scooters?

bike helmets for 3-4 year olds image

Q.T. Reu

Because gas is so high I've been checking specs on motor scooters online. Honda, Suzuki, and Yamaha all have small scooters around $2500-3500, but I found some imports (150 cc engines) for $1000-1500. Are these garbage or will they last me a few years. I have been surprised before by buying a cheap lawn tractor that lasted 17 years and cost me almost nothing in repairs while friends bought more expensive ones with well known names that always needed repairs and lasted about half as long as my cheap one.

Answer
My 49cc scooter was $1100 and has lasted me 2+ years, and still running strong. It is NOT reliable, tho- it is a cheap import (Quingi) and I have pushed it at least 4 times for various reasons. Be sure to have someone you can rely on yo help you/give you a ride when needed.

My other new bike is a Vento 150cc-- it's only 2 months old so I dont know how reliable it is.... but, it IS a lovely strong ride.

Gas is 2$ per tank on my 49cc and 3$ per tank on my 150cc. I go about 110 miles per week, usually more, on each tank. :) That's using 93 or higher gas which costs the most!


Here's more info from an asnwer I previously posted:

A typical price range is 1,100-3,000 depending on the seller. Merchants have large markups, though, so buying onlne and having it delivered (often FREE!) us not a bad idea.
A 49 cc doesnt require a motorcycle license (here in FL) and there isn't a requirement for insurance for any size engine. Of course, you can do what i did and take a safety course anyway and get a motorcycle endorsement for you own good and peace of mind.

I recommend Vento or Vespa. These are by far the better made and longer lasting, and shopworker dont 'cringe' when you mention their name like they do when you say 'Quinqi' or Verucci....
Yes, theyre ALL made in China/Japan/Beijing/Hong Kong/Bangladesh with the exception of Vespa-- Vento is ASSEMBLED in the US tho the parts come from China, however- it's WAYYY better made than the rest.
Kymco makes better quality bikes than the typical selection of Geely/Verucci etc.

You can get service at any motorcycle shop, not name affiliated- as in, you can take you import to "Maddog Motorscooters" for example, but not to Yamaha. They wont service you... so find a mom and pop shop. :)
I keep mine secure by parking it in my yard, by my bedroom window, tied to a BIG ENOUGH tree with 11 feet of 3 inch link steel chain (and something like 3/4" width). It's the highest strength and size chain that home depot sells! AND, I use the biggest lock I can buy. The lock itself is about 15 dollars.
I loop the chain around the tree, and through either the chassy of the motor (underbelly of the bike) or around the middle of the bike (where you put your feet to ride) without enough slack to pull the bike out. When I take it out, I have a smaller chain to take with me under the seat, which I loop around the middle of the bike and through the wheel of the fornt tire. Plus, my new bike has an alarm, too, so I turn it on. If I'm home, I usually dont to spare the battery becuase I can hear whats going on outside. Often, you can park the scooter in a bike rack and loop the chain through that. Depends on the place.

They are incerdibly practical for travel, consideirg you buy above 49cc-- that means you get 40+ miles per hour, up to 60-65 mph. And it's a strong enough ride, to keep up with traffic, and merge when necessary (forget merging with a 49cc!! You're stuck where you are around 35 mph!)
I buy a crate, a plastic organization crate with slots, and attach it to the back of the bike with bungees. Its more stoagre than the typical trunks that supply you with (if at all). I also buy a medium (15x15") cargo net to keep thing inside the crate when I go over bumps! That's ~7$ on amazon.com just type in cargo net and pick that size.

The only weakness I can think of is being in the sun/heat more than in a car. I am in FL, and I suffer sometimes if I ahev to travel in broad sunlight- cover up witha light jacket. Always wear a helmet- get a tinted visor if you can or just wear sunglesses underneath.
Also groceries- there is little space and also it is not kept in an air conditioned trunk like in a car. That's okay, though, if you make short trips or just goa bit more often and buy little at a time. Works just fine. (Esp if your going overseas, its actually normal to buy only what you can carry or bicycle back home)
BUY INSURANCE, even tho it isnt needed- people DO try to steal them or will if they can, also, if someone hits you or the bike, you are covered.


....errrr.... any more questions... ask me!
Oh and I love to decorate by basket with reflectors, or, the bike itself I apply reflective pinstripting/decals liek you get at streetglo.net or similar shops, it comes in any size or color or design (even a custom design and size) and you can put it anywhere you like. It blends in during the day, and when a light shines on it at night, it's like a fireman's coat or the reflectors on the street! Really glows! It's cool and it's a good safety measure! You can do your helmet that way too!

Cheers and happy moped-hunting, and enjoy the ride!!

Qualifications to Apply at MSF Course?

Glow

Okay I am a 15 year old female with a passion for motorcycles ^.^ I haven't gotten my permit to able to operate a vehicle so I am wondering whether should I apply for my permit first or Apply for the MSF Course instead. I live in Houston Texas if that helps . I basically want to know at what age can I apply for The MSF Course? Should I have my permit first before I apply? What will I need for the MSF Course? Etc etc...I done some research of my own but I keep confusing myself. Please provide links. Thank you!

Answer
There are about 15 sites in Houston that provide MSF BRC (Beginning Rider Course), check here for the listing and contact info: http://nm.msf-usa.org/msf/ridercourses.aspx?pagename=ridercourse+info

For most states, MSF cannot accept students under 16 for liability reasons, BUT, if you can obtain a permit at 15 in TX, then they probably will accept you with parental waiver's signed (this is common for anyone under 18). It is NOT necessary for you to have a permit before you attend the class. Your only requirement is to be able to balance and ride a bicycle... they will teach you the rest!

If you can get into the course before you're 16 (or even if you have to wait) you will need the following to attend the classes:
Long pants (jeans or riding pants)
Long sleeve shirt or jacket
Over-the-ankle boots
Eye Protection (Full-Face or 3/4 helmet with visor qualifies)
Full-finger gloves (leather preferred, but not necessary)
Full-face or 3/4 helmets are supplied for BRC, but if you have your own DOT approved helmet, BRING IT (no half-helmets are al