any ideas for a teen girl for training wheels or something of that sort?

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heartlandcruisers

heartlandcruisers

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well I have been teaching my daughters how to ride bicycles the past few months my youngest is good to go but my oldest she has a learning disability and cannot grasp the idea on how to ride a bicycle ( forget what her disability is but it is learning related.) she also ahs some balance issues which is why I need to figure out something like training wheels
I was going to get her a trike but she doesn't want a trike and the training wheels do not hold her as she is a bigger girl and 16 and all the training wheels I have tried just either break or fall off.
any ideas on what to do I think she wants to learn but feels a little insecure without support.
I kind of feel bad me my wife and youngest daughter all have bikes but my oldest cannot ride with us due to this issue.
thanks
Sean
 
I got some experience with this; a Delta-style trike is probably her best bet. And they're quite rat-able.
 
I once taught a slightly disabled boy to ride a bike. He was not shy and willing to try which helps. He was about 10 or 11 years old. I got a girls bike that was a little too small for him. We went out into his back yard which was smooth and grassy and a little down hill. I think we started with training wheels. I held onto the seat and got him pedaling downhill. I kept making him pedal until he got the hang of that. Then I took the training wheels off and still held onto the seat and made him pedal. I told him to keep pedaling and to turn the front wheel in the direction he felt like he was going to fall. I would let go and grab etc. Then I just had him ride. By this time he had the pedaling down but he didn't understand that you only needed to turn a little to catch your balance and he kept falling on the grass. I didn't think he would ever get it. I let him try by him self and went over a few more times and eventually he was able to ride. His parents didn't know what to do, asked me to help, but once I started they helped too. Down hill really helps. We practiced in the evenings in a medical building parking lot going slowly round and round. He is an adult now and rides a coaster cruiser everywhere and collects bottles and cans everyday. I don't know if this will work for you but I watched how much independence and freedom bike riding has given this individual.
 
Maybe take the cranks off of a smaller bike to make it some kind of "balance bike"-
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balance_bicycle
That way she can put her feet on the ground and scoot away until she gets the feel for it. I am not a fan of training wheels. Tiny kids started on balance bikes are usually riding a real bike before they are out of pre-school
 
If there's a scooter laying around, that will get the balance on 2 wheels learned fairly quickly. My grand daughter couldn't ride a bike, but could easily ride the scooter all day. It's the pedaling that shifts weight back and forth that needs to be compensated for. I had her stand on one pedal on one side of her bike and ride it like a scooter to get used to it. Then a few tries pedaling and she got it. She had to learn to turn the opposite way she wanted to because it's the opposite of walking or riding on 3 or 4 wheels.
 
I have a 24" Schwinn Ranger with no cranks or chain that gets used for adult training. The rider can straddle the bike to propel it and establish their sense of balance with no fear of getting whacked in the ankle.
 
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If you search for "Adult Bicycle Training Wheels" at Amazon they have several HD adult models at different price ranges.:)
 
One more thought, if she has an IEP at school or if there is a Physical/ Occupational Therapist with the school district it wouldn't hurt to touch base with them- thay might have some insight on the core cause.
 
Both my kids learned on balance bikes, and I helped a friend remove the pedals and cranks from a regular bike to teach his daughter. She picked it up really fast. If you think about it training wheels don't really TEACH balance. It's a sweet spot you learn to maintain that changes with turning etc. find a bike which she can stand comfortably over THE SEAT. This ensures that she is confidently able to stand in any situation, but provides the ability to comfortably kick/walk. As she gains confidence she'll pick up her feet and coast, which is how she'll learn the balance. Keep us posted can't wait to hear how this goes!
 
Just like this!! (Only she may want something that looks "nicer"! [emoji6]
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That's precisely what I was talking about, except mine has one set of V-brakes set up on the rear for confident stopping.
 
Awesome. Best of luck, I'm sure she'll enjoy getting out with the family now, even if she doesn't master balancing. I was having a blast on this myself yesterday!
 

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