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I have two scenarios of people proving too hard to train a bike. I am wondering how best to help a person who can't balance herself on the bicycle but yet can use the pedals well?

Also I have another person who can balance very well on the bike but can not use the pedals well? By that I mean can actually pedal without any assistance.

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    Can you edit the question to tell us the ages of these two riders? And is there anything medical to be aware of? (poor balance while walking, past stroke, anything to do with the ears etc)
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented May 28, 2017 at 4:40
  • This seems impossible to answer without more information on the specific circumstances and, since the two people are very different, I think this should be two separate questions. The title you've chosen also doesn't really match the question, since you're not looking for general advice but for something for these two specific situations.
    – David Richerby
    Commented May 28, 2017 at 11:35

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This is kind of two separate questions on the same topic.

Person 1 can pedal okay, but can't balance. A Trike might be the solution here. It almost totally removes the need to balance, but trikes are much rarer, and being wider are less versatile. Another idea is to remove the pedals, and get her to scooter around like a balance bike. Optionally the entire crank/bb axle could be removed too else it risks catching the rider in the shin/calf.

Person 2 balances OK but cannot push the pedals? That's unusual. I'd suggest putting P2 on a trainer, or an exercise bike so they can focus on pedalling. Rollers are not suitable because they need balance and pedalling together.

If there are medical or developmental reasons for these difficulties, you might need to consult with a doctor or a physiologist, or someone specialising in whatever condition may be the cause.

If these are young kids, don't stress too much. Just encourage practice as play and make it fun.

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  • Taking the pedals+cranks off is quite easy and removes most of the ankle-bashing metal. The axle can be covered and padded (pipe insulation and cable ties).
    – Chris H
    Commented May 28, 2017 at 10:46
  • @ChrisH yes - removing the BB is another level of fiddliness for cup and cones as are one piece cranks. Cartridges are pretty simple to remove with the right tool. Great point wiht the padding - that would be better than a gash or a bruise.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented May 28, 2017 at 12:17

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