Nobody is immune to some nostalgia for vintage tech and how perfectly simple the world felt when we were kids — but there are some things that should just be left behind.
Training Wheels are Practically Prehistoric
Would you store your food in an icebox? Save your files on floppy disks? Fire up the ol’ Betamax player for family movie night? Then why in the world would you teach your kids to ride a bike with training wheels?!
Invented in 1949, ye olde training wheels have been a slapdash solution for generations of kids and parents to gain their bearings on two wheels. While imperfect, they were our only means of teaching kids how to ride for decades — but it’s the 21st century and we’ve evolved! It’s time to bid these ancient relics farewell and switch to improved modern day options like balance bikes.
Your Rider Isn’t Learning How to Balance on Training Wheels
One of the features that makes balance bikes superior to training wheels is that they safely teach your rider a functional sense of balance and coordination. When they don’t have both or one foot on the ground, they are taught to rely on their core strength and build up the muscle memory and skills that will keep them upright.
On a bike with training wheels — or as we like to call them: restraining wheels — your superstar only gets a false sense of security. They may be using their itty-bitty core muscles to teeter side-to-side, but they’re not motivated at all to stabilize themselves on two wheels. Their core doesn’t remain activated and when it comes time to take the terrible training wheels off, they learn the hard way that they can’t safely put all their weight to the side and relax.
Why does all that matter? Balance is at the heart of athletics and a cornerstone for a healthy, active lifestyle. By teaching your little one balance in their early childhood, you set them up for success — no matter if they want to be the next motocross star, a gold-medal Olympian, a football pro, or an adult who has the tools necessary to explore the world as they see fit.
With this essential skill under their belt, they’ll be able to increase their agility and body awareness while also avoiding future injuries (like ACL tears) caused by trips or bad foot placement.
In short, balance matters for more than just riding a pedal bike!
Training Wheels Don’t Help Build Confidence
There are plenty of reasons why training wheels drool (and balance bikes rule), but this one is certainly at the top of our list!
When your kiddo wobbles back and forth precariously on their training wheels, they will start off unsteady and unsure while they figure out how far they can tip to one side or the other. And once they’ve figured out that they can lean on their bike without any consequences, the damage is done.
After you remove the straining — or, we mean training — wheels, your poor rider’s trust in their bike and their confidence will be crushed the first time they go to lean and fall over onto the pavement. As they struggle to properly take turns and stay upright (all while they try to learn how to pedal at the same time), their previously unshakeable self-assuredness will fade.
Does that mean all struggle and conflict is bad for your child? Definitely not! But if there has to be a challenge for your little ripper to overcome, why set them three steps backwards before they even have a chance to begin?
We’re advocates for getting kids on balance bikes because we’ve seen how this method gives them the advantage over traditional alternatives — not just in biking competency, but in their ability to calmly problem solve and face adversity in their day-to-day lives. Building up their skills in this simple area teaches them that they may stumble and face roadblocks, but those obstacles can be overcome with practice and grit.
Learning With Training Wheels Will Take Longer
Remember what we said about starting your child three steps backwards? When you put them on a bike with training wheels, they aren’t learning how to steady themselves and how to countersteer. Ultimately, the lack of these skills will impact how quickly they adapt to a bike without training wheels.
Countersteering is a vital skill necessary for all levels of bike riding or motorsports. This mechanic is dependent on the rider’s ability to lean into turns and maneuver the bike around its center of mass. By adding training wheels, you make it impossible for your kiddo to properly turn because the bike is unable to lean as it would without the added wheels! As a result, they’ll have major handling issues when they try to turn or take corners and likely end up bumping into or rolling over things they’re trying their best to avoid.
Furthermore, they’ll have an extreme adjusting period when it comes time to take the training wheels off and fly solo. Instead of leaning into the corner, they’ll suddenly have more maneuverability and will end up overcorrecting themselves and tipping over. Without learning the cornerstone skill of balancing, it will take them longer to master turning — and even longer before they’ll build up the confidence to attempt it.
It's Time to Let Training Wheels Fade Away
When it comes down to training wheels vs balance bikes, the competition isn’t even close! On a Strider Balance Bike, your little champ can become a riding pro by learning how to balance, countersteer and gain the experiences they need to be confident and successful.
So, let’s leave training wheels behind to become fascinating relics found in museums and books. As far as we’re concerned, training wheels can go the same way as penny farthings, manual vacuum cleaners, and the palm pilot. Help us keep these awful, ugly metal things obsolete for happier, healthier, and more confident bike-riding kids!
