Been working with him since spring. Today at Riverside Park he just... did it. Rode about 50 feet before he got wobbly but didn't fall. My wife got it on video and he watched it like 20 times. He keeps asking to go back tomorrow. Feels like I won the lottery lol
That's awesome!! Did you use the method where you run behind holding the seat, or did you do the whole "let go without telling him" thing?
We had this exact same moment 3 weeks ago and I'm telling you, prepare yourself. The asking-to-go-back-tomorrow thing doesn't stop. We're at Elmwood Park like 4 times a week now. Not complaining though, his balance has gotten insane and yesterday he rode almost the full perimeter. Worth every trip.
Our son is 6 and still not there yet. How many times a week were you practicing? Asking because my kid gets frustrated pretty quick and we don't want to push it.
Wait, was this the first time you actually let go, or had he been riding independently before today and this was just the first successful 50 feet?
That's the moment right there. Congrats to your son! Quick tip if he keeps practicing—once he gets comfortable, teach him how to properly brake and dismount before he gets too confident. We skipped that step and my 7yo went straight into a fence last month trying to stop.
Since spring is like 4-5 months of consistent work. That's dedication. Did you take breaks in there or was it pretty regular sessions? Also did he get frustrated during that time or was he generally cool with falling?
haha the 20 rewatches is killing me. That's the confidence boost right there. Your wife is a legend for getting it on video.
50 feet is solid! 🎉 That first successful ride is honestly one of the best parenting moments. The fact that he watched the video 20 times tells you everything—he's totally hooked now and will probably be asking to practice constantly. Get ready for some daily park trips lol
The video watching is the best part honestly. Like he's analyzing his own performance lol
Been there! Our son unlocked this skill at 7.5 and honestly it opened up a whole new world. We started doing family bike rides on the weekends and it's become our favorite thing. Just a heads up though—once he gets the basic riding down, the next milestone is riding without holding the handlebars (harder than you'd think) and then actual braking technique. But those are future problems. Enjoy this win.
What kind of bike are you using? We got a Woom 4 for our daughter and it made a HUGE difference compared to the heavier Huffy we had before. Might be worth checking if his bike is age-appropriate for his size?
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Riverside Park is a perfect spot for this too—nice flat areas. Congrats to your kid and congrats to you for sticking with it through spring. That's a lot of patience.