At The Little Bike Company, we don’t offer stabilisers with our bikes, as we firmly believe they actively prevent children from learning how to ride them.
In recent years this has become a lot more widely acknowledged by many parents – although many bike manufacturers continue to fit them. We are still often asked by customers about them, so it is worth covering this topic again.
Our infographic below shows you 5 reasons why we don’t recommend stabilisers.
To summarise the points:
Stabilisers don’t teach children how to balance
They actually stop kids from learning to balance, because the stabilisers are holding them upright. Nobody can ride a bicycle unless they are able to balance on it. Fitting stabilisers just delays the inevitable learning process.
Stabilisers teach bad habits
They mean a child doesn’t learn how to use their weight properly to control the bike. Shifting weight correctly is a key element in manoeuvring a bike. Stopping, starting and steering.
Stabilisers make it hard to steer
We’ve all seen children in the park cycling with stabilisers. Look again and you will see them steering the bike by only turning the handlebars. Like they are driving a car. If you think about steering a bike it is mainly about using your weight to change direction. The handlebars supplement that change.
Stabilisers only work on smooth ground
If your child wants to ride on grass or join you riding in the woods, stabilisers make it very hard going. Stabilisers are designed to work on pavements and tarmac – limiting your child’s options of where they can ride.
It’s quicker without stabilisers
Balance bikes are definitely the way to go. If your child is too big for a balance bike, merely remove the pedals from a pedal bike (it is easy) it then becomes a balance bike. Let them play on their bike. They will naturally pick up the balancing as they get more used to it and confident. Once they are scooting along with their feet off the floor (and have a big smile) it is time for pedals.