Getting kids to ride without training wheels is not always easy; some take to it quickly, others can take years! I know; my son was off training wheels before 4, while my daughter finally got going when she was 8 (just one of those things).
The latest, and highly-regarded technique for teaching how to ride a bike is to use something called a “scoot bike”. We sell the Trek version, The Kickster. Cool little “bike” without pedals, chain or crankset. You “scoot” it and get a sense of balance without fear because you have your feet on or near the ground, scooting it along. But, like all “scoot bikes” I’ve seen, it’s fairly expensive for something that might be useful for a few months.
And then the idea hit. Not my idea, this one’s too obvious. A customer asked to have the cranks, pedals & chain removed from two of his kids Treks to turn them into “virtual ” scoot bikes, and then, when the kids got the hang of it, convert them back.
It works! You can see what it looks like, in “Scoot mode”, in the photo. We now offer this service for any coaster-brake kids bike we sell. For $15 we’ll remove the cranks, pedals & chain, and change it back again to a pedal bike, using the parts removed, for $20 more. Just $10 more (coming off & going on) if not purchased from us. Keep in mind that, in “scoot mode”, it has no brakes. It’s for backyard or driveway or school-yard use only, never, ever, on the street.
