Teach your children to ride a two wheeler in 3 days. No need to buy expensive “Gliders”. You can make your own. I’ve been chasing my kids on bikes with training wheels for weeks. Although they seem to be getting the hang of riding upright, training wheels lack one important step of riding on two wheels. The ability to lean. As all of us who ride two wheelers can attest, you have to lean in your turns and training wheels just don’t do that. So do they really help in teaching someone to ride a bike?

So I started looking at the way the “Dutch” teach their kids to ride bikes. They use gliders. Bikes built without peddles. I thought this was a great idea but when I went looking to buy one, the price tag was outrageous. Then I thought we can make one. Not only would this keep old bikes out of landfill but it wouldn’t kill my wallet.

We had this older bike from a garage sale that my daughter was using with training wheels. You can find all kinds of bikes in the used market, some people giving them away for free. All you need to do is remove the crank and cut off the chain. But first remove the peddle on the opposite side of the chain cog. This side will slip through the crank housing to completely remove the crank. To remove the crank you will need a screw driver and wire cutters, the cutters will be to cut the chain so it can be removed. Just remember that the crank threading is revered. You want to loosen it by forcing the disc counter clockwise. When you look at the crank in the housing of the bike you will see two slots cut out, you put the edge of the screwdriver in one of the slots and tap it counter clockwise. Keep going till you can take the rest of it off with your hands.

Once all done, clean off the crank case so the kids won’t get grease on their clothing. You can discard the removed parts as I’m sure you wont be putting them back again.

This home made glider has one of my daughters up and riding a two wheeler in 3 days. No need for me to be running behind them keeping them balanced. My second child is now using it and has greatly improved her balance in just one day.

Good luck and happy cycling!