Yes! I am very happy to let you know that you will no longer be riding with training wheels. You will be all grown up by then.

It may seem scary to ride your bike without those extra wheels holding you up off the ground, but you will find it much easier than it seems once you are going.

Bikes are very friendly when they are moving. It is very hard to sit on a bike that is standing still, even for the best bike riders in the world. However, when a bike is rolling, it stays upright much easier.

In order to try riding your bike without training wheels, you must have an adult helping you and you should be sure to wear your helmet! If your parents will help you out, you should do the following: first you should make sure that the bike isn't too big for you...you should be able to stand up over the bicycle's top tube without hitting it to avoid injury. You should also be able to touch the ground with your feet while sitting on the seat in order to be able to safely get off the bike. Have an adult check to make sure the bike is not too big for you before you get on.

1. Take off the training wheels.

2. Put on your helmet.

3. Have one of your parents hold the bike still as you get on the seat.

4. Have your parent start pushing you as you pedal, holding you steady. Your parent will notice that it is less and less work to hold you up straight as you start getting faster and faster (not too fast now!)

5. When you are ready, your parent can let go and you will be able to pedal your bike without falling over. It's that easy! A parent can try to run or walk along side for safety, but sometimes reaching over and grabbing the handlebars while you are riding can be dangerous.

6. When you want to stop and get off, you must slow down with the pedals or the brakes (depending on what type of bike you have) and remember to put your feet on the ground to stand up. Remember that when you stop the bike, it will want to fall over, so you must put your foot on the ground!

GOOD LUCK!

My older sister, Josie, put me on her bike when I was in first grade and stopped pushing me before I knew what was happening. I yelled back to her to let go and she yelled from down the street, "I already let go. You are riding by youself!" I was so excited and surprised, but I didn't know how to stop. Luckily, the bike wasn't too big and when I wanted to stop, I slowed down and put my foot down.

Ciao and see you on the trails,
Keith

Coach Keith visits the farm in CA,
before a stage of the Solano County stage race.

Do you have any questions about your training program? If you do email running questions to Coach Mick at coach.mick@rodale.com. Email other questions (such as cycling) to carol.kids@rodale.com