This section is intended for PARENTS as well as PROFESSIONALS.

We find group instruction to be preferable over one-on-one private instruction, especially as the children become more willing to try and put in an effort upon seeing peers engaged in similar activities and trying – and being successful.

In our camp format, we work with about 5 to 8 children at one time, and then switch to another group, and yet another group as the day goes on. Slightly more than one hour per day of riding instruction is adequate, typically 75 minutes, to permit the children to learn. We normally handle about four groups per day, say of about 6 children per group, for a total of about 24 children per week. Our largest enrolled camp to date has had five sessions with 8 children per session -- thus with forty children enrolled. We take it as a given that the child, possibly your child, has been unsuccessful in the past in attempts to lose the training wheels, and that a variety of reasons may have been responsible for that lack of success.

Dr. Richard Klein with one of our adapted roller trainer bikes. The Lose The Training Wheels™ program uses a special design of bicycle, which we refer to as an adapted roller trainer bike. In reality, our therapy utilizes a progression of trainer bikes, so the children start riding on ultra-stable bikes and then progress towards what we can call normal bikes – a conventional bike without those dreaded training wheels. The adapted trainers are intended as stepping-stones to allow the child to graduate onto conventional bikes. By utilization of a clinic format, the adapted trainers, although somewhat expensive and intricate to custom build, are used by numerous children and thus the costs of the therapy per child are held within bounds.

We at Lose The Training Wheels™ have devoted years of university level research to prepare us to work with children with reluctance and even fear, as well as physical and cognitive limitations. A core group of specialists, consisting of university professors as well as adapted physical education specialists has published preliminary results. The group continues to document and make our findings and techniques known so that more children might benefit. Our goal is that each child entering the program is afforded the opportunity to become an independent bicycle rider.

How is the Therapy Delivered?

Lose The Training Wheels™ program, through the organization, Lose the Training Wheels, Inc., of McLean VA, partners with institutions in creating camps.

Up to this point we have had camps in a number of places in the United States and Canada, primarily where local institutions have agreed to work with us. The institutions provide the gymnasium or similar facility, the means to recruit about 24 to possibly as many as 40 children, volunteers to serve as spotters, a bike camp director to serve as coordinator, a budget or means to generate funding to support the camp, and a qualified floor director. Once we agree on a date (a week, in general), we see to it that an array of adapted bikes arrives and someone properly trained is there to spearhead the camp.

What time tables are involved?

Learning to ride a bike involves learning a sequence of motor skills. Each child will improve in skills on his/her own timetable. Some children can learn in an hour, and yet others require more time. A week’s duration of the program is commonly sufficient for many children. Because of the need to be fresh and rested as well as other limitations, we find that children do best when we schedule a daily riding session not to exceed 1-½ hours (90 minutes). We find that an ideal duration for a session is 75 minutes, as we keep children active and 75 minutes is optimum. Each child will be assigned to a session or time slot, as we typically run a number of sessions each day of the clinic. We don’t watch the clock, but rather watch to see that the child makes improvement – step-by-step, or pedal-by-pedal, if you wish. We don’t place children on time schedules, and you, as parents shouldn’t either.

End outcomes

We strive to bring every child along to be able to become a bike rider, but we don’t achieve 100 percent success. The outcome is not anything that we can guarantee. We do guarantee to do our best in terms of providing the best equipment, staff, and attention to detail.

Immersion in bicycling

Once your child starts participation in our program, they will ride using our special bikes and continue to ride such bikes under our supervision. We ask that you refrain from going home at night and getting out the old training wheels. Let the child bike with us, and not bike when not in our program.Once your child starts participation in our program, they will ride using our special bikes and continue to ride such bikes under our supervision. We ask that you refrain from going home at night and getting out the old training wheels. Let the child bike with us, and not bike when not in our program.

One Skill at a time

A common bit of advice that golf pro’s have is to learn to play golf, and don’t try taking tennis lessons in the same time interval. In short, biking involves learning a new physical skill. Please try to avoid cramming in other classes or clinics such as horseback riding, ballet, baseball, swimming, and soccer. If the child already knows a skill such as soccer and then wants to play, that is fine, but don’t schedule lessons to learn a new skill that overlaps with Lose The Training Wheels™.

Appropriate dress

Biking is a physical activity for which dress needs to be appropriate. In general, avoid dresses and baggy clothes that either restrict movement or get stuck on seats and in bike spokes and chains. Knee length pants are fine, along with short-sleeved shirts in warmer weather. If it is colder, then longer length is okay, but avoid floppy and baggy clothing. Shoes should be suitable for pedaling a bike, so avoid clogs and sandals. If your child wears corrective lenses, consider a plastic holder such as athletes wear so glasses stay on. Girls need to leave the short skirts at home and come dressed in slacks or pants. Lastly, girls should have a hairstyle conducive to wearing a helmet; so avoid pigtails held in place by beads. Spherical hair beads and bike helmets don’t mix.

Helmets and other equipment

Each respective camp will set up its policy related to helmets. Of course, helmet use is mandatory. In some camps, the camp organizers provide helmets, and yet in other camps the parents are required to provide a helmet for their child. If your camp is adopting a policy where the parents provide the helmets, then each child is expected to arrive with a suitable biking helmet, provided in advance by the parent. If the child is in need of a helmet, we suggest and urge that the family go to a reputable bike shop, as the helmet can be fitted. The best helmet in the world is of scant value if it is not fitted and worn properly. Discount chain stores are not known for their helmet fitting expertise.

Children without helmets, or children refusing to wear helmets, will not be allowed to get on bikes while in our program. If you as parent need to provide a helmet, please pay attention to getting and properly fitting a helmet for your child. If your child requires special equipment such as ankle or leg braces for treatment of CP, for example, or a weighted vest for helping with sensory integration tendencies, please so note on the application and bring these items.