Before we left Ann Arbor, Xavier learned to ride his two-wheeler sans training wheels. After holding on to the back of his seat while Xavier tried to pedal went just OK, we decided he really needed a balance bike, like a Strider bike. Grandma D. did some research on the internet and found that many people made their own balance bikes by taking the pedals and chain off a regular bike, and we thought that was a great idea. So Grandma D. and I went looking for used bikes, and I found a little 12 inch bike at the reuse center that was missing its pedals and chain. Perfect! Somebody else had had the same plan. And it was only $3!
Xavier tooled around on it daily and was soon riding downhill on the sidewalk from the park near the D's house around to their garage and using his sneakers as brakes. Then one day he just decided to try his regular bike. He got on and starting pedaling. Viola! He was riding.
Here is Xavier just a few minutes after starting to ride for the first time:
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