Our son just turned 13 and he LOVES riding bikes. But that wasn’t always the case. When he was younger, we sometimes had to get creative on how to motivate him to go ride with us.
Here are some ideas of what has worked for us, and what we’ve seen help other parents also. These should help get your kiddo off the couch and out for a ride, but even more importantly, help to foster their love of biking for the long term.
Make It Social
This is my number one piece of advice because it works on kids of all ages–toddlers to teens! A little positive peer pressure can work wonders! Get your kids around other kids on bikes.
This might look like a bike ride with another family, a trip to the local pump track on a busy Saturday, or signing them up for an after-school bike program. Middle school and high school kids can be equally well motivated by NICA or other development programs where they get to make friends with other kids who like to bike.
A passion for bikes is infectious, and it’s rare for a kid to watch their peers (or older kids) having fun on a bike and not want to get involved….
Make it Fun
Little things can go a long way in keeping kids engaged and having fun. In our family, we all have a bell on our bikes and we can get a bit carried away riding down the street dinging our bells at each other and at passerby.
Blair also used to ride with a little speaker on his handlebars. When Parker would ride in a front-mounted bike seat, the two of them would listen to music and rock out while riding.
Play I Spy. Stop at a playground. Collect rocks. You get the idea. Small things like this keep kids entertained for long rides.
Buy Them a Good Bike
I know parents who are avid cyclists themselves, who ride $8K bikes but put their kids on bikes from Walmart. While I’m all for saving money on a bike that is going to be quickly outgrown, it is better to find a quality bike on Craigslist than it is to buy an inferior bike from a big box store.
Unfortunately, most kids’ bikes are WAY too heavy and have poor geometry. If a bike is too big or too heavy for a child, they aren’t going to have fun riding it very far. If you want your child to be excited about riding, buy them a decent bike.
If you need help picking a good bike, check out our reviews on the best kids bikes.
Get Them Fun Gear
While biking should be more about quality family time than it should be about spending money, a piece of two or fun gear can be hugely motivating for kids. This might be a cool new helmet or a new accessory for their bike. If you let your child help pick the item they are that much more likely to be excited about it.
Choose a Destination
Don’t just “go for a bike ride”—pick a destination. This might be a place to swim, an ice cream shop, a playground, or a great picnic spot. This way, when your child inevitably gets worn out or bored halfway through the ride, you can remind them where you are headed. Instant motivation!
Go to a Bike Park
I’ve found that there’s nothing quite as effective at getting kids excited about bikes as a bike park. If there is a bike-specific park in your area, go spend an afternoon there. Most bike parks will have a child-sized pump track and skills area.
The thing about a bike park is that it is all about playing on the bike; it’s not about exercise or about getting somewhere. Kids get to gain skills and confidence, see other children stoked on bicycles, and have some fun.
You might also consider creating a mini bike park in your own backyard. At our house, we have the MTB Hopper skinny set, the MTB Hopper jump, and some DIY ramps and skinnies. Get creative and have fun!
Give them Options
When our son was young, we learned that in order to make family bike rides work for us, we needed multiple ways for him to come along for the ride. When he first started riding bikes, we’d usually have him start out on his own bike and then hop in the Weehoo or Mac-Ride when he got tired.
As he got bigger, we’d have him ride his own bike the entire time but would use a tow rope to give him a little help when he got tired.
We’ve also found it is helpful to offer options for a ride before leaving the house (when it’s practical). Do you want to ride your balance bike or your pedal bike? Do you want to ride in the Weehoo or the Chariot? Do you want to ride on your own or do you want to ride with Dad? Giving kids a feeling of some control makes them more likely to be
Bring Snacks
Don’t underestimate the motivational power of snacks! Kids who are biking on their own are capable of working up quite an appetite, and little tykes riding in a trailer love snacks for entertainment.
Plan at least one snack stop into every ride. Breaking up a ride with some breaks can also help to make it more manageable for kids. We like easy-to-pack snacks like granola bars, fruit, and crackers. You may also want to consider bringing snacks that they ONLY get on bike rides. If they don’t normally get candy at home, consider making an exception for rids.
Sign Them Up for an Organized Ride, Race, or Camp
Older kids can gain lots of motivation from joining an organized event or program. Many organized bike rides have kid-friendly distances that your child can ride.
If your kiddo is the competitive type, they might also be interested in racing. BMX racing really go on our son hooked on bikes. Now, as a middle schooler, he’s super into NICA (middle school and high school mountain bike race league).
If they prefer more social activities, put your child in a summer camp or development program.
Spend Time Spectating
Just as kids are motivated to play football after spending Sunday afternoon watching the big game with dad, they can also be inspired by watching cycling events. Take your child to a local criterium or mountain bike race and bring a cowbell. The energy and enthusiasm for biking at a race is super contagious for kids.
If there aren’t any races nearby any time soon, try YouTube. Watching mountain bike videos can make a kid antsy to get outside in no time.
Bribe Them
My passion is cycling so I’m not above bribery when it comes to getting out for a bike ride. This may not make me popular, but I have been known to resort to bribing my son with cartoons and with candy. Sometimes that is the only thing that gets them out the door; once they are out, you can use the other tactics here to keep the motivated to keep going.
What to Do When Nothing Works
Have you tried all of the above, and you still can’t get your kid excited about riding? Give it a break. Forcing your child to ride probably isn’t going to instill a love of cycling in them.
Model good behavior for them. Let them see you going for a ride. Try asking them to bike again in a week. Or a month. Chances are if you making cycling an integral part of your family life, they’ll come around eventually.
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About Us
The Rascals are a family of three. Kristen (mom), Blair (dad), and Parker (kiddo). We started Rascal Rides when Parker was born and we didn’t want to give up our passion for biking. As we learned, we shared.
Over the years, we’ve added other families to our team and have tested hundreds of kids bikes, helmets, bike trailers, and more.
Kristen is a licensed USA Cycling coach and NICA coach, and loves to share her passion for biking with other families. Blair is a bike geek, mechanic, and mountain bike junkie. Parker is 13 now and is our resident shredder.
If you see us out on the trail, make sure to say hi!
IG: @rascal_rides
YT: @rascalrides
What would be your recommendations for thumb shifters for a kids 6-speed 20” bike? We just bought a bike for our daughter and figured she’d need the thumb shifters as the grip shifter is way too hard for her. She also has sensory processing disorder, so everything is overwhelming and getting her into biking is no different. We’re trying everything to make it fun, exciting g and positive.
I’d also be interested in your thoughts on the Weeride deluxe, with the 3” wide tire, compared to the 2” tire of the regular. I do t know if you’ve tried that one, so it may be just your opinion and review of the regular and if you feel the extra width would make it smoother and grip that much better.
Hi Phillip,
We like the Shimano Tourney TX-30 Trigger Shifter. Much easier to use than the grip shifter for most kids!
I haven’t tried the deluxe, but I like the idea of the wider tire. Our family has personally added wider tires on nearly every trailer and trailer-cycle we’ve used. If you are going to be using it on dirt or gravel, the wider tire does help quite a bit in terms of both comfort and traction….If you are using it primarily on pavement, then I’d stick with the narrower tire.
Hope that helps.
Cheers,
KB