Learning to Ride Bikes: Hamilton County Course Offers Wheel-Free Experience for Kids

HAMILTON COUNTY — Learning to ride a bike without training wheels can be a daunting task for kids. However, the Learn2Ride program in Hamilton County is making it possible for children to pedal confidently in under two hours.

"We had a woman in Lebanon who saw our ad on Facebook and thought it was a total scam," laughed Matt Tanner, founder of the program. "I just didn't make sense to me, like why kids couldn't ride bikes. I thought there was a need, and we've kind of identified how to address it."

The program's method is simple: four steps to get kids riding without training wheels. The process begins with balancing on one leg, like a flamingo. Next, the kids hop like a frog by pushing off the ground with both feet. Then, they glide with both feet off the ground, holding for at least 15 seconds. Finally, instructors add pedals back onto the bikes and run alongside each biker as they learn to pedal while keeping their balance.

One student who passed the class is 7-year-old Milly, a naturally athletic child who excels in sports like basketball, tennis, soccer, gymnastics, and swimming. However, her fear of falling meant that training wheels stayed on her bike until she took part in the Learn2Ride program.

"We've been trying since she was four. And she's seven now," said Milly's mom, Hillary Downs. "She would just stop." But with Coach Matt's guidance, Milly gained the confidence to ride without training wheels.

"I'm proud of myself!" Milly exclaimed, beaming with pride as she sat atop her bike. Her mother added that the program has been a game-changer for their family: "We go on family bike rides, and she was always having to be in the trailer or the back with her little baby brother. That has been huge for her. She says she feels she's free."

The Learn2Ride program operates in Hamilton County but has had students from all over the country take its lessons.