Training Wheels

bikes · learning · balance

Extra stability wheels. Training wheels are two small wheels attached to the back axle of a bicycle. They make the bike into a four-wheeled vehicle so it won't tip over when you're learning.

How they work. The wheels hang slightly off the ground at first, but as you ride and practice, you lean more on your pedaling and less on the training wheels. Over time, they lift higher and higher until you're balancing on your own.

Called different names. In North America, people call them training wheels, but in other parts of the world like Europe and Australia, they're called stabilizers. The name depends on where you live.

Being replaced. Since the late 1990s, balance bikes have become more popular because they teach kids to balance from the start instead of relying on extra wheels. Many kids now learn on balance bikes before moving to regular pedal bikes.