Our first daughter got the traditional tricycle and bike with training wheels and is just now ready to take them off. She’s terrified. We were the subject of that typical taking-off-of-the-training wheels scene where Abby was hemming and hawing, whining and crying, and making that little iffy freaked out noise in her throat as both parents literally helicopter over her while she starts to pedal. One of us held the seat, the other helped her hold the handlebars straight and we were off. She did great by herself after much ahh, aaahhhhhh, AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHing and several light falls that didn’t even cause minor abrasions. This is all very American and beautiful in it’s own nostalgic way.
HOWEVER, my father (Grampa to my children) purchased Cate a Kazam. I don’t know how much the brand name matters but the concept! This is a toddler bike that is GENIUS!
No training wheels.
No tricycle.
No pedals?
That’s right. I was skeptical when I first saw one at the sporting goods store. So skeptical I opted for my oldest to go traditional. But then Kazam was on Shark Tank and I started to think about it and when Grampa offered to buy Cate a bike for the summer, we asked if he would be willing to do the Kazam and he was all for it!
The concept is to get the kid to learn steering and balance naturally. It totally works. While we were struggling with Abby and taking off the training wheels, Cate has already, in only a couple weeks, learned how to balance and steer and all that awesomeness and we are never going to have to have a kid freaking out about the lack of training wheels again.
Life and Photos by Andy 
That shoe-matches-bike shot is too cool. The look on her face is SOOO serious ! If I would have had a Kazam I could have saved myself so much…without replacing all my training wheels for forty years.
later…
We have this rite of passage in Australia too 🙂 . I remember when I lost the training wheels (1968 I think). My dad was holding the back of the seat saying “you’re right, you’re right”. I was pedalling along for about 50 feet and turned to see dad. He was standing back near where we started. I stacked it.
Very nice..We all did the same thing when parents holding the bike for the kids. Joy of being parents and being proud of the kids
I love this concept. I learned how to ride by coasting my sister’s bike down our slightly downward sloped gravel driveway. It was a “girl’s” bike as it had no top tube. Sort of a similar situation.
Love the concept! Will try to remember this in a few years when my grandson is ready to ride!
Great idea and our post brought back fond memories of my son who is now 34! thank you. WI