Anyone here have a special needs kid? My 3.5 year old loves riding shotgun with me, but is starting to get a little too big.
Trying to figure out the next step for her…she has neurodevelopmental delay, autism, poor coordination and balance. I am trying to find some sort of trike for her, but that is problematic since they are so heavy. Also thinking about attaching a trail a bike to my mtb as well. Or is there something else that will work?
Right now i am trying to bribe her with treats to go on her balance bike, but she has zero interest going on her own. Haven’t even gotten her to go down the driveway :(. She just wants to ride with me. Part of the issue is she isn’t really coordinated enough to ride the balance bike right now. She falls alot on it, and falls alot just walking 😂.
Her understanding of language is also a barrier. But shouts “root” “rock” and “bump” on the reg when she’s riding!
Anyways, let me know what worked for you if you are in a similar boat as me. Here’s some pictures of us cruising around patapsco in Maryland. 🙂
by mike_alexander_smith
38 Comments
I have no experience to help you but I love the photos!
If you’re not trying to do jumps and stuff I’d recommend just a cargo style bike or a trailer, switching to paved or wider trails
Take the balance bike to a park where there are kids riding their bike. This helped my 4yo want to “be big kid too” and use her bike. Regardless at that age they wouldn’t be able to follow us much on or off a path. I’m hoping by the time she is 6 we can do some decent bike path rides together, and then 8 maybe actually hit some trails. Crossing my fingers. Some kids also aren’t into bikes and want a scooter or roller blades or skateboard. Obviously still young for all that. But I’ve noticed my 4yo really broncos more independent and adventurous when she sees other kids doing stuff.
As someone with an autistic son have you considered one of those canvas trailer seats that hook up the the back? Might be worth a shout if she can sit still, my lads okay aslong as were moving, if we stop he wants to get out 😂
I also dont have any good advice but your hoodie is sick! Where’d you get it?
I know the weehoo bike trailers have straps that lock their feet in so they don’t slip down.
IDK. I have a 3.5 year old as well and ride the shotgun with him. I’m going to delay stopping that as long as possible. Some of the best memories I have with my boy are on that bike.
I also think switching to their own setup would limit the locations we are able to go. No way he would be able to climb some of the trails that we go on.
But I suppose everything must come to an end eventually..
My daughter also has autism and is 16 now. I wish I could help but I just wanted to let you know that you are an awesome dad. If you find an option please share updates!
Maybe a Weehoo single wheel trailer would work. Like a trail a bike but with a seat with a back.
Hey there! Love to see you two getting out on the trails.
I formally worked in adaptive recreation and the program I was with offered a wide array of cycling opportunities for lots of different needs.
While this may not be the exact fit, and may be more suited for gravel / paved routes, the Hace Pinto can accommodate nearly anyone while allowing your daughter to be engaged in riding by peddling.
An option that would allow full independent is the Reactive Adaptations Stinger. Tad pool design for added stability on level terrain, lots of customizable options for shifting, pedal assist, suspension etc.
Feel free to pm!
[https://www.hasebikesusa.com/pino-tour-tandem-bike.html](https://www.hasebikesusa.com/pino-tour-tandem-bike.html)
[https://reactiveadaptations.com/stinger-offroad-recumbent-bicycle/](https://reactiveadaptations.com/stinger-offroad-recumbent-bicycle/)
I’ll start by saying I have no experience with developmental delayed special needs children. That being said, she’s only 3 1/2, I’d keep helping her with the balance bike. If she doesn’t like the paved bike park, what about a dirt trail or pump track? Until then, if she’s too big to ride shotgun I’d lean towards a trail bike.
Long term, there are some awesome electric quad mountain bikes made specifically for paraplegic and mobility restricted adults.
https://www.bowheadcorp.com/bowhead-reach
If you have the means, plan a trip to park city, get in touch with National Ability Center (outdoor recreation group, do all sports, really great), get her into a couple sessions and obvs you go with. They have all the equipment and know how to take your kid with special needs to the next level, and will set you up for the next phase in your kids life (source, former ski instructor for them, countless lessons started where the kid wouldn’t ski, especially without some sort of crutch. By the end of our time together they were always like bye mom and dad I can do it on my own!).
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I can’t work out what model your are using, but I have a shotgun pro and a normal sized near 6 year old, and we are still sending it on the shotgun. Only issue I occasionally get their helmet bashing my chin.
I can see your kid is sat quite for forward, there is a fair amount of adjustment on the pro to get them further back and with a lower leg position.
Not a huge help for a 3.5 year old but you might want to reach out to Catalyst Sports. They have been running adaptive mtb events in Patapsco and may be able to point you in the right direction.
No experience but just some ideas:
[https://burley.com/collections/kid-trailercycles/products/kazoo](https://burley.com/collections/kid-trailercycles/products/kazoo)
They also make the tow behind seated trailer kind but with fat tires or suspension.
Don’t have any advice, but those shotgun rides sound *awesome*! I could actually use someone on my bars to call out obstacles.
For riding around (not MTB) we had a Thule Chariot. Our kids liked riding in it. It was great for getting the kids to a park, farmers market, grocery store. A good trailer can also haul a balance bike/scooter (when that skill develops).
The downside is harder communication… you definitely lose that easy conversation from the shotgun seat.
We also had a trail-a-bike. While it worked, it was not my favorite. My kids would randomly flop their weight around, and it was a challenge to keep it upright.
Can these shotgun seats be used on carbon frames? I’d love to get my 2 yr old up with me in front!
safety PSA for everyone to please make sure your [helmet is properly fitted](https://www.reddit.com/r/MTB/s/833qkunTll) for all riders.
you don’t want your helmet rolled so far back that it leaves a lot of your forehead vulnerable during a crash or impact, negating some of the protective qualities that your helmet provides when properly fitted.
also please make sure your helmet straps is snug, not loose, for the same reason that you want your helmet to stay securely in place during a crash.
[this is a good general guide](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6xte8c9KFmI&pp=ygUPZ2lybyBoZWxtZXQgZml0) for helmet fitment but typically the owners manual found online (through the manufacturers website) will explain to you proper fitment as well for [younger riders](https://youtu.be/9X5PNCTUd2o?si=sdV2bQqY7DgHhyC8).
For motivation, I’ve had good luck making a game out of it. We go to a blacktop court and play police or delivery driver or whatever game we play but on bikes or scooters.
I’m in the minority but I think balance bikes are dumb, there’s nothing to learn or develop on them that you can’t get from a scooter. But a scooter will be more comfortable and fun. I have a scooter and zip around with my daughter, it’s a blast, we’re very popular in my neighborhood.
I’m in a very similar situation with my little one! Special needs, poor strength/balance, not interested in trying much on her own, but getting too big to be directly carried on a bike/backpack any longer.
I would highly recommend reaching out to some local adaptive fitness/adventure organizations and see if you can’t go and test some stuff out. My wife and did this recently at an adaptive equipment expo, and it was the most inspiring thing. First, our girl was thrilled to be around all these people with different bodies and limitations moving freely with all kinds of interesting equipment. But we also got to test various types of devices that we didn’t even know existed. We just walked around and let her engage with what looked fun/usable to her. That said, two things stood out that aren’t necessarily MTB related, but could be a game changer.
Look up Huckleberry Hiking. They make a tandem hiking cart that lets you get out on legit single track with a kid in tow. Not a bike, but it makes moving a kid around outside really easy.
She also really took to a recumbent hand cycle: Invacare Top End Excelerator XLT. Her balance is pretty trash 😂, and this thing was super stable, cradled her quite comfortably, and was easy to “pedal” and brake with the hand cranks. Again, not a single track MTB capable machine, but it was the best cycling she had done up to this point by a mile.
Best of luck on your journey dude! DM if you’d like to chat more.
Look here, I’m not sure the level of trails you’re riding on now but there may have to be some level of compromise to keep you both together.
https://rascalrides.com/biking-with-kids-with-special-needs-bikes-resources/
But regardless that helmet looks too big and loose. Even though I know she’s growing, I would get a proper fitting helmet that is also tightened more on the chin.
I’m sure this can be a issue with sensory stuff, but it doesn’t really do any good if it’s so loose and doesn’t fit their head. If she happens to fall on any bike.
I used a WeeHoo trailer for 4-5 years with my kiddo. Could still ride most Singletrack with it. Other companies even have some with shocks for the rear rider
My kids never took to a strider, we did have a 4 wheel version that they loved which could get her used to moving on her own without much balance needed.
I think your daughter is too young for this, but my dad is paralyzed on one side from a stroke and rides a recumbent e-trike all the time. There are a lot of great devices and programs mentioned on this thread already as well. Maybe there is an adaptive program near you that has some that you can try.
You are obviously going to know her best but I think not being into the balance bike is totally understandable.
Have you considered a different balance bike? I think they can be so different.
We started with a Strider bike and they are great because they are so light.
Something with rubber tires and a brake has been a great progression for us to build confidence (the foam Strider tires lack grip) between learning balance and being ready to pedal.
My daughter has Down Syndrome, had poor coordination and balance, but now rides competitively. She’s in her teens. We never did training wheels or tricycles, just kept her scooting on a strider bike (balance bike) until she got good. We did alot of riding and “falling” down hills with fun being the goal. She’s also an avid skier so that helped with balance. The more activity you can engage her in, the more she will progress at her own speed and in her own time. As long as its all about fun Daddy time, she’ll keep coming back. And don’t let others define what cannot be done. Just do, and do with joy.
You’re a great dad, my guy. That’s all. Good on ya.
There are non profit groups in my area that specialize in outdoor activities for children individuals with special needs. There are also non profits that help families with special needs including accessing grants to pay for equipment sometimes too. Anyhoo, maybe connect with on of those groups, perhaps she would have interest in something there while being able to wander around looking at stuff. Does she like going to the bike shop?
Autism dad of two boys here. First off, kudos for getting your kids out with you doing something you love. Life with Autism and other neurodevelopmental delays can be tough, keep trucking!
Both of my boys had very little interest in the balance bike… until they did. Around 4 both kids couldn’t get enough. Rain, shine, snow, night, all hours of they day they just wanted to ride bikes. They both went slow, didn’t do any real strides, but they had a blast.
We use a Mac-ride and we still use it. I fully plan to take my 6 year old on it this year. He isn’t a very big kid, but we go slow and yeah positioning gets tough but it’s worth it. He weighs a fair bit now so I have been considering getting an e-bike for myself so I don’t wear out quite so fast. Regardless, it’s still doable even if it isn’t ideal even when they get bigger.
One thing I noticed a lot of was the speech like you described. Both our kids had speech delays, but when they went biking it was like a full color commentator. Enjoy it while you can! Even if you don’t get very far on the bike this is some of my best memories with our kids so far, take it all in.
Lastly, remember each child moves at their own pace. I really struggled with comparing where we were at vs where other kids were. As long as you both have a smile at the end of the ride you’re doing great.
I think I saw your post in the Nova MTB group too! I don’t personally have much experience with special needs rider development, but I was wondering if you have looked into [S’mores](https://more-mtb.org/pages/smores)? There are groups that meet in MD and VA. They generally have pace groups for all skill levels and ride leaders who would be happy to take some extra time to help work through balance biking on trails. Or trike riding if you sort that out! Sometimes having other small kids around and other adult helpers who aren’t a parent might help kids feel more confident to take the next steps.
Dad of a special needs kid here (both physical and ASD).
The Burley that is mentioned elsewhere worked really well for us for dependent rides, but you might also want to look at the follow me tandem for transitioning to independence.
https://www.followmetandem.co.uk/
Does the same as a trailer bike but so much better, the way the towed bike tracks the adult bike, and the weight of the child stays lower (and crucially leans the right way when turning!).
Super easy to attach and detach on the trail as strength and enthusiasm ebbs and flows! Worth every penny, and works with multiple sizes of bike, up to much larger than the trailer bike style supports.
Ultimately balance was an issue for us and we tried Tomcat trikes, which were OK, but eventually ended up with a recumbent trike from KMX carts, which was brilliant.
I ended fitting an ebike kit to it in the end, which made family bike rides a reality for us!
https://www.instructables.com/Pedal-assist-Recumbent-E-trike/
Kudos for getting out there with your extra challenges, there are many options out there, you just have to keep trying until you get the right one for your particular situation.
Get her a tri bike
Reading through comments, looks like some great suggestions. Don’t have any better input to provide but just wanted to say you guys look great.
It’s fantastic that you are able to share that moment with your daughter.
Perhaps have a look at a buggy to pull her along as building those shared memories will be awesome.
Have you considered putting a basket on the front of her bike and perhaps putting a favourite toy in?
It’s difficult to accelerate development so perhaps focus on safety so no nasty tumbles and just allow her to go at her own pace.
You are winning , she looks very happy , thats a great thing to do.
All the best!
What kind of riding do you want to do?
Have no advice related to your question but can’t help but say the two of are absolutely adorable. Way to be a good Dad!
Both of mine started on a bike with training wheels and got really into it just cruising the neighborhood. Then I guess the balance bikes became more appealing to them and they started going back and forth till it was time for a 2 wheeler.