For my siblings and me, growing up in a sleepy Vermont town on an out-of-the-way street, learning to ride a two-wheeler was a rather peaceful process. Sure, we banged our knees and my brother flew over his handlebars a few times, but for the most part there was little drama. Cars slowed as we passed; moms waved from their yards.
Fast-forward to life in the city and the scenarios facing our little bikers—some truly hair-raising for all involved. I’ve personally coaxed my daughter Fiona, at age six, across Riverside at 96th Street as cars whipped off the West Side Highway directly in her path. Saint Bernards freely lope alongside petrified, dog-hating toddlers on trikes, and more advanced riders, like Isabel, my elder, turn their parents’ hair gray when they barely skirt open-hatch stairs leading to grocery basements on Broadway.
![]() | The balancing technique |
![]() | Buying a bike |
![]() | Free bike riding clinics |
![]() | Bike safety tips |
![]() | Where to bike ride in NYC |
Also in this issue
![]() | Where to live in Queens: An insider’s guide to its top five ’hoods. |
![]() | Fringe benefits: Four up-and-coming New York neighborhoods. |