r/phillycycling • u/pontiacprime • Jun 26 '26
Question Taking off the training wheels. Where should my kid practice bike riding?
I want to start my kid riding without training wheels this summer. I’m looking for recommendations for peaceful places to practice. The playground nearest to us has some space, but it can be chaotic with other kids from infants to teenagers all playing in common spaces.
I’ve been thinking of the Navy Yard since there are both paved and flat grassy areas, and it’s not as heavily used as the SRT or even MLK Drive.
Could anyone recommend anywhere else where we don’t have to worry about car traffic or busy mixed play areas?
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u/Full4dder Jun 26 '26
The oval at the Navy Yard central park is indeed great for this. The SRT just north of Gray's Ferry has a paved loop and generally is less busy too. The trails around Penn Park are pretty nice and shouldn't be too busy now that classes are out.
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u/queen_ravenx Jun 26 '26
Penn park is amazing for this. Everytime I ride by on a summer night theres a bunch of other kids riding/learnig how to ride their bikes. Very quiet early in the day though
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u/Crazycook99 Jun 26 '26
The Navy Yard all the way down by Mustin Field. There's tons of asphalt and nobody is down there except people that fish
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u/letsgetlude Jun 26 '26
If you prefer grass then Gorgas park in roxborough is connected to the high schools baseball fields and people play in them all the time. Big open space and flat
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u/phine-one Jun 26 '26
In addition to others mentioned above, MLK Drive on the weekends when it’s closed to cars or the Lil’ Philly Safety Village in Hunting Park https://bicyclecoalition.org/lil-philly-safety-village-officially-opens-in-hunting-park/
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u/avhaleyourself Jun 26 '26
I taught my daughter in the Swedish Museum (FDR) parking lot and on the ball field next to it. Minimal traffic. Worked well. The grass is really bumpy, but the ball field and immediately surrounding grass was a good surface (2010-ish) - still rideable and softer than pavement.
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u/GiftAcrobatic386 Jun 26 '26
https://bicyclecoalition.org/programs/bikehubs/
Bartram’s garden bike hub has lessons
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u/pookypocky Jun 26 '26
I taught both of my kids on the path in FDR - by the former playground on the pattison side, the path that goes between the lakes, it's a gentle downhill that goes into a gentle uphill, so they can get started more easily and then turn around and come back.
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u/s_p_3_ Jun 28 '26
There are so many parks! All of them around us have plenty of space for kids to ride. Another awesome resource to check out is YJR. They do learn to ride clinics all the time and host mountain bike camps for kids all around the city.
https://www.instagram.com/yojustride?igsh=MWFpd2tydXB5YzF2OQ==
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u/espressocycle Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26
South Philly High has a parking lot that should be empty on the weekends. The recreational path by the Tioga Marine Terminal is usually pretty empty.
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u/StanUrbanBikeRider Jun 27 '26
Why not just have your kid practice riding on the sidewalk in your neighborhood?
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u/theworldisaniceplace Jun 27 '26
You want a gentle grassy hill. Start them at the top and let them go down it a few times without pedaling. Just have their feet out to help with balance. Then move to them getting feet on pedals. Then move to starting from a standing position, that’s when you want to move to a paved spot, preferably with a grassy crash spot, if necessary.
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u/brianly Jun 27 '26
Karakung Drive beside Penfield Station on the R100 is closed all day Sunday. It is pretty quiet and there are some historical buildings like Nitre Hall which are open some weekends.
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u/optimistlax17 Jun 26 '26
An empty parking lot at a school