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As warmer weather approaches, thoughts naturally turn to long days outside, and few things are as fun for children as riding around on a bike.

Tom Rinker, owner of The Bicycle Escape in Frederick, thinks learning to ride a bike is important because it allows children to be physically active and gain some independence at the same time.

"It's a great opportunity to put down the video games and get outside," he said. "It's great exercise and allows kids to get a little bit of freedom — a mode of transportation."

Bill Smith, 51, of Frederick, said learning to ride teaches children to be self-reliant.

A member of Frederick Pedalers, a local cycling club, for 19 years, Smith taught his own daughters — now teens — to ride years ago.

He learned to ride using training wheels, and so he started his oldest daughter out with them when she was 8. After removing them, he says it took her a whole summer to learn to ride on her own.

By the time his second daughter was ready, he had read about a new idea — removing the bike's pedals and lowering the seat to let the child's feet touch the ground.

"She was able to coast and concentrate staying on the bike, not worrying about the pedals," Smith said. It only took her a few days to learn.

This method is what Rinker recommends to his customers when they are teaching a young one to learn to ride. He says children are confident from the start because their feet can touch the ground. Once they master coasting and balancing on the bike, he suggests reinstalling the pedals and integrating that into the process.

"Training wheels are helpful, but they do not teach you how to ride a two-wheel bike," Rinker said.

But whatever way a parent chooses to teach, he stresses it is best to wait until a child wants to learn.

"They are ready when they have the motivation," Rinker said. "It is not a good idea to force them."

Eric Stuyck, 48, of Brunswick, also a member of Frederick Pedalers, partially commutes by bike to work and regularly rides on the weekends. It was no surprise when his son took an interest in riding at a young age.

Nathaniel, 5, got his first bike almost two years ago and has been on the go ever since.

When teaching his son, Stuyck says one important thing to him was not to be too aggressive. He opted for training wheels because Nathaniel felt more comfortable with them. And although he can ride without them now, he still asks for them to stay on.

"I encourage him [to take the training wheels off], but if he wants to keep them, it's OK by me," Stuyck said. "As long as he's having fun, he'll keep on riding."

This line of thinking clearly works for Stuyck and his son. One recent weekend, they rode together from Brunswick to Harpers Ferry, W.Va., more than 7 miles.

"He thought that was a big deal," Stuyck said, proudly.

Training wheels were also the preferred method of teaching for Tara Viers, 38, of Emmitsburg, and her 8-year-old son, Russell.

"He asked for the [training] wheels because he felt more comfortable and they helped with balance," Viers said about her son when he started to learn a year ago. "My husband raised the wheels so he can teach to ride without them, but it's about comfort."

When learning to ride, safety equipment, such as a properly fitting helmet, are important, but so is learning the rules of riding, according to Stuyck.

"You have to teach them to ride safely, as well as wear safety equipment," he said.

Cpl. Tom Johann of the Frederick County Sheriff's Office assists with the Bike Rodeo, an event organized by Safe Kids Frederick County that encourages riding safely.

The rodeo has obstacle courses set up to teach how to maneuver a bike, as well as experts that provide bike tune-ups and how to make sure a helmet fits properly.

"It's very important for [children] to understand how to handle their bikes. Nationally, there are a lot of injuries from falls and crashes," Johann said. "Younger kids have more trouble controlling bikes, and we want to build their confidence [through the rodeo]."

In addition to the Bike Rodeo, the League of American Bicyclists offers classes for both children and parents on safe bike-riding. Preston Tyree, director of education for the league, says the classes cover bike handling, how to deal with intersections and what to do when riding in traffic.

He points out that younger children's peripheral vision is not yet fully developed, and that children cannot hear directionally, such as where a siren sound is coming from.

Tyree says the classes "practice making good decisions in complex situations" and that they focus on the "physical, emotional, and developmental stages of children."

Tom Rinker, owner of The Bicycle Escape in Frederick, stresses several things to keep in mind when buying a bike.

-Make sure an actual bike mechanic assembled your bicycle.

-A bike should be comfortable for a child, but allow room for them to grow: "It is never good to get a bike that is too big because it is not safe, but it is good to allow a size that lets the child grow for approximately three years."

-Keep in mind the weight of the bike: "It's important because you are selecting a bike for a child that might weigh 40 pounds. It's not fun for them to handle a bike that's too heavy. A lighter bike is better."

-Don't forget about safety equipment, such as a helmet that fits properly, gloves in case of falls, and a water bottle to keep hydrated.

Bike Rodeo

-To be held at area schools, call Barbara Wagner for more information at 301-600-1701

The League of American Bicyclists

-www.bikeleague.org

-Click on ‘Cycling in Your Area' in the right-hand column for local information.

Frederick Pedalers

-www.frederickpedalers.org

Frederick County Health Department Bicycle Safety Steps

-www.co.frederick.md.us/ index.asp?nid=2390

Safe Kids Frederick County

-Nancy Boyd, 240-379-6003, nboyd@fmh.org