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Answer: When bicycles became popular, many poskim discussed their use on Shabbat, and almost all forbade it, for one or more of the following reasons. 1) Uvdin d’chol – This is a weekday-like activity, for, amongst other reasons, it is a mode of transportation that takes people to many places for purposes that include non-Shabbat-appropriate ones (see Tzitz Eliezer VII:30). 2) Bicycles often need repairs that a rider might perform while forgetting about Shabbat (see ibid. and Yaskil Avdi III, Orach Chayim 12). 3) One might ride outside the techum Shabbat(boundaries of travel outside the city). 4) When riding on ground, one makes grooves (Shut R. Azriel Hildesheimer I:49). While Rav Yosef Chayim of Bagdad (Rav Pe’alim I, OC 25) dismissed the issues and permitted riding a bicycle (some say he later changed his mind), the consensus of both Ashkenazi (see Shemirat Shabbat K’hilchata 16:18) and Sephardi poskim (see Kaf Hachayim 403:8) and the broad minhag is to forbid it. While, in theory, Rav Ovadia Yosef did not find any of the halachic issues formidable, he agreed that one should not ride a bicycle on Shabbat (see Yabia Omer, OC 55:29 and Chazon Ovadia IV, p. 40). The increasing popularity of electric bicycles likely makes all bicycles even more problematic (one can make the opposite claim).
Your question, regarding children riding, deserves consideration on a few grounds. First, most of the reasons to forbid bicycles apply less to a child, especially a young one. He uses a bicycle as recreation, which is harder to call uvdin d’chol, and he is arguably less likely to leave the city or fix it when it breaks. Furthermore, when there are strong grounds to claim that a certain practice is permitted but a stringent opinion is more accepted, we have halachic precedent for being lenient regarding children. See for example, Rav Ovadia Yosef’s suggestions regarding waiting less than six hours between meat and milk for children (Yabia Omer III, Yoreh Deah 3) and allowing for them cheese produced by a non-Jew without supervision in a case of need (ibid. V, YD 11; Sdei Chemed vol. VIII, p. 238, regarding feeding children certain foods on Pesach that adults refrain from due to a (remote) possibility ofchametz). See also a statement in this direction in Beit Yosef, OC 269.
We summarize as follows. Conventional Orthodox wisdom has determined that bicycles are forbidden – period. Therefore, we are not open to leniency just based on age. Only in the separate, albeit related case of tricycles, have poskim added up the halachic indications in a manner that permits their use.
Since a large part of the prohibition of bicycles, especially for children, is based on minhag, there is no need to oppose a practice of leniency that may exist in certain communities (more likely among Sephardim). In general, even if a child is violating a clear Rabbinic prohibition, one does not have to stop him or even tell his father to do so (see Shulchan Aruch, Orach Chayim 343:1 and Mishna Berura 343:3). It is even legitimate, even for a father, to allow his minor child to ride a bicycle on Shabbat if it is in consonance with the local minhag.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
Rabbis in Midrash
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Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 9 - "Seeing is Believing" (parag. 21-30)
These paragraphs elaborate on the theme that seeing and knowing is better than any attempt to prove logically, and begins explaining the difference between Israel and gentiles.
Ein Aya Various Universal Stages of the Geula Process
Rav Kook examines the various stages of redemption, explaining how (in addition to the obvious oft-mentioned stages of ingathering the exiles, reviving the Hebrew language, army, state etc.) the messianic dream of world prosperity, the State of Israel and world unity can and are realistically and logically gradually coming true.
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 8- "Answering Questions on the Kuzari's Proof from Mass Revelation
How do we know that the "claim" of mass revelation to 2,000,000 witnesses at Mt. Sinai is really true? This important class answers all of the questions skeptics ask about this claim of the Kuzari.
Ein Aya Armies Still Necessary for Balance & the War Against Wars
Rav Kook explains why the world was originally divided into the various seemingly contradicting ideologies and cultures, in order to develop each one respectively. Swords or armies symbolize how each respective ideology defends themselves, as well as deters their opposing ideologies and cultures. On the other hand, the messianic era will be one of peace, and Rav Kook explains the transition to that stage, which mankind is already undergoing.
The Land of Israel LGBT'S IN ISRAEL
The question was asked, how can one make Aliyah with the LGBT parades?
Kuzari -Rabbi Ari Shvat Kuzari class 7 - Five Accumulative Proofs of G-d
As a preparation for the Kuzari's classic proof of G-d from the mass-revelation at Sinai, we start here with 5 other directions to strengthen our belief which also contribute to what the Kuzari will present as well.
Ein Aya Muscle & Meaning: The Dual Nature of Gevurah (Physical Strength)
Is physical strength and fitness a necessity or an ideal? Although it if often totally overlooked among topics of Judaism, Rav Kook writes that it clearly is also a necessity to deter the many enemies of Israel, but even in Y'mot HaMashiach, in the Messianic era, to a certain extent, it's ideal continues even after our enemies will have been finished off.
