Well decided the boys bike was too small for him so popped into the local Halfords and was looking at the Wiggins offerings which did seem OK, rather light and nicely made (our local Halfords don’t do a bad job at putting them together either…) he already had a Carrera Cosmo so a logical “upgrade”.

But we decided to go to my usual LBS to see which stock they had, Early Rider, Dawes Academy, Squish and Marin, all but the Squish was out of budget…. until I was told I could have some money knocked off an Early Rider Belter Trail 3……. near 40% off in the end…. which was still more than the Wiggins it was too good of an offer IMHO and would be the bike I would by myself if I was his size…

[url=https://flic.kr/p/U9ThpG]IMG_20170603_153638[/url] by Stephen Williams, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/VrsaZZ]IMG_20170603_153652[/url] by Stephen Williams, on Flickr

[url=https://flic.kr/p/VnViy7]IMG_20170603_153709[/url] by Stephen Williams, on Flickr

He was very pleased indeed…. just to get the daughter riding now….

Oh yes!

Little Miss CFH is still on the smaller Belter,

I’m planning on moving her up to one of the ones you’ve got there and then The Boy can take on the smaller one.

Kids on bikes. ORSUM!

More Belter (16″) action!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/U9fjeg]1st June 2017[/url] by Rob Sutherland, on Flickr

Just need to get the Mish off stabilisers (big brother never needed them, but we have been struggling with the pedalling bit with Hamish. I think he is more or less there though). He was rocking the balance bike!

Phew a pic with stabilizers….I can post safely! 😉

Wee nipper seems to have shot up rapidly and her Riprock 12 has made way for a Riprock 16. I’m raising the stabilizers to try and reduce dependence and because we kepr getting grounded in the woods. Although the turbo trainer effect was thought to be very amusing.

My boy cracked it today , first proper go on his pedal bike . Been on a balance bike since he was 2 and had a nice frog bike since Christmas but didn’t want to know about it .
On holiday in aviemore at the moment and have managed to get him on his pedal bike on a tag along all week . Rode out from bothy bikes today and when we got back he said he wanted to ride his pedal bike on his own and a couple of minutes later he was spinning round the car park like he’d been doing it forever ,no stabilisers! brilliant feeling and so proud of him .
On the way home tomorrow might see if I can get him round Lagan red 😀

My daughter has just started off stabilisers, took some convincing! there is only a year between them and the boy started right off on the Cosmos, my daughter would not entertain it! she’s 5 now and we’ve put here on the Cosmos and got a few efforts of around 50yrds under her own power and balance.
As soon as she realisers you’ve let go the brakes are locked on and she falls off….. getting there though.

*and counting….*

🙂

Young lad at Hicks Lodge today on a 16″ wheel Belter – first time I’ve seen one. He was absolutely flying, way ahead of his dad and older sister. And very polite when we offered to let him go in front of us.

Cfh that looks familiar, Meon Valley? One of our favourite family rides (for the youngest particularly).

Kids bikes are brilliant. We’ve been through Ridgeback zoooom, Specialized, Saracen, Frog and Voodoo.

Not a bad one amongst those we’ve had (although we ruled out a few crappy ones!).

The Specialised and Saracen have gone to my nephew’s who are younger and still going strong.

And the best thing about kids bikes…i forgot to mention…that kids are riding them and having fun!

Kids bikes are brilliant. We’ve been through Ridgeback zoooom, Specialized, Saracen, Frog and Voodoo.

Not a bad one amongst those we’ve had (although we ruled out a few crappy ones!).

The Specialised and Saracen have gone to my nephew’s who are younger and still going strong.

And the best thing about kids bikes…i forgot to mention…that kids are riding them and having fun!

I did look at the Voodoo 20″ job as well as the Wiggins, sadly it was locked up and the sales people were helpfully huddled around their terminal… if it wasn’t for the usual Halfords sales the Voodoo would have been dearer than what we paid for the Early Rider 😯

Kids are brilliant fun on bikes, some just don’t seem to have any fear! Foot out around a corner narrowly missing a sign and some trees and just laughing as he goes on.

Meon Valley?

Nope, just a local track around the village.

Junior’s just got going on his Belter. As someone mentioned above, a year or so on a balance bike was enough to learn the basics, he just got on the belter and started pedalling around the plaza. He was even using the brakes but has regressed somewhat this weekend and is using his feet again. We went out in the pouring rain yesterday, no stopping him! Pedals are too slippy when wet, might get him some spuds 😉

Both my boys on Early riders, 16″ Belter and an Alley runner. Really excellent quality bikes and now you can buy direct from them with free delivery.

Otoh, having had great success getting child #2 from Rothan to Cnoc in 5 mins flat, a friend came round yesterday struggling to get her 7 year old off stabilisers.

She pulled a Hello Kitty pos out of their car, complete with backwards forks, running 12″ wheels.

She was squeezed onto it, poor girl. Anyways, 20 mins up and down the close on #1’s beinn 20, firstly with pedals off, then on, then a bribe of 7 haribo and she’s riding!

They’ve borrowed the bike so daddy will be shitting himself when she bats her eyelids at him and demands her own!

I do feel sorry for her dad though as he missed out on one of those great experiences. They’ve also borrowed our Rothan to help with their little ones.

Well went out and tried with number 2 chid again, initially she was scared to go more than 5 feet before slamming on the brakes when she realised we left go.
And then she just kept peddling and didn’t want to get off, I ended up having a 3km jog beside her as she just rode off, funny how thing just switch like that, she wanted to carry on but we had to shoot off home again. She hasn’t got a 16″ Belter but inherited the 16″ Cosmo….

[url=https://flic.kr/p/VdokiG]IMG_20170604_125638[/url] by Stephen Williams, on Flickr

It must be something in the air….

this was my daughter last weekend… wouldn’t ride her bike without knee pads after seeing me go out with them on. Previously excellent on a Scoot balance bike, but totally rejected her first pedal bike due to it being blue.

I had a dusty eye moment shortly after this video.
[video]https://youtu.be/DJzDwkEebTg[/video]

Even a week since, she’s now properly sorted, start / stop / turn.

*Apologies for portrait, excitement got the better of me

Nice one M0rk!

Apologies for portrait, excitement got the better of me

Only on stw 😉