The little lady (5 and a half, going on 25) hasn't had chance to use her first 'proper' bike because of the hideous weather. As she's had it since santa dropped it off on christmas day, she's understandably chomping at the bit.

The ante has been progressively upped (by her, not me) so now the request is "Daddy, when we go riding I want to go to the Peak District" and now "and I want it to be at night, in the dark, so I can see Manchester lit up at night from the top of the hills"

This at least illustrates that she listens to me from time to time.

So I want to give her a taster as she's so keen and determined. I want a nice short pootle. Maybe a little ride that starts high so she gets a good view of the city (or any lit up areas). Close to civilisation and somewhere for a hot chocolate afterwards

Has the STW massive any experience? How old were yours when you took them out in the dark.? Where did you take them? Any pointers?

Cheers

oh… and she'll have my spare lights, so that's not a worry

tick tock. the sound of us all waiting for H&S naysayers to come along and tell you it's only going to end in doom and tears…..

Go for it, and tell her that if she doesn't ride fast the werewolves will get her..! And no, she isn't to look at the funny men dressed in corsets…

awesome 🙂

you could get a friendly taxi (mother?) to drop you off, then meet you in a cafe for hot chocs, so its not a loop, a one way ride always feel better, as every inch is an inch closer to finishing (in a good way)

I've found as long as my boy has decent lights (preferably brighter than mine) and its not too hilly he loves it. Hills=whinging and dad has to push.

Edit: Make sure they don't get cold feet.

Make sure the one way is down, a nice gentle incline for about 20 mins…

Don't see why not – the thing to bear in mind though is the usual rule of thumb that a first time night ride should be easier than what you'd do during the day and also somewhere familiar, both points I suspect you're going to struggle with! Just make it far, far easier than you think you need to.

My little boy's not up to that sort of thing yet (still waiting for conditions where he can even ride his new bike he got for Xmas – our road which would normally be ideal to start him off has had snow or ice on every day since then). I have however fitted a little bike light to his scooter, and he really loves going out at night – wouldn't hesitate to swap it over to his new bike as soon as conditions are suitable.

Perhaps ride the route in the day and then again at night?
I find riding a familiar route at night preferable to riding something I'm not at all familiar with.
Less to concern myself with and I can stay off the brakes.

I'm sure the two of you will have a memorable ride.
Let us know how you got on eh?

Abigale was 6 and Katie 8 when we started to night ride with them. Did a 4 mile loop from home. They enjoyed every bit of it.

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Tracey

Tracey. That looks great. I think I'll stay local with her to start with and keep it fairly flat. I'm sure she'll just be chuffed to be out at night with daddy.

Oh…. and to the rest of the South Manchester Massive, she's requested that daddies friends have to come out too. I've warned her against this, but she's insisting

Conditions? The conditions are great!!

Note: whinging started approx 5 minutes later 😉

binner – the difficulty of getting high enough to see all of Manchester is, er, getting high enough.

One alternative may be to park up near Fletcher Moss park (go with me on this) and then head off as if you were going to ride the little bit of boardwalk at the back of it. As you aim towards the river there's a bit that rises ever so slightly where there's a bench. It isn't *much* of a view, but you've got a field between you and some of Manchester.

Would that work, or is she too impatient even for that? 😀

OT – Binners can you send me an e-mail please-my e-mail in profile ta

Tom – that sounds like a great idea. And was what i was thinking. We can work up to hills. I don't want to put her off. And theres plenty of places in Didsbury to get warm afterwards

Doctor's Gate?

that sounds like a great idea

Whether it's rideable now for a little'un, I'm not sure. I took my SS out by the river (and through the woods – no corsets, alas) and it was rather harder work than usual.

If she takes after her dad, she can pull up at the bench and have a cigarette…. 😀

PS Must get some lights and join you lads again at some point.

i also ride behind my lad (12), which means that he benefits from my light

My lad didn't ride at night until he was 12, but that's mainly because he would have had to have kept up with the adults. They assumed he was sixteen anyway, I think that was minimum age for the club anyway.
Still he loved it.

Mini night ride in the middle of Haugh Woods New Years Eve.
My 7 Year old son smiling after his second low speed wipeout of the evening – he loves it!

Is that a young Shaun White under there zangolin? 😀

My son and I went for our first night ride together when he was seven. We set off when it was just getting dark so he could get used to the darkness. He was a bit spooked the first ride and didn't want to stop at all, but still really enjoyed the adventure.

If we go to a cottage over easter or new year we always go for a night ride and have been round the Dalbeattie trails quite a few times.

Funnily enough he's always fine on forest singletrack but still gets spooked, even at 12 yaesr old, on fireroads. He's always up for it though.

i also ride behind my lad (12), which means that he benefits from my light

With a nice distracting shadow right on the bits he really needs to see if my experience of riding with people with brighter lights is anything to go by.

Some pretty cool parents here.
Barnardo's didn't have such things as the candles tended to blow out at speed.

I took my daughter night riding to the pub from the campsite in eskdale. When they get out there, they're pleasantly surprised how well the lights work etc. "it's just like day dad". A view down to the lights of manchester is a difficult one though. Kind of implies a climb however you play it? Maybe we should do a bring your kids night ride sometime round here?

Lots of kids up here night ride,We find its easier if you make no big thing of it and do a ride they know backwards.My own son will be doing his second puffer next week.First when he was 12.This year there is even a younger team(they have an adult rider with them ,and are allcapable of riding the course)

Is that a young Shaun White under there zangolin?

Woody – There is defo a similarity!