It's my little niece's second birthday coming up in December and I'm buying her first bike (an IslaBikes Rothan). I've already advised her Nana of what helmet to buy, but what else do we need? Knee/elbow pads? Gloves? Has anyone got recommendations?
Essential thing to teach - that it's fun!
BUT SHE HAS TO BE THE BEST!!! How is she going to become the next Rachel Atherton if we don't start piling on the pressure now???
You've got the basics sorted, add enough time and it'll work great. We had a fair while doing a lot of pushing, and then ours had a eureka moment and he was off. You can't rush it. If you're really short of a pressie then gloves are good if you can get them small enough; they'll get plenty of crash testing!
Really? Can you get them on bikes at 2? Mine is 2 soon! Research to be done!
@damo2576 - Have a look at the IslaBikes website. The Rothan is a great little balance bike with a tiny little rear v-brake. So sweet!
All you need is a bike, probably a helmet and plenty of time.
Spare wellies.
They'll scuff through their current pair braking 8)
Okay. It's looking like pads would be overkill at this point! Cheers everyone.
encourage them to look ahead, and not around.
try and find a carpark/open area with a slight slope so they can practice the 'feet up' part, although that takes a while for them to master. Adjust the seat height so that they are low to begin with, then raise it as they start to get the hang of the 'feet up' bit.
Never bothered with the helmet myself - but that's been done to death eh? but my girls liked the gloves idea.
looks cool! notice it's only v brakes on the rear - is there one with 203mm rotors for downhill?
Definately get some cheap shoes, footbraking really wears them out. We didn't bother with the knee and elbow pads, saw other kids with them and it seemed to restrict thier movement, he didn't do himself any damage. A really useful bhit of kit, was a Little Life rucksack, his own "Camelback", it has a grab handle and attachment for a lead, really usefull to control speed on the descents.
Is it worth getting 'proper' biking gloves (if someone does them in a small enough size)?
I was a little disappointed it didn't come specced with 'Bombers, but I reckon I can bodge something together in the garage.
We found "proper" tiny cycling gloves too stiff and tight so they didn't like to weat them - cue damaged hands and not wanting to ride. Any gloves will do, so they can be like daddy/uncle whoever the pushy one is. Never occured to us to use pads though.
We did have a strict "no helmet, no ride" rule, though - they tell me off if they catch me doing sneaky test rides without one after some bike fettling now.
The Rothan is great - borrowed one off friends and babyswadey got the hang in no time, at Christmas we will move her on to pedals.
The Little Life rucksack has been added to the list. Very good idea! She'll really look the part.
She'll probably be learning in Richmond Park in London so plenty of open, grassy areas for falling over on. Shame it will be during the winter, but she'll be using the time to work on her endurance ready for summer.
She insists on wearing my helmet (and oakleys) around the house (often being wheeled around atop my Nicolai!) whenever she visits, so it shouldn't be difficult enforcing a "no helmet, no ride" rule!
Get a back support for you!!!
There WILL be a lot of her walking with the bike between her legs, then a LOT of asking you to push her. This is actually good to help her get balance. You'll noitce that you have to do less side to side balancing pretty soon.
Backbreaking work though, althought at 6 foot 6 i've a long way to bend down.
Get one of the all-in one waterproof suits. Regatta do them for about 15 quid. Means all year riding is possible.
Unless she's really tall, the Rothan will be too big for her to begin with. I found it best if they have flat feet with knees a little bent.
It looks too low, but gives them confidence and seems to work well.
I'd be surprised if the Rothan was too big, our little guy had his at 18 months, it fitted, but he wasn't really into it until he was two, just liked to sit on it and scoot around the house.
u might want some stabalisers, or buy her a trike
I might want some stabilisers? You've seen me ride, haven't you?!
Her legs are well over the minimum length so she should be okay. I imagine the idea will be to get her wheeling around inside the house a bit before unleashing her in public.
Not a trike, we had one for a while, it seemed really unstable off road. Although I did laugh we we found a little bomb hole, he sat on the trike at the edge, only a foot deep or so, studying the line, got off, pushed the trike in, pushed it in again, then satisfied it was doable sat on and rode it! about 18 months old then.
Balance bikes are the way to go. I also found YouTube of other kids doing it helped loads.