Getting children interested in cycling?

My 12 year old son shows no interest in cycling, he does other sports so is reasonably fit. Any advice as to how I can inspire him, as I would love to get out cycling with him?

When you’re twelve, your dad is deeply uncool. He’ll get into riding bikes if his mates get into riding bikes.

Get him into the whole gear thing, that’s what I did with my eldest – got her a bike, helmet etc. We’ve only been out a few times but normally she’ll ride and I’ll run as I want her to get used to it before I take her off roading.

My 3yr old has a balance bike which is just lying around for her to pick and use when she wants.

With older kids I’d imagine it’s harder to get them doing what you want them to do!

My dad likes football. I hate football. With a passion. Not because he liked it, just because it doesnt do anything for me.

Bribe him

Sell all your bike. Burn all your cycling gear. Rail against cyclists, expressing your loathing for them in a Daily Mail style

He’ll soon develop a love of it 🙂

My sons 12 he came over to riding in october 2008. As much as I wanted him to ride I never ever tried to ‘push’it in any way. He played club football for eight years and whatever your opinions on that sport or any sport it should be there choice as what they play. Remember it should be fun at that age unless you hanker after the old East German way of things.
Anyway he came over in his own time and got a 1st and 2nd in cross races before the end of the year.
And a word of warning, you could end up like me catering all your riding to his needs, if like me you have to supervise his twice weekly road race training and tailor weekend off road rides to his needs.
Still it is great.

Miketually
I took him to see Escape the Fate last night, so I’m either a fairly cool nearly 50 year old dad or a very sad Oldgit.
I should say that he wanted to see them not me. Mind you it had a jolly good beat to it!

Just leave him – He’ll come around if he wants
My 12 yr old has no interest in bikes other than round the park with his mates

It seems you want him to be interested for your benefit rather than his

My lad fits nicely into Miketually’s observation. He’s twenty now & one of his mates bought a bike so he wanted to go with him & could he borrow my bike. As I can’t ride for a few weeks I lent him my Orange 5, and most of my cycling wardrobe 🙂

They both had a good time in the mud on Ilkley Moor so perhaps he might start again. No doubt him being a college student, that’ll mean buying him a bike……

hit them…..fear and terror!

no chance. My son was right into cycling and came out with me everywhere. Then he turned 13 and that was that. You’ll never influence your kids, thank god.

I’ve taken my 12 year old daughter out a few times, but she’s unenthusiastic, especially if we go off road. Wouldn’t dare try more than 4-5 miles.

Only exception was when we did an easy 15 miles on the canal, with a friend her age. They yacked about Miyazaki films all the way and she said it was much more fun than riding with me….

I guess mums are no cooler than dads.

Its a struggle to get my 14 yo daughter out but these things help:

– Don’t bother if its wet and/or cold
– Only go to interesting places to ride without much road
– Small hills and/or uplift
– Bribery

So basicly, all the normal beginer things with the addition of the bribery.

Which is a shame because she is actually quite fast if she wants to be. Last year we went family biking in the Alps and she zoomed up a couple of 300m climbs no problem, but would not be too keen back here at all.

Im lucky, both our girls have been into it from an early age, dont push him, if he wants to do it he will, if not try and do things with him that he wants to do

Tracey

My dad was a runner so I took up cycling and swimming. Dad’s sports = uncool

BTW I convinced him to start MTB racing and he still rides 200+ miles a week in retirement

Could try a fun competition. The boys and girls from BC made the first event he did great fun.

Tell them under no circumstances are they allowed to do mountain biking.