As we’re on lockdown, our one daily dose of outside exercise generally consists of taking the little one out on her balance bike for a local walk.

She’s super confident scooting around so I decided that as this is the only thing we can do, we might as well see if we can get her pedalling before lockdown ends, or gets more restrictive!!

So we’ve gone up a size, 14″ Vitus.

No pedals for now whilst she gets used to scooting and using the brakes.

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New bike day! We're locked down, we're allowed out once a day, let's see if she can learn to pedal by the time this all blows over! #vitusbikes #longlowslack

A post shared by @ frankspencer1979 on Mar 28, 2020 at 12:54pm PDT

She was well excited when she saw it and got the hang of the brakes immediately (or pausing it as she calls it.) Looks like pedalling will take a bit longer to crack, but I’m not going to push her, if she wants to do a little bit here and there, go back to her balance bike for a bit, it’s all good. She’s not quite 4 yet.

The Vitus is cool, looks lovely, isn’t too heavy but feels really solid and the freehub sounds ace 🤓

I’ll post updates on how she gets on 👍🚴😇

So cool. Hope she enjoys it.

That looks great! I was thinking exactly the same with ours, but have been told to wait until her birthday in June.

I’m still tempted though, lockdown has to have some benefits.

Are the pedals it comes with any good?

Just basic plastic ones. They’re quite big and heavy.

She’s never pedalled anything before, she had a trike but she didn’t really take to it, so she doesn’t get the idea that pushing them round is what makes her go!

Well, I’ve been off work a couple of days so we’ve been trying pedals on and off. She’s been a bit unsure but I was happy to make slow progress rather than put her off.

Our daily exercise on Wednesday was a scoot on her old balance bike around a local bridleway, she did 3.5 miles which I thought was Bloomin good going.

Anyway, back to work today, a lull at the end of my shift now and I’ve just checked IG and my wife has posted a video of the little one pedaling up and down the street!! She’s cracked it!!

Edit- wife is set to private so link to IG doesn’t work 😕

Colour? Awesome.
Tyres? Oh yeah! Skinwalls, baby!

That’s a cracker.

Brings back great memories of watching my two learning on a balance bike. The joy when they finally start pedalling is amazing! Great effort!

Here we go

https://www.instagram.com/p/B-fa5MSnXnh/?igshid=1e5nxy47v5xsf

Love seeing a kid getting the hang of pedalling a bike for the first time, must be that feeling of freedom.

She’ll be leaving you for dust soon!

Brilliant.

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That’s awesome! Our little girl is just over 3 and during the last week she’s cracked coasting on her balance bike rather than just walking over it – she’s loving it. I think for Xmas I might get this Vitus you’ve gone for or something similar and see how she goes with a mixture of that and her current balance bike. No hurry, but if I get it for Xmas she’s got it for next summer.

Love the green colour and want something decent ish without going crazy on cost.

@joebristol I paid full price for the Vitus, but knowing crc it’ll probably be discounted eventually!

I was worried we might not get very long out of it, but it is quite long so I think it will last her a good while yet. Her balance bike was used and i think for the next bike I might go used again, but I was happy to buy new for her first pedal bike.

I’m lucky enough to be off again this weekend so I’m looking forward to going riding with her!! 🤘

Sounds awesome – our little girl is gradually getting faster on her balance bike now – you have to walk quickly to keep up with her when she’s on it. Just there’s only so far she’ll ride without getting tired / getting off and walking. With the current lockdown we’re just going round the block really so not very many long straight bits for her to go fast easily. I need to wind in the reach adjuster on the back brake as she can reach it when going slow but struggles to get to it when trying to go faster.

I reckon by the end of the year I can softly introduce a pedally one without the pedals on it initially like you did and see how she goes in the spring.

Update…. She’s loving it and getting more and more confident!

We went out for our first ride together both on pedal bikes today! 3.6 miles. Had to help her up the hills and have a few snack stops, but she made it. Knackered by the end, but she never complained.

Couple of big offs, one because she panicked on a down hill and pulled the brakes as hard as she could and locked both wheels! And another when she wasn’t looking where she was going and hit the kerb. A few tears but pretty much straight back on without and problem!!

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Cheeeeeeeeese #cheese

A post shared by @ frankspencer1979 on Apr 7, 2020 at 9:08am PDT

That is literally awesome.

Confidence is building, she’s getting the hang of slowing down if she goes a bit too fast downhill, but she does love going fast!

Still struggling with going uphill a bit, but she tries! She’s started practicing standing on the pedals too 😎

She brings a smile to pretty much everyone we go past, I think she must look pretty young to be riding to most people!

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Just cruisin

A post shared by @ frankspencer1979 on Apr 24, 2020 at 6:24am PDT

That is fantastic!

My twin boys are 22 now, so we are a long way past that stage!! But this got me thinking/remembering!

First day without stabilisers and one of my lads set off full of confidence (I think they were racing each other already!) and disappeared around the corner at speed – next we heard a crash, bang wallop, scream combination and ran round the corner to see blood gushing from his face – soon scabbed over and back on the bike – it didn’t hold him back!

The other thought is how much bikes for little ones have moved on – the one you have there looks ace – I would have been spanking money on kit like that without a thought all those years ago, but it just wasn’t available!

Enjoy this time – wonderful!

She’s motoring along in that video – and I like the helmet she’s got too – much nicer than the one my little girl is in currently – although her head is too small for better ones at the moment. Next year……

@joebristol that’s a Giro Scamp. She’s actually had it a good couple of years now. Obviously too big for her, but I always put it on her when I took her out in the trailer so she just associates bikes with helmets and doesn’t question it! Still fits her now but be time for me one later this year probably.

Birthday bike ride yesterday (turned 4) and she’s taking on what little singletrack we have available in Blackpool!

Sound on and her little laugh should put a smile on your face!

https://www.instagram.com/p/B_s2HlYHkv3/?igshid=11n1ivkemx9lv

She sounds just like me on similar terrain! Brilliant clip.

That’s lovely; brings back so many happy memories of mine.
You watch them start, wobbling around, then a bit of confidence, a few offs and then before you know it….’Come on Dad, keep up’.