The absolute joy of bikes – and kids on bikes!

I’ll never forget taking my son to Glentress one Summer when on holiday up there. He was about 8 or 9. Had to tow him up but on the downs he just wouldn’t shut up……so funny.

We came out onto a fire road and were heading to trail drop in and there were loads of adults grouped around it. I shouted to my lad just stop here and we will drop your saddle, he didn’t even slow down just shouted back “it’s alright Dad…..don’t need to” and flew past the group shouting “woo hoo”. Everyone in the group just fell about laughing and shouted encouragement to him as he flew in…….so proud.

Nah, these ones are mine!

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That was back when they were small and cute. Now they are big and still cute, but object if I say so in public. We went to a bike park with chairlifts for the first time last year. My daughter said she still doesn’t like mountain biking because it’s too scary. It’s no wonder she thinks it’s scary, she goes really fast! And my son is far too busy trying to get airtime to notice the speed, or anything else, until the hunger hits. Some things don’t change.

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In a wholly unexpected turn of events, I have acquired ‘cool mum’ status and just this week my daughter’s friend has decided that going on a bike ride with me is on the to do list for this summer. Going to try and capitalise on this phase before they grow up even more!

I got to witness my youngest’s proudest moment last night as he showed me how he could “finally” do a bunny hop. This morning as I was leaving for work he said “I still can’t believe I can do a bunny hop!”

Tips on making the ‘pedalling’ breakthrough if anyone has any!?

@snotrag – what i noticed with my lads is that the very act of pedaling is quite a strange thing. They’d want to look at their feet to work it out. As mentioned above supporting their body is good, and even better perhaps if you could get their bike supported off the ground so they can spin the pedals without needing to balance. Then move on to the balance bit.

The best bit of course is that within a minute of learning how to ride unsupported, they’ve nailed it.

I’ve been training kids to do trackstands recently and found that very gradually removing the support until they don’t realise they’re actually doing the balancing alone is a good tactic.

Well, if we’re all sharing….

Eldest
Starting out:

Is now:

Middle
Starting out:

Bike tours when he finished school:

Youngest
Starting out:

Laggan is his favourite ride

Matt, which one is going out to NZ. Abigale is going in 2 weeks for 12 months and is then contemplating Whistler for 6 months on the way back.
Just need to fit new tyres and rotors and she’s good to go.

Neither of my kids have been on a bike for years. But they have found sports that they love which is the main thing……I think it probably suits me, I like my bike rides so I can get a bit of me time and if they do want to come for a bike ride it’s special because it doesn’t happen often.

Not a bad way of looking at things. I never wanted to be a pushy dad once they could ride a bike, and it was never a full family thing as my wife is disabled and struggles on a bike, but they’ve found their own skills and talents that they love and have seen them travel all over with like-minded friends.