Do you say anything?

Set the dog on them.

I would if the parents were nearby, yeah

Why not ?

hang on, bear – a dog ? in close proximity to a child’s face ? 😯

🙁

I worked at a well known N Wales trail centre that rhymes with errrr something.After being fold to f@# off or “I prefer them that way” for the 20th time I just gave up trying.
The kids however were really grateful and said the bikes were a lot better after I’d turned them round.

Check it’s not a Manitou.

No.

I tend to point and laugh until the chav screams

“WHATS YOUR **** PROBLEM?”

then i explain

Im all honesty I think I probably would say something

Still sitting here looking at it trying to work out whether I’d just get the reaction described by Rorschach

Yes of course. And then offer to fix it there and then. takes two minutes.

I’ve done it loads. which is quite worrying really.

Just turn the bike round so they’re facing in the right direction.

With my bare hands, cbike?

With my bare hands, cbike?

You ride without carrying even a simple multi-tool..?

I have twice stuck notes on bikes at work to tell the owners that their forks were on backwards.

The guy who had put together his mail order BSO special left a note in return thanking me.

The rather nice Cannondale hardtail has never been seen again…..

Saw a young lad (16ish I’d guess) with a road bike with forks on backwards – I told him and he said he knew and had done it on purpose…

On a kids bike, yes, Id say something. But some folks do just prefer them that way …

Was slowly riding through a village on my motor bike and 100 yards up the road a kid goes flying over the handle bars in the road. I pulled up and helped him up and got him clear of the road. Noticed his forks were on backwards and the brake had jammed on hence the OTB.. His mother then comes out of a nearby house and thinks I’ve ran him over!!! Soon calmed her down though and explained what happened and why. She said it came like that from halfords!

hang on, bear – a dog ? in close proximity to a child’s face ?

Yeah! A dog! all over his face
slurp, slurp, slurp

Where does it say I was riding? But actually more often than not nowadays, yes.

Where does it say I was riding?

A fair point!

Tbh if the bike was built wrong there is a chance the stem is not tight anyway or headset pre-loaded right so yeah you probably could just twist it round!

😆

I have said things a few times – once was given a big mouthful, but usually (especially if you offer a multitool to spin round/ show how) most folks are just embarrassed.

Helmet on back to front is even better.

TBH nowadays if you say anything to anyone they always seem to take a defensive/aggressive stance …

Just pick em up when they go OHB then explain why its better to have the forks right way – hard earned lessons an all that 🙂

Where does it say I was riding?

You don’t ride bikes, just talk about them?

Wel Sir, you’ve come to the right place.

I have done and embarrased a parent at school who said that she built it herself

Done loads of em.

They come out of the box like that, and diyers often have no clue what they’re doing.

I’d said to a few people and generally got a good reaction.

The one I haven’t had a good reaction to is saying to people with drop bars fitted upside down; they’ve seemed adamant that they were right despite everyone elses being different. I’m still not sure how they get the leverage on the brakes like that either.

Thought about it a few times but haven’t said anything about forks yet. Was waiting at a redlight a couple weeks ago and advised the lady infront to raise her saddle and the rule of thumb heel on pedal leg should be straight thing, she seemed to appreciate it.

That reminds me, saw a colleague ride in to work this morning with a very low saddle aswell, might email her.

When I see a kid with a fork fitted backwards I’ll always say it’s wrong, no matter how big and grumpy their father is.
If I have a tool on me I’ll sort it, but only when the parents are nearby and allow me to do so.

Otherwise I recommend a LBS that can tell Manitou from Halfords/DIY special.

saw a colleague ride in to work this morning with a very low saddle aswell, might email her.

that seems worse than a casual conversation as you wait at some lights or some kid rides past in the park.

she’ll think you’re stalking her.

that seems worse than a casual conversation

yeah TBH after I wrote it I thought nah will leave it til next time I see her about work stuff…. or just not bother

Seen a few like that around town, and normally mention it if someone is near it.
Only time I nearly got into a fight was when I was actually fixing someone s bike that was parked outside my front door.
He though I was nicking in, before I explained and he thanked me for helping..

Disable her account and make her come to you, then just mention in it passing.

Saw a kid on a way to big 24″ bike recently with the stem turned 180deg so they could reach the bars. All kinds of wrong. It’s a shame watching kids struggle on huge bikes.

Nope, not my problem

If it’s a Bikeability session, then yes. Most kids find it much easier to ride when the forks are on the right way and it really helps to reduce toe overlap. 🙂

Spotted this gem just listed.