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teaching children to ride
After the morning's incident-packed ride (see previous post), the other bike
related thing I did yesterday was have another stab at teaching my son to ride his bike. I took him up to the sports field, best part of two miles away so a bit of a slog with him on his bike (still with stabilisers fitted at this point) but worth it because it's the only decent open space nearby that's smooth enough for riding bikes. Even better, the sports field has an artificial cricket strip, and what's more with a slight end-to-end slope. I had only managed to persuade him to come out on his bike after much negotiation had led to me promising that I wouldn't take the stabilisers off unless he was really happy about it. But once we were up there I re-opened negotiations and persuaded him to just have a quick go without stabilisers - and then I would put them straight back on. Honest. So, pedals off, seat lowered, and fingers crossed... ....and five minutes later, all thoughts of stabilisers had been cast aside as with rapturous delight he scooted back and forth along the cricket strip, laughing like... well, like a boy with a new bicycle. We had a good hour or so of scooting about like this, and then he rode all the way home without stabilisers. And when we got home he even told his mum "stabilisers are rubbish"! You can imagine how proud I felt. And huge thanks to all urc contributors who have previously given advice on how to teach a child to ride. Aside from the basic principle of the pedals off/scooting thing, perhaps the most useful bit of advice was the one about steering in the direction of a fall - it's one of those things that as a cyclist with many years experience you do instinctively. If I'd had to work it out for myself, I'm not sure I would have been able to, but now it seems obvious. I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in one short afternoon session we've made such huge progress that it would be mean to push him harder. d. |
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#2
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teaching children to ride
On Mon, 28 Jun 2004 09:11:32 +0000 (UTC), "davek"
wrote: You can imagine how proud I felt. It's such a Proud Parent moment. Congrats :-) I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in one short afternoon session we've made such huge progress that it would be mean to push him harder. just make sure that he wears old shoes until he gets the hang of using his brakes, or he'll have the toes out of his Good School Shoes in no time. If he has no old shoes, get him a cheapo pair of trainers from Shoe Express or wherever. Yes, this is the voice of (recent and expensive) experience speaking. A -- email = audmad aaatttt hhhottt mmmaailll dddoottt ccccoommm |
#3
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teaching children to ride
Following on from davek's message. . .
[good pedal-warming stuff snipped] I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in one short afternoon session we've made such huge Something I didn't know until last week is that there is a limit-stop screw which can be adjusted if the gape of the brake lever is too large for tiny hands. Screw it in to reduce the maximum open position. -- PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides |
#4
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teaching children to ride
"davek" wrote in
: I had only managed to persuade him to come out on his bike after much negotiation had led to me promising that I wouldn't take the stabilisers off unless he was really happy about it. But once we were up there I re-opened negotiations and persuaded him to just have a quick go without stabilisers Ooh, typical bloody grown up! :-) That's a sneaky trick, renegotiating terms once the contract is agreed. One that no doubt I will take advantage of as my son grows up Graeme |
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teaching children to ride
Peter Fox wrote:
Following on from davek's message. . . [good pedal-warming stuff snipped] I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in one short afternoon session we've made such huge Something I didn't know until last week is that there is a limit-stop screw which can be adjusted if the gape of the brake lever is too large for tiny hands. Screw it in to reduce the maximum open position. Ooh. As someone who has tiny hands (no, really, I do, it's not that they're wimpy fingers, honest) do you know if STI shifters have such a limit stop too? -- Velvet |
#6
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teaching children to ride
And when we got home he even told his mum
"stabilisers are rubbish"! You can imagine how proud I felt. Yup - a lovely moment. Many happy years of cycling to come no doubt :-) Cheers, helen s --This is an invalid email address to avoid spam-- to get correct one remove fame & fortune **$om $ --Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off-- |
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teaching children to ride
Velvet wrote in message ...
Peter Fox wrote: Following on from davek's message. . . [good pedal-warming stuff snipped] I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in one short afternoon session we've made such huge Something I didn't know until last week is that there is a limit-stop screw which can be adjusted if the gape of the brake lever is too large for tiny hands. Screw it in to reduce the maximum open position. Ooh. As someone who has tiny hands (no, really, I do, it's not that they're wimpy fingers, honest) do you know if STI shifters have such a limit stop too? Don't think they do. You can however insert a ferule (metal tube) between the lever and the entrance of cable into the sheath for some levers to achieve the same effect. I have done this several times for small hands. Not tried on STI but I would expect it to work. Ferule needs to be about 1cm long. My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did just this. Poor diagram: O-==-I---------- to brake ^ ^ ^ cable stop ferule cable end kind regards, Daren --- remove outer garment for reply |
#8
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teaching children to ride
Daren Austin:
My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did just this. I made sure that the bike had limit-stop adjusters on the brake levers when I bought it - it bothers me greatly the number of kids I see out and about who clearly can't reach their brake levers comfortably. Some of them seem unable to reach the levers at all. I may be guilty of riding at reckless speeds occasionally, but at least I have brakes I can use. It doesn't matter how slowly you ride if you have no means of stopping yourself. d. |
#9
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teaching children to ride
"davek" wrote in message ...
Daren Austin: My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did just this. I made sure that the bike had limit-stop adjusters on the brake levers when I bought it - it bothers me greatly the number of kids I see out and about who clearly can't reach their brake levers comfortably. Some of them seem unable to reach the levers at all. Absolutely. I frequently make adjustments to other children's bikes when they ride up and down our street. I did question Trek about the levers and their comment was that the lever was a small design already. Not really small enough for a 5yo - hence my adjustment. Probably OK for a 7-10yo (target market) It was the Aluminium frame, dual drilled cranks and very adjustable bars that sold the bike to me, and the fact that Lance rides a Trek that sold it to Thomas :-) kind regards, Daren --- remove outer garment for rply |
#10
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teaching children to ride
"Daren Austin" wrote in message om... "davek" wrote in message ... Daren Austin: My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did just this. I made sure that the bike had limit-stop adjusters on the brake levers when I bought it - it bothers me greatly the number of kids I see out and about who clearly can't reach their brake levers comfortably. Some of them seem unable to reach the levers at all. Absolutely. I frequently make adjustments to other children's bikes when they ride up and down our street. LOL...got to admit, thats sounds funny as written! -- Tumbleweed email replies not necessary but to contact use; tumbleweednews at hotmail dot com |
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