Riding with kids

I'm getting back into recreational cycling after a long hiatus, and my
oldest son (12) wants to ride with me almost all the time. I enjoy his
company when we ride in our immediate neighborhood, but he's bugging me
about riding on some heavily trafficked streets outside the neighborhood.

He has fairly good bike handling skills for his experience level, though he
often has trouble keeping up. I'm most concerned about him riding safely in
traffic. A tandem would solve the problem, but the cost is prohibitive at
present. I've considered buying a beater MTB (like his) and taking him to
some area trails, but I suspect he's attracted to the "adventure" of really
going somewhere on his bike.

Anyone have experience in this area? If so, was there a particular age when
you encouraged your kid to ride along? Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.

In article k.net,
says...
I'm getting back into recreational cycling after a long hiatus, and my
oldest son (12) wants to ride with me almost all the time. I enjoy his
company when we ride in our immediate neighborhood, but he's bugging me
about riding on some heavily trafficked streets outside the neighborhood.

He has fairly good bike handling skills for his experience level, though he
often has trouble keeping up. I'm most concerned about him riding safely in
traffic. A tandem would solve the problem, but the cost is prohibitive at
present. I've considered buying a beater MTB (like his) and taking him to
some area trails, but I suspect he's attracted to the "adventure" of really
going somewhere on his bike.

Anyone have experience in this area? If so, was there a particular age when
you encouraged your kid to ride along? Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.

By the time I was in 7th grade, I was riding a couple of miles to school
and everywhere else in town everyday year 'round, and I've been taking my
12yo daughter on the main road this summer. My 14yo son has been riding
on the main road for over a year when he wants to go to Brooks to get a
snack. It's only about a mile on the road, though, and the road has a
wide shoulder with lots of runners and cyclists, so the drivers are used
to seeing them.


--

"Where was the ka-boom? There was supposed to be an Earth-shattering ka-
boom!"
- Marvin The Martian

Age 7. She had put in 2 good years before that on a trailer bike with a
shifter. She was big for her age and was then riding a 24" 7-speed,
which I traded up to a 26" with a 13" frame at age 9. At 11 she got a
49cm Fuji Tourer and a 50 cm Cannondale R500. She's now 13, completed
the 361 mile Cycle South Carolina in June 2002 and her first century in
November of that year.

Choose fairly quiet backroads at first, working up gradually to more
heavily traveled roads. Match your speed to his, and gradually work
up. A tandem will only postpone his learning to ride with and cope with
traffic.

Alexander Gilchrist

"Alexander Gilchrist" wrote in message
...
snip
Choose fairly quiet backroads at first, working up gradually to more
heavily traveled roads. Match your speed to his, and gradually work
up. A tandem will only postpone his learning to ride with and cope with
traffic.


Thanks for the tips. I want to make sure he's serious about the longer
rides, so we'll be working on single-file riding, signals, traffic
call-outs, etc. I just need to scout out some backroads for us, probably
hauling the bikes to a starting point, since we live in the urban part of
town. I think having a "destination" would help with the motivation. He kept
up with me pretty well on a ride of about four miles last week.

As far as speed goes, another poster suggested I follow in trail behind my
son, matching his speed. This will be easier when he can manage higher
gears. Right now I'm encouraging him to spin in the lower gears. (I'm
probably a little neurotic about gearing since I have arthritic knees). I
don't want him to mash big gears and hurt his knees.

Where in SC do you live? We moved from the Greenville area to NC last year.
We had a lot more nearby backroads in SC.

Horace wrote:

Thanks for the tips. I want to make sure he's serious about the longer
rides, so we'll be working on single-file riding, signals, traffic
call-outs, etc. I just need to scout out some backroads for us, probably
hauling the bikes to a starting point, since we live in the urban part of
town. I think having a "destination" would help with the motivation. He kept
up with me pretty well on a ride of about four miles last week.

[snip]

Where in SC do you live? We moved from the Greenville area to NC last year.
We had a lot more nearby backroads in SC.

Irmo, SC, probably the most bicycle hostile place in SC, if not the
nation, filled with frantic soccer moms (and Little League dads) on the
cell phone in their SUV's and resenting anyone else on the road. That's
slightly NW of Columbia, a city and area that has no alternatives for
commuting other than getting on busy arterials and going a roundabout
way to get anywhere. There are, however, plenty of outlying roads
nearby for recreational riding.

When you're out in traffic, make sure that your kid rides in front of you.
That way you can keep an eye on what he's doing and how he's managing the
bike, he won't fall behind, and you'll be a more visible 'target' for
overtaking cars to see.

Mark

"Horace" wrote in message
hlink.net...
I'm getting back into recreational cycling after a long hiatus, and my
oldest son (12) wants to ride with me almost all the time. I enjoy his
company when we ride in our immediate neighborhood, but he's bugging me
about riding on some heavily trafficked streets outside the neighborhood.

He has fairly good bike handling skills for his experience level, though
he
often has trouble keeping up. I'm most concerned about him riding safely
in
traffic. A tandem would solve the problem, but the cost is prohibitive at
present. I've considered buying a beater MTB (like his) and taking him to
some area trails, but I suspect he's attracted to the "adventure" of
really
going somewhere on his bike.

Anyone have experience in this area? If so, was there a particular age
when
you encouraged your kid to ride along? Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.

Very nice thread.......our 8 year old has been riding with us on 2-4 mile
jaunts this summer. He stays in front and is doing fine on the back streets.
Today I was riding with him to school when out of know where a SUV with a cell
phone mom about clipped him. This is one time I kept my cool on this matter as
the driver stopped and broke down in tears after she realized what could have
happened.

"Horace" wrote in message
hlink.net...
I'm getting back into recreational cycling after a long hiatus, and my
oldest son (12) wants to ride with me almost all the time. I enjoy his
company when we ride in our immediate neighborhood, but he's bugging me
about riding on some heavily trafficked streets outside the neighborhood.

He has fairly good bike handling skills for his experience level, though
he
often has trouble keeping up. I'm most concerned about him riding safely
in
traffic. A tandem would solve the problem, but the cost is prohibitive at
present. I've considered buying a beater MTB (like his) and taking him to
some area trails, but I suspect he's attracted to the "adventure" of
really
going somewhere on his bike.

Anyone have experience in this area? If so, was there a particular age
when
you encouraged your kid to ride along? Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.


I would recommend while you are driving with him to point out dangers or
potential dangers in the road. Do this for a week or so, and then let him
start pointing out the dangers and what he would do to avoid them on his
bike. I think you will soon know if he is ready to ride in traffic.

Matthew

Horace wrote:
: I'm getting back into recreational cycling after a long hiatus, and my
: oldest son (12) wants to ride with me almost all the time. I enjoy his

Maybe it's a good idea to take a look at some of the
how-to-ride-in-traffic sites together.

--
Risto Varanka | http://www.helsinki.fi/~rvaranka/hpv/hpv.html
varis at no spam please iki fi

Horace wrote:
I'm getting back into recreational cycling after a long hiatus, and my
oldest son (12) wants to ride with me almost all the time. I enjoy his
company when we ride in our immediate neighborhood, but he's bugging me
about riding on some heavily trafficked streets outside the
neighborhood.
He has fairly good bike handling skills for his experience level, though
he often has trouble keeping up. I'm most concerned about him riding
safely in traffic. A tandem would solve the problem, but the cost is
prohibitive at present. I've considered buying a beater MTB (like his)
and taking him to some area trails, but I suspect he's attracted to the
"adventure" of really going somewhere on his bike.
Anyone have experience in this area? If so, was there a particular age
when you encouraged your kid to ride along? Any tips would be greatly
appreciated.



Your 12 yo is probably a lot smarter than you give him credit for. When
I was 12 I rode everywhere in a major capital city (3 million people). I
rode at least 3 miles to school on a dual carriage highway in peak hour
traffic. I used to ride to the other side of the city to visit my
sister. Never had any trouble. If my parents worried they never said
anything. That was 30 years ago and I'm still here to tell the story.

Kids can handle bikes pretty well and they only get better with
experience. They don't have a fear of traffic - it's only when you get
to adulthood and start driving cars that you realise how vulnerable
you were as a cyclist. As long as he learns not to make erratic moves
when riding in traffic he'll be fine. My 11 year-old has strted to
ride to school this year. I'm encouraging him. Kids need the
encouragement to exercise these days - there are too many sedantry
interests (computers, TV etc.).

If the kid wants to ride with you then you should encourage it. Pretty
soon he'll be grown up and gone. Get him a good bike with decent gears
so he can keep up with you. What are you going to say in a few years
time when he starts moaning that you can't keep up with him?

I can see the post already. I have an old man who wants to ride with me,
but he's too slow and panics whenever we go out in heavy traffic. should
I buy him a wheelchair or a walking stick?



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