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.

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



--

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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

"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

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

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--

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

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.

"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

"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

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