First time out with the family

[Gotte]

Went down the Middlewood Way in Cheshire. Wife, 5 year old daughter, 1 year old daughter, me. 5 year old was on her own bike, 1 year old in a bike seat on the back of mine. We did 10 miles, which for me and the wife is no great distance, but I have to say, I was proud of my 5 year old. She was even sprinting out ahead.

My wife's talking about a family cycling holiday next year.

Beautiful day.

[DDC-OCR3]

Congrats on the family ride! I am amazed at the 5 year old! That is awesome!

What age did you move your five year old up from a tricycle to her first bike? Our three year old pedals great on her trike, but seems like she is losing interest in it. Just wondering if we should move her up to her first bike soon.

[Gotte]

Maybe two years ago she moved from a trike to a 2 wheeler with stabalisers. We took the stabalisers in the spring, and after what seems like only a few trips out she was cycling on her own. The initial stages were the most difficult, but I found that teaching her first to simply put her feet on the ground when I let go of the bike was the most reassuring for her, because it gave her confidence that if the bike fell over, she wouldn;t fall off. Then after a few attempts at me running behind her holding the bike, which just exhausted me and frustrated her, we found a gentle grassy hill and she learnt to peddle down it. Then we found a road in the park that had a gentle hill which ran flat, and she learnt to peddle down it, then peddle on the flat. SHe then picked up peddling on the flat really quickly.

From first taking the stabalisers off to riding confidently on the pavement took maybe 4 hours in total, though we only ever did about a half hour a day, and maybe a day every week. Oh, and we got her a bike with a freewheel, because halfway through we realised that she couldn't learn to push off on her own with a fixed wheel bike.

She rides about a mile and a half to school each day now (on the pavement, with me cyclig in the road beside her), and a mile and a half back, so I always knew she could do at least 3 miles. But like I said, I was really proud of her doing 10. What a star.

Hope all goes well with your girl. There's nothing like being out with your family.

[tankman10024]

Hey Gotte
I would do anything to have a family ride. first of all my wife doesnt know how to ride and really has no interest in learning either whick kills me cause i would love nothing more than taking her riding with me, my kids like to ride but they are not really into long rides.

Ride Safe
tankman

[Dr.Deltron]

There's nothing like being out with your family.

My wife does NOT cycle, so I'm on my own with the 4 kids.

THIS makes it easy, and they ALL have fun! There ARE twin girls in the Burley.
(of course I do most of the pedalling!) :rolleyes:

[Fibber]

Congratulations on the family ride!

[Gotte]

Tankman, sorry to hear your wife can't join you, but you have the kids. Maybe see if they want to up the distance a bit - treat it like an adventure, or a challenge.

Dr Deltron, that's a great setup. I'm impressed. And I like the smiles. Reassures me that bikes do equal smiles. How does it ride?

Fibber, thanks for that.

[Dr.Deltron]

Dr Deltron, that's a great setup. I'm impressed. And I like the smiles. Reassures me that bikes do equal smiles. How does it ride?

Thanks Gotte!
It rides great, even if it has the turning radius of a SEMI! :rolleyes:

The 72 speeds make it possible to ride almost anywhere. And I've noticed that drivers always pass with PLENTY of room! I guess they have to give enough room so that they can see it in it's entirety. :p
It is 15 feet long from tip to tail.

That picture was taken at the start of a mass ride from Felton, down hiway 9 to Santa Cruz.
On one clear stretch of the descent, we hit 46.2 mph! (the road was blocked to car traffic, btw)
The length makes for quite a stable ride. Just glad no one got in our way, as it's a runaway freighttrain at that speed! :eek:

UPhills are a different story. We averaged .8 mph on the climb. :roflmao:
With all 5 of us onboard, it weighs just over a quarter TON! :lol:

If you're ever in the area, you're welcome to try it out! :)

[Fibber]

I took the kids to the park for a few miles of riding this afternoon. I offered my 4 3/4 year old the choice of her own little 12" tire bike (she's been riding for about two months now), or the trailerbike, and she wanted to ride on her own. We only did a few miles, but both kids were content.

I have the same problem developing with my wife. She has some (ok, lots) of heath problems, and has lost her stamina and desire to ride. The unfortunate thing is that she now sees my taking the kids out to ride as exclusionary, and tries to find something else that we should be doing when I suggest a longer ride. While I understand and want to support her, it kills my ability to do the 10-20 mile stuff with the kids. Oh well......

[Gotte]

Sorry to hear that Fibber. Hope you find a solution to your problem. All the best.

[Fibber]

Thanks, Gotte. Appreciate it.

[bigboybiker2007]

Our son adapted well to his trike so we moved him to a small bicycle on his 2nd birthday and he took to it like a duck to water.

[AndrewP]

great to read about your daughters riding. My daughter did a 20 mile charity ride when she was 4 1/2. Now she is trying to get her own daughter (nearly 5) to ride with 2 wheels. My sister lived in Middlewich Cheshire - is that anywhere near you?