15 miles too much for a 6 yr old

[bakhurts]

My granddaughter likes to ride a lot, and will not stop. She will do 15 miles with us. I worry it may be too much for her and try to hold her back telling her I am too tired to go further. She is tired when we get home, and I hear she sleeps really well.

Is this too much for a kid. She is constantly keeping score of the miles and keeps trying to push herself.

thanks

bakhurts

[Guest]

If she can do it, let her do it. If anything, it'll probably help her parents to get her straight to bed at night!

If there are concerns, I say slap a heart rate monitor on her and regulate her heart rate activity. Take her to a pediatrician regularly to ensure that she's not compromising bone growth and density, and find out what heart rate parameters she can work within, and I'm sure you guys will all be ok.

Sounds like you have a female Lance in the making! ;)

Koffee

[MichaelW]

And check her bike setup. Most kids bikes are not well designed for extended riding. The cranks are usually much too long, resulting in a pedalling circle that is too big for the legs. Make sure the gearing is low enough, and the handlebars are not too wide.

[bakhurts]

thanks, she needs a new bike as this is the one which had training wheels.

[MKRG]

I would think you should also keep an eye on her nutrition as she would not be mindful of the potential for bonking at that age.

[ChiliDog]

When I was 7 or 8 years old, we kids rode our bikes all day long. We rode all over town and out into the country and I think we probably covered more than 15 miles at a go. This was almost on a daily basis, as riding bikes was what we were about. We did it for fun, for adventure, and to get from point A to point B. Moms and dads did not drive us everywhere we wanted to go, like today. Most families only owned one car, and dad drove that car to work. If mom worked, they car-pooled. So the bike was MY transportation to anything I wanted to get to, unless I was with my parents.

We never "hydrated", except to stop and buy a pop from a gas station dispenser or drink water from a neighbor's hose. We never "carb loaded", except maybe to stop and buy a bag of chips, if that. We did not carry water bottles, wear special clothing, or count the miles or the mph. We just rode our bikes. And I never remember being tired or tired of it. All the way through high school...

At the end of the ride, we did not log our miles or make training notes. We went on to play outside until our mothers called us in, usually around 10pm in the summer, when the last light left the sky. On Saturdays, we got to stay out until 11pm and we played "Green Ghost" and pick-up basket ball on the only hoop on the street, dribbling under the street lights and counting the minutes until we'd be called in by mom.

Life was simpler then, kids were not as soft as they are today. My point is, if your daughter wants to ride a bike 15 miles, let her. Kids need to be active and blow off steam. It is good that she is showing an interest in some outdoor pursuit and some physical fitness activity at all. Most kids today are not.

I am so glad I was born 50 years ago...our generation got to be "kids". Life was good.

[HalfHearted]

Chilidog - well put and my thoughts exactly. I practically lived on a bike as a kid. They were all *mart specials and none had been "fit" to me. When I was very little (6-7-8) I was probably never more than a mile or so from home but I still probably logged at least fifteen miles a day - and probably a third of that was sprint races against the other kids in the neighborhood. We did carb up every day though - there was this donut shop that gave away day-old donuts to kids...

bakhurts - I wouldn't drag the kid on a really long "out and back" where you'd be in trouble if she tires, but as long as you're reasonably near home (or the car) let her ride until she's ready to stop. Kids are amazingly resilient and when they do tire they'll let you know ;)

I recently read a tour report where a guy took his brother and nephew (10, if I remember right) on a four or five day ride of the Katy trail in MO. That's 220 miles in four or five days and the kid wanted to race them most of the way.

[beatle bailey]

When I was 7 or 8 years old, we kids rode our bikes all day long. We rode all over town and out into the country and I think we probably covered more than 15 miles at a go. This was almost on a daily basis, as riding bikes was what we were about. We did it for fun, for adventure, and to get from point A to point B. Moms and dads did not drive us everywhere we wanted to go, like today. Most families only owned one car, and dad drove that car to work. If mom worked, they car-pooled. So the bike was MY transportation to anything I wanted to get to, unless I was with my parents.

We never "hydrated", except to stop and buy a pop from a gas station dispenser or drink water from a neighbor's hose. We never "carb loaded", except maybe to stop and buy a bag of chips, if that. We did not carry water bottles, wear special clothing, or count the miles or the mph. We just rode our bikes. And I never remember being tired or tired of it. All the way through high school...

At the end of the ride, we did not log our miles or make training notes. We went on to play outside until our mothers called us in, usually around 10pm in the summer, when the last light left the sky. On Saturdays, we got to stay out until 11pm and we played "Green Ghost" and pick-up basket ball on the only hoop on the street, dribbling under the street lights and counting the minutes until we'd be called in by mom.

Life was simpler then, kids were not as soft as they are today. My point is, if your daughter wants to ride a bike 15 miles, let her. Kids need to be active and blow off steam. It is good that she is showing an interest in some outdoor pursuit and some physical fitness activity at all. Most kids today are not.

I am so glad I was born 50 years ago...our generation got to be "kids". Life was good.




Hey Chilidog, your letter mirrors my childhood except I am 12 years older than you. Back then we could ride out on the highway because the traffic was VERY light, hardly any trucks, because the trains were still bringing in the merchandise. And we were riding heavy bicycles....but we didn't know that, and it seems to me that the tires lasted for years. I know that my Fleet Wing bike never had a new chain in over 11 years that I rode that bike, it was lucky to get oiled once every year or so. Oh, those were the days.

[atbman]

Kids can do much more than most modern parents believe.

9yr old Oliver in our club did the Great Yorkshire Bike Ride last year - 70 miles

My (then) 6yr old honorary nephew did the length of the Tarka Trail (UK Cornish/Devon coast and back (60 miles) - old railway with little in the way of slopes). Was completely knackered but really proud of himself.

Other club kids regualrly do up from 30 to 50 miles on our occasional YHA weekends - even 7/8 yr olds.

Good for her (and you)

[bakhurts]

You have all been very reassuring and supportive. I'll keep letting her ride up front so she can decide how far she wants to go. I always carry snacks and water, and find reasons to make her stop for a break.
bh

[bmw_maniac]

I believe a 9 year old is the youngest to complete the biggest cycle event in our country - 160km (100miles), and I saw a 7 year old do a 100km (60miles) ride earlier this year...

[DnvrFox]

When I was 7 or 8 years old, we kids rode our bikes all day long. We rode all over town and out into the country and I think we probably covered more than 15 miles at a go. This was almost on a daily basis, as riding bikes was what we were about. We did it for fun, for adventure, and to get from point A to point B. Moms and dads did not drive us everywhere we wanted to go, like today. Most families only owned one car, and dad drove that car to work. If mom worked, they car-pooled. So the bike was MY transportation to anything I wanted to get to, unless I was with my parents.

We never "hydrated", except to stop and buy a pop from a gas station dispenser or drink water from a neighbor's hose. We never "carb loaded", except maybe to stop and buy a bag of chips, if that. We did not carry water bottles, wear special clothing, or count the miles or the mph. We just rode our bikes. And I never remember being tired or tired of it. All the way through high school...

At the end of the ride, we did not log our miles or make training notes. We went on to play outside until our mothers called us in, usually around 10pm in the summer, when the last light left the sky. On Saturdays, we got to stay out until 11pm and we played "Green Ghost" and pick-up basket ball on the only hoop on the street, dribbling under the street lights and counting the minutes until we'd be called in by mom.

Life was simpler then, kids were not as soft as they are today. My point is, if your daughter wants to ride a bike 15 miles, let her. Kids need to be active and blow off steam. It is good that she is showing an interest in some outdoor pursuit and some physical fitness activity at all. Most kids today are not.

I am so glad I was born 50 years ago...our generation got to be "kids". Life was good.

Nice post. Brought back memories!

I didn't even know that you COULD oil a bike chain. Pumped up the tires whenever they were so flat I couldn't ride them any more. I never bought a new tire - as far as I knew, they lasted as long as the bike. Talk about riding a FIXED SPEED bike - that is all we had - until I got a 3 speed Hercules (Sturmey Archer) with one hand brake. I guess that is why I don't get too excited about fixed speed bikes! They are nothing new to me.

My friend was really into "bikng" and had a 10 speed FRENCH bike! Wow - all the way from France (this was in about 1949). I was impressed.

[catatonic]

Heh I remeber the 12 mile rides to my best friend's house a good 14 years ago (i was 10 at the time)...had a murray 18 speed mtb, some black and neon green splatter paint thing....but my god that bike was a tank..it rode fast, and took beatings no bike should ever take...pity walmart kids bikes arent that well built anymore.

But yeah the onyl drink we hd was the can of pop we kept in our bottle cage, and the packs of beef jerky we had in our pockets. Clothes...bah! I would ride in a full out snowsuit....doesnt matter.

I was also in teh best shape of my life when I was 16 and sold the bike (needed the cash to buy my first car..sold all my game consoles and my martial arts stuff)...160lbs and trim as all let out...bad part....i was thinner then the girls...so i kinda got hate from them :(

[kerk]

You have all been very reassuring and supportive. I'll keep letting her ride up front so she can decide how far she wants to go. I always carry snacks and water, and find reasons to make her stop for a break.
bh

As long as you are doing this, she will be fine. As you can see from the above posts, and I did the same stuff, kids will go and go and go until they turn blue. Oops, that's in the pool, but same thing! Breaks and snacks will keep her going all day. If she wasn't with you, she would be doing it with her friends only with no water, snacks or breaks.

[iceratt]

People at work can't believe that I took my 8 and 9 year old boys on a 12 mile ride this spring. I even thought that it was a big deal. After reading posts here, its not quite as big of a deal! Still, the biking season has just started, and I refuse to drive them anywhere that I think they can reach under their own steam. A hundred miles, though. Ooof, I don't think I could do that! I'm just an urban bike commuter.

[mrdoright0405]

This answers my question. Im taking my 12 year old nephew on a 10 mile ride. His mom didnt know if he could handle it. Im sure he can. Way to much energy in this kid not to be able to ride 10 miles.;)

[ChiliDog]

I think this lack of activity, play, exercise, creativity, adventure...whatever you call it is what is lacking in kids today and is why so many kids are depressed, anxious, and "hyper-active" and many are put on Ritalin and now, anti-depressants for kids are the big thing. Ridiculous and so, so sad! :(

Society and the medical realm has become so ignorant and lacking in common sense that this is not readily observed and concluded. Kids need to be active, to play, to interact with their peers...not to just participate in team sports accompanied by their parents, like it is some business transaction.

Geez, Louise~my parents did not "play" with me...we played, adults went and did other things. We did not want them tagging along...play was our "culture" away from adults. I never saw either of my parents ever ride a bike...it was largely unheard of for that generation. My parents grew up during the depression...no one could afford bikes. When they got older, adults weren't riding bikes anyway, except maybe beach cruisers or pros riding in road races.

Now you see our generation riding bikes and very few kids riding bikes. It's flip-flopped again. Next generation is not going to follow through with a fitness-oriented outlook...the look now is pasty-faced, bed-headed, bleary-eyed from sitting in front of a computer monitor and smoking cigarettes and swilling Red Bull. No health and fitness philosophy coming behind us here. It's all about Game Cube, PlayStation, PCs, Sega, electric scooters, Segways, and MTV.

[catatonic]

ah, then you got folks like me that got sick and tired of nearly passing out from climbing stairs..and bought a bike.

Given...my generation is stupid lazy, but things will change once these folks get sick of their game consoles since all the games are like games from 3 consoles ago...they get sick of computer games for the same reason...and of course how bad TV programming is anymore...well now it's not TV shows, it's commercials with a program break in between. i think those alone will encourage change...but they gotta get mature enough to stop getting plastered on the wekends too...then they might have the drive come sunday for a nice bike ride :)

[iceratt]

To ChiliDog: I think that exercise certainly helps ones mental health, but it is no panacea. I work with people who are depressed, and I assure you that many( not most) believe that exercise is important to them. Those who do exercise are trying to take care of themselves and would be worse off without it. There just is a whole lot more to mood disorders than taking care of the body.

Catatonic: I pray that my kids lose interest in the screens in their lives. I limit the use of these, but they rather watch TV or play gamecube than go for a bike ride or do just about anything else. I'd get rid of the TV, but I can't because my wife is an addict. I wish there were more people like you who got bored by these things.

[dexmax]

I don't think that is much of a problem..

I'm pretty sure I rode, more or less, 15miles/day when I was a kid. But it was more of play and having fun than just getting these amount of miles a day. I used to ride to school and back(8kms both ways). I get off at 3 or 4pm, but it would take only several minutes (about 15~20mins) for a 5km ride home. When I got home, I just grabbed a sandwich or a cookie then went riding with friends, not bike buddies, for hours.. We used to play "follow the leader" where the lead bike will go through tough terrain, or over curbs and we have to follow him all day, well until about 6:30pm when my dad comes home. And in those days, I rode a BMX, no gears, no jerseys, no water. Just a shirt and shorts and my rubbershoes.

[Paul L.]

My 5 yr old daughter does 20 miles rides on a trail-a-bike and she pedals most of the way. She loves it (especially if we stop by a playground at some point).

[gwfhegel]

When I was 7 or 8 years old, we kids rode our bikes all day long. We rode all over town and out into the country and I think we probably covered more than 15 miles at a go. This was almost on a daily basis, as riding bikes was what we were about. We did it for fun, for adventure, and to get from point A to point B. Moms and dads did not drive us everywhere we wanted to go, like today. Most families only owned one car, and dad drove that car to work. If mom worked, they car-pooled. So the bike was MY transportation to anything I wanted to get to, unless I was with my parents.

We never "hydrated", except to stop and buy a pop from a gas station dispenser or drink water from a neighbor's hose. We never "carb loaded", except maybe to stop and buy a bag of chips, if that. We did not carry water bottles, wear special clothing, or count the miles or the mph. We just rode our bikes. And I never remember being tired or tired of it. All the way through high school...

At the end of the ride, we did not log our miles or make training notes. We went on to play outside until our mothers called us in, usually around 10pm in the summer, when the last light left the sky. On Saturdays, we got to stay out until 11pm and we played "Green Ghost" and pick-up basket ball on the only hoop on the street, dribbling under the street lights and counting the minutes until we'd be called in by mom.

Life was simpler then, kids were not as soft as they are today. My point is, if your daughter wants to ride a bike 15 miles, let her. Kids need to be active and blow off steam. It is good that she is showing an interest in some outdoor pursuit and some physical fitness activity at all. Most kids today are not.

I am so glad I was born 50 years ago...our generation got to be "kids". Life was good.

[wheeze]...Rosebud....

[VeloSiDad]

You have all been very reassuring and supportive. I'll keep letting her ride up front so she can decide how far she wants to go. I always carry snacks and water, and find reasons to make her stop for a break.
bh


Dear bakhurts,

You have done a great service to all of us in the BikeForums community, and to those we ride with, by getting this thread started. I can hear the laughter and the sighs in these little missives (a word frequently used by MI...Mechanix Illustrated).

Maybe some new technology for her: some sunscreen on the back of the neck, on the nose and cheeks, and tops of arms and back of hands. We want her to avoid melanoma for at least the next fifty years.

It sounds like she is doing all right with you. QUALITY TIME ;)

Neal the "VéloSíDad" ;)

[seely]

When I was 7 or 8 years old, we kids rode our bikes all day long. We rode all over town and out into the country and I think we probably covered more than 15 miles at a go. This was almost on a daily basis, as riding bikes was what we were about. We did it for fun, for adventure, and to get from point A to point B.

Life was simpler then, kids were not as soft as they are today.

And we walked 18 miles to school, uphill both ways, in knee deep snow... :p

Nostalgia ain't what it used to be :D

Seriously though, I'm only 21, my parents would kick me out the door on any day it was nice, we jumped our Walmart specials 3-4ft off of crappy home made jumps, went to the store and bought all the junk food we could carry and then rode around all day. My kids will do the same b/c its the best memories of my life. We would ride to the park and run around like crazed savages for a few hours, go play baseball at the rec center, or stare at the highschool girls at the pool (still do but now I am old enough to go inside the fence!!!) ;) .

*Something to ponder...

The people that aren't letting the kids go out and play are YOUR (speaking to all those 30+ in this thread) generation. Its not the kids, its the parents!

[Hants Commuter]

Sorry for coming in late here but I recently took a cub scout pack for a 17 mile ride. The youngest was 8 and the eldest 11. Not a single problem with any of them - even the youngest who was riding a small wheeled BMX bike.

[ChiliDog]

"The people that aren't letting the kids go out and play are YOUR (speaking to all those 30+ in this thread) generation. Its not the kids, its the parents!"

I don't think it's a "generational thing" so much as a "cultural lifestyle thing". I will say that my niece and her husband and the couples they hang with (I know most of them) are in their early to mid twenties and have young children. They (the parents) and their kids are not outdoors doing anything. Recreational focus is always about GameCube, PlayStation, DVD movies, and other games and toys that keep them inside, sitting while they play. If not that activity, then it's shopping or going out to restaurants to eat.

Nephew bought 4 bikes 3 Christmases ago-one for each parent and one for each kid. Bikes NEVER went out of the garage. They were sold this summer in a yard sale, tags still on them. Reason? "We didn't have time to ride and the kids weren't interested in it anyway." I think this is more the rule than the exception, but what do I know?

I know what I see out riding in the neighborhoods and bike paths and railtrails and mountain bike trails too, and it's not kids, it's more 40+ adults ("my" generation). So if it is "generational", it goes backwards, not forwards. I just think any kind of fitness or exercise is not happening with the majority of our society, from kids to adults. This is in stark contrast to decades past (70s/80s), where fitness was a value and something to be pursued. Just my thoughts.

[bnet1]

"The people that aren't letting the kids go out and play are YOUR (speaking to all those 30+ in this thread) generation. Its not the kids, its the parents!"

I don't think it's a "generational thing" so much as a "cultural lifestyle thing". I will say that my niece and her husband and the couples they hang with (I know most of them) are in their early to mid twenties and have young children. They (the parents) and their kids are not outdoors doing anything. Recreational focus is always about GameCube, PlayStation, DVD movies, and other games and toys that keep them inside, sitting while they play. If not that activity, then it's shopping or going out to restaurants to eat.

Nephew bought 4 bikes 3 Christmases ago-one for each parent and one for each kid. Bikes NEVER went out of the garage. They were sold this summer in a yard sale, tags still on them. Reason? "We didn't have time to ride and the kids weren't interested in it anyway." I think this is more the rule than the exception, but what do I know?

I know what I see out riding in the neighborhoods and bike paths and railtrails and mountain bike trails too, and it's not kids, it's more 40+ adults ("my" generation). So if it is "generational", it goes backwards, not forwards. I just think any kind of fitness or exercise is not happening with the majority of our society, from kids to adults. This is in stark contrast to decades past (70s/80s), where fitness was a value and something to be pursued. Just my thoughts.

WOW, Interesting thread. I never really thought about it much. My daughter grew up with horses, FFA and 4-H. Now that she is married and started a family she is still into hiorses and competes in shows regularly plus she is involved with the 4-H club that operates out of our farm. In fact my infant grandson goes with her to shows and seems to have an affintiy for horses. He tries to grab the minis and his favorite suffed animal is a large fuzzy horse. My son was a video game junkie. In college he majored in Information Technology and graduated *** Laude. About the time I got my new bike he started to take an interest in cycling. He now rides his mountain bike "around the block" about 5 miles in the evenings if the weather is nice. Sometimes I ride with him and he comments "Dad, how can you balance on that thing" refering to my recumbent. I'm pretty proud of both kids for staying active and enjoying life.

'bent Brian

[BlastRadius]

*Something to ponder...

The people that aren't letting the kids go out and play are YOUR (speaking to all those 30+ in this thread) generation. Its not the kids, its the parents!

I'm 34 and had the same biking experiences in my youth; I'd leave the house in the morning and ride with my friends till evening came. I think parents today are more cautious about not being able to see their children in the front or back yard. The constant fear of abductions is paralyzing, not to mention the drivers driving way too fast down our street. I have a 6 yr old daughter that I'd love to just let play with the neighborhood kids. Is strength in numbers enough to feel safe?
Any other parents out there that feel similarly? How do you allow "free play"?

[SipperPhoto]

it's pretty sad that parent's these days have to punish their kids by making them go outside and play.

I'm 29 years old... I use to ride my bike all over when I was a kid... never thought about it... we wanted to go to a park, or wherever... it was either ride your bike, or walk.. and walking sucks... you can get their faster by bike...

riding at night, no lights, no helmet, no special clothes... just me, my buddies, my crappy Huffy BMX bike that I beat the hell out of (but still held up fine). Kids these days are soft... just hang out at a mall, and look at all the fat kids rolling around... when I see an 8 year old that is pushin' 100 lbs. there is something wrong... I think it borders on child abuse IMO.

Be happy that she wants to and can ride 15 miles... that is GREAT ! :D

jeff

[kerk]

it's pretty sad that parent's these days have to punish their kids by making them go outside and play.

I use to ride my bike all over when I was a kid... never thought about it... we wanted to go to a park, or wherever... it was either ride your bike, or walk.. and walking sucks... you can get their faster by bike...

riding at night, no lights, no helmet, no special clothes... just me, my buddies, my crappy Huffy BMX bike that I beat the hell out of (but still held up fine). Kids these days are soft... just hang out at a mall, and look at all the fat kids rolling around... when I see an 8 year old that is pushin' 100 lbs. there is something wrong... I think it borders on child abuse IMO.

jeff

My Dad used to say the same things! :roflmao:

[VINCENT228]

If she can go further let her. My daughter who is now 9 is doing 25 mile organized rides and not even breaking a sweat.
You can tell by the look in her face if shes really pushing herself or not and if she is let her push herself a little then stop. each time she has to push will be a little bit further.
GOOD LUCK.
And remember, if its a bad thing for them to do. try to break the will and not the spirit.

[2Boxers]

Yet, another story of a kid who can ride... My 8 yr old niece had a soccer game at 10 am in which she played most of the 40min game. Only after the game did I learn that she woke up at 2am and decided to watch movies the remainder of the "morning" until it was time for her to get ready for soccer. After the game we had planned on doing a bike ride a local trail. She was still up for it. We rode the entire leangth, 12 miles, and then some more (an extra 6 miles). She was racing the adults a fair amount of the time (raced me at 16mph) and only got somewhat discouraged when we had a very large hill to climb (she still beat 1/2 the adults up the hill). Kids will be kids and should exercise more than most do these days. I am glad to assist in getting my nieces & nephews out and though it may be a healthy habit for them, it should reminds us that if anything, riding bikes is FUN!

[VINCENT228]

Dont you wish you had their energy and spirit? I sure do. It seems as adults we "try" what they "do".

[scott L R]

My daughter just turned 6, she rides a trail-a-bike with me. When she turned 4 we started renting one. She was 4 when she rode 40 miles the first time. She was upset at the end of ride because we had to return the rental trail-a-bike. Now we have our own, and she beggs me to ride almost daily. A 40 mile loop to her is nothing now, and she pedals most of the way. When I was out of commission with back pain we still rode, just did not go far from home, she pedaled for the both of us up to 20 miles, I just pedaled enough to keep us straight. We can sustain 30 mph with out wind.

[Dchiefransom]

If she can do it, let her do it. If anything, it'll probably help her parents to get her straight to bed at night!

If there are concerns, I say slap a heart rate monitor on her and regulate her heart rate activity. Take her to a pediatrician regularly to ensure that she's not compromising bone growth and density, and find out what heart rate parameters she can work within, and I'm sure you guys will all be ok.

Sounds like you have a female Lance in the making! ;)

Koffee


As the one issue of Bicycling Mag pointed out, just cycling for exercise doesn't do well with bone loss. Check with your pediatrician and make sure she gets plenty of calcium in her diet, as well as other bone producing forms of exercise.

[rmwun54]

That is why cycling is one of the last frontier for all of us city slickers. We all can relate to the fact that those who were fortunate to have had those experiences that are as stated from above have found a passion for adventure, for a sense of physical thrill that is of one's own doing, that getting from point a to point b was not a problem, and that being outdoors was something to look forward too. When we were kids we didn't think how far, we thought allright let's do it. I would say good for you that you are doing this for your granddaughter. Just make sure that you are always educating her on those important survival concerns that one will experience while riding a lot. I myself ride with my nephews who is around the same age and I just let them ride as far as they can handle. It seems to be about 10 miles generally.

[BikingWithKids]

We routinely ride 15-20 miles with our 9 year old son, and we've done up to 10 miles with our 4 year old daughter on a tandem with a kidback kit. We have never had a problem with fatigue as long as we take stops every 10 miles or so, and playground stops seem to rejuvinate kids. One time, my son and I were riding in a bikathon, me on a mountian bike and him on the trailerbike. We had planned to have him do 20 miles with me each of the 2 days, then go in the car with relatives to the final stop of the day. The first day, the relatives got lost before meeting us, and we ended up riding 40 miles. The next day, he was raring to go, and we did another 30, dismissing the relatives until a huge hill did us both in.

Mark Stoughton
BikingWithKids.NET (http://www.Bikingwithkids.net)



My granddaughter likes to ride a lot, and will not stop. She will do 15 miles with us. I worry it may be too much for her and try to hold her back telling her I am too tired to go further. She is tired when we get home, and I hear she sleeps really well.

Is this too much for a kid. She is constantly keeping score of the miles and keeps trying to push herself.

thanks

bakhurts

[jarhead#42]

WoW
We have a future olympian here
jarhead#42

[DogBoy]

Perhaps I'm missing something, but a 15 mile ride doesn't seem that far if it is at a reasonable pace and the bike is decent. I would think the limiter would be more attention span than endurance for such a young kid since that would be an hour to an hour & a half of riding. If she's happy doing it and gets a thrill out of it why not let her go?

[operator]

or stare at the highschool girls at the pool (still do but now I am old enough to go inside the fence!!!)

Uhhhhhhhhhhhmmmmmmmm...

*plays psycho theme

:P

[BikingWithKids]

Last week we rode the entire length of the Cape Cod Rail Trail over a 2 day period on out tandems. 27 (Dennis-Orleand-Dennis) miles on day 1 and 23(Orleans-Wellfleet-Orleans) on day 2. Both our 9 year old and out 4 year old did both rides with no complaints. In fact, they treated each section between road crossings as stages in the "Tour de Cape" and raced for the last half day or so.

As long as the child is on an attached bike, be it trailer bike or tandem, they can handle 20-25 miles easily. Much over that and they start to get worn out. It also helps if there is an objective in mind, such as an ice cream stop or a playground.

Mark Stoughton
BikingWithKids.NET

[Raleigh rider]

We rode 18 miles on tunnel hill this past saturday and our 10 year old done great for the first 12 miles and then she began to complain about being tired. We were thinking of getting her the Trail a bike and let her ride that for a few months and then let her try riding solo again when she has build up her legs more. She is small for her age she only weighs 62 lbs.


Kathy

[twahl]

Big problem with kids is bike size. My 10 year old daughter is also pretty small, or at least skinny. We put her on a Diamndback 24" mountain bike, and I have taken the knobbies off, replacing them with narrower and smoother street tires. It helps, but by my calculations, her tire roll out is about 300 mm less per rotation than the rest of us on 700 tires. That's almost 15% less, which means that to maintain speed, she has to work 15% harder than the rest of us. I haven't even though about calculating what it might be with a 20" tire, but think about it.
Having said all that, last weekend we did a ride that was just shy of 35 miles.

[Txthroop]

This is one of the best threads I've ever read. Positive, encouraging, wistful, soulful, personal and best of all, it makes you want to go out and ride your bike from dawn to dusk...or at least until your wife call you in for dinner. (Probably on the cell phone!)

[Rick G]

I did that too.rode from the time I got up till it was dark enouph you couldn't see.
My 8 yr old daughter has ridden a 12 mile loop with me.no problem.she would do it tonight when I got home with no complaints.she wants to do the 22 mile ride I am planning but she isn't sure she can do it.so she has some reservations there.
She loves riding.especially with her daddy and little brother and I love doing with her.
Her older brother rides daily on his diamondback bmx.gone all the time.has ridden the 22 miler a couple of times.but loves to go.hope when he gets his car he doesn't loose that.
Rick G

[Stacy]

When I was 7 or 8 years old, we kids rode our bikes all day long. We rode all over town and out into the country and I think we probably covered more than 15 miles at a go. This was almost on a daily basis, as riding bikes was what we were about. We did it for fun, for adventure, and to get from point A to point B. Moms and dads did not drive us everywhere we wanted to go, like today. Most families only owned one car, and dad drove that car to work. If mom worked, they car-pooled. So the bike was MY transportation to anything I wanted to get to, unless I was with my parents.

We never "hydrated", except to stop and buy a pop from a gas station dispenser or drink water from a neighbor's hose. We never "carb loaded", except maybe to stop and buy a bag of chips, if that. We did not carry water bottles, wear special clothing, or count the miles or the mph. We just rode our bikes. And I never remember being tired or tired of it. All the way through high school...

At the end of the ride, we did not log our miles or make training notes. We went on to play outside until our mothers called us in, usually around 10pm in the summer, when the last light left the sky. On Saturdays, we got to stay out until 11pm and we played "Green Ghost" and pick-up basket ball on the only hoop on the street, dribbling under the street lights and counting the minutes until we'd be called in by mom.

Life was simpler then, kids were not as soft as they are today. My point is, if your daughter wants to ride a bike 15 miles, let her. Kids need to be active and blow off steam. It is good that she is showing an interest in some outdoor pursuit and some physical fitness activity at all. Most kids today are not.

I am so glad I was born 50 years ago...our generation got to be "kids". Life was good.

I also had a similar childhood and clearly remember doing a 40 mile event when I was 10 or 12. We really only planned to do the 24 mile route, but we took a wrong turn and wound up doing 40. So we just rode a little faster and wound up a little more tired than we had planned.

I'm truely amazed at how much harder this seems now that I'm an adult. :o

My guess is, all the factors we adults consider are probably more important with a child - bike fit, hydration, good diet, and teaching her to listen to her body so she doesn't poop out. Some kids are really energy machines and don't seem to ever wear themselves out.

Stacy

[GaryPE]

Chilidog, thanks for the pick-me-up. This is my first post.

Your reply lifted the foggy rain out my window and brought back a sunny afternoon in 1973. Though maybe a little younger than you, I'm still old enough to remember going to the gas station to plunge my tube into the water trough to find a leak, buying a 12 oz. coke in a real bottle from the machine where you grab the bottle by the neck, and taking in the aroma of glue, lube, and gasoline while gawking at the Superbird gassing up out front. A few playing cards and clothes pins turned my Schwinn into MOPAR.

You must have been at a high latitude to ride until 10. Nothing beats a summer night on the Canadian border. When it was too late to ride, we'd trade the bikes for Radio Flyer wagons and have a crash up derby in the fluorescent glow of my mom's fabric shop driveway. Helmets? Though I'm older and wiser and never advocate going without a helmet, or let my 7-year-old disappear for the day alone, gee I'm still alive.

My only decent bike was stolen when I was 17 when the fair came to town. I finally replaced it at 36 and wondered why it took so long.

Let the kid ride!

[Dchiefransom]

This answers my question. Im taking my 12 year old nephew on a 10 mile ride. His mom didnt know if he could handle it. Im sure he can. Way to much energy in this kid not to be able to ride 10 miles.;)

12 year old? Turn him loose outside with the other kids at a family gathering and he'll probably have RUN 10 miles by supper!!!

[gpsblake]

My daughter did similiar distances(10-15miles) before. The key is to give them some fun on the way, let them determine the stops, and such. I also would avoid hills on purpose, that will zap a child quickly. I remember riding a few times from Glen Burnie to downtown Baltimore when I was young. My kid prefers to stop every 15 minutes to check out the woods, streams, bugs whatever. Which was fine. And of course, she determines the pace.

[swifferman]

Just curious, I did about 24 kms at a fairly gingerly pace in about 1 and a half hours. (Trail riding mostly with some stops to find out where I was)

15 miles=24km about. How long does it take these young kids to do 15 miles?