I'm not sure how this happened, but I appear to have a bike obsessed (nearly) 4 year old.
He wants to ride his bike home from nursery today, it's not even 2 miles but...
Saturday - wanted to ride his bike to the stables, it's 10k so his mum dropped him and his bike off half way and I rode the rest of the way with him, then he decided he wanted to ride home with me - 15km in total.
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Sunday we were at leeds urban bike park, he rode alllll morning, cracking day out and a few crashes but nothing to worry about - he flaked out in the car on the way home absolutely knackered.
This morning he demanded he did the 2.5k to nursery (in about 25 mins despite stopping at every sight of a builder to ask what they were doing)
I'm slightly concerned that he's going to over do it in this burst of enthusiasm, am i just being an idiot and should just let him ride his bike if he wants to?
when he's hitting the big jumps will you be jealous or proud :0)
That second photo is lovely 🙂
That second photo is lovely
Indeed. Get that bad boy cropped and framed!
the new minipipps!
Any kid who would rather be outside riding his bike and keeping fit, than vegetating in front of Fortnite should be positively encouraged in my book. I don’t have kids but if I did and they wanted to ride everywhere I think I’d be jumping with joy. Good on him.....and you.
He'll let you know when he's had enough by falling asleep into a bowl of spaghetti hoops.
I've found the enthusiasm comes and goes at different points, my 9 year old has recently gotten back into enjoying weekend rides with me after about six months of not being so bothered, She can happily cover 10 miles and with some snacks and a bit of encouragement 15 but she's not very brave/confident, one little slip or wobble and she'll avoid certain things, to the extent that she stopped, got off and walked around a muddy patch that had her off the previous week but will still merrily plough through every puddle she sees... getting her out on the bike every couple of days through summer will help.
My seven year old can barely ride a bike as she just doesn't want to play/practise riding, when she does though she is utterly fearless and doesn't seem to see the point in brakes.
Just enjoy it while he is keen and don't push it if he doesn't want to ride - that's a surefire way to kill off enthusiasm. Kids are pretty fickle and can lose interest in something then come back to it so it's not the be all and end all if something else takes their fancy for a while.
Yesterday my 7yo and I rode from home to our local woods for the first time, when previously we've done a short drive. It was like a revelation for him that he could cover that distance by bike so he is even more keen to go out now.
Some other things I have learned
get them some decent cycling shorts and gloves - it makes a big difference if they are comfortable.
Pace it and have a short cut home plan
Haribos have remarkable restorative power
’ve found the enthusiasm comes and goes at different points, my 9 year old has recently gotten back into enjoying weekend rides
That really. My lad wanted at times to go out every minute of the day, doing even a 25 miler on decently hilly route for charity... then nothing for months, then he jumped on Zwift every day for 2 weeks wanting to ride an hour or more every times.... then nothing....
It won't kill them.... just go with the flow really.
You're allowed to feel happy. This is a good post.
Double pudding allowance.
You win today's internet!
The proper answer is he will let you know.
Great photos, our two started at an early age and never really stopped. Make the most of every ride. My best rides are when we are out together. Memories are priceless.
This is tremendous!
Riding with your kids is the Best Thing Ever! Give it a couple of years and you'll be chasing him at speed down the descents, with him getting significant air time off the jumps!
That second pic is nice. Reminds me of this
[url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4118/4920081929_0319b76ded.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4118/4920081929_0319b76ded.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= https://flic.kr/p/8uLGWM ]Helping hand[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/n_b_t/ ]Notoriously Bad Typist[/url], on Flickr
(Yes, that's crazylegs helping richpips helping minipips)
As above, they'll soon let you know when they've had enough / done too much. Just got my mountain biking mojo back after taking out 7yo to Fineshades a few weeks ago.
She really enjoyed Thetford on Friday, not so much coming off on the tarmac at the end of a GoRide session on Sat and had fun yesterday on a 20km picnic ride, after swimming in the morning. Really looking forward doing more off road with her and doing some decent length tours.
Cheers,
Jamie
the pic with minipips etc reminds me of doing 45miles with my 9yr old, over taking folk on carbon road bikes whilst pushing miniyeti up out of Avonbridge on the pedal for scotland a couple of years ago.
That second pic is nice. Reminds me of this
His complete inability to ride in a straight line would make riding that close to him hazardous.
Saturdays game was trying to ride on each others shadow, he'd keep checking that I was still on his, over his left shoulder and veering off the side of the trail 😀
Oh man, my 10year old looks to be falling out of love with riding and he was just like your little ripper... we were supposed to race 4x together yesterday and he point blank refused to go. He was the one who suggested racing 4x to get some winter racing in for the upcoming national BMX calendar... he has now decided to stop racing, after 5years, and concentrate on football.
My heart is in bits. He's ten, got to let him do his own thing, but I'm missing riding with him already. I'm being selfish I know but he's my best riding buddy.
Luckily the five year old has just got the bug, hopefully she'll keep riding with me for a while....
Sorry for the down note, I am genuinely gutted.
Enjoy every moment of it.
Steve
That’s great OP. My five year old has shown very little interest. Embrace it!
His complete inability to ride in a straight line...
So he's actually riding farther than the distances given in your initial post. Love the idea of him riding up to builders and asking what they're up to.
I think the biggest risk you face on those kind of distances is sudden melt downs etc. Sweajnr (almost 5) has done 10+km in a day but I'm always a bit nervous that if we have a meltdown it's a long way (unless rescue with car is easy etc). I have a follow-me which gives me a bit of piece of mind for those kind of situations.
For walking I've got in my head about a km / year (so a 5 year old can reasonably walk 5km in a day with stops etc) but I've got no idea where that guideline comes from or how it would convert to biking.
Top post, op.....!
My old man sent me a video today of my nephew riding the Frog bike I bought him back in 2017 without stabilisers...!
Proud uncle moment. 😁
Not sure whether to teach him stoppies or wheelies first. Although he is only three.
he has now decided to stop racing, after 5years, and concentrate on football.
Is this a good enough reason to disown him? Worth checking out.
A mate of mine now has to take his lad to Fußball (the lad is also ten) and he says a little bit of him dies each time he has to stand there on a Saturday with all the other plebs. The lad only wants to go because that's what all the other kids at school talk about.
#peerpressure
As much as he wants to do, is the answer. They soon let you knwo when they don't want to ride and there is absolutely no point making them do anything.
My eldest has been riding at every given opportunity since he was 4, he's been racing 'cross since then (he's nearly 7 now), races crits in the summer and has just done his first MTB race, which he won, and is rather adept at this whole biking thing, is bloody competitive and can rattle off 20 km on bridle ways without really thinking about it, in the summer holidays he'll be out as much as possible with me after work and can do 50 or 60km a week on his MTB.
The next one who is 5 in a couple of months is kind of interested, likes riding his bike and likes the idea of racing (he's done a few 'cross races and one MTB race this weekend gone) but isn't really competitive at all.
Haribos have remarkable restorative power
Do not give a full gel to a child! (No caffeine just standard gel). It's like the Duracell bunny until a spectacular crash about 3 hours after normal bedtime!
sudden melt downs
This WILL happen and is a good reason to carry some form of refined sugar...
Enjoy it while it lasts. Mine was a little Demon and pretty much has quit at 16. He is a young man now and can make up his own mind between riding and computer games. Makes me a bit sad but I have the memories.
A mate of mine now has to take his lad to Fußball (the lad is also ten) and he says a little bit of him dies each time he has to stand there on a Saturday with all the other plebs.
Nothing like a nice bit of STW stereotyping.... Why are people who play/like football plebs then ?
He'll let you know. The downside is it may be with very little warning and somewhere inconvenient. Like Dartmoor.
Haribo and talking them down like they're on a bad trip is usually enough to get back home / to the car though. Worked 3 boys through it at various times and their resilience is amazing. Keep a bit of rope in the Camelbak to tow them through the worst.
The best reaction I had was with the then 9 year old doing his first Test Valley Tour .. unpleasant big flint strewn climb back up to the last feed, difficult to maintain a rhythm and I could tell he was suffering, maybe 23 miles in and a fair chunk of climbing done .. bent over the bars he looked up, looked me in the eye and said 'I've pretty much had enough of this now' 😀 - an inhaled flapjack and jelly baby later and he was off again.
