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Send them out on the road on bikes that border on death traps ? 😞 Out riding this afternoon came upon a woman and her son on the side of the road with his bike upside down. I stopped asked if I could help. “ Thankyou his back brake is jammed on we can’t turn the wheel. Cable disc brake every bolt apart from the one clamping the cable was loose , after 10 minutes faffing had to leave him with no back brake ,it was either on or off no inbetweeen , luckily only about a quiet 30 minutes from home . She was on the phone to her husband when I stopped who had apparently had a go at the brake before they left home 🤔
I said to her it needs looking at properly but then she said oh it only cost £30 so probably not worth it just get another one 🙄🙄🙄I didn’t look at the rest of the bike but I can only imagine the state of it 😞It’s almost as if people don’t really value their kids , I get if you aren’t interested but as I said if they are going on the road at least give them a head start to stay safe .
You didn't say if he was wearing a helmet (doesn't matter if it was properly fitted or not).
Only important thing for kids on bikes, don't you know.
He did have a helmet on , a skate style pisspot with a Go Pro type camera mounted on a long extension on top 🤔
When my son's friends have ridden to our house, I'll often pop into the garage to check their bikes. Invariably the tyres are under 10psi, headsets are often loose, the brakes might need attention, gears are often out of adjustment and the chains are either rusty or bone dry. I'll adjust everything, don't think they even notice.
Their parents are all intelligent, practically minded people but somehow checking the bikes every month or two just doesn't cross their mind. I also have no idea how the kids (10 and 13 generally) don't realise their tyres are nearly rolling off the rims on every corner...
I think we live in an age where stuff just works, and the thought that anything mechanical might need maintenance is lost on so many people.
Thinking about this my wife is also guilty of this 🙄😔she loves cycling but wouldn't dream of checking her bike first , I've offered to give her some basics but I think she just relies on phoning me if she's stuck 🙄
I check hers regularly in case but there's always the unexpected.
When the kids were younger and playing outside on bikes I'd call the neighbours kids over and fix stuff that I could see was wrong. After a while they started coming to me - the kids knew when something wasn't right. Kids were grateful as of course the bikes were much better to ride. Not sure parents even knew 🙂
Thinking about this my wife is also guilty of this 🙄😔she loves cycling but wouldn’t dream of checking her bike first , I’ve offered to give her some basics but I
my girlfriend is actually really mechanically adept, can do everything up to and including bleeding brakes.
But has absolutely no awareness of when it needs doing.
Metal on metal braking, chain at 3.5% stretch and not working in the fastest two gears… “ooh should I change it?”
People are pricks.
Invariably the tyres are under 10psi
How much pressure do you think 30kg of child needs? I'm 85kg and run 20psi on 2.4" tyres, someone weighing a third of that probably needs well under 10
Hey, mum was out cycling with her son though and that is good.
Indeed.
And STW isn't really a reflection of the public on what 'standard' bikes should be...
I think many cars on the road are as dodgy...
Crap tyres with tubes that will be smacked into kerbs probably need more than 10psi even with a kid on them! Especially as they won't get checked each ride. I'd put 30 or so in them.
Bet they can still wheelie better than any of us on them! 🤣
I think what we have here is a disconnect between what we expect of a bike, and what the average casual/occasional cyclist expects.
MoreCashThanDash
Full Member
I think what we have here is a disconnect between what we expect of a bike, and whatthe average casual/occasional cyclistpeople who view bikes solely as kids toys and not an early step in their kids independent life expect.
FTFY 😉
Plenty of adults ride around on lethal bikes, it's not just a kid's bike thing.
andrewy I might be helping bikeability locally in the near future, can't wait 🙄
Fully grown chap, amongst the cleverest I know, just completed the Great Glen Way with me this week.
Point blank refused to get his bike checked or serviced beforehand or the offer of a quick once over at mine. Rode the full 70+ miles with a very loose headset and rear wheel bearing that’s so wobbly the tyre was almost rubbing on the frame at times.
Only thing that actually failed during the trip was a snapped dropper cable.
Sometimes I do wonder whether I over think and prep, but then quickly remember just how horrible riding a bike that’s not right can feel.
For my sins I used to sell bikes at Halfords* and it taught me that you can never underestimate how quickly a child can trash even a decent, well set-up bike. The state some of them would be in after a week let alone by the time the 6 week check arrived was always a shock on a regular basis. A kid can easily put what we would class as a year's wear on a bike in a few days, sometimes less. For this reason I usually spend an afternoon at my nephew's checking his bike over before every holiday period (did it today for Easter) and I'll always offer to check over any of his friends bikes that turn up too. The worst I've seen was a 7 week old Isla Bike with two hexagonal wheels (from hitting kerbs at full chat), a rear v-brake that had both arms bent and the frame twisted so much the rear wheel tracked a good 2 inches to the left of the front. No fault of the bike whatsoever, it was the kid who was launching it off a high wall into the bushes below, proper Jackass style. That was two years ago and the kid has actually had his energy channeled so is now a decent rider and does a few races.
* means ice had endless exposure to parents who struggle to see how a bike can cost more than £100 and also amazed that repairing that bike after the kid has used it a few times costs as much again to repair.
The worst I’ve seen was a 7 week old Isla Bike with two hexagonal wheels (from hitting kerbs at full chat), a rear v-brake that had both arms bent and the frame twisted so much the rear wheel tracked a good 2 inches to the left of the front. No fault of the bike whatsoever, it was the kid who was launching it off a high wall into the bushes below, proper Jackass style. That was two years ago and the kid has actually had his energy channeled so is now a decent rider and does a few races
I always think a kid who rides beyond the limit of their equipment is a good sign.
You know, if they survive.
Sometimes I do wonder whether I over think and prep, but then quickly remember just how horrible riding a bike that’s not right can feel.
Nah better to fix a bike at home with a cuppa t and your decent tools as opposed to a long walk home or picking your teeth up because you couldn’t be arsed to keep on top of the maintenance.
You can’t prep for every eventuality but you can help yourself.