So proud of my amazing girl(s)

baudman

First ride after the broken arm.

Certainly her slowest lap ever.... but still one of the best.

Mike Healey

baudman wrote:

First ride after the broken arm.

Certainly her slowest lap ever.... but still one of the best.

Nice piccie, but could her saddle do with coming up a touch? Or is it a misleading angle?

baudman

Yup - I noticed that too. It's amazing how much they grow in just a few months. Her whole bike just looks so small with her on it now. Still has plenty of adjustment left for her, but it's like the wheels seem to be slowly coming together* (It doesn't help when you look at her younger sister, for comparison).

I probably won't be adjusting it up for a little bit, however, just for the next few weeks, until her arm is at full strength and she starts throwing the bike around with a bit more fervour. Although, she did decide she was fine to ride it home from the park, so that may happen a little sooner than I think?

*SWMBO mentioned the prospect of a new bike for her come Christmas (or perhaps her birthday in Feb). I'm excited already.

Norfolk Hill Champ

This is such a great thread and I'm so pleased to see your eldest back on the bike after breaking her arm.

My daughter (7) took a long while to get confident on her bike but now absolutely loves riding. Her brother (4) has had a balance bike for about two weeks and is already getting really good. They are both getting new bikes for their next birthday owrdst the end of the year (daughter wants 'a fast bike like yours Daddy') so hopefully we can all get out together next summer. Our third child will be two in August and still fits in a seat on the back of Mum's bike for now.

Just a shame that our weather doesn't quite match up to yours!

baudman

We've had some incredibly mild, sunny winter days of late. It's all gonna turn nasty for the weekend however
Thing1's mate recently got one of these. Standover height is looking great. Need to work on the trim on that brake lever however.



Two very happy girls.

baudman

Her second CX

mitchellematthews

Took me ages to learn to ride a bike and i had a bad experience when i was a child. Its only recently i took a cycling course here and then advance onto mountain bike and I love it. I am looking to send my child on cycling courses as i really have hope of her one day become one of those Champions tennis, cycling any sports really. I think this also ensure she stays fit and active.

i did both courses here and would recommend it. if you can recommend any kids courses i would really love to get my baby girl to the levl of being a pro one day

http://bit.ly/13p68VB

http://bit.ly/15eEL29

Mike Healey wrote:

Bartimaeus wrote:

Awesome... let's hope she keeps it up! I might have to try some 'skills' for my son - I've two but only one is a keen cyclist. We have just progressed onto bridle paths - but I think some slalom challenges sound good fun (and I may learn something too).

You might try findin a Go-Ride club near you, if there is one.
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/clubfinder

baudman

School holidays in Melbourne at the moment, and with my new role in bicycle retail (yay!) Wed/Thu are my 'weekend'.

So, a friend suggested that yesterday we ride to a semi-local 'traffic school'. Very cool - local council run, with plenty of bikes of various sizes, and a few balance bikes and trikes for littlies. It has road signs. Traffic lights. The works.

Thing2 was attached via TrailGator to my CX for the 9kms to get there. (And again, on the way back). Thing1 and her friend rode solo.


Right turn by Thing2 by baudman , on Flickr

Spillway by baudman , on Flickr
Thing1's friend has a ByK-500x16 (discussed above - testing the standover height). That model has been discontinued, and it's now (well, VERY soon) available in 3 variants - 3 speed hub, 8 speed and the 16 speed it was.

Test riding the ByK E500 by baudman , on Flickr
She was very happy on it, and not as happy to be back on her Giant Areva Street Girls 20 (now sold as a Veer 20). Will be looking at upgrading as soon as practicable. I was thinking the 8 speed, but I'm pretty sure the colour she prefers only comes in the 16. Aah well, I'm sure she'll use that extra ring at some stage.

baudman

So... yesterday was the day.

SWMBO stopped around at about the time we shut the shop. I asked Thing1 if she could help me with something - this bike was missing its two bidon bolts (which was true) and perhaps she'd like to put them in for me. As she was working on it, she asked if this bike was going to be for sale. I replied that no, this one has been bought. She asked who it was for... and I told her "It's yours, sweetie!"

Her face lit up - it was gorgeous. She was so over the moon she could barely speak (which is saying something!) Just beaming.

So, after a few pix, she rode the 4 miles home. Hills that were a bit of a stretch on her (now cramped) 3spd are, according to her, "barely there" on her new 16 spd. (I was happy with her getting the 8, but she'd said previously she liked the blue, which is the 16).


Thing1 on her brand new ByK e540x16 by baudman , on Flickr


Riding the ByK e540x16 home (maiden voyage) by baudman , on Flickr

I had flipped the saddle mount around so instead of 'set-back' it's now 'set-forward' so she isn't quite as stretched out.


ByK e540x16 with saddle 'set foward' (as opposed to set-back) by baudman , on Flickr

The cranks also have two pedal positions - so it's on the shorter of the two. Her stroke now looks a lot closer to what an optimal stroke on a well-sized adult's bike would look. I also trimmed the brakes in a little, so the levers don't have their full throw.

And man.. does it fly! (And that's even without bothering with the big ring - that can wait a while, I reckon).

Thing2 will still have some time on her current bike, but I'm gonna sell the Giant and so she'll have her (probably only, for some time at least) brand new bike of her own, when she grows out of her current ride. That'll be the ByK e450x3i.

I'd imagine I'd still prefer an Islabike for both of them, but hey... the import price would be prohibitive.

baudman

Very proud of my 5yo, standing up in front of school assembly and spruiking National Ride2School Day (which is this coming Wed).

ETA - and here's the turnout. Not too shabby at all!

baudman

ByK e620R by baudman , on Flickr

Still a little on the large side, especially when trying to reach the levers. Will have to try the e540R.

Daz555

Daz555 wrote:

Here is my lad (4.5yrs) ripping up the Bristol pumps:

Anything big bro' can do little sis' can do.

Here is my girl (at 4yrs) also tearing up the Bristol pumps:



Blimey the track really has aged. Was sooo smooth a few years ago.