My little girl has lost her cycling mojo

DonDaddyD

Greg66 wrote:

DonDaddyD wrote:

Family ride. Dad at the front to lead the way. Mum at the back for security. Charlie in the middle - psychologically safest place. At end of ride, "Mum and Dad comment on how Charlie has done and how fun cycling is".

Enjoyment bolstered by reassurance/prasie normally defeats fear.

Read: Paceline. Dad at the front. Mum at the back. Charlie in the middle. Dad is out of sight in the first 1/2 mile. Mum and Charlie get fed up and pottle round the park. Dad doubles back, finds them and shouts at them. Dad and Mum have a blazing row in the middle of the park. Charlie end up in tears. So does Mum. Dad throws their bikes over the nearest fence and storms off with the only front door key.

There are probably better ways than this. And more effective ones...

Speaking from experience Greg?

soundninjauk

Stevo 666 wrote:

SimonAH wrote:

Where we live (Cwmbran)

You live just round the corner from the Cwmcarn downhill track, jammy sod ! It's a 350 mile round trip for me...

Best of luck with the mojo building.

I was there this weekend just gone. We only did the red route though (being more XC type riders), albeit with a few laps of the black section at the top. Glorious weather.

EKE_38BPM

Veronese68 wrote:

... not my son (13) is going to start cycling to school now. ...

Milkman strikes again!

DDD, I would have thought that mum up front setting the pace, kid in the middle and dad at the back for security and to keep an eye on everyone would be the best set-up.

DonDaddyD

Meh, just going on what I saw in Kingston on Sunday.

Presumably the best cyclist or the person who knows the route/is less likely to get lost/less likely to wait behind and not ride up the underside of a vehicle should be at the front. This could be either the Mum or Dad, depending on whose skills are strongest.

veronese68

EKE_38BPM wrote:

Veronese68 wrote:

... not my son (13) is going to start cycling to school now. ...

Milkman strikes again!.

Whoops, the letter e I missed was quite important. Unfortunately he's very much my son. Tall, skinny, sarcastic and a smart alec.

EKE_38BPM wrote:

DDD, I would have thought that mum up front setting the pace, kid in the middle and dad at the back for security and to keep an eye on everyone would be the best set-up.

I find that's the best way, but with 2 kids in the middle for us. Mum sets a steady pace, little one second and big lump third. Me taking position as rear gunner and barking orders when one of them (usually big lump) does something daft.

velohutts

I used to run with mine ( if you can face it) , take one of there mates along to encourage some laugh at dad going bright red / dripping with sweat .... throw some last minute sign sprints in ... don't win them all !!!

This worked well with bmx's which levels the playing field a little .... squash with chocolate bars at the end seemed to see the stage winner being on a bike ...good luck , confidence only comes with practise hope she gets back in the saddle soon !!