Getting kids started on a road bike
andyeb
Posts: 407
At his request, my 10 y/o son has gone from a Ridgeback MX20 MTB (would make quite an effective boat anchor me thinks!) to a 24" road bike - an Islabikes Luath 24.
Any tips for helping kits get used to the different riding position and drop handlebars please?
thanks,
Andrew
Any tips for helping kits get used to the different riding position and drop handlebars please?
thanks,
Andrew
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Comments
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The key thing in your favour is that he wants to give it a go. That is a massive bonus, as many littluns are sort of coaxed and hoaxed onto road bikes.
All of mine (now 22, 20 and 17) went from MTB-shaped kiddie stuff onto an excellent 43cm Trek 1.2 on 650c rims.
It is a big change. Don't start with the bars too low or too far forward. You may want to rotate the bars upwards to make it easier to manipulate the levers. He will already have a feel for gears and what to change when and which pairs to use together, so that will be the same. STI or Ergo levers are fairly instinctive.
At speed (this is all relative) he may be surprised how feeble the brakes seem in comparison.
If he is comfortable resting on the toes of one foot, then the saddle can be the 'correct' height from the outset.
The steering will seen VERY sharp and sensitive after an MTB and even a casual glance at roadside detritus will lead to the bike wandering to one side. At ten, concentration is not always at its best and veering may be an issue. The change from MTB to even a conservatively proportioned road bike is like Harley to Yamaha R6. It really will seem to dart from side to side.
As to the riding position, that will appear unattainable and may cause bleating but it will come quickly and feel natural very soon. Hands may initially ache from the weight on the wrists and the odd position of the levers.
I dislike Islabikes stuff, but it is clear I am the only person who does. Get the set-up comfortable initially and then soup it up as he gets used to it. Avoid big, fast descents for a while. Do not be surprised if the low-speed cornering freaks him out at first. Have fun.0 -
The key thing in your favour is that he wants to give it a go. That is a massive bonus, as many littluns are sort of coaxed and hoaxed onto road bikes.
All of mine (now 22, 20 and 17) went from MTB-shaped kiddie stuff onto an excellent 43cm Trek 1.2 on 650c rims.
It is a big change. Don't start with the bars too low or too far forward. You may want to rotate the bars upwards to make it easier to manipulate the levers. He will already have a feel for gears and what to change when and which pairs to use together, so that will be the same. STI or Ergo levers are fairly instinctive.
At speed (this is all relative) he may be surprised how feeble the brakes seem in comparison.
If he is comfortable resting on the toes of one foot, then the saddle can be the 'correct' height from the outset.
The steering will seen VERY sharp and sensitive after an MTB and even a casual glance at roadside detritus will lead to the bike wandering to one side. At ten, concentration is not always at its best and veering may be an issue. The change from MTB to even a conservatively proportioned road bike is like Harley to Yamaha R6. It really will seem to dart from side to side.
As to the riding position, that will appear unattainable and may cause bleating but it will come quickly and feel natural very soon. Hands may initially ache from the weight on the wrists and the odd position of the levers.
I dislike Islabikes stuff, but it is clear I am the only person who does. Get the set-up comfortable initially and then soup it up as he gets used to it. Avoid big, fast descents for a while. Do not be surprised if the low-speed cornering freaks him out at first. Have fun.
That's great insight and advice - thank you! Will start with rotating the bars up slightly. It looks like there might be a bit more initial handlebar height to be had by flipping the stem if necessary. Fit-wise he's been absolutely spot-on when trying out other 24" bikes, so I'm hoping not too much tweaking will be necessary.
I'm starting him off on cross tyres (Kenda Block Eight), which were an optional extra on this model - in fact one of several reasons I went for this specific model was the extra tyre clearance available and the fact the manufacturer actively market it/support it as a combined cross/road bike. Hopefully this will help it feel more familiar. Once he's got some confidence up, will suggest moving up to the road tyres for appropriate rides.
He even wants to give rollers a go, as he's seen dad learn them over the past few months. Keep telling him "one thing at a time son..."
Out of interest why do you dislike Islabikes? We have a 90 day returns window, so I'm keen to watch out for any show-stopper issues early on. They've been very fantastically helpful on the phone so far and it's clear even the sales people have an understanding and passion for helping kids get on bikes. A night-and-day difference to the box-shifter mentality I'm used to from large chain stores and online retailers. I was also looking at the Felt F24X, which also has the extra brake levers on the bar tops, but most places did not have a generous enough returns policy if it didn't work out. The Frog bikes equivalent are heavier and are suffering from extremely constrained supply right now.
I had an adult size Trek 1.2 as a loan bike while my Domane was in for a frame warranty swap - not bad for the money, but I was really glad to get my own bike back.0 -
Kids adapt from road to MTB and back again, very easily, IME. The biggest difference is the method of braking, in terms of lever position. Get them used to that first, before attempting anything too dramatic...0
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Think yourself lucky, my son thinks riding a bike for run is for geeks and will have nothing to do with anything on two wheels bar his micro scooter.Advocate of disc brakes.0
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Think yourself lucky, my son thinks riding a bike for run is for geeks and will have nothing to do with anything on two wheels bar his micro scooter.
that is such a shame and you have my sympathy. Actually, my son was pretty reluctant until a recent holiday when I somehow persuaded him to come out with me (both on MTB :oops: ) for a 7 mile loop round some quiet country lanes. We had a great time together. Something clicked and now he is a bit bike crazy! And his sister is now getting into it a bit more too, especially since she is no longer lumbered with a boat-anchor hand-me-down Raleigh.
...so there is still hope, maybe?0 -
He used to have a little Specialized hotrock and we went out a few times and he even managed the Llandegla blue run however as is typical with his age it not seen as being cool.
And whilst at every oportunity he plays out going to football etc sitting in his room playing FIFA and fannying about on a phone isn't seen as being geeky.Advocate of disc brakes.0 -
It's staggering, isn't it, how teenagers would rather conform/be cool/be accepted than actually be happy. I guess being generally miserable is cool and therefore an epic win? :roll:
I have these joys to come and I'm not looking forward to it.0 -
At his request, my 10 y/o son has gone from a Ridgeback MX20 MTB (would make quite an effective boat anchor me thinks!) to a 24" road bike - an Islabikes Luath 24.
Any tips for helping kits get used to the different riding position and drop handlebars please?
thanks,
Andrew
what i found with my daughter @10yo (on luath) was making sure she was happy stopping, so inserting the spacers to bring the brake levers much closer, aslo changed the brake blocks for something grippier.
As the steering, never found that to be an issue, she went from a 24" mtb to the luath.
You cant make a drop handled bike a flat bar, so we didnt try, she v soon got comfortable with a lower position and with spd's too, just stuck to quiet country lanes and focused more on road safety than the bike.
See if your BC region does cluster track or circuit sessions, best thing you can ever do for bike handling and awareness.0 -
At his request, my 10 y/o son has gone from a Ridgeback MX20 MTB (would make quite an effective boat anchor me thinks!) to a 24" road bike - an Islabikes Luath 24.
Any tips for helping kits get used to the different riding position and drop handlebars please?
thanks,
Andrew
what i found with my daughter @10yo (on luath) was making sure she was happy stopping, so inserting the spacers to bring the brake levers much closer, aslo changed the brake blocks for something grippier.
As the steering, never found that to be an issue, she went from a 24" mtb to the luath.
You cant make a drop handled bike a flat bar, so we didnt try, she v soon got comfortable with a lower position and with spd's too, just stuck to quiet country lanes and focused more on road safety than the bike.
See if your BC region does cluster track or circuit sessions, best thing you can ever do for bike handling and awareness.
Thanks - I was wondering about those spacers but wasn't quite sure what to search for to find them. Would you mind saying where you bought them from please?
Did have a look at local BC kids clubs, but all the clubs are over-subscribed and only do stuff on a Sunday, which doesn't fit with existing commitments unfortunately.0 -
Out of interest why do you dislike Islabikes?.
My mild disdain for Islabikes is based massively on prejudice and preconception. Also on finding that the reality differed from popular opinion when (some years ago) looking for smaller road bikes. When I looked into them, I found that the hysteria didn't match the product.
None of my children (one of whom had strength-of-grip issues through dyspraxia) had any problems with lever throw or lever size. All the kids' bikes my offspring have ever ridden have been just fine - or better.
Certainly in the 16", 20", 24" MTB-lookie-likie range I was very well served by my excellent LBS. Fabulous machines built up in-store with whatever parts came to hand. Those were all bought between ten and eighteen years ago and all are still giving sterling service to the various friends and wider family they were given to once they'd been put in the rafters for good. Most had by then been through three kids and some were on replacement chainsets and tyres - through wear, not age.
I think the default buying option for many these days is online or Halfords - with the Waitrose set drifting Isla-wards. The LBS (when it is good) remains THE place to get the right junior cycle for the right price.
To me (this is 300% prejudice) there is something slightly 'Cath Kidston' about Islabikes.... But I am a professional curmudgeon.
But some further advice...... Do not make cycling (as some well-meaning parents do) into a great performance of loading cars and dressing up and getting all 'serious'. The more they think cycling is normal and accessible and useful, the more likely kids are to ride and enjoy riding.
Also, the more they see you and their other parent on bikes, the more fun it will seem. The same goes for maintenance. It is a laugh if learned young and in a good atmosphere. It is not a 'school subject'.
As before, have fun.0 -
Interested in this. Have just moved my (tall) 7-year-old from an Isla Beinn (MTB-alike) to a Frog 58 (cross-bike-alike). I had to change the cassette to give him a wider spread of gearing, but apart from that he seems fine - except that he can't brake from the hoods. He's OK in the drops, and OK on the chicken brakes, but can't seem to generate any braking force on the hoods. I've considered changing pad material, but before I do that, does anyone think it would make a difference to ditch the centre-pull mini-Vs and fit road calipers (presumably 5800 or 6800)?0
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I had to change the cassette to give him a wider spread of gearing, but apart from that he seems fine - except that he can't brake from the hoods. He's OK in the drops, and OK on the chicken brakes, but can't seem to generate any braking force on the hoods.
My son is struggling with this also. I'm hoping inserting the "stop pads", so the levers release closer to the bars will help.I've considered changing pad material, but before I do that, does anyone think it would make a difference to ditch the centre-pull mini-Vs and fit road calipers (presumably 5800 or 6800)?
You'd potentially loose a bit of flexibility around tyre choice - not sure if chunkier CX tyres would fit through calipers? But if that's a non issue, I don't see a problem with it. One of the reasons I went for the Luath was it had loads of frame and brake clearance for chunkier tyres. For the sedate off-road family rides we tend to do, the Kenda Block Eights seem like a decent balance between grip and rolling resistance. Also have some Kenda road slicks, but will keep those until my son has got more used to the bike.0 -
Out of interest why do you dislike Islabikes?.
My mild disdain for Islabikes is based massively on prejudice and preconception.
To start with, I had a problem with the direct-to-consumers model and inability to try before buying. But the generous 90 days return policy I think effectively mitigates this. I'm never one to buy a product based on name/brand/fashion (if anything quite the opposite). But having weighed up the options, I felt that Islabikes most "got" what kids are after in a bike. My son seems happier on the Luath than any of the options he was able test ride.
We also tried some bikes in Ev*ns, but even the Hoy kids road bikes weren't really configured sensibly for kids - dual chainset and over-geared etc. Some of the demo bikes were really badly setup - one bike the rear cone bearings were clearly done up much too tight so the rear wheel did not rotate freely. Now of course Ev*ns does not equal LBS. But both proper local LBS didn't have anything suitable to test ride :roll:Also, the more they see you and their other parent on bikes, the more fun it will seem. The same goes for maintenance. It is a laugh if learned young and in a good atmosphere. It is not a 'school subject'.
Totally agree with this. My son is very mechanically minded - loves Lego including Technic, so I'm hoping the maintenance thing will be a natural extension of this interest. I do 99% of my own bike maintenance, partly because I've been burned by poor service from bike shops, but also because I like to be independent and understand my bike well enough to fix it out on the road, should it come to it (which it has a few times!).0 -
Think yourself lucky, my son thinks riding a bike for run is for geeks and will have nothing to do with anything on two wheels bar his micro scooter.
Don't despair. My son thought bikes were 'OK' when he was younger, then went through the X box stage and went right off bikes. About three years ago (he's 17 now) he borrowed my wife's road bike and he 'kind of' enjoyed it, so I built him his own road bike. At that point it 'clicked' (actually the point was where he pulled the legs off me on the climb from Ilam Hall) - he's now a very keen cyclist; social riding, TT's, road racing, hill climbs, even though none of his peer group/school friends are bothered. It may well click with your lad too, give it time."It must be true, it's on the internet" - Winston Churchill0 -
^^^ great story. Love this.
Thinking we will stay a TV and Xbox-free household, based the experience of others here...0 -
Think yourself lucky, my son thinks riding a bike for run is for geeks and will have nothing to do with anything on two wheels bar his micro scooter.
Tell him Froome, Cav , Wiggo ( and every other I fail to mention) are winners.
So are us mamils! Going out and achieving things on our bikes. Sportives... 100km... 100miles... weight loss... the fittest we have been.
The drunken bums living inbetween Weatherspoons and McDonalds achieve nothing in their lives."The Prince of Wales is now the King of France" - Calton Kirby0 -
Enjoy the experience ....
I'm quite envious. I eventually got to the point where my son wanted to come riding with me (at the age of 14yrs), so we went through all the choosing/purchasing etc etc.
Now at 16yrs he's not in the slightest bit interested and we probably went out together a grand total of six times!
I'd love him to get the bug, but I'm not holding my breath!
Still thinking of something clever to say!0 -
Enjoy the experience ....
I'm quite envious. I eventually got to the point where my son wanted to come riding with me (at the age of 14yrs), so we went through all the choosing/purchasing etc etc.
Now at 16yrs he's not in the slightest bit interested and we probably went out together a grand total of six times!
I'd love him to get the bug, but I'm not holding my breath!
This is as it should be - and you are right not to be holding your breath. Did you take up your mother's or your father's hobbies or sports?
I didn't. My father was a middle-distance track runner in his youth and played squash after having kids. Neither discipline particularly caught my imagination and that remains so to this day.
We (my siblings and I) were bought bicycles as a means of getting around. We were encouraged (expected) to look after them in the same way that we were expected to clear the table and wash up after a meal. It wasn't a hobby or a sport or a leisure pursuit. I hope I was the same with my children. They would be able to give a clearer impression of that than I can.
Cycling has become (up to a point) a slightly odd environment for the children of keen Mamils. For some, there is no grey area between going all-out for max wattage and simply staying on the sofa. That is an odd outlook, but not too far from the reality for many of the sprogs of recently-keen cyclists among my peer group.
It really is just a way of getting about. Caring too much about sprocket size and gaps between gears at the age of seven, nine or ten may be overkill. It is a bicycle. If they like it, they will ride it. If they do not, they will not.
I've been very lucky - all mine love to ride - even now they are in (or are approaching) adulthood. They rarely ride with me, but they all did at one time or another... But it was because they asked to.
The OP is very lucky to have a sprog who wants to get into it. It may reflect in part on the way he has seen his parents enjoying cycling. But if they do not want to know, that is perfectly cool. There are limitless numbers of sporting activities out there. They will find their own one... although it may be of less use than cycling when they want to pop out for a newspaper and a loaf of bread. 0 -
^^^ great story. Love this.
Thinking we will stay a TV and Xbox-free household, based the experience of others here...
Good luck with that, once they start getting older and Johnny down the road has his PS4 then it all goes out of the window.
My son loves fishing with me however I don't seem to have enough time to take him that often.Advocate of disc brakes.0 -
My older son loved cycling when he was younger. He still does - in theory. He rides to school but when it comes to going out in his spare time, there's always something else to do, usually something that involves sitting on the sofa and staring a screen. I built up a bike for him earlier in the year and he enjoys posting pictures of it on Instagram...
The younger one is much like I was at his age, solitary and sedentary. Whereas now I'm solitary but active. He actually quite enjoys riding his bike for the 20 minutes between being dragged away from his gadgets and complaining that his legs are tired. To my great annoyance is, he's as skinny as anything and could probably be a much better rider than I could ever be - and he doesn't care.
So to the OP, make the most of it and don't set your hopes too high. I still have a dream that one day I'll go on a cycling holiday with my sons (and they'll rip my legs off) but I know it will probably never happen. And as long as they're happy, that's all that matters.0 -
I built up a bike for him earlier in the year and he enjoys posting pictures of it on Instagram...
Everything that is wrong with the generation growing up. In a single sentence. 0 -
Eldest son took a mild interest in my cycling and spannering in his teenage years, used a MTB to get about as a student, then after graduating we did up an old Peugeot road bike together. He never got on with the DT shifters and coveted my 105 STIs. Once he was working he bought himself a basic Felt F95 and is now obsessed by Strava. He seems to get faster every time he goes out. Now when we ride together he's taking it easy and I'm doing a brisk tempo ride. Unlike me, he's a big old unit; it's like drafting a double wardrobe. In my defence he's 26 and I'm now 58 . He's a teacher and just started at a new school where a number of his colleagues are keen cyclists, so he needs no further encouragement from me. He's going to commute on the bike when the weather allows.
His younger brother used to ride a heavy full sus MTB back in the days he had a paper round, and to and from the station when at 6th form college. I think that's put him off cycling for life; he can't be persuaded to try a light road bike under any circumstances!0
