2.5 years old, bicycle?

[Peter Cole]

[email protected] wrote:
> My best friends older son is just a hair over 2 years old. In the
> next few months I expect him to get to the point where he could enjoy
> having a bicycle. The question: what kind? Generally speaking I
> avoid *mart bikes like the plague, but my LBS doesn't have much geared
> to the 2 year old. Any ideas, suggestions, or tips on what to look
> for when purchasing a first bike for this young lad?
>
> TIA
>
> Dan

If I had it to do all over again, I'd avoid the starter bikes altogether
& just go with a trailer-bike. Kids love 'em*, they let you do real
family rides, and they can give you a pretty good workout.

Channeling my inner 2 year old, I think my idea of a dream bike would be
a "Big Wheel" <http://www.playthingspast.com/em701.html>, though.

*Many, many times while pulling a trailer-bike I heard kids yell: Mom! I
want one of those! Or simply: Cool!

 

[ilaboo]

<[email protected]> wrote in message
news:1547cc71-46f3-419e-af53-5c9cc9544237@q77g2000hsh.googlegroups.com...
> My best friends older son is just a hair over 2 years old. In the
> next few months I expect him to get to the point where he could enjoy
> having a bicycle. The question: what kind? Generally speaking I
> avoid *mart bikes like the plague, but my LBS doesn't have much geared
> to the 2 year old. Any ideas, suggestions, or tips on what to look
> for when purchasing a first bike for this young lad?
>
> TIA
>
> Dan

i suggest not even getting into it--there really is a danger here of
creating aniother bike freak who whill never be
contented--with what he has
if you want to create another bike freak spend a lot of money --like over
1000.00 and get into components
and freak out with him --how great they are etc.

i would give serious thaught of buying one at a garage sale

hth
peter

 

[ilaboo]

> How about the smallest size of Razor type scooter to teach balance?
>
> --
> Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia

no no!!! they are really dangerous--we are seeing lots of injuries from them

i agree a small tricycle seems a great idea

peter

 

[ilaboo]

" <http://www.playthingspast.com/em701.html>, though.
>
> *Many, many times while pulling a trailer-bike I heard kids yell: Mom! I
> want one of those! Or simply: Cool!

i agree they are just the koolist bike around my children freaked out using
them

peter

 

[Tom Sherman]

"ilaboo" aka Peter Lener wrote:
>> How about the smallest size of Razor type scooter to teach balance?
>>
>> --
>> Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
>
> no no!!! they are really dangerous--we are seeing lots of injuries from them
>
Minor injuries can be a good teaching tool. Children are way too
protected these days. Are the parents going to help them across the
street when they attend college?

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful

 

[Michael Johnson]

Tom Sherman wrote:
> "ilaboo" aka Peter Lener wrote:
>>> How about the smallest size of Razor type scooter to teach balance?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
>>
>> no no!!! they are really dangerous--we are seeing lots of injuries
>> from them
>>
> Minor injuries can be a good teaching tool. Children are way too
> protected these days. Are the parents going to help them across the
> street when they attend college?

No kidding. The way that I learned not to ride around a curve fast on
gravel was by wiping out and getting some road rash, at about age 10.
That's a lesson you won't really learn if it's just given in words.

I strongly suspect that one significant reason for the decline in
children riding bicycles and walking to school is "helicopter parents"
who are too fearful to give their children room to learn from their own
mistakes.

It's no wonder, in a society where fear is probably the number one tool
used to A. sell things and B. push political agendas.

Mike Johnson

 

[Peter Cole]

Michael Johnson wrote:

> I strongly suspect that one significant reason for the decline in
> children riding bicycles and walking to school is "helicopter parents"
> who are too fearful to give their children room to learn from their own
> mistakes.

As a parent of two (now grown) kids, with an elementary school at the
end of my street, I can tell you the biggest risk to children walking to
school is the parents driving to school. I'm not exaggerating.

That elementary school actually bans bikes.

Several parents of my kid's friends have expressed their disapproval
over our children being allowed to bike and walk around the city. It
does become a bit of a self-fulfilling prophesy, children who haven't
been taught the necessary skills are somewhat at risk. I find it
interesting that in our neighborhood, which contains a fair percentage
of families from Asia and Europe, some of those families embrace the car
culture completely while others don't. All-in-all you see an over
representation of the non-US born walking and biking around.

 

[Tom Sherman]

Peter Cole wrote:
> Michael Johnson wrote:
>
>> I strongly suspect that one significant reason for the decline in
>> children riding bicycles and walking to school is "helicopter parents"
>> who are too fearful to give their children room to learn from their
>> own mistakes.
>
> As a parent of two (now grown) kids, with an elementary school at the
> end of my street, I can tell you the biggest risk to children walking to
> school is the parents driving to school. I'm not exaggerating....
>
When I was in elementary school in the 1970's, NO ONE got a ride to
school from their parents on a regular basis. Those in town walked, and
the rest took the school bus.

No wonder the world is going to hell.

--
Tom Sherman - Holstein-Friesland Bovinia
The weather is here, wish you were beautiful