Kids are expensive

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Nathan has outgrown his road bike. It is now waaaay too small for him - really noticed it
yesterday. How do teenage boys manage to sprout 6" in height overnight??? More darned expense!

An easy problem to solve: just get him a New Series Moulton. Not only is it a good fast road bike,
but the nature of the frame design means it'll fit a much wider range of rider sizes than
traditional diamond frames, so it'll grow with him and you won't have the problem again.

There is a catch, of course: they're 5 grand...

But seriously, if he's a keen cyclist (sounds like he is) and he'll be riding a bike a lot for a
long time yet you could possibly look at models other than diamond frames that suit a wide range of
rider sizes (including you and Vernon, of course!), and blow a big pile now rather than several
smaller ones into the future. Not a cheap option if you're looking at serious machinery, but hardly
as much as the NSM and it shouldn't need replacing next time he grows. Birdies (Blacks have been
used in triathlons), Bike Fridays (Sam Whittingham, the world record holder for HPV speed at 81 mph
on the flat without drafting uses a BF Pocket Rocket in HPV sprint races IIRC), Pashley/Moulton's
sportier entries (like the R18) etc. Note that these sorts of thing tend to be banned in some racing
because the smaller wheels make them too good at drafting, so there may be negative implications in
some flavours of racing if he's into that. They also may not be "cool" enough to be ridden by a
teen, though if he's into function rather than form, being able to go faster than any of his pals
probably won't be a problem!

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

An easy problem to solve: just get him a New Series Moulton. Not only is it a good fast road bike,
but the nature of the frame design means it'll fit a much wider range of rider sizes than
traditional diamond frames, so it'll grow with him and you won't have the problem again.

There is a catch, of course: they're 5 grand...

That one is out - I can't afford to spend 5 grand on a bike for me or Vernon let alone Nathan!

Quoted message said:

But seriously, if he's a keen cyclist (sounds like he is) and he'll be riding a bike a lot for a
long time yet you could possibly look at models other than diamond frames that suit a wide range of
rider sizes (including you and Vernon, of course!),

He wants/needs a bike he can use on his club events, which he is starting to enjoy. I think the
financial incentive is helping a bit 🙂 So a trad bike will be the order of the day - but one which
isn't too small. Vernon's just ordered some "proper" road shoes - a pair for himself & a pair for
Nathan - so there's matching club jerseys & matching shoes on those two. Can't afford a a bike for
Nathan to match his Dad's though 🙂

Cheers, helen s

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Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

(wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter) said:

He wants/needs a bike he can use on his club events, which he is starting to enjoy. I think the
financial incentive is helping a bit 🙂 So a trad bike will be the order of the day - but one which
isn't too small. Vernon's just ordered some "proper" road shoes - a pair for himself & a pair for
Nathan - so there's matching club jerseys & matching shoes on those two. Can't afford a a bike for
Nathan to match his Dad's though 🙂

Perhaps second hand would be a way forward? With careful selection you should be able to find
something of good quality and in good condition. If it's a bargain you could upgrade a couple of
components to suit Nathans needs or even get the frame resprayed, that should make it suitably shiny
for him (and he gets to choose the new colour).

Or, how about simply buying a new frame? If he's already on a bike with 700c wheels there's nothing
to stop you buying a new frame to fit and then transferring components from his current ride, again
maybe changing one or two tired bits? It could be a project for Nathan and Dad, find the frame,
choose the new bits, build it together etc.

I'll admit I don't have children of my own, so maybe don't properly understand just how expensive
they are but, really, can you think of a better thing to spend money on? He's clearly enjoying his
cycling and cash spent on a bike for him is literally helping to assure him a happy, healthy and
long life. Go on, get the chequebook out, you love 'im! :o)

Bob
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"Call me Bob" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

If he's already on a bike with 700c wheels there's nothing to stop you buying a

... longer seat tube and telling him that compact frames are the in thing.

W K said:

Quoted message said:

If he's already on a bike with 700c wheels there's nothing to stop you buying a

... longer seat tube and telling him that compact frames are the in thing.

Yeah, three foot seatpost and an eight inch stem. He'll be fine :o)

Bob
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wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Nathan has outgrown his road bike. It is now waaaay too small for him - really noticed it
yesterday. How do teenage boys manage to sprout 6" in height overnight??? More darned expense!

Its not just boys! If you think that's bad, try it with twins. Two new bikes at a time, not even a
chance of a hand me down :-( Still, they're worth it.

Tony

--
raven-family.comraven-family.comOpen ↗

"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable man persists in trying to
adapt the world to himself. Therefore, all progress depends on the unreasonable man." -- George
Bernard Shaw

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter <[email hidden]> wrote:

: He wants/needs a bike he can use on his club events, which he is starting to enjoy. I think the
: financial incentive is helping a bit 🙂 So a trad bike will be the order of the day - but one
: which isn't too small. Vernon's just ordered some "proper" road shoes - a pair for himself & a
: pair for Nathan - so there's matching club jerseys & matching shoes on those two. Can't afford a a
: bike for Nathan to match his Dad's though 🙂

Get a second hand one - you can get excellent bargins from the back of t'comic.

Arhtur

--
Arthur Clune clune.orgclune.orgOpen ↗ Power is delightful. Absolute power is absolutely delightful -
Lord Lester

My kids weren't expensive they both came free. Since then however they have cost me a small fortune,
and they're not even into cycling yet.

Richard

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Just you wait ;-)

Nathan has seen a frame he likes, so Vernon is considering purchasing that plus components and
building up a bike - Nathen to help. Could be interesting times ahead 🙂

Dont you find it confusing having kids with such similar names?

(bit cruel, apologies 🙂

--

-Alex

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wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Quoted message said:

Since then however they have cost me a small fortune, and they're not even into cycling yet.

Just you wait ;-)

Nathan has seen a frame he likes, so Vernon is considering purchasing that plus components and
building up a bike - Nathen to help. Could be interesting times ahead 🙂

Fight Fight Fight Fight

John B

[email hidden] (wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter) wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Vernon's just ordered some "proper" road shoes - a pair for himself & a pair for Nathan - so
there's matching club jerseys & matching shoes on those two.

Now he's into TTs he's going to want a skin suit in club colours. I presume that would be slightly
more acceptable than bibs? What else? Triathlon bars, disk wheel rear, tri-spoke front, shoe covers,
head fairing ...

--
Dave...

Alex Graham said:

Dont you find it confusing having kids with such similar names?

(bit cruel, apologies 🙂

LOL - slab time.

Alex, my father was called James Hodson as was my grandfather and my great-great-grandfather too.
However, my great-grandfather was called James Archibald Hodson - I guess my g-g-grandfather must
have been some sort of free-thinking bloke.

I'm usually known as James nowadays but was called one of Chip, Chip Butty, Butty or Pod at school
and Hoggy (as in oi, oi, oi) at prep school. My mother (and my family) called me Jamie ... unless
I'd misbehaved when she would call me James or even James Hodson <ducking for cover time>

My family obviously shows great imagination when it comes to chosing Christian names.

All in all I think Helen has a pretty easy life, at least regarding names.

BTW, Helen, there is this male conspiracy called "The Sprout". It involves a sudden growth of
several inches and usually takes place in the mid-teens, quite often just after much money has been
spent on clothes and bicycles.

James - one of a kind :-/

--
"Watch the kite, not where you're going!"

On 17 Apr 2003 18:30:59 GMT someone who may be [email hidden]
(wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter) wrote this:-

Quoted message said:

Nathan has seen a frame he likes, so Vernon is considering purchasing that >plus components and
building up a bike - Nathen to help.

Ah. Younger and older male in a cave bonding over a shared hobby.

--
David Hansen, Edinburgh | PGP email preferred-key number F566DA0E I will always explain revoked
keys, unless the UK government prevents me using the RIP Act 2000.

Kids are expensive...but they are the one thing in life that can be described as excellent value for
money ;-) (especially if they go on to look after you in the lap of luxury in later life <lives in
hope!!> ) ...and I would always rather spend the money on them than a double glazing salesman's
commission / insurance salesman's commission / chancellor of the exchequer's freefall spending spree
on ego boosting projects, etc&etc. (after supporting my own hobbies first, of course - mean dad!,
mean dad! ;-) Dave.

In article <[email hidden]>, wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

Nathan has outgrown his road bike. It is now waaaay too small for him - really noticed it
yesterday. How do teenage boys manage to sprout 6" in height overnight??? More darned expense! It
was bad enough he got 20 squid out of me yesterday - he improved his TT time - so financial reward
was promised, plus he helped me out on a science stand at a local fair type event, and worked
darned hard. Okay, he worked for it, but kids are darned expensive!!

Yes -- but only for the first 25 years

Quoted message said:

Bekka & Myra be warned ;-) Hmm... now - where to source a new road bike for him at next to nowt,
that he won't be ashamed to ride. Oh the joys of parenthood!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

--
The Big Baguette

Wait till he's 15... 16... 17...

The buggers get exponentially more expensive with age ! Don't say you warned
!

:-)

"wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Nathan has outgrown his road bike. It is now waaaay too small for him -

really

Quoted message said:

noticed it yesterday. How do teenage boys manage to sprout 6" in height overnight??? More darned
expense! It was bad enough he got 20 squid out of

me

Quoted message said:

yesterday - he improved his TT time - so financial reward was promised,

plus he

Quoted message said:

helped me out on a science stand at a local fair type event, and worked

darned

Quoted message said:

hard. Okay, he worked for it, but kids are darned expensive!! Bekka & Myra

be

Quoted message said:

warned ;-) Hmm... now - where to source a new road bike for him at next to nowt, that he won't be
ashamed to ride. Oh the joys of parenthood!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending

a

Quoted message said:

reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the

keyboaRRRDdd

Quoted message said:

~~~~~~~~~~

wafflycathcsdirtycatlitter said:

Nathan has outgrown his road bike. It is now waaaay too small for him - really noticed it
yesterday. How do teenage boys manage to sprout 6" in height overnight??? More darned expense! It
was bad enough he got 20 squid out of me yesterday - he improved his TT time - so financial reward
was promised, plus he helped me out on a science stand at a local fair type event, and worked
darned hard. Okay, he worked for it, but kids are darned expensive!! Bekka & Myra be warned ;-)
Hmm... now - where to source a new road bike for him at next to nowt, that he won't be ashamed to
ride. Oh the joys of parenthood!

Cheers, helen s

~~~~~~~~~~
Flush out that intestinal parasite and/or the waste product before sending a reply!

Any speeliong mistake$ aR the resiult of my cats sitting on the keyboaRRRDdd
~~~~~~~~~~

ben is 15 in June. We bought him an Amrosio Solaro with Campag xenon groupset/vuelta wheels last
summer ( 580 pds ) and when he grows out of it I'll consider getting a bigger frame for him and
getting the LBS to transfer all the components over ( 45-50 pds).

davep