N is a great Strider biker but when it came to regular bikes, he just didn't get the whole pedaling thing. His balance was great from the Strider but he was having no fun with his feet coming off the pedals and constantly hitting the (reverse-pedal) brake. We tried a couple of second-hand bikes and neither worked for him.
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| a Strider bike - 6.5 lbs (3 kg) |
We figured that the weight of the bikes was a problem. These little bikes, like most kids bikes, are ridiculously heavy – 19 pounds 8.6kg). It would be like having an adult bike that weighed a hundred pounds. So we broke down and bought him a new Specialized Hotrock that weighed, well, 19 lbs but it was a much bigger bike and had a hand brake. To get anything lighter would have cost about double - yikes!
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| both these bikes weigh 19 pounds |
Funny thing, it came with training wheels and we left them on for a few weeks. They made it so he couldn't lean into a turn and they slowed the bike down erratically on gravel trails. But, it worked to give him the confidence and pedaling practice he needed. When we took the training wheels off, he was zooming around in no time.
This was his first longish bike ride without the trainers. He nailed it!
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| working the uphill gravel |
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| around Harper lake |
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| basking in success midway through the bike |
By the time next Spring rolls around, he's going to be ready for some Moab and Fruita action!
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