A small present for a 56 year old beginner. Any suggestions?

[Arrowfoot]

If it is to encourage her to persevere as she is new to cycling, a book on cycling for beginners would be more appropriate. An accessory might send the wrong message unless it is part of the wider equation.

I am speculating here but if someone takes lessons for cycling we no longer into Pashley territory but gearing for lycra. Road bikes are getting popular by the day as seen over the years. In the office we get similar interests and lots of questions from colleagues who have not done it before.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I meet a wonderful, highly qualified nurse several times a year for routine medical appointments. She mentioned today that she had recently started learning to ride a bike and was having lessons. She said that she was still pretty wobbly and a bit nervous. Can you think of a small cycling item that I could give her as a gift that might encourage her to persevere? I think she's more at the Pashley end of the spectrum at the moment, rather than Pinarello.

Thanks.

I'd second the Ann Mustoe book as an inspirational gift but personally, I'd prefer Dervla Murphy. They show where a bike can take us.

Depending on your relationship and the logistics maybe offering to show her some routes (and nice places to visit) might be the most appropriate.

If that seems inappropriate and if you are familiar with the area she lives in could you create some pleasant, beginner-friendly bike routes that involve a nice pub/café stop?
Make a little book for her with a map and cue sheets and any comments you might have - maybe a particular speciality of said pub/café.
If you like you could maybe include a small gift voucher - enough for a coffee and cake.

As regards gifts I'm not so sure a beginner might be confident enough to use a bell as much as I like the idea. Perhaps a gift voucher and/or offer your expertise to help her spend it. If you have a smartphone you could ask her next time what she needs and (if it's not clothing) have it ordered and on the way before you leave. A lock, lights, toolkit .......

A helmet?

Offer your services to fix her first puncture and show her how to do it.

 

[biggs682]

Go to one of the lessons with her or borrow / hire a tandem then go for a ride together

 

[Cycleops]

A track pump and a puncture repair kit and tyre levers. Pretty much all essential when you start cycling.

 

[Kingfisher101]

She wont be able to accept gifts off a patient and you might make her feel uncomfortable even though you have good intentions. Just wish her happy birthday.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

A track pump and a puncture repair kit and tyre levers. Pretty much all essential when you start cycling.

Such a romantic

 

[Cycleops]

I don’t think he wants to marry her @Ming the Merciless

 

[fossyant]

Strava subscription ......


(ducks for cover)

Airzound, go pro, book of swear words, and a lead lined highway code to throw at drivers ?

Decent bell wouldn't go amiss or a puncture kit/multi tool.

 

[GoodLifeSpud]

Maybe a beginner's bike maintenance class where they show the basics such as puncture repair. I'd imagine many might be put off cycling very far from home because they're put off by having to deal with flats etc. Or if that's not an option locally, find some useful online freebie videos and batch them up in an email. Shows you've thought about it, and gets around the awkwardness of whether she's able to accept gifts.

 

[si_c]

I'd find out what sort of cycling she is wanting to do and take it from there. If she's learning to MTB then she'll hardly want a bell more at home on a Pashley and if road cycling then a pair of kneepads might be somewhat insulting

On a bell note though, Lion bellworks do a lovely bell, it sounds amazing and looks good too. I've bought a couple for various people even though I don't have a suitable bike myself.

 

[GM]

Depends on your budget M. How about a decent D lock, you've got to be very careful around Hammersmith!

 

[vickster]

Depends on your budget M. How about a decent D lock, you've got to be very careful around Hammersmith!

Maybe a full sized Rottweiler on that basis and a big basket for pooch

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good afternoon,

The Royal College of Nursing has this https://www.rcn.org.uk/get-help/rcn-advice/gifts-and-wills

Gifts​

It can be difficult to refuse a well meant gift from a grateful patient or family member. If you are a nurse or a midwife, the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) Code section 21 states you should:

Uphold your position as a registered nurse or midwife. To achieve this, you must....refuse all but the most trivial gifts, favours or hospitality as accepting them could be interpreted as an attempt to gain preferential treatment.

You can seek support from your manager who, in line with local policy, may be able to help you politely decline the gift.

Of course this may just be policy that nobody takes seriously.

But whatever value of gift that you decide on I would seriously consider avoiding a cycling related one as it is personal to the "pass the time discussions" that you have had. Even if the gift is obviously silly, such as a bell that has a twelve inch dome, possibly a chocolate bell would be different as it could be shared.

Nurses are obligated to treat many patients, part of that job is set them at ease, but at the end of the day the jobs ends and they go home to private lives.

Sharing a cake from a patient with a partner could be fun, but anything personal could easily blur the private/work live boundaries.

Bye

Ian

 

[Arrowfoot]

Good afternoon,

The Royal College of Nursing has this https://www.rcn.org.uk/get-help/rcn-advice/gifts-and-wills

Gifts​

It can be difficult to refuse a well meant gift from a grateful patient or family member. If you are a nurse or a midwife, the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC) Code section 21 states you should:

Uphold your position as a registered nurse or midwife. To achieve this, you must....refuse all but the most trivial gifts, favours or hospitality as accepting them could be interpreted as an attempt to gain preferential treatment.

You can seek support from your manager who, in line with local policy, may be able to help you politely decline the gift.

Of course this may just be policy that nobody takes seriously.

But whatever value of gift that you decide on I would seriously consider avoiding a cycling related one as it is personal to the "pass the time discussions" that you have had. Even if the gift is obviously silly, such as a bell that has a twelve inch dome, possibly a chocolate bell would be different as it could be shared.

Nurses are obligated to treat many patients, part of that job is set them at ease, but at the end of the day the jobs ends and they go home to private lives.

Sharing a cake from a patient with a partner could be fun, but anything personal could easily blur the private/work live boundaries.

Bye

Ian

Good point. Agree on the chocolates.

 

[KnittyNorah]

I meet a wonderful, highly qualified nurse several times a year for routine medical appointments. She mentioned today that she had recently started learning to ride a bike and was having lessons. She said that she was still pretty wobbly and a bit nervous. Can you think of a small cycling item that I could give her as a gift that might encourage her to persevere? I think she's more at the Pashley end of the spectrum at the moment, rather than Pinarello.

Thanks.

It would be best to give something ephemeral that is intended to be shared between the nurse you see and her colleagues. Biscuits, chocolate, fruit basket etc. Anything personal and/or large could lead to awkwardness.
I have had nice books from patients but they were always just offered casually with 'Have you read this book - no it's alright I don't want it back, it only came from a charity shop/I was going to take it to the charity shop but then I thought you might enjoy it ...' or similar. That avoids any awkwardness, whether actually true or not.