Encouraging a 12 y.o. to take up cycling.

[Globalti]

Gti Junior has been heavily into indoor karting for the last few years; this year he is taking part in a local league but is doing worse and worse as the season progresses. Yesterday morning was one of my worst ever as a Dad; watching my son fall further and further behind almost to the point of being lapped by the leaders - saved by the bell though. He came off disconsolate and the only good thing I can see coming from it is that he is learning to cope with disappointment.

We want to get him fitter and encourage him to cycle and enjoy the outdoors. He has an Islabike, which he rides enthusiastically around as Mrs Gti and I walk our favourite flat 4 mile cafe walk. My neighbour is a big roadie with several bikes; he is very small (former national hill-climber) so his oldest bike fits Gti Junior well. A few weeks ago we borrowed it and Gti J rode a few flat miles with me and enjoyed himself. The neighbour might sell us the bike soon so in anticipation I'm trying to think of rides and schemes that will interest Gti J and not put him off. I'm aware that with Winter looming we have cold weather on the horizon so the last thing I want is for him to have a bad experience.

Anybody been through this and got any suggestions?

 

[PpPete]

It's the strangest things that spark children's interest....

Mine had MTBs (well verging on BSO really) - and not much interest in cycling, and then suddenly came back from youth club one day and told us they were planning to ride an E2E.

The youth leader had suggested it as fund raising idea for local hospice.

18 months later the youth club did indeed complete the JoGLE. Youngest member to do the full distance was my 12 y.o.

Equally, some kids might hate the thought of that and be more turned by TT or downhill MTB. In the end you just have to expose them to all kinds of different stuff and hope one of them inspires.

 

[siadwell]

Not really on the original topic, but I wanted to share what happened with my eldest daughter yesterday.

She's 8 and, to my shame, never conquered riding her 12" bike without stabilisers before she outgrew it. Then I bought a 16" from ebay which was a bit rough but good enough. She'd had a few goes on this but was struggling.

Then yesterday, we spent some time together working on her bike. We rubbed the rust off the handlebars and put on the new grips that I'd bought months ago and hadn't got round to fitting. We fitted a new bell. We lubed the chain and tweaked the brakes and gears. She got quite excited about her revamped bike and took it for a test ride. And she's cracked it. She can set off by herself and can keep going in a straight line and stop under control. In fact, I had to rein in her enthusiasm, as she wanted to keep going onto the main road and do a circuit of the block!

 

[Oxo]

Gti Junior has been heavily into indoor karting for the last few years; this year he is taking part in a local league but is doing worse and worse as the season progresses. Yesterday morning was one of my worst ever as a Dad; watching my son fall further and further behind almost to the point of being lapped by the leaders - saved by the bell though. He came off disconsolate and the only good thing I can see coming from it is that he is learning to cope with disappointment.

We want to get him fitter and encourage him to cycle and enjoy the outdoors. He has an Islabike, which he rides enthusiastically around as Mrs Gti and I walk our favourite flat 4 mile cafe walk. My neighbour is a big roadie with several bikes; he is very small (former national hill-climber) so his oldest bike fits Gti Junior well. A few weeks ago we borrowed it and Gti J rode a few flat miles with me and enjoyed himself. The neighbour might sell us the bike soon so in anticipation I'm trying to think of rides and schemes that will interest Gti J and not put him off. I'm aware that with Winter looming we have cold weather on the horizon so the last thing I want is for him to have a bad experience.

Anybody been through this and got any suggestions?

When my lad was 12 he was really keen on golf. This was an interest we both shared and it ment we spent lots of time together in a totally relaxing and enjoyable environment which allowed me to give him every encouragement and all the support he needed. With golf, as with cycling, there was always a new bit of kit to buy as he grew bigger, stronger and improved his performance and this was a source of motivation. Don't force the issue but if you can make cycling a fun part of family life you have a chance. Remember, kids are tougher than you think, so when he wants to go out on a cold winter morning it might be you who has to make the effort.

 

[Crackle]

With a 12 and a 14 year old who've always ridden bikes, I still wouldn't call them cyclists. Bikes have always figured in our holidays somewhere, so they see them as a means to an end. We did our first mini tour this year which went well but I still think they see bikes as part of the holiday not the whole. If they want to go cycling, invariably it's somewhere they can do jumps and tricks, such as Delamere forest. Personally I'm happy with that.

 

[numbnuts]

[QUOTE 1558456"]
Put child, bike and bike lights in car.

Drive to the darkest, scariest area 10 miles away.

Dump boy, bike and lights and drive home.

Repeat weekly, increasing distance each time.
[/quote]
.....and a BIG stick helps

 

[Globalti]

Eh? That's what he and Mrs Gti did yesterday.... dumped me 17 miles and one big hill away from home so I had to ride back. Mind you it was worth it for the bangers, mash and cauliflower cheese she'd made when I got home....

 

[jugglingphil]

My 11yo son recently joined me and a few work colleagues on a 30 mile ride. EVT
He keep up and I was proud that he completed and enjoyed the day. Now pedaling down canal paths for 3+ hours isn't most kids idea of fun. I think my son enjoyed it for a couple of reasons. Sending time with me and other adults (ie being grown up), cycling further than he had before (longest ride 15m before).
I'll invite him on different rides again, but won't be surprised if he doesn't want to take part.

For my son to "take-up" cycling he'd need to be part of a club with some form of competition to keep him interested, or we'd have to do more mountain biking with its bike-handling / terrain challenges. At the moment he doesn't want to join a cycling club, so until then we will continue to cycle as part of normal family activities.

So my advice for OP is to cycle with your son and make it a joint hobby. Not only will you be rewarded by cycling, but also by spending time together.
I'd also agree with PpPete, give your kids a chance to try different stuff, and then see what happens.

 

[ColinJ]

Knowing where you live, I'd suggest that you don't take your lad over Waddington Fell, the Trough of Bowland or the Nick o' Pendle just yet!

If he has a sweet tooth which you are happy to indulge occasionally, I'd suggest a couple of easy rides with the theme "Rides for ice cream".

• Ride up the Ribble valley as far as you think sensible, turn round and call in at the Country Kitchen cafe in Waddington and treat him to a big ice cream and/or piece of cake.
• Head west to the flatlands of the Fylde/Wyre. Start from Elswick and when you get back from your ride, visit Bonds of Elswick for a treat.

 

[Globalti]

Hmm... Colin you seem to be very familiar with the cafes and ice cream places around Lancashire!

Good idea though on the Fylde rides, one thing we could do is get Mrs Gti to drop us somewhere up-wind of home then we ride back with the wind. I do agree with you that rides need to have a purpose and a reward. A bike computer for Christmas would be a good idea too.

 

[ColinJ]

Hmm... Colin you seem to be very familiar with the cafes and ice cream places around Lancashire!

It's forum rides wot dunnit!

I only used to take very short breaks on long rides, but it was soon made clear to me that forum members expect a good cafe stop somewhere at or after the halfway point on my forum rides so I plan around those. I've come to enjoy them.

If I was riding alone though, I'd go back to just taking short stops to refill my bottles.

And before anybody suggests that there is a connection between my excessively large waist and my cafe stops - think again - that is down to beer calories which are not being burned off by enough cycling.

 

[MontyVeda]

put boy and bike in car... drive 20 miles, drop boy and bike off and give the following words of wisdom... "If you're not home in time for tea you're not getting any."





[sub](I often wonder why i never had children)[/sub]

 

[funnymummy]

The only advice I can offer is not to push too hard!

I teach karate, and have several childrens classes, the ones that were forced week in week by the parents to attend, and pushed by them to try harder, be better - They were the ones that had no enthusiasm after a few months & soon quit, there were others who turned up sporadicaly every few weeks, but under no pressure... 6years later, 5 of my 'wanderers' are training 5 times a week, competing at national level & 1 has even now got his black belt.
I tried talking to pushy parents, but tbh found it was pointless, I even asked one not to sit in one lessons as felt their prsesnce really wasn't good, but a pushy parent will alsweys be a a pushy parent