Like A Bike

Ekul Namsob said:

This being the year of the bike in the Bosman household, we're
considering getting Small something Like A Bike for her fourth birthday
in July.

It seems as though the choice is between Puky, FirstBike and Like A Bike
/ Kokua. The Kokua Jumper looks good and we assume that, these things
having no pedals, the lack of brakes should not be an issue.

My daughter benefited greatly from the cheap Lidl Like-a-Bike clone, but
if you want one you'll probably have to wait for Lidl to get them in
again and be waiting when the doors open.

Have you looked at the Islabikes Rothan?
<http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/rothan.html>

Unless Small is a very small 4yo, though, I think it might be better
just to buy a proper bike and take the pedals off.

Quoted message said:

she does already
have two bikes with pedals and stabilisers: she gets on with neither of
them, largely because she tips them over when trying to turn corners,

Can you get the saddle on one of them low enough for Small to put her
feet flat on the ground? If so, removing the pedals will effectively
give you something like a Like-a-Bike.

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2

in message <[email hidden]>,

Ekul Namsob (') said:

Almost none seem to be sold on eBay, which makes it hard to work out
second-hand values for when Small grows out of it, and she does already
have two bikes with pedals and stabilisers: she gets on with neither of
them, largely because she tips them over when trying to turn corners,
although she finds it great fun to be towed with the Trailgator.

Can she reach the pedals? If so, take the stabilisers off, and take her to
a park with a grassy slope. See if you can persuade Don Whybrow to post
the movies of us teaching his eldest to ride.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

Q: Whats a webmaster?
A: Like a spider, but nowhere near as intelligent.

Danny Colyer said:

Ekul Namsob said:

This being the year of the bike in the Bosman household, we're
considering getting Small something Like A Bike for her fourth birthday
in July.

<snip>

Quoted message said:

Unless Small is a very small 4yo, though, I think it might be better
just to buy a proper bike and take the pedals off.

She's anything but small. Indeed, at her school's welcome evening last
week, we were asked how long it would be until she's five.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

she does already
have two bikes with pedals and stabilisers: she gets on with neither of
them, largely because she tips them over when trying to turn corners,

Can you get the saddle on one of them low enough for Small to put her
feet flat on the ground? If so, removing the pedals will effectively
give you something like a Like-a-Bike.

Ta. We've done that and Hannah's now spent a good hour on her new
Scoocycle. We cannot, as far as we can tell, remove the cranks without
major surgery but this doesn't seem to be an issue.

I was concerned when the lad next door came out that he might sneer at
such a machine as that would have scuppered plans to make this a long
term conversion. However, he's envious of Hannah's scoocycle and she's
chuffed to bits.

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush

Ekul Namsob said:

Quoted message said:

Unless Small is a very small 4yo, though, I think it might be better
just to buy a proper bike and take the pedals off.

Ta. We've done that and Hannah's now spent a good hour on her new
Scoocycle. We cannot, as far as we can tell, remove the cranks without
major surgery but this doesn't seem to be an issue.

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

Childback tandem?

John B

John B said:

Ekul Namsob said:

Quoted message said:

Unless Small is a very small 4yo, though, I think it might be better
just to buy a proper bike and take the pedals off.

Ta. We've done that and Hannah's now spent a good hour on her new
Scoocycle. We cannot, as far as we can tell, remove the cranks without
major surgery but this doesn't seem to be an issue.

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

Childback tandem?

Sadly, we're not quite that well off. I've started saving though.

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush

On May 30, 10:02 pm, [email hidden] (Ekul

Namsob) said:

John B said:

Ekul Namsob wrote:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

> Unless Small is a very small 4yo, though, I think it might be better
> just to buy a proper bike and take the pedals off.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Ta. We've done that and Hannah's now spent a good hour on her new
Scoocycle. We cannot, as far as we can tell, remove the cranks without
major surgery but this doesn't seem to be an issue.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

Quoted message said:

Childback tandem?

Sadly, we're not quite that well off. I've started saving though.

Well worth it when you do get one.

...d

Ekul Namsob said:

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

This is what my daughter had for her 4th birthday:
<http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=468>

And, due to problems getting further stock of that item (stock currently
expected in July), my son's 3rd birthday present was a mix of parts from
that and this:
<http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=489>

And while I'm at it, this is what my wife will probably be getting for
Christmas:
<http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=767>

Having achieved this at the weekend:
<http://www.colyer.plus.com/temp/z-0705261528dannycatherine.jpg>
<http://www.colyer.plus.com/temp/z-0705261529bdannycatherine.jpg>

:-)

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2

Danny Colyer said:

Ekul Namsob said:

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

This is what my daughter had for her 4th birthday:
<http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=468>

And, due to problems getting further stock of that item (stock currently
expected in July), my son's 3rd birthday present was a mix of parts from
that and this:
<http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=489>

And while I'm at it, this is what my wife will probably be getting for
Christmas:
<http://www.unicycle.uk.com/shop/shopdisplayproduct.asp?catalogid=767>

Having achieved this at the weekend:
<http://www.colyer.plus.com/temp/z-0705261528dannycatherine.jpg>
<http://www.colyer.plus.com/temp/z-0705261529bdannycatherine.jpg>

I'm beginning to spot a theme here. Did your children take to them
easily?

Cheers,
Luke

--
Lincoln City 0-2 Southend United (AET)
Swansea City 2-2 Southend United
We went up twice with Tilly and Brush

Ekul Namsob said:

I'm beginning to spot a theme here. Did your children take to them
easily?

Unfortunately neither of them yet has long enough legs to reach the
pedals without the wooden blocks that I've fitted :-(

They both love being pushed around on their unicycles, they've both got
into the habit of always dismounting to the front and landing on their
feet, and I think Jenny, at least, is getting a feel for the balance.

Jenny is now 5, but very small for her age. Charlie, OTOH, is fairly
big for his age, so should grow into his unicycle at a younger age than
Jenny. I'm optimistic that Jenny's legs will be long enough by the end
of the summer for me to take the blocks off the pedals, then she can
start learning to ride properly.

There are some photos and videos here:
<http://www.unicyclist.com/index.php?page=gallery&g2_itemId=193265>

They were mostly taken in April last year, shortly after Jenny's 4th and
Charlie's 2nd birthday. Then there are more recent pictures (taken last
week, when Charlie's unicycle arrived) here:
<http://www.colyer.plus.com/temp/z-0705241842bjennycharlie.jpg>
<http://www.colyer.plus.com/temp/z-0705241842ccharlie.jpg>

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2

On Wed, 30 May 2007 20:47:03 GMT,

(Ekul Namsob) said:

We, on the other hand, now need to think of something else to give her
for her birthday.

www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/trailerbike.html

Danny Colyer said:

My daughter benefited greatly from the cheap Lidl Like-a-Bike clone, but
if you want one you'll probably have to wait for Lidl to get them in
again and be waiting when the doors open.

You hopeless romantic Danny, is your local Lidl such an idyllic place
that the good stuff hasn't gone to employees/friends of employees for
selling on eBay seconds after the shipping container doors are opened?

Or is that just my cynical streak showing? 🙂

Graeme

Danny Colyer said:

Ekul Namsob said:

I'm beginning to spot a theme here. Did your children take to them
easily?

Unfortunately neither of them yet has long enough legs to reach the
pedals without the wooden blocks that I've fitted :-(

A mighty moment in history yesterday: Hannah's first few feet of
unaccompanied bicycle travel.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukebosman/534373102/>

Cheers,
Luke

--
Red Rose Ramblings, the diary of an Essex boy in
exile in Lancashire <http://www.shrimper.org.uk>

Danny Colyer said:

Ekul Namsob said:

I'm beginning to spot a theme here. Did your children take to them
easily?

Unfortunately neither of them yet has long enough legs to reach the
pedals without the wooden blocks that I've fitted :-(

A mighty moment in history yesterday: Hannah's first few feet of
unaccompanied bicycle travel. And yes, she was wearing appropriate
headwear.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukebosman/534373102/>

Cheers,
Luke

--
Red Rose Ramblings, the diary of an Essex boy in
exile in Lancashire <http://www.shrimper.org.uk>

Ekul Namsob said:

A mighty moment in history yesterday: Hannah's first few feet of
unaccompanied bicycle travel. And yes, she was wearing appropriate
headwear.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukebosman/534373102/>

Excellent. You'll soon be running to keep up. That's when a 26"
unicycle becomes really useful :-)

--
Danny Colyer <URL:http://www.colyer.plus.com/danny/>
Reply address is valid, but that on my website is checked more often
"Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down. Daddy, put that down.
Daddy, why did you put that down?" - Charlie Colyer, age 2

Danny Colyer said:

Ekul Namsob said:

A mighty moment in history yesterday: Hannah's first few feet of
unaccompanied bicycle travel. And yes, she was wearing appropriate
headwear.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukebosman/534373102/>

Excellent. You'll soon be running to keep up. That's when a 26"
unicycle becomes really useful :-)

I've sent mine to my two nephews (5 and 2). They love it and I'm
hoping to teach the older to ride a big boy's bike (no stabilisers)
when we visit in July. We're taking Peters old 16" bike down for them.

...d

Danny Colyer said:

Ekul Namsob said:

A mighty moment in history yesterday: Hannah's first few feet of
unaccompanied bicycle travel. And yes, she was wearing appropriate
headwear.
<http://www.flickr.com/photos/lukebosman/534373102/>

Excellent. You'll soon be running to keep up. That's when a 26"
unicycle becomes really useful :-)

Next door but one have an eight or nine year old son with a full
suspension BSO. The bottom bracket is higher than on my Ribble and the
poor lad is getting rather distressed that Hannah can ride better than
he.

Indeed, he cannot ride at all. His parents have now removed his pedals.
We shall see how he gets on.

Cheers,
Luke

--
Red Rose Ramblings, the diary of an Essex boy in
exile in Lancashire <http://www.shrimper.org.uk>