teaching children to ride

davek said:

You can imagine how proud I felt.

It's such a Proud Parent moment. Congrats :-)

Quoted message said:

I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in
order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead
of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in
one short afternoon session we've made such huge progress
that it would be mean to push him harder.

just make sure that he wears old shoes until he gets the
hang of using his brakes, or he'll have the toes out of his
Good School Shoes in no time. If he has no old shoes, get
him a cheapo pair of trainers from Shoe Express or
wherever. Yes, this is the voice of (recent and expensive)
experience speaking.

A

--

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"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

I had only managed to persuade him to come out on his bike
after much negotiation had led to me promising that I
wouldn't take the stabilisers off unless he was really
happy about it. But once we were up there I re-opened
negotiations and persuaded him to just have a quick go
without stabilisers

Ooh, typical bloody grown up! :-) That's a sneaky trick,
renegotiating terms once the contract is agreed. One that no
doubt I will take advantage of as my son grows up 🙂

Graeme

Following on from davek's message. . .

[good pedal-warming stuff snipped]

Quoted message said:

I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in
order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead
of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in
one short afternoon session we've made such huge

Something I didn't know until last week is that there is a
limit-stop screw which can be adjusted if the gape of the
brake lever is too large for tiny hands. Screw it in to
reduce the maximum open position.

--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded
[email hidden]
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides

Peter Fox said:

Following on from davek's message. . .

[good pedal-warming stuff snipped]

Quoted message said:

I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in
order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes instead
of putting his feet down or jumping off the bike, but in
one short afternoon session we've made such huge

Something I didn't know until last week is that there is a
limit-stop screw which can be adjusted if the gape of the
brake lever is too large for tiny hands. Screw it in to
reduce the maximum open position.

Ooh. As someone who has tiny hands (no, really, I do, it's
not that they're wimpy fingers, honest) do you know if STI
shifters have such a limit stop too?

--

Velvet

Quoted message said:

And when we got home he even told his mum "stabilisers are
rubbish"!

You can imagine how proud I felt.

Yup - a lovely moment. Many happy years of cycling to come
no doubt :-)

Cheers, helen s

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correct one remove fame & fortune
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Velvet <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Peter Fox said:

Following on from davek's message. . .

[good pedal-warming stuff snipped]

Quoted message said:

I reckon at least one more session without pedals is in
order - he's still got to learn to use his brakes
instead of putting his feet down or jumping off the
bike, but in one short afternoon session we've made
such huge

Something I didn't know until last week is that there is
a limit-stop screw which can be adjusted if the gape of
the brake lever is too large for tiny hands. Screw it in
to reduce the maximum open position.

Ooh. As someone who has tiny hands (no, really, I do, it's
not that they're wimpy fingers, honest) do you know if STI
shifters have such a limit stop too?

Don't think they do. You can however insert a ferule
(metal tube) between the lever and the entrance of cable
into the sheath for some levers to achieve the same
effect. I have done this several times for small hands.
Not tried on STI but I would expect it to work. Ferule
needs to be about 1cm long.

My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did
just this.

Poor diagram:

O-==-I----------> to brake ^ ^ ^ cable stop ferule

cable end

kind regards,

Daren
---
remove outer garment for reply

Daren Austin:

Quoted message said:

My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did
just this.

I made sure that the bike had limit-stop adjusters on the
brake levers when I bought it - it bothers me greatly the
number of kids I see out and about who clearly can't reach
their brake levers comfortably. Some of them seem unable to
reach the levers at all.

I may be guilty of riding at reckless speeds occasionally,
but at least I have brakes I can use. It doesn't matter how
slowly you ride if you have no means of stopping yourself.

d.

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

Quoted message said:

Daren Austin:

Quoted message said:

My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I did
just this.

I made sure that the bike had limit-stop adjusters on the
brake levers when I bought it - it bothers me greatly the
number of kids I see out and about who clearly can't reach
their brake levers comfortably. Some of them seem unable
to reach the levers at all.

Absolutely. I frequently make adjustments to other
children's bikes when they ride up and down our street.

I did question Trek about the levers and their comment was
that the lever was a small design already. Not really small
enough for a 5yo - hence my adjustment. Probably OK for a
7-10yo (target market)

It was the Aluminium frame, dual drilled cranks and very
adjustable bars that sold the bike to me, and the fact that
Lance rides a Trek that sold it to Thomas :-)

kind regards, Daren
---
remove outer garment for rply

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

Quoted message said:

"davek" <[email hidden]> wrote
in message

news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Daren Austin:

Quoted message said:

My son's Trek did not have the adjusting screws so I
did just this.

I made sure that the bike had limit-stop adjusters on
the brake levers

when

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I bought it - it bothers me greatly the number of kids I
see out and

about

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

who clearly can't reach their brake levers comfortably.
Some of them

seem

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

unable to reach the levers at all.

Absolutely. I frequently make adjustments to other
children's bikes when they ride up and down our street.

LOL...got to admit, thats sounds funny as written!

--
Tumbleweed

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