need help

[dsimon]

Ok i want to get my 9 year old son a bike i think he will enjoy it , but my wife thinks he wont because ill make hime keep it inside and yadda yadda yadda so families with kids who ride what do you do. do you have 2 bike for the one kid or just let him ride the road bike everywere? need help :crap:

[mflaherty37]

That's an easy question, get the kid a bike.

[Ginger]

Maybe what csiowner is asking is:
If I get my kid a road bike, do I let him ride it everywhere, or do I get him two bikes; one to ride on "serious" rides, and one to play on...

I'd certainly get him a bike...if he wants a road bike, get him the road bike. If he just wants a bike, get him something you won't care if he jumps off curbs.


When I was that age I certainly rode my bike over things you weren't supposed to ride a bike over. Taught me a lot about balance on the bike.

[Jeff N.]

Get him a BMX-type bike to tear-a$$ around with, and a decent road bike to hang with Dad on. Worked for me. Jeff N.

[victoryfactory]

He is a kid. Get him a mountain bike.
One that he can jump curbs with.
One that he thinks is cool. One like his friends have.
One that he can leave outside. One that he can throw down.
He's 9! If he develops a love for "serious" riding, it will be on his own,
not because he rode a mini titanium road bike with campy gears as a kid.


VF, just my opinion

[Litespeeder]

Ok i want to get my 9 year old son a bike i think he will enjoy it , but my wife thinks he wont because ill make hime keep it inside and yadda yadda yadda so families with kids who ride what do you do. do you have 2 bike for the one kid or just let him ride the road bike everywere? need help :crap:

I don't know how old you child is but if he's a young teen or younger then look a the trek selection of kids bikes. Trek really puts some thought into building good quality kids mountain bikes. They have adjustable components (crankset length, seat tilt and stems that can be rotated up or down) that allow you to dial in the fit as the child grows. Trek kids bikes are also durable, have good components and are good solid bikes for kids.

If you kid is older and prefers road cycling then look at some 650 frames. Just about every manufacturer builds small size frames with 650 wheels that are built to fit someone who is about 5 feet tall.

:bike:

[mflaherty37]

Oh, OK. I'd say get him 3 bikes then.

[Brian Smith]

...but imo, get him a decent freestyle or other 20" bike and some safety equipment. Don't let it or any other bike be kept outside in the rain or overnight. If your wife is worried that your trying to use him to support YOUR hobby, and that's why he won't like it, then maybe that is worth considering. I'm not saying that you are. You could ask him what kind of bikes HE likes, or take him to a bike shop and have him look around at different bikes.
My first bike was a Ross convertible 20" bike that later became my younger sister's bike, and I was given a very similar Ross BMX bike. I always took care of them, probaby because my father showed me how to use basic tools and allowed me to do so on my own. I learned a great deal by myself and with my young riding friends about working on our bikes, and if my father had been there giving direct support as well, I think it would have been even better. I don't know if it was working on the bike with my own hands that taught me to respect and care for the machine or my family's insistence that it be properly stored, but I'm sure it all helped, and not only regarding bicycles.

So I say get a bike he wants to start with, expose him to everything cycling, support what he likes about it, making sure it's his interest not yours driving it.

[Fixed]

He is a kid. Get him a mountain bike.
One that he can jump curbs with.
One that he thinks is cool. One like his friends have.
One that he can leave outside. One that he can throw down.
He's 9! If he develops a love for "serious" riding, it will be on his own,
not because he rode a mini titanium road bike with campy gears as a kid.


VF, just my opinionbro that's how my boy got started hangin with me on mt.bike rides on the trails after my group rides so I didn't go to hard for him now he has to wait for me, he was last years state champ crit and t.t. cheers :beer:

[dsimon]

he already has his walmart special schwinn that goes evrywere does tricks on but the question is do i get him a road bike and make it a hey you can only ride it on special day rides or just let him ride and if he trashes it oh well hes being a kid? :confused:

[William]

My son is seven and has had a BMX bike for the last couple of years. He's also a big fan of watching the tour & classics vids and is always pretending to win sprints. Recently he started hounding me about setting up a road bike for him. Since we had a nice 43cm lugged steel Allez hanging up it the sun room, I outfitted it with 105 to get him started. It's a tad big for him, but he loves going out with me and sprinting up & down the street. Otherwise he's bombing around our property on his BMX-er.

I didn't want to push a road bike on him unless he was interested, which he very much is. Secondly, I set one up using parts that I had in my parts stash. If he sticks with it, then I'll see about getting him on e-RICHIES list....he'll be the right age when it's finally ready. :D ;)


William

[sirroada]

Easy, tell mom that two bikes are better than one sony playstation.

[Andreu]

does it matter what type of bike he has? He probably wants to get out explore, throw it around, fall of it etc etc. I am no export on bikes for kids but I would get him a cool looking rugged bike to start. You can add to his collection later.
just my 0,02 centimes,
hasta luego,
A