One of the best ride experience in my life

[weisan]

This past Saturday, I had one of the best riding experience in my life and I wanna share with my Serotta pals. My oldest daughter is seven-years-old and up until yesterday she's still on training wheels. I know I know, it's all daddy's fault, it took me too long and I wish I had done it earlier. Well, on Saturday we finally took off the training wheels. She had two practice sessions each lasting about 20-30 minutes. One in the morning and another in the afternoon after a lunch break. We practiced initially in the large patio at the neighborhood elementary school before moving on to the basketball court. And please take what I said with a grain of salt because I did not read any books or consulted anybody who has done it before and may have a different approach. In our case, I based it all on my own personal experience and intuition. There are two basic things that we kept working on during those practice sessions. First I try to explain to my daughter Alice how she achieve balance not by steering the handlebar but by the simple fact of forward motion, so she gotta pedal and the first down stroke to take off has to be a good and powerful one. Simple. The second thing was try not to look down, but look up and see where you want to go, the bike will follow. That's it. we kept on working on these two things and by the third time she got on the bike on Sunday, she just took off and rode around in circles in the basketball court.

I would tell you this, this is one of the most fulfilling riding experience I ever had. Later in the evening before going to bed, my daughter walked up and thanked me for teaching her how to ride the bike. I choked and nearly lost it. But you know how it is, as parents we try to appear strong before our kids so I manage to regain my composure and thank her for letting me pertake in this unique experience. :p

weisan

[djg]

This past Saturday, I had one of the best riding experience in my life and I wanna share with my Serotta pals. My oldest daughter is seven-years-old and up until yesterday she's still on training wheels. I know I know, it's all daddy's fault, it took me too long and I wish I had done it earlier. Well, on Saturday we finally took off the training wheels. She had two practice sessions each lasting about 20-30 minutes. One in the morning and another in the afternoon after a lunch break. We practiced initially in the large patio at the neighborhood elementary school before moving on to the basketball court. And please take what I said with a grain of salt because I did not read any books or consulted anybody who has done it before and may have a different approach. In our case, I based it all on my own personal experience and intuition. There are two basic things that we kept working on during those practice sessions. First I try to explain to my daughter Alice how she achieve balance not by steering the handlebar but by the simple fact of forward motion, so she gotta pedal and the first down stroke to take off has to be a good and powerful one. Simple. The second thing was try not to look down, but look up and see where you want to go, the bike will follow. That's it. we kept on working on these two things and by the third time she got on the bike on Sunday, she just took off and rode around in circles in the basketball court.

I would tell you this, this is one of the most fulfilling riding experience I ever had. Later in the evening before going to bed, my daughter walked up and thanked me for teaching her how to ride the bike. I choked and nearly lost it. But you know how it is, as parents we try to appear strong before our kids so I manage to regain my composure and thank her for letting me pertake in this unique experience. :p

weisan

My eldest daughter is seven and we just took the training wheels off yesterday. Lesson number two is tonight.

[weisan]

djg, good luck with your daughter on the riding lesson tonight. I was especially thankful that Alice got on with it before my lower back give it up. With her daddy sprawling on the patio, that's not a pretty sight. :D

[Keith A]

Thanks for sharing with us. This certainly is a very fun and rewarding experience to see your child ride a bike on their own. This opens up a whole new world for them.

I can still remember teaching my oldest daughter how to ride a bike when she was 5 to 6 years old. She wasn't tall enough to reach the ground even with the seat all the way down, but she wanted to ride without her training wheels. So off we went. After she got the basics of balance down and was able to ride without dad running behind her, the next task was to figure out how she could start and stop by herself.

I had her put the bike beside the curb, so she could sit on the bike and then push off from the curb and go. That was the easy part, next was stopping. Then only thing that worked at first was a controlled crash. I had her ride up into the grass and slow down almost stopping and as the bike was falling over, she would jump off. She used this method until she grew enough that she could stop and then as the bike leaned over, she could put one foot down.

I must say that was much easier and less scary than teaching her how to drive a manual transmission :eek:

[davids]

...There are two basic things that we kept working on during those practice sessions. First I try to explain to my daughter Alice how she achieve balance not by steering the handlebar but by the simple fact of forward motion, so she gotta pedal and the first down stroke to take off has to be a good and powerful one. Simple. The second thing was try not to look down, but look up and see where you want to go, the bike will follow. That's it. ...
weisan,

Congrats! I loved teaching my daughter to ride (and I think she was about seven, too!) I applaud you for stressing those two lessons - Although we worked hard on balance (which she's still great at), I didn't teach her about momentum and steering...until it was too late:

Shortly after we took the training wheels off, we were on vacation (in Saratoga Springs, btw!) and she was tooling around the hotel parking lot. I was watching her as her confidence grew, and was thinking to myself, "She's getting good at going straight - I've got to teach her how to turn." Moments later, she tried to make a relatively sharp turn by steering with the handlebar. The wheel went sideways, and she went right over the bar! :eek: :crap: :eek: :crap: :eek: :crap: I'd never run to her so fast in my life! She was pretty badly banged up, and didn't get back on her bike for weeks. :(

It's a good story now, but I felt doubly horrible at the time, not only because of her trauma, but because I could have prevented it with a little more instruction...

[BumbleBeeDave]

I was on vacation last week along with BBGeneva, who was on spring break. She is 15. We went on several rides on our MTB's, one of 20 miles, one of 16. During the 20 mile ride she told me how she really wants a road bike. I asked, "Why?" . . . "So I can ride more," she replied.

Yay!

BBDave

[sevencyclist]

My secrete to teaching my daughter was outfitting her with elbow pads, shin pads, gloves, and helmet, covered with sweatshirts in between. This ensured that she would not get hurt when she falls.

Since she rides on one of the 12 inch wheels, which is not far off the ground, she did not mind falling, and she learned fairly quickly.

[sam.g]

To this day some of my fondest memories are teaching my son and daughter to ride without training wheels. That plus coaching T-ball, baseball and soccer filled our lives for many years. However now that my children have grown, I've developed a new relationship with my daughter who is now 25. This Sunday we'll run our 3rd marathon (Flying Pig in Cincinnati) together as part of the Leukemia Society's Team in Training. The mileage covered on our long runs throughout the winter months have provided an unique opportunity to get to know her on a totally different basis. Most likely this year we won't run the entire race together as she should finally kick her old man's butt trying for a Boston qualifying time.

For the past several years I've also tried to convert her to cycling and even offered to cover half the cost of a serious road bike, but she's resisted. It seems the time commitment for cycling far exceeds running and it's far more rewarding playing softball with her boyfriend than pedalling with dad. I can't blame her and I'm happy for the memories she's given me.

Sam

[Serotta PETE]

I was on vacation last week along with BBGeneva, who was on spring break. She is 15. We went on several rides on our MTB's, one of 20 miles, one of 16. During the 20 mile ride she told me how she really wants a road bike. I asked, "Why?" . . . "So I can ride more," she replied.

Yay!

BBDave


And drop the "Ole Man", Hopefully she is coming to Open House to keep tabs on you!!!!



PETE

[weisan]

Thanks for chiming in, guys.

[cycleman_21]

Congrats. weisan, it is certainly a thrill for you as well as them, it never gets old seeing a child learn something so gratifiying as riding a bike :banana:
Two down for me and two to go still yet :) :) , any day now for the six year old, can just feel it.

Ron C

[Kevin]

Daughters are a wonderful thing. Enjoy. Congratulations.

Kevin

[Tom Byrnes]

Great story, Weisan-Pal. Thanks for sharing it with us.
:) :) :)

Tom

[weisan]

Thanks Cycleman, Kevin and Tom-Pals.

I actually recorded down the special moment when Alice rode off on her bike for our family video library. Not to clog up the bandwidth, I clipped out a small segment for your viewing pleasure. :p

The video link:
http://alicehui.com/serotta/alice_bike/alice_bike.mpg

[Keith A]

Thanks for the video! I think I need to get some streamers on my Serotta. BTW, her saddle is too low as she doesn't have the proper leg extension -- didn't you read Lemond's book? :D

[weisan]

Thanks for the video! I think I need to get some streamers on my Serotta. BTW, her saddle is too low as she doesn't have the proper leg extension -- didn't you read Lemond's book? :D

Keith-pal, you are RIGHT!....except two things happened that you might not be aware of.

1) I raised the saddle for her in accordance to KOPS specifications. Her legs barely touches the ground. She fell. She insisted that she won't get back on the bike unless daddy lowers the saddle. :butt: Daddy caves in. :crap:

2) This bike **belongs** to her younger sister Rebekah who is watching on the sideline with attentive eyes. Thus, one of the training wheels still on there. One more change to her bike, she's gonna create a scene. Daddy caves in. :crap:

Thanks for the helpful input, Keith-pal. If you wanna to find out more about streaming video, just email or PM me, I will be more than happy to share what I know.

weisan

[Keith A]

Weisan -- you do know I was only kidding? And the "streamers" that I mentioned are the ones hanging from your daughter's handlebars. Again, I was just being silly -- although it would be pretty funny to show up at my group ride with some of those hanging from my handlebars.

[weisan]

Weisan -- you do know I was only kidding? And the "streamers" that I mentioned are the ones hanging from your daughter's handlebars. Again, I was just being silly -- although it would be pretty funny to show up at my group ride with some of those hanging from my handlebars.

Oh, the streamers! I honestly didn't know that. Yes, I know you are kidding. I always take everything you said in a positive and humorous way, so no worry there. You should see the bike when it came, not only the streamers, it actually has a barbie baggy latched on to the front of the handlebars. Erh....daddy took it off at some point...I forgot what my excuse was. :D

[Kevin]

Thanks for the video! I think I need to get some streamers on my Serotta. BTW, her saddle is too low as she doesn't have the proper leg extension -- didn't you read Lemond's book? :D

Keith,

The saddle is fine. The problem is that her stem is too short. :banana:

Kevin

[weisan]

One more funny comment about my little princess, the daddy is comin' over to give you a real good spankin'!

Yep, I am the defender of every woman in my household, don't you know that? :rolleyes:

[barry1021]

cuz you will "blink" and they will be putting on make-up and short skirts...
B21
Proud father of a 16 yr. old, going on 32..

[Keith A]

or 18, graduated from HS, starting college and her own life. My wife and I celebrated our 24th anniversary this past Monday by spending a relaxing afternoon on the beach together. There was a young family around us and they had two little girls...sometimes I would do anything to relive those experiences...

[weisan]

I am blushin' here cos' this is kinda of an old thread. But thanks barry-pal....and Keith-pal for reminding me the fleeing nature of childhood and parenthood. I do cherish every moment I get to spend with my kids.

ps. I might as well take this opportunity to "showcase" a couple of shots taken of my princesses. Thanks for indulging me :D

http://alicehui.com/serotta/sisters/3.jpg
http://alicehui.com/serotta/sisters/2.jpg
http://alicehui.com/serotta/sisters/1.jpg
http://alicehui.com/serotta/sisters/4.jpg

[Serpico]

.
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hello Weisan

[weisan]

hello Serpico-pal :)

[Fixed]

nice post, good story, it made me feel good thanks
cheers

[rePhil]

Cuties!

Enjoy the memorable days....and the not so memorable ones too!