What age do you take children on the road?
11-14-16, 08:32 AM
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What age do you take children on the road?
For those of you with children, what age did you introduce them to riding fast, congested roads?
While driving through town yesterday, on a congested 45MPH connector road between a downtown area and the interstate, I came upon a backlog of cars behind an incredibly slow bike ahead. To everyone's credit, they took their time and passed safely, but when I got to the head of the line I could see they were moving slowly because there was a kid around the 7 year old range on a single speed 20" bike struggling up a hill, unable to hold a line.
Just curious if any of you have put your children at that age in such a situation, seemed too young in my opinion.
While driving through town yesterday, on a congested 45MPH connector road between a downtown area and the interstate, I came upon a backlog of cars behind an incredibly slow bike ahead. To everyone's credit, they took their time and passed safely, but when I got to the head of the line I could see they were moving slowly because there was a kid around the 7 year old range on a single speed 20" bike struggling up a hill, unable to hold a line.
Just curious if any of you have put your children at that age in such a situation, seemed too young in my opinion.
11-14-16, 08:56 AM
#2
Jedi Master
Depends on the kid. I've seen 8 year olds who could do it and 14 year olds who are better off staying on the sidewalk.
11-14-16, 08:58 AM
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Non omnino gravis
My youngest was 10 before she accompanied us outside the neighborhood onto actual streets with traffic. She can handle a bike well enough to hold a line, and manages to get that pipetank of a Trek 220 up most hills, but it still makes me so nervous I can't even enjoy it. I see plenty of younger kids out on family rides, but very rarely on the bigger arterial streets in town. One family I see regularly does, but they also salmon the sidewalk, so I guess that doesn't really count.
I think it will be the residentials or the trails for us the next couple of years.
I think it will be the residentials or the trails for us the next couple of years.
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11-14-16, 09:56 AM
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Mine were 11 and 14 when I got off my butt and started riding again. That was mainly residential streets, though. It was a couple years later that I was ready to get on more congested streets, and I think a couple years' acclimatization helped both me and the girls.
11-14-16, 05:29 PM
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Depends on the kid. I have twins. One has been riding on streets with cars since 9, the other just started this year at 12.
11-14-16, 06:35 PM
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Depends if they are yours or not ... and if they are exceptionally annoying.
11-14-16, 08:02 PM
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My little guy started a 3 mile commute to school, rain or shine, at age 12. And he did it all the way through to high school graduation.
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11-15-16, 07:22 AM
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It REALLY, REALLY DEPENDS. I've seen a few 6 year olds who were extremely capable of handling their bmx bikes at speed, including skid stops and curb jumps.
I also know a family with 9-yr old twins, one of which has been riding without training wheels for 3-4 years, the other one just finally got it at age 9.
My own kids, 6 & 4: I expect the 6 year old might be able to learn 2 wheeled riding next summer...the 4 year old is about there already...different skill sets...the 6 year old has been reading for 3 years already, but is not coordinated at all. the 4 year old still forgets her letters, but could be a gymnast or some kind of athlete.
I could imagine the 4yr old being ready to ride at higher speeds with me much sooner than the 6 yr old.
I also know a family with 9-yr old twins, one of which has been riding without training wheels for 3-4 years, the other one just finally got it at age 9.
My own kids, 6 & 4: I expect the 6 year old might be able to learn 2 wheeled riding next summer...the 4 year old is about there already...different skill sets...the 6 year old has been reading for 3 years already, but is not coordinated at all. the 4 year old still forgets her letters, but could be a gymnast or some kind of athlete.
I could imagine the 4yr old being ready to ride at higher speeds with me much sooner than the 6 yr old.
11-15-16, 07:55 AM
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I would say 6 or 7, was about when we would take my son on rides outside our immediate neighborhood, but I worked hard to limit our exposure to main traffic arteries.
11-15-16, 08:07 AM
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I've ridden around neighborhood streets with my son since he was 6 or so. He's 12 now and I recently took him (and my 13 YO daughter) on a road ride on a more rural road here in NC. The biggest issue my son has is holding a line. No matter how much I tell him, he still wobbles and weaves all over the place. Even though we were on a remote, 35mph that wound its way along a river, I was still nervous at times because of how he was riding. My daughter on the other hand was find just cruising along the side of the road no problem.
So yeah, it totally depends on the kid. No way that I'd take my son out on a busy road, even though he does love to ride a bike.
So yeah, it totally depends on the kid. No way that I'd take my son out on a busy road, even though he does love to ride a bike.
11-15-16, 09:37 AM
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Thanks for satisfying my curiosity. The kid was riding with a mother who appeared to be an experienced cyclist, and the route does deal with a moderate amount of bike commuters, so I just chalked it up to her riding a regular route. Still seemed a bit young for the road and not quite on proper equipment, though.
Yep, that was the biggest issue I saw here. Thankfully there were two lanes in the same direction, so no one was tempted to crowd them out, but everytime the kids head turned he went moved over the better part of the entire lane.
Yep, that was the biggest issue I saw here. Thankfully there were two lanes in the same direction, so no one was tempted to crowd them out, but everytime the kids head turned he went moved over the better part of the entire lane.
11-15-16, 09:54 AM
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For those of you with children, what age did you introduce them to riding fast, congested roads?
While driving through town yesterday, on a congested 45MPH connector road between a downtown area and the interstate, I came upon a backlog of cars behind an incredibly slow bike ahead. To everyone's credit, they took their time and passed safely, but when I got to the head of the line I could see they were moving slowly because there was a kid around the 7 year old range on a single speed 20" bike struggling up a hill, unable to hold a line.
Just curious if any of you have put your children at that age in such a situation, seemed too young in my opinion.
While driving through town yesterday, on a congested 45MPH connector road between a downtown area and the interstate, I came upon a backlog of cars behind an incredibly slow bike ahead. To everyone's credit, they took their time and passed safely, but when I got to the head of the line I could see they were moving slowly because there was a kid around the 7 year old range on a single speed 20" bike struggling up a hill, unable to hold a line.
Just curious if any of you have put your children at that age in such a situation, seemed too young in my opinion.
By the time she was 4 (actually 3 years, 11 months), she was pedaling on the back of a tandem...and doing stupid speeds with me
She didn't really start riding her own bike much until about 9 when she got replaced as my stoker by her little sister but by then she was a pretty good cyclist.
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11-15-16, 10:39 AM
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I don't have a son, but I have a 6 year old grandson. The bike I bought him is rusting in his backyard all but forgotten. He never even took the training wheels off. I told him I'll take him BMX racing if he ever learns to ride good. Maybe he'll get into it when he gets little buddies that ride, who knows. I have an XBOX One so at least we have something to do together, he's all about those damn video games haha
11-19-16, 08:42 PM
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To answer the question as it was written in the subject line, I can take children on the road until they get into their teens. That growth spurt they get just seems to give them more power in the sprints than my 59-year-old legs can match.
11-20-16, 09:01 AM
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Depends on how you define taking them "on the road". Both of mine were in trailers within a month or two of being born. My first one was in a trailer exactly a month after being born (in February). At 6 months, my oldest was pulled in a trailer over Rabbit Ears Pass in Colorado along US40 which is a high speed two lane road with limited shoulders.
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Trailers are perhaps the safest way to take a very young child along. They are lower to the ground, so when you crash the baby will fall a shorter distance, even when you turn the trailer over. We would recommend that you do two things before using a trailer: ride in a trailer yourself for at least 10 miles, and take baby and seat to a pediatrician to ask if it is ok. Most parents have no idea how rough a ride it can be in a trailer. How hard can you jiggle your baby's brain without provoking "shaken baby syndrome?" Although trailer owners report good experience, how will you know instantly if your child is suffering harm back there? Probably they will cry, but can a baby whose brain is being bruised or neck is being overstressed communicate that quickly enough? While asleep? Trailer arrangements can be better if you wedge the child's head in on both sides so it cannot bobble around. But seated upright in a trailer the baby also needs a pillow behind them to provide clearance for their helmet in the back. Without the pillow their head is forced down by the back of the helmet.
Trailers with low-mounted hitches are generally less wobbly, but the wheels can snag on obstacles as you pass, and many trailers can turn over with surprising ease if one wheel rides up on something like a curb, or if you just have to take a turn too sharply. Any trailer can be turned over by hitting a bump too fast with one wheel -- ask the manufacturer. You might also want to ask if the trailer is constructed to protect the child in a rollover, which users report is a common occurance. How about protection for the child's bottom when you hit a rock that passes between the two wheels? ASTM is working on a trailer standard that will cover most of those points, but it is years from final publication.
Trailers with low-mounted hitches are generally less wobbly, but the wheels can snag on obstacles as you pass, and many trailers can turn over with surprising ease if one wheel rides up on something like a curb, or if you just have to take a turn too sharply. Any trailer can be turned over by hitting a bump too fast with one wheel -- ask the manufacturer. You might also want to ask if the trailer is constructed to protect the child in a rollover, which users report is a common occurance. How about protection for the child's bottom when you hit a rock that passes between the two wheels? ASTM is working on a trailer standard that will cover most of those points, but it is years from final publication.
11-20-16, 10:20 AM
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Do you have any evidence that "shaken baby syndrome" has even happened to children carried in a trailer or that it's a problem that needs addressing?
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11-20-16, 02:27 PM
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I was curious specifically about a child on their own bike. A child in a trailer or on the back of a bike (or on one of those pull along pedal things) isn't under their own control, it is really not that different than coming across a tourer with a loaded bike.
11-20-16, 04:24 PM
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I don't think that it's as "EXTREMELY" dangerous as you think it is. A child trailer isn't a solid platform. It's fabric suspended between a rigid frame. The seat of the trailer adds another layer of suspension. And it wasn't like we just threw the kid into the trailer and let them roll around. The children were in a child carrier which further dampened any vibrations.
Do you have any evidence that "shaken baby syndrome" has even happened to children carried in a trailer or that it's a problem that needs addressing?
Do you have any evidence that "shaken baby syndrome" has even happened to children carried in a trailer or that it's a problem that needs addressing?
The reality is that it CAN be dangerous. You were lucky. I am old enough to remember riding in cars that did not have seat belts; today such a thing would be unthinkable. In the end, there is a good possibility that it can sometimes cause permanent brain injury. Would you want to subject your child to this risk? Really??
11-20-16, 06:01 PM
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Sorry to derail the thread more. I had a previous thread I asked basically the same question, but in my case there was a bike lane on the specific road I wanted to prepare the kids for. There were some good responses with some specific skills to look for and other good suggestions. Here's the link:
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cy...bike-lane.html
11-21-16, 09:16 AM
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Maybe it has, maybe not. I remember as recently as about 10 years ago, the NFL had experts that swore football did not cause brain injury. After several huge lawsuits based on solid university research studies we know better, and I fully expect that within the next decade high school football will be extinct for just this reason.
The reality is that it CAN be dangerous. You were lucky. I am old enough to remember riding in cars that did not have seat belts; today such a thing would be unthinkable. In the end, there is a good possibility that it can sometimes cause permanent brain injury. Would you want to subject your child to this risk? Really??
The reality is that it CAN be dangerous. You were lucky. I am old enough to remember riding in cars that did not have seat belts; today such a thing would be unthinkable. In the end, there is a good possibility that it can sometimes cause permanent brain injury. Would you want to subject your child to this risk? Really??
As to whether or not there is a good possibility that it can sometimes cause permanent brain injury, you'll have to present some evidence that it does. So far all you've presented is speculation. How about strollers? Are you going to worry about "shaken baby syndrome" with parents using those? Very similar mode of travel and similar vibrations.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
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Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
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Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
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Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
