Daniele can ride a bike!

Daniele learnt to ride a bike on Sunday 11th April.

It all happened in a matter of days.

He had already been riding with stabilisers for a long time.
We got him his first bike as a Xmas present in 2008, when he was 2 and a half years old.

An Apollo Bumblebee bike, with 12 inch wheels and front v-brake, bought for £10 (ten!) at the local Halfords.

Over time he became very proficient at pedaling and also understood the function of the brake lever. We have also been taking him on the back of our bikes and recently got a trail-gator, which helped him follow us on cycle tracks.

Now a 3 and half year old boy, he was relying on the stabilisers too much, and leaning on his side when pedalling hard: not very good when it comes to balancing!

We then went for a trip to the Isle of Wight a couple of weeks ago, where we really enjoyed cycling as a family.

On our return, I unpacked the bikes, but decided to give the 'scooting' method a try.
I told Daniele I had forgotten the pedals and stabilisers on the Isle of Wight and that I would have had to order a new set.
I asked him if he would try scooting on the kitchen floor so I could take measure of the new pedals.
He really liked the idea!

Within minutes, we were down to the local recycling centre where we used to practice cycling before, and off we were, scooting down the little ramps:



We did a total of three one-hour sessions of scooting, during which Daniele really gained confidence and started getting eager to go faster and further!

So, on Sunday 11th April, I decided it was time to put the pedals back on.
A quick trip down to the local recycling centre again, and after a first couple of minutes scooting around, I put the pedals back on, and to my amazement, Daniele was riding all by himself!







It is superfluous to say I have now ordered the best bike a dad can buy for his kids: an Islabikes Cnoc 16: a very lightweight aluminium bike, with 16 inch wheels, but a smaller frame suitable for kids 4+, and with the best in class components, including a threadless steerer, a steering limiter and slick tyres.

It is as much a present to him as it is to my pride!

http://www.islabikes.co.uk/bike_pages/cnoc16.html