Pump track, family style
The power of the pump track continues to bind families and build a better world. Images from a recent clinic:
Mike and his daughters Jayden and Jolie came up from Pueblo for a core skills clinic and some pump track action.
 Mike works the S at The Fix’s pump track. |
Like father, like daughter. |
 When the teen years hit, let’s hope they can still pump together. |
 Watch out boys, here they come! |
Frank, the head engineer at Maverick American, came out with his dudes.
 Testing a Maverick prototype … |
 Check out the head tube. Sweet! |
Good times …
The kid in the bottom right picture needs to get a helmet that fits.
The kid in the bottom left picture needs his dad to let go!
He did soon after this lap.
Mini-braaap!
Those are the best time.
My little guy (2 1/2) just starting riding his bike with training wheels.
His progression so far: Last week in April Tricycle and this week his big bike with training wheels. By June he may be off the training wheels – BMX track here we come.
Every day daddy ride bikes with me.
Rob, ask Lee about kids Strider bikes…….wink wink
Yes!
Forget training wheels. They teach bad habits.
The best way to learn how to ride is a running bike like this one:
http://www.stridertk.com/
Kids learn balance first. Pedaling comes later.
Can you imagine one of these in an adult size? Pump track Nation!
I first saw a bike like the Strider but it was wooden. It was from some Sweden or Germany or Denmark or somewhere like that. Had a triple clamp fork! I thought they were a wonderful idea: makes a lotta sense.
The very first thing I noticed on the Strider front page site was the kid in sandals. Made me cringe. And then I browsed a bit and clicked on ‘Superior Safety’. There they say “We recommend a properly fitted helmet, and full coverage shoes at the minimum.” Guess where my next email is going.
Specialized makes a run bike for kids. It is so killer. He lives on the thing. I’ve set up ramps over cinder blocks… he just bombs the thing around. I can’t say enough about it. The Specialized Owns( for kids anyway). I just don’t trust the company’s name for my own biking. Lawsuits, patents, bad customer service w/ warranty breakage… Too bad because they are great riding bikes. But, agian for the kids run and hotrock they are awesome.
http://www.specialized.com/OA_MEDIA/2008/bikes/8480-9001_d.jpg
My little guy (20months) loves his Speicalized, cant keep him off it. I almost walked from Sea Otter with a Strider but they should be priced at 40-50 not $89 for the quality. The Speicalized owns it in the quality dept. and was able to give my local shop the sale. Either was you go, the push or run bike is the ticket! I made one for my oldest ( should of kept it) to learn on at 2 1/2 and he now rocks the pump track at 4 on a 16″ BMX. Proud Poppa!
I did the home made version of the Strider bike. My three year old refused to let go of her push trike, but was showing some interest in her older siblings’ bikes. I remembered a magazine article from a few years back which recommended taking the pedals off and lowering the seat all the way down on a standard two-wheeler. Removing the pedals took away the desire to put her feet there, and within minutes she was cruising around the neighborhood on her two wheel push bike. Whenever she began to lose balance her feet were right on the ground. By the end of the second day she was going to the top of the driveway, giving herself a good push off, zipping down the driveway, leaning into a nice right hand turn, then coasting to a stop, maintaining her balance the whole time. The next week she asked if I would put her pedals on so she could “ride like the big kids.” I was reluctant, but decided I could take them off if she became too discouraged. She proved me wrong! I made two passes in front of the house holding the seat, with Kate begging me to let go. I finally did, I realized I was the one holding her back. Within a few minutes she was navigating her own turns and braking to stop. It was the easiest two wheeler training I’ve done. Too bad it was for our last kid!
Yup, my 2 1/2 year old son rips on the Specialized coaster. So natural, so fluid, big curbs, stairs, ANY dirt or the T-Dog, he just rolls over it. I definitely wish I had one for my older ripper who is now four. Sure, he made the transition and can handle his Fuse 16, but Daddy would have had a much easier time! Training wheels, bah! Side note, the Specialized Hot Rock is like 17 grams or so…