Monday, September 24, 2018

Dirt Season

I've now officially transitioned into autumn mode, and this past Friday I kept things dirt-oriented by setting out on the Jones:


On Saturday I did relapse into Fredness a bit by taking a spin on the Renovo, but I did return to the Jones on Sunday for some more fat-tire cyclocrossing:


Along with my son:


This particular three-race series is now over, and I'm impressed that he rousted himself early three Sundays in a row in order to do the bike racing--though the sweet bike did serve as motivation:


If you're outfitting a child of similar age I highly recommend this bike, though if you really want to project your Fredly aspirations onto your kid you can always go for the "Pro" version:

Which is a dangerous thing to do because before you know it you'll be spending $900 on a balance bike:

What Strider put together is wild, maybe a little ridiculous, and stunning to look at. The 12 ST-R, which will be available for sale next month, has a red carbon fiber frame, carbon fork, and carbon wheels. It weighs 5.6 pounds and with 12-inch wheels will fit riders between 18 months and 5 years, Strider says. It will look appropriate in your garage, cozied up against your Specialized Tarmac or Juliana Joplin carbon fiber adult bikes.

Not ridiculous at all!  Scoff if you will, but but a high-quality balance bike is a great investment as it will last for years and your child can ride it well into adulthood.

No, the real irony is that when it comes to balance bikes the wooden ones are the cheapest:


That's now how it's supposed to work:

26 comments:

Pelon said...

Podium! All that slacking off in the back of the pack is really paying off

Some guy from upstate said...

I think the cheapest balance bike is the one where you get one of those little kid bikes and throw away the cranks and training wheels, but yeah, weird that the artisianal wooden version is the lower-cost option.

Also, podium - thanks for timing your blog post for my lunch break.

Wesley Bellairs said...

Holding out for Magnesium.

Anonymous said...

Canadians and helmets. Ha ha

https://globalnews.ca/news/4466967/edmonton-daycare-playground-helmet-policy/

Anonymous said...

I was teasing my brother after he bought his daughter a really expensive balance bike (not sure if it's the one referenced above, but similar), she'll never notice or care about the weight difference. His comeback sold me: "I'm the one who has to carry it home".

dcee604 said...

How's it going? Long time no read...

dan said...

They didn't quite make balance bikes the right size when my kids were first learning, so I made one myself out of 2x4s, some wheels off an abandoned golf bag carrying thing, and a hinge:

https://i.imgur.com/2tI3372.jpg

Worked fine, even in adverse conditions:

https://i.imgur.com/4Li6zEE.jpg

huskerdont said...

Where the hell are people finding dirt? All I can find around DC is mud mud mud. Lots of road and some gravel riding lately, and almost no mountain biking.

HDEB said...

My three-year old daughter enjoys the wooden Like A Bike that her two older brothers thoughtfully broke in for her.

On another note, during a recent pediatrician's appointment, my six-year old was asked what were some of the highlights of his summer. He responded that learning to ride a pedal bike without training wheels was the best. The pediatrician (who we think is wonderful) then asked about helmet use and emphasized the importance of always wearing a helmet. I just bit my tongue : /

Anonymous said...

That's definitely an artisinal push bike dan. What is the seat made of, inner tubes?

IF wishes were horses said...

I love the balance bikes - my kids were too old for them when they first appeared (I know, I know, the German guy built the first one in , like, 1840, but I'm talking about the recent era). I'm convinced my kids would have been much better off with them.

bad boy of the south said...

Wait 'til the youngest of your seventeen little ones follows his next oldest sibling and tosses his hat into the ring.ahem,chainring.

Anonymous said...

Duder, the Jones is far more fredly than the renovo: unconventional handlebars, total rejection of racebike or "performance" norms, retro grouch parts, comfortable sensibilities. All you need is a Bell V one and helment mirror, and you are there! You gots the jorts already.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I'm pretty convinced I'm crap on the bike, cuz I grew up in the pre balance bike era.

Grump said...

In another 3 years, get your kid a Dura Ace version, with tubulars....

paulb said...

Still many grownups can't ride a bike and probably lowering the seat, removing the pedals and scooting along til they can balance is the best way to learn.

dan said...

@anon 3:36 it's a tiny bit more plush than that, it's some pool noodle foam cut to size and held in place with inner tubes tied around the 'seatpost'.

Weepy Sidewalls said...

Anon 4:46pm, your sense of bicycle history, development, and function would seem very much preordained by peer pressure from when you were 13 yo. The bicycle need not conform to the dictates of the cool group in Jr. High (aka middle school). Try to think for yourself; scary, I know.

Anonymous said...

Nice personalization on you kids bike.

JLRB said...

I have resisted the temptation to drag my offspring on to rides that I like - he rides around for fun and transport - I don’t want to ruin it for him. Ok implied - he refused my offers to go on rides I like.

streepo said...

Happy National Lobster Day!!!

Anonymous said...

Ha ha, I think George Foreman named all his 17 human children the same also.

Stump said...

Snob is going to start wearing chunky glasses and growing a magnificent beard the way he keeps talking about his Jones! (I know, I know, I had one)

Anonymous said...

Weepy sidewalls,

What junior high did you go to, that kids even knew what a Fred is? In my day, a GT with mags and dayglo splatter paint was the ride to have. The Fred prejorative was traditionally directed at cyclists who don’t conform to the “rules” of racing style diktats. Which is much more of an adulthood clique.

Pist Off said...

And again we see the magic tent that is the pejorative “Fred.” Racing/competitive bro/industry types use the word to label useful bikes and practical riders as dorky and slow. Uncool, in other words. Cyclists (of both sexes) who don’t need to compare dick size use it to label the crabon/Lycra riders as desperate wannabe jocks who buy into the old Racer myths. Can cycling culture just agree on which group the term Fred insults? At the moment all cyclists are Freds to someone. Why do we hate each other? It is possible to race bikes, be fit, and not be an elitist douchenozzle. It is simultaneously acceptable to use bikes for transportation and fun, without an inferiority complex.

D'nardo said...

So, now that Renovo has closed its doors do you get to keep the wooden bike?

As I've said repeated Sojourn Cyclery is the real deal...