support Tutorials CDs PPT mouthpieces

Getting on my bike...

Little My

Practice makes better.
Messages
398
Locality
Wiltshire, UK.
So I may be slightly nuts. The lovely Mr LM offered me a choice between a cheap and cheerful preloved tenor or a new bike for my birthday. I've gone for the bike, and it will be arriving on Friday. Along with a childseat for my toddler. Given that my cycling career started 15 years ago at age 28 and finished at 29 when I moved house, without me having actually cycled on anything more demanding than a converted railway line, this is a bit scary. I've also booked some lessons with a local schools riding instructor, as I really want my girl to grow up with cycling being a normal way of getting around. Helmets will come this week, please wish me luck...
 
enjoy :)
I'm not sure I would have made that choice - but then my "toddlers" are now all teenagers :)))

that said, when they were little, I cycled with all 3 of them on the bike - one on the front, one on the back and one in the trailer behind. Not in the UK though. Great fun.
 
Well done LM. I recently got a new racing bike and love it!!
 
Gosh Mandy, I think it's a huge achievement having 3, let alone cycling with them all at the same time! I still wonder if I should have chosen the sax instead, but that won't help my daughter when petrol is £5/litre or whatever by the time she is old enough to drive.

Enjoy your new bike Nick, thank you!
 
My three loved going on kiddie seats on the bikes. A lot of people here use a 2 seater trailer, works well - and it's very common for the shopping to go in there instead of - or as well as - the kid(s). One local lady does this with her german shepherd all though the year, even when there's a lot of snow around, the dog is well trained and just trots along, no pulling or stopping..... And recently her oldest got his own bike, so he cycles along with only the smaller one in the trailer.

Have fun!
 
Good choice! I must admit that my two bicycles have fallen into disuse over the past few months. It doesn't help that I live at the top of a fairly nasty hill!
 
From what I remember of a very brief visit to Tasmania, the hills there can be very steep! I grew up in Cornwall on a 1in5 hill, so that is the reason my mum always gives for raising 5 non-cycling kids. That and my alleged complete lack of balance :verysad

Kev, that sounds brilliant. I did wonder about a trailer but it could be a bit of a pain getting it over stiles/through barriers etc on local paths.
 
Doesn't sound as if a trailer will work for you. Many of the roads here have dedicated cycleways or shared footpaths/cycleways.
 
I've just been told about the Palace to Palace bike ride in September. 46 miles from Buckingham Palace to Windsor Castle. I'm thinking about doing that, but am not sure about how to get me and my bike up to London for an early start! Trains don't start early enough, and I don't think I could persuade my son to get up early to take me. If he'd do that that, I could cycle back home after the ride. The only other option is if I drive my self up there, park (but there's no free parking), and then pay for the organisers coach to take me and my bike back up to London to pick up the car and drive home..
 
I've had two lessons now, and can safely start, stop, go along, go past parked cars, look behind and signal (left). I'm now trying to get the bottle up to do my first solo practice. It will be fine once I've actually set off, I know it will.

Any joy with either of your London rides, Nick?
 
have to say I wouldnt have gone for the bike....

i've never fallen off a sax.. well .. not yet :)
 
A reasonable compromise, if wheels were the main issue, would have been a used baritone saxophone with a wheeled case. It is not too late to put this on your wish list for your next birthday.
 
Jolly good. I used to love cycling but i fell of a chair lift whilst on a ski holiday and badly damaged my cruciate ligament and it is just too painful to cycle now so I don't bother trying. I still have my lovely Muddy Fox just in case....

Hope you many miles of fun
 
I've had two lessons now, and can safely start, stop, go along, go past parked cars, look behind and signal (left). I'm now trying to get the bottle up to do my first solo practice. It will be fine once I've actually set off, I know it will.

Any joy with either of your London rides, Nick?

Hi Kate, well done on your progress. Tour de France next!! :)

No, I haven't done anything about them yet, but still considering London to Brighton next year.
 
LOL, I am very much liking the idea of a wheeled baritone case! Re falling off a sax - not quite the same thing - but my daughter will tug on the bell of my tenor whilst commanding "Let go, Mummy!" Sue, that sounds very painful. Thank you for your good wishes. Nick - I think I would be happy with Le Tour de Devizes. Although that Tweed Run in London looks like fun, maybe in a year or two!
 
Updating this to say that I'm hooked, and counting the months until my daughter goes into nursery so that I'll have more opportunity to ride. I'm at the standard now where I can ride confidently on quiet roads. I need to do some more practice before attempting riding with the childseat on, but am mapping out bridleways that I can do when I get the chance. I can see a second bike in the future too - possibly prettier and perhaps lighter. I have a lesson on Tuesday that will probably be my last for a while, I just need to put the practice in now.
 
All kids here learn cycling when they are four or so. They also get a few (not enough, in my opinion) lessons in primary school on how to navigate safely through traffic. And at least until they are 18, the bicycle is there main way of transportation. Isn't that the same in the UK?

Btw, when our kids were still small, we had two child seats on our bikes. One kid in front, and one behind. That could be challenging sometimes ;)
 
jthole, I'm in Arnhem at the moment. Are you sure that children are taught to ride their bikes? After nearly killing half the population of Oosterbeek during my stay here I'm not so sure they are!!! :shocked::))):))):)));}
 
jthole, I think most children learn from their parents, but neither of mine rode so I didn't either. There are fewer children riding on the roads than there used to be, I think a lot of kids are ferried around by car.
 
Back
Top Bottom