Blog
The Thrill of Riding
We all remember that feeling. It’s that sensation of speed, freedom, and mobility we got when we first started riding. It’s what we remember about riding a bike as a kid, and in many ways what continues to fuel our desire to ride as adults. As a father, one of the next best things to that childhood sensation is the thrill I see on my son’s face as we ride together in our neighborhood.
My son is eleven years old and like others his age he usually doesn’t go out biking any extended amount of time. Usually, he just rides around the neighborhood with his buds, or hops on his bike to go visit someone down the street. I used to ask him if he wanted to go riding with me, but about a year ago I stopped asking because usually he said no. But in the last couple weeks, he’s been asking if he can come along when I’m going out for my regular after-work ride. I figure that a ride with my son will always be more fulfilling for the both of us—and certainly for me—than a ride on my own even though I might sacrifice the workout I would get if I were on my own. (And actually, I’ve figured out how I can get the workout I want and still not leave him behind.)
From the moment he got on a bike at about five or six years old, I told him that someone had to be outside when he’s riding, and “don’t go out into the street!” While well intentioned, that regularly-blurted warning may have served us well back then but is now coming back to challenge us. Telling a child this over and over again, and cautioning them about the dangers of cars and the need to pay attention, is pretty much telling them, “ride on the sidewalk!” But as we ride now on our neighborhood streets, and as I have over the years become a more experienced rider of the road, it is becoming obvious—at least to me if not my son—that riding on the sidewalk is not a safe thing to be doing.
On our ride yesterday, I started cautioning him when a good examples arose that, for example, when that particular car backed out of the driveway, if he was about another thirty feet in front, the driver might not have been able to see him in time, or that he might not have been able to stop his bike. I’m not going to force him to do the entire ride with me on the street because I don’t want to scare him to death either, but he has started to ride certain parts with me on the road.
All the while, I’m thinking, I don’t want to kill the thrill for him. Of course, I want him to pick up good riding skills. But, I want him to stay in touch with that feeling that got so many of us to be life-long riders.
August 31st, 2007 at 8:52 am
I am 69 yrs. old and i try to ride 5 -10 miles each morning. The trouble is i have a hard time finding anyone to ride with. It seems everyone in my neighborhood only wants to sit at home at watch tv. Any ideas? I disagree with you about riding on sidewalks. About 30 yrs. ago a young punk knocked me off the road ans i received a broken wrist and cracked collorbone. You would have to put a gun to my head to make me ride with car traffic. I only ride bike trails or sidewalks.Even though they are sometimes rough and uneven they a million times safer than getting hit by a car. I live in Windermere, Fla. and recently the town finally completed a bike ramp over canal. The problem is the guard rails are only 45 inches wide which is very very narrow and create a scary ride over bridge(my handlebars barely miss rails by 5-6 inches. I am pushing the town council to widen rails but i dont know how wide they should be. Any ideas? Thanks
September 17th, 2007 at 10:49 am
I agree totally with the author regarding the safety of riding on the road vs. riding on sidewalks. By definition sidewalks are for pedestrian traffic. I live in Michigan, where many towns and cities have banned riding on the sidewalks for bikers. The same people who complain about the danger of cars on the road pose the same dangers to walkers on the sidewalk. Not only does one run the risk of being hit by a car when riding on the sidewalk, they run the risk of hitting a pedestrian, especially young children or older adults who use the sidewalks as a safe passage to walk to their destinations. Please advocate for safe biking to everyone you meet during a ride!
September 21st, 2007 at 2:48 pm
I’m a 71 year old male thats been riding for the last 5 years. I’ve been riding on streets and sidewalks and have been very fortunate that I have not had an accident. I live in St louis, Mo. but my riding experience has been in Slidell La, New Jersey to Atlantic City, Gulf coast area around WaveLand Miss, in Slidell, La, alone the Delaware river in Philly, Corpus Christi, Texas, areas. I ride to keep healthy and physical fit out of fear of becoming bed ridden and having to put my love ones to care for bedding ridden Me. This riding has kept Me youthfull physically and mentally fit and alert. I have NO physical pain and feel bless in that I don’t worry much about anything. I love the way I feel and thus enjoy the days that the good Lord has granted me Life.
St Louis city has some nice bike trails and also across the river in Illinois.
To ALL you their that get home from work and sit in front of the TV and watch all that garbage-do your love ones a favor. Get out and ride to get rid of fustrations, boredom, problems and five your body the work out that it needs to sustain you in good health for as long as God does not need to call on you. Do this for yourself and out of love and consideration for your love ones.
Take care and God Bless you with good riding habits and safety.
October 25th, 2007 at 9:19 pm
The original post is pretty much right on. My 7 year old isn’t allowed to travel alone except about the block on his bike (we live on a state highway). Whenever we go anywhere I point out the idiots riding the wrong way, and how we don’t cycle on the sidewalk as a rule. His first cycling experiences occured when he was 2 months old in atrailer and he continued to watch how it was done until he graduated to the back of the tandem at 6. Inresponse to he who doesn’t use the road on his bike….. Wow, 45″ and you are having a hard time getting your bike through? It would occur to most people (one would think) that will that poor of distance perception you also have no place in an automobile and I hope for everyone’s sake you no longer drive.
February 1st, 2008 at 12:54 am
My daughters (ages 14 & 12) have been cycling with me for 5 years. A trailer bike was used for the younger years. The primary incentive has been a couple of local charity rides where they get a ton of compliments for participating and a cool jersey. During that time we have had fun developing the following riding rules.
Bicycling Rules
1. Don’t get run over.
2. Bike vs Car - Bike loses every time.
3. On a Bike you are nothing but a moving target.
4. Cars love moving targets.
5. Have Fun!!
No accidents so far… knock on wood.
Bob