My Six Year Old Rode to School Without Me

A few weeks ago, my six year old rode to school without me. Or rather, without my help.

We wake up like usual, make breakfast like usual, and get out the door in chaos like usual. It’s bike to school day so I leave extra time for the many distractions the bike path provides: big bugs, cool sticks, lost bears, stinky dog poos.

We set off for school, and I think to myself, “what happens if I don’t tell him he needs to shift into a harder gear?” He shifts. “What happens if I don’t tell him to stop at this trail intersection?” He stops and looks both ways. I am shocked. “What if I don’t push him on the final big hill before school?” You see where this is going. He stands up and pedals himself all the way to school with no input from me at all.

All of a sudden I am obsolete.

My own father didn’t get to teach me to ride. My cousin decided when I was five that he was tired of waiting for me. He put me on an old bike and pushed me down a hill in the orchard repeatedly until I stopped tumbling over. The family story goes that my dad was walking back to our house from the neighbour’s place when all of a sudden I just pedalled past him on a bike—to his surprise and dismay.

While my dad was robbed of that rite of passage, he played a huge role in my love of cycling. He let me ride his 1998 Rocky Mountain Fusion (with parallel-push Shimano LX vee brakes!), he offered my free floor-sweeping services to Freedom Bike Shop in the next town over when I turned 13, and he drove me up there every Saturday for years until I got my license. We rode bikes together, but he left me the space for it to be my thing. I am so grateful he identified mountain biking as something I clicked with and supported me endlessly in it.

Thinking back on how my father supported my passions, maybe I’m not obsolete after all.

Cycling might not be my kid’s thing. I don’t know what he will click with. But I know what kind of parent I want to be. Even if he wants to be a triathlete.

Cheat Sheet: Getting Your Kid Into Cycling

• Watch Pinkbike & Ben Cathro’s video series: How to Get Your Kids Into Biking
• Use a Kids Ride Shotgun or Mac Ride seats on your own bike to get kids used to a riding position (people accuse KRS of stealing the design, but there are similar products that predate both).
• Start them on a balance bike, we don’t ever recommend training wheels.
• Prevelo and Woom kids bikes are currently the best for younger kids (Prevelo are tough and have good MTB geometry, Wooms are lightweight and city-focused). Both are expensive, but have good resale value. It’s also worth checking the Pinkbike BuySell or Facebook marketplace for used ones.
• The iXS Trigger FF in size XS is the smallest good full face helmet I could find. Not cheap, but I like my kid’s face.
• TowWhee or Kids Ride Shotgun bungee straps are amazing for when your kid runs out of energy or wants to come on a bigger ride. Cheap bungee cords and old inner tube works fine too, although the purpose-built straps are safer and easier to use.