bikes bikes bikes
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Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Nice & clean for the picture before the down hill.
parbaked
Senior Member
My little city beater…Cannondale Hooligan with rigid lefty fork and Nexus 3 speed…
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tostadas
Hobbyist / Craftsman
How old is your kid?
My son was thrilled with his new bike …
7 y.o. It's a boy
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Get him a powered two wheeler were his feet can almost touch the ground. I was riding on dirt roads & orchards in 1950's on a vintage Cushman scooter in Virginia 9 years old. First powered vehicle. Been a lifelong two wheel junkie bicycles and motorcycles ever since.
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Couple Harleys of different sort. I used to strap ice chisels to back of motorcycle for Hotel accounts. Motorcycle & moped parking free. I saw this black Harley nothing like had seen before. After carving 7 ice sculptures stopped at store to buy a six pack
of beer & motorcycle magazine. In it they listed most collectible motorcycles the Harley cafe racer was on their list. This was l988. I went back next day left a note on seat saying interested in buying it. Next day it was gone. Thought I missed it. About a week later guy called me up said you wanta still buy dat Harley how much you pay. Told him I'd pay one thousand for it. Said you
crazy want at least 1,800 for it. Told me if could get it started pay that. If not 1,300. I agreed. Brought my pickup with tie downs & wood ramp. He couldn't get it started so got it 1,300. Ray Baldaz was harley mechanic for Honolulu Police Dept. when they still used Harleys. Now they use BMW bikes. He told me to pick a color I liked the deep red. He rebuilt the engine & transmission. Put a Del Oltro carb. on it. Sold my Japanese
motorcycle when he finished. Had the only 1977 Cafe Racer in Hawaii. They only made them two years. It was cool looking but not a very good bike this was AMF years. The battery plate was welded to bottom edge of oil tank vibration of the 1000cc Shovelhead weight of battery with no support cracked the oil tank oil leaking out. Had to strip parts off to get tank out. Rewelded the crack & welded support bars to make it much stronger. Had it a while about 9 years. People would ask what is that. Found the Buell 1997 only few months old with good stuff done to it better air intake hypercharger, new jets in carb. to make it faster. Vance & Hines exhaust. Took it for a test ride loved it. Had it 11 years longest ever one bike. Sold it bought a Kawasaki 650R Ninja my last motorcycle.
of beer & motorcycle magazine. In it they listed most collectible motorcycles the Harley cafe racer was on their list. This was l988. I went back next day left a note on seat saying interested in buying it. Next day it was gone. Thought I missed it. About a week later guy called me up said you wanta still buy dat Harley how much you pay. Told him I'd pay one thousand for it. Said you
crazy want at least 1,800 for it. Told me if could get it started pay that. If not 1,300. I agreed. Brought my pickup with tie downs & wood ramp. He couldn't get it started so got it 1,300. Ray Baldaz was harley mechanic for Honolulu Police Dept. when they still used Harleys. Now they use BMW bikes. He told me to pick a color I liked the deep red. He rebuilt the engine & transmission. Put a Del Oltro carb. on it. Sold my Japanese
motorcycle when he finished. Had the only 1977 Cafe Racer in Hawaii. They only made them two years. It was cool looking but not a very good bike this was AMF years. The battery plate was welded to bottom edge of oil tank vibration of the 1000cc Shovelhead weight of battery with no support cracked the oil tank oil leaking out. Had to strip parts off to get tank out. Rewelded the crack & welded support bars to make it much stronger. Had it a while about 9 years. People would ask what is that. Found the Buell 1997 only few months old with good stuff done to it better air intake hypercharger, new jets in carb. to make it faster. Vance & Hines exhaust. Took it for a test ride loved it. Had it 11 years longest ever one bike. Sold it bought a Kawasaki 650R Ninja my last motorcycle.
What a great story!!!
I don’t want to hijack this thread so I’ll make it short. I’ve been riding since I was 14 … I’m 73 now. Went into Harley’s when I could afford to. Been retired since 1999 and spent years touring. Northern hemisphere summers in Canada and the Western USA ,,, Southern Hemisphere summers in New Zealand. Was staying with a friend in Napier when I agreed (after more than a bottle of wine each) that if he came to Canada and bought one of the newly released BMW 6 cylinder GTL’s, I would do the same and take him for the ride if a lifetime to the Mexico border. He did, I did and off we went. Problem was the BMW riding gear just sucks so I rode the BMW in my Harley gear … half helmet, T-shirt, vest, boots etc. Was stopped at a light in Southern California when a couple of guys pulled beside me in an old pickup truck. The passenger rolled the window down, looked me over … as said … “man … that’s just wrong!”.
Great memories.
Does he already know how to ride? What's the terrain like where he'll be riding - will gears be necessary/helpful? Are you looking for a bike that's perfect for now, and may need to be replaced in a year or two, or are you hoping for a bike that will last him another 3 or 4 years?
I used to race road (and a little track) years ago. Raced in a few US National Championships. This is my latest bike.
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NICE, in my teens I drove a custom built racing cycle...I'm pretty sure my knees have taken damage using too much torque going fast, an electric bike is about it these days. I rode a lot in Austria, downhill was so much fun, overtaking cars at breakneck speeds (literally, I've driven that particular mountain road many times in a car since, and always wondered how it's possible to go faster on a bike)
Motorcycles.....naaah not for me, I took driving lessons long ago and found myself doing well over 160 km/h getting onto the highway...max acceleration somehow always gets me so I quite ahead of the game ;-)
Motorcycles.....naaah not for me, I took driving lessons long ago and found myself doing well over 160 km/h getting onto the highway...max acceleration somehow always gets me so I quite ahead of the game ;-)
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we started our kid (now 6) on a Woom bike, IMO the best kids bike around, built for kids with arm leg ratios etc taken into account, low weight etc...
He took a while fooling around when he was 4, so we took the pedals off and let him use it as a walking bike, couple of weeks later he announced that he now could ride it; I went out, let him go and he took off....no side wheels, ever. He's now on his second Woom bike, whizzing through the park in front of our house.
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Did same thing trying to get close to my times Tantalis mountain climbs in my early 50's. Was not too bad not quite as quick as late 30's early 40's. Screwed up my knee climbing in the saddle putting too much power to the crank. Love mountain downhills
too on road bicycle.
Motorcycles one of man's greatest coolest inventions.
I raced for them back in the late 80's. I rode with Dan (the owner) a lot. Here's the bike from the club sponsor. It used to be my training and race bike, but now a winter beater. I got the jersey (in the photo) when visiting the area, and stopped by the bike shop to say "hi" and do a club ride for old times sake, and Dan was still riding (10 years ago).
For ya' cycling old-timers, please note the spare tire (tied to the saddle) is [covered by] in an old sock strapped on with a genuine Alfredo Binda toe strap;-)
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Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Is this his first bike? Seven years old looked at kids bikes on your list. Like #2 pick not dirt cheap like some others but versatile as he grows some. Comes in different sizes 14,16,18 get larger size, can lower & raise the seat. Plus it's a cool small kids bike with nice lines, good brakes & aluminum frame so it's lighter. I can see a seven year old tooling around & exploring on that. Royal Space Shuttle bike. Nice handle bars on it too for comfort & control. By the time he is 10 or 11
He will be ready for larger wheels.
It's funny things you remember. When I was 10 for Christmas got a Schwinn bicycle blue with chrome fenders. It was a 2 speed back pedal to change gears. Before that had hand me downs from sisters to learn to ride two wheelers. Finally not a girl's bike. I think that was best Christmas present I ever got. Two years later at 12 got a paper route it was large # route had front basket & two side baskets rear wheel. I would have to pack the papers with bike leaning against a wall, because I wasn't strong enough to lift it fully packed.
BoSharpens
Well-Known Member
First bike was a used Columbia which I cleaned, oiled & painted up with flames on the fender tips when I was about 7 & it served thru high school. No one had "10 speeds" in those days in St. Helens, Oregon.
First thing I did no day one in San Luis Obispo @ Cal Poly was to buy a Schwin 10 speed at a garage sale for $10 and rode it to Avila beach. Being new to SoCal, I found out how quick you can get a sunburn.
The Schwin lasted until I got my first job designing diving gear at Jaques Cousteau's US Divers in the mid-60s. It's been on hell of a ride & now approaching 80 I'm on a Felt 7 mountain bike. I still average about 20 mph on my 16 mile round trip to Crystal Cover nearly every day. Gotta keep it up, so to speek.
No interest in "real fast" anymore. Over the handlebars is, shall I say, "harder" than I want to do again.
First thing I did no day one in San Luis Obispo @ Cal Poly was to buy a Schwin 10 speed at a garage sale for $10 and rode it to Avila beach. Being new to SoCal, I found out how quick you can get a sunburn.
The Schwin lasted until I got my first job designing diving gear at Jaques Cousteau's US Divers in the mid-60s. It's been on hell of a ride & now approaching 80 I'm on a Felt 7 mountain bike. I still average about 20 mph on my 16 mile round trip to Crystal Cover nearly every day. Gotta keep it up, so to speek.
No interest in "real fast" anymore. Over the handlebars is, shall I say, "harder" than I want to do again.
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
Woom bikes for kids was mentioned. They cost a little more but also have good features. Easy seat adjustment & handlebars
as kid grows. The woom 4 is rated for kids 6-8. Going up to Woom 5 is for kids 7- 11. Bigger wheels, both have 8 gear derailer. Depends how big your 7 year old is always think with adjustable seat & handle bars they can grow into larger wheel bike. Think woom site gives kids heights for 4 & 5 models.
as kid grows. The woom 4 is rated for kids 6-8. Going up to Woom 5 is for kids 7- 11. Bigger wheels, both have 8 gear derailer. Depends how big your 7 year old is always think with adjustable seat & handle bars they can grow into larger wheel bike. Think woom site gives kids heights for 4 & 5 models.
Just got my 9 y/o a Polygon Premier Ultralight 24. Will see how it is when it arrives. They get super good reviews and the price is significantly less than bikes of similar specs, $320 on sale at the moment. Plus he liked the paint job the best. That’s what matters most, right?
Keith Sinclair
Senior Member
This is a great thread never thought could get stoked researching kids bikes. Thanks for the input.
This new bike is a size up from the Guardian Ethos 16, which is also a super great bike. He wanted something a little more aggressive and trail capable this time.
