Get up and ride!
Since her triumph at the Bryant Kids Triathlon in the summer of 2017, Caroline has been keen on doing another race. I looked for options here in Wisconsin, and while there are many kids' triathlons between Memorial and Labor Day, the timing is just tough for her to participate in one of them.
As an alternate option, we started looking at other athletic events, especially those that focus on the part of the triathlon Caroline enjoys most: the cycling! She's always loved riding her bike, from the first wobbly moments of freedom without the training wheels to cruising around our new neighborhood. She's outgrown a couple of bikes along the way, too, as she's grown to almost look me in the eye at this point!
As we started talking about getting ready for a ride or a race this summer, I realized that her old bike just wasn't going to do it anymore. She's closing in on about 5'4", and with the seat as high as it could go, she was still looking a bit cramped on the down pedal. Given how much she enjoys being on her bike, and how I'm so frequently looking for things we can do together, this felt like the time to invest in a good, solid road bike that could still grow with her but also bridge her from her upright mountain bike to a true road bike, maybe in the future, if she gets even more into the sport.
There are plenty of bike shops around here; our area definitely caters to an active lifestyle, with an extensive bike trail in the region and miles and miles of paved roads out in the country. I see cyclist on the roads almost every day, morning and evening, in almost any temperature. As long as the roads are clear, it seems there's someone in the saddle. One of the big bike companies, Trek, is even based in the state, with their headquarters in a small town just outside of Madison. If there was ever a time for Caroline to dive into the sport of cycling, this is it!
We did a little bit of research online and learned we'd just missed the big tent sale the weekend before. I had a gently used bike on my mind as a smart investment, and I was bummed we had missed what was probably the best opportunity to find the perfect ride! Undeterred, though, we headed out and checked out the options at the local shops. At Wheel & Sprocket, we combed through a basement full of second hand bikes, finally finding one that looked like it might be the perfect option. Road tires but an upright riding position, with solid components in good shape. Maybe not the color I would have chosen, but Caroline was happy it wasn't pink! (We're officially past that phase in her life...)
Caroline was delighted with her new bike! She took it out for a test ride and ended up doing 10 miles in the neighborhood without any prompting! That's definitely the sign of a good fit. I encouraged her to keep riding and to get some miles in the saddle, as we had jointly decided to do the summer kickoff event at work, the Get Up and Ride! 25 miler that began and ended at my office.
What a fun event! There were plenty of people there to attempt the routes that varied from 10 to 50 miles. It was a beautiful day, lots of sunshine, and I was excited to hit the road with Caroline.
We took it at her pace the whole time, and she did fantastically well! The route was a combination of bike path and roads, and she was a champ in following the rules of the road. Toward the end her seat started getting a little uncomfortable, but even despite that, she pushed through and made it all the way to the finish line with a smile on her face.
We had such a terrific time, we plan to try for another 25 miler together in July. We'll shop around for a new saddle to see if that makes a difference, and maybe she can wear some true cycling shorts next time, too. I feel good, though, that she's on her way to becoming an avid cyclist, and that we've found something that we can enjoy doing together.
As an alternate option, we started looking at other athletic events, especially those that focus on the part of the triathlon Caroline enjoys most: the cycling! She's always loved riding her bike, from the first wobbly moments of freedom without the training wheels to cruising around our new neighborhood. She's outgrown a couple of bikes along the way, too, as she's grown to almost look me in the eye at this point!
As we started talking about getting ready for a ride or a race this summer, I realized that her old bike just wasn't going to do it anymore. She's closing in on about 5'4", and with the seat as high as it could go, she was still looking a bit cramped on the down pedal. Given how much she enjoys being on her bike, and how I'm so frequently looking for things we can do together, this felt like the time to invest in a good, solid road bike that could still grow with her but also bridge her from her upright mountain bike to a true road bike, maybe in the future, if she gets even more into the sport.
There are plenty of bike shops around here; our area definitely caters to an active lifestyle, with an extensive bike trail in the region and miles and miles of paved roads out in the country. I see cyclist on the roads almost every day, morning and evening, in almost any temperature. As long as the roads are clear, it seems there's someone in the saddle. One of the big bike companies, Trek, is even based in the state, with their headquarters in a small town just outside of Madison. If there was ever a time for Caroline to dive into the sport of cycling, this is it!
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| please excuse the finger in the way! |
What a fun event! There were plenty of people there to attempt the routes that varied from 10 to 50 miles. It was a beautiful day, lots of sunshine, and I was excited to hit the road with Caroline.
We had such a terrific time, we plan to try for another 25 miler together in July. We'll shop around for a new saddle to see if that makes a difference, and maybe she can wear some true cycling shorts next time, too. I feel good, though, that she's on her way to becoming an avid cyclist, and that we've found something that we can enjoy doing together.
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