Subject: I wonder ...... Tue May 05, 2009 12:50 pm
I wonder if my 11 year old son would start riding with me if I put the conversion on a 20 inch girl's bike frame. It should be low enough to the ground so that in case he does the "Arte Johnson thing" he won't have too far to crash land. If it doesn't work out I can rebuild the mongoose. Any thoughts?
_________________ Bill from Sebastian Giant OCR2 Mongoose Switchback Cruzbike Conversion "Pain is only temporary, quitting is forever." Lance Armstrong www.slrsci.com/
R42Pilot Moderator
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Tue May 05, 2009 2:26 pm
I certainly would encourage him to ride, but I wouldn't invest that much into it until you're sure he will. A friend of mine has scored some real nice kids' raod bikes on Craigslist for dirt cheap... I'd look that route before I sacrificed my own bike. Unless..... You're planning to use this as an excuse to buy yourself a new bike. Then, by all means!
Mark
_________________ Bicycling is my drug of choice. Followed closely by beer.
BluesCat Recumbent Guru
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Tue May 05, 2009 3:30 pm
I agree with Mark, especially his last two sentences.
Recumbents are looked upon as "Old Man Bikes" by most teens and pre-teens. However: Cruisers are all the rage. BMX bikes score up there pretty well, too.
_________________ BluesCat ----->
2008 Sun EZ Sport CX - "Bluetiful", 2001 Giant Yukon SE - "The Roadley", 1986 Batavus Course - "DutchGrl"
---------0 ---------\__^o\ ------(*)`"''"""(*)
rydabyk Moderator
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Tue May 05, 2009 10:40 pm
I agree with Mark, you can score some really god stuff on Craigslist. Encouraging kids to ride is always a good thing, especially if you can figure out a way to make him think it was his idea!
Walt
R42Pilot Moderator
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Wed May 06, 2009 1:10 am
rydabyk wrote:
I agree with Mark, you can score some really god stuff on Craigslist. Encouraging kids to ride is always a good thing, especially if you can figure out a way to make him think it was his idea!
Walt
Involving food is usually the way to encourage a person. I know it works for me! Breakfast rides, where you ride out to a breakfast destination, then back, are a great way to motivate a pre-teen or teenager.
Mark
_________________ Bicycling is my drug of choice. Followed closely by beer.
Nightturkey Actionbent Moderator
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Wed May 06, 2009 1:51 pm
Maybe you can tie in the whole "low-rider" idea - kids seem to go for things labeled "extreme"...
_________________ Burn more carbohydrates, fewer hydrocarbons
"Taiwan Red" SWB USS HBB, "Lady Blue"E-Z SunRay
teacherbill CFRR Moderator
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Wed May 06, 2009 3:02 pm
Guess I will have to break out the gas welding tools and mount a bottom bracket assembly on the front and create a SWB out of a 20 inch 10 speed. I was trying to avoid the process, but, I will see if the old hand / eye coordination is still up to par. Now where did I put those old coat hangers and or rolls of bailing wire????
_________________ Bill from Sebastian Giant OCR2 Mongoose Switchback Cruzbike Conversion "Pain is only temporary, quitting is forever." Lance Armstrong www.slrsci.com/
R42Pilot Moderator
Subject: Re: I wonder ...... Wed May 06, 2009 3:49 pm
teacherbill wrote:
Guess I will have to break out the gas welding tools and mount a bottom bracket assembly on the front and create a SWB out of a 20 inch 10 speed. I was trying to avoid the process, but, I will see if the old hand / eye coordination is still up to par. Now where did I put those old coat hangers and or rolls of bailing wire????
Or watch Craigslist for a steal of a deal. I saw some Bike-E's on my local list this morning for $400.
Mark
_________________ Bicycling is my drug of choice. Followed closely by beer.
Subject: I wonder ...... 
Tue May 05, 2009 12:50 pm
I was trying to avoid the process, but, I will see if the old hand / eye coordination is still up to par. Now where did I put those old coat hangers and or rolls of bailing wire????
