Too old / Too Young.

anthonyvbyrne

Me ... Male, 48 yrs old. Physically strong but not very fit.
Son ... 12 yrs old, Great at Hurling and football - Strength and fitness wise he is full of energy, still growing and will continue to for the next 8 years or so.

I love to cycle. I go for a 20 to 40 K spin every weekend, and will do more in the spring/summer.

Problem is, Getting him to come along, is like dragging an angry sheep to a slaughterhouse.

I would love to get him to enjoy it and come along, but how ?

Suggestions welcome, especially from people who have already solved this problem.

anthonyvbyrne

please advise

DirkVoodoo

I've tried getting both of my brothers to try cycling. They simply aren't interested. The youngest one will watch the Tour with me and really enjoys it, but he has no interest in getting a bike and coming for some spins.

You can encourage someone but you can't really force them. Maybe organize a trip to the tour some summer and let him see what it is like? If he sees the sport up close and by those at the peak of it, maybe he will be more willing to try it. However, if you are at the point of having to drag him along then I think you should just leave him to the hurling and football.

Daniel S

Let him look at downhill. :DThat will get him interested, then tell him he has to learn how to ride trails first

mo_bhicycle

Mountain biking and bmx are a great way of getting kids into cycling. Once into these there often is a gradual drift towards the road.

Would he have any interest in cycle touring?
I always loved camping and outdoor cooking when I was younger (didn't cycle tour till I was an adult though). Could be a way of getting him more into it, rather than it feeling like being dragged along for some exercise.

Caroline_ie

12 years old is still quite young... he might come around and see sense in a few years :P but I wouldn't force him. Cycling with his old man is probably not as much fun as playing hurling with kids his age.

Have you ever tried to take him to youth races?

Maybe another thought: lots of kids love the track. It's fast and great fun and there are lots of youth races. If you live in or around Dublin ( Sundrive road track ) or near Cork ( Kanturk ), there are outdoor tracks you could take him to?

Jawgap

Softly....softly......catchy mousey!!

I'm in a similar position to yourself and I've finished my third cycle with my eldest today.

Himself and his brother have had mountain bikes for a few years but I couldn't pursuade them on the merits of a road bike.

This year, then, the eldest (12 years old) asked for a road bike and we've had a few rides since the ice and snow went.

I think the only thing to do is to keep going for your rides and talk enthusiastically about cycling and the cycles you go on.........that's how I think it worked with my lad although it wasn't a deliberate strategy on my part to get him involved in cycling.

Three rides in and he's already tried to outsprint me once and drop me a couple of times!!

Try playing on his competitive streak!!

Good luck

TheBlaaMan

anthonyvbyrne wrote: »

Me ... Male, 48 yrs old. Physically strong but not very fit.
Son ... 12 yrs old, Great at Hurling and football - Strength and fitness wise he is full of energy, still growing and will continue to for the next 8 years or so.

I love to cycle. I go for a 20 to 40 K spin every weekend, and will do more in the spring/summer.

Problem is, Getting him to come along, is like dragging an angry sheep to a slaughterhouse.

I would love to get him to enjoy it and come along, but how ?

Suggestions welcome, especially from people who have already solved this problem.

Interesting issue. I've a similar dynamic with my guy (45/14) but he DOES want to go cycling so he got a road bike for Christmas and we've been out. Shopping for new gear has proved a 'bonding' session, but the crux of your issue is his (un)willingness to buy in to cycling, and this wont be easily remedied. If he truly does not want to go, you may need to just accept this..............on the other hand, if there's a glimmer of interest, then you have to fan the spark with a challenge (all kids love challenges...). Set yourself and himself a challenge such as competing together in a 50-80k sportive some time later in the year. This will need a bit of preparation/training and you can plan/build routes together off the bike as well.

Cycling will be good cross-training for his other sports, so maybe if you research one of his hurling/football hero's you will be able to show that these guys are likely to use bike time for their own development, training etc.

Maybe he has a technical streak that you can include - some aspect of your cycling, even if its just stripping/servicing, might get him motivated.

Box clever, be prepared for his reluctance; above all, dont let your interest get in the way of his (ie. your) happiness - good luck !

Icyseanfitz

id say try to sell him on mountain biking first (show him some downhill videos etc.) as that is a much "cooler" (to young lads anyway, or at least it was when i was 13 around 8 years ago) discipline of biking and then afterwards if he finds out he enjoys cycling in general try and get him into the road biking, thats my opinion for what its worth

RobFowl

MTB events have kids races which are short and great fun.
BMX is ideal for kids and teaches great skill as well.
The track at Sundrive is very kid friendly.
I'd suggest these 3 before road spins.

Lawdie

Short cycles and mix it about.
Cycle up to the GAA training with him is a start.

Seaswimmer

anthonyvbyrne wrote: »

Me ... Male, 48 yrs old. Physically strong but not very fit.
Son ... 12 yrs old, Great at Hurling and football - Strength and fitness wise he is full of energy, still growing and will continue to for the next 8 years or so.

I love to cycle. I go for a 20 to 40 K spin every weekend, and will do more in the spring/summer.

Problem is, Getting him to come along, is like dragging an angry sheep to a slaughterhouse.

I would love to get him to enjoy it and come along, but how ?

Suggestions welcome, especially from people who have already solved this problem.

I have 3 teenagers who all cycle. however they dont cycle for training or fitness, they cycle to get somewhere. To school, friends, shops ect. Why not try using the car less to drop him places and get him to use the bike for practical purposes rather than trying to get him straight into road cycling. Our experience was that once they discovered how much freedom they had with a bike they rarely asked for lifts and by getting him cycling in this fashion he may eventually move on to road/racing type cycling.

Trekker09

I'm the same with my wife, but have approached it from a 'family' viewpoint, saying that it would be nice to go for spins weekends etc with our youngest, who's 9 and terrified of the bike, (she fell off it in the summer and refused point blank to get on it again). My eldest (16) hasn't the slightest interest, just boxing and soccer though he would be good as he has great stamina and the right build.

ROK ON

In general I think its best to avoid forcing ones own hobbies/sporting choices upon your kids.

If he already plays sports then well and good. If he enjoys them even better, if he is good at them even better yet. What is to be gained by cajoling him to spend time with you whilst you parttake in your hobby.

Just a thought.

ED E

From age 5 - 10/12 my dad would drag me (and the siblings) out every Saturday. Grew to detest those mornings. Now, at 19, I love cycling. Give him time.

When he starts(presuming he hasn't) secondary school get him cycling there. The freedom is great and thats what brought me back.

BostonB

My oldest has no interest. Never had. The young guys loves anything with wheels, now goes everywhere on his balance bike.

anthonyvbyrne

Thanks to all who replied. Its all sound advice, and confirms much of my own thinking.

I will continue with the gentle persuasion approach, and the idea of cycling up and back to the GAA pitch is a good one, even if it is about 4 miles.

Rest assured, I am not going to drag him kicking and screaming out onto the road, That would only ruin the day for both of us.

Jawgap

You could time your spin to and from training and see if that sparks any interest.

The first morning out with my eldest and we did a lap of the village - I had the Garmin on and he wanted to know how quick we did the lap. Every day since when we've gone out he's insisted on starting with the same lap to see if he can better his time - doesn't matter what route we're doing, we start with that lap!!

Thankfully he's not close to beating my personal best on it............yet:)

smacl

Similar enough situation here, (45 with two daughters 7 & 11). I think its great to do sports with your kids, but you need to find ones that you both enjoy. The main time I'm out cycling with my 11 year old is the short spin to a local boxing class which she loves, and while she enjoys cyling there I'm pretty sure the idea of a long regular road cycle with no destination would have little appeal.

+1 for what seaswimmer said about kids using the bike as a piece of functional transport first, that provides range and independence from the need to get lifts. Once they use it regularly and appreciate what it offers, they're far more likely to come out on the odd leisure spin.

Either that or you could take up hurling...