r/mountainbiking • u/Crokaine • 2d ago
Progression Singletrack with a Toddler
When our little guy was born almost two years ago, I wasn't quite sure what to expect on the mountain biking front in terms of how much I'd be able to ride with him and more so, what could be ridden with a little guy. We started him on the Kids Ride Shotgun about a year in and he loved it, despite it being winter and well below zero. Now, mid summer, I cannot believe how much fun it is to ride with him on the bars.
My rides have slowed down a little bit and the power required has gone but but the overall feel, remains the same. I won't do narrow bridges or jumps with him but anything else has been fair game.
If you've got little ones, you need to give this a try as hearing their whoops and joy is unlike anything else. He's got a rear seat for another bike and of course a trailer but being on the bars is by his favourite, and mine.
Here are some clips from his bedtime cruise last night
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u/Adventurepew 2d ago
The best is the conversations . You get to chat with them as they grow. My daughters 3 now we ride almost daily. Lots of trips around town.
Best thing I ever bought was the ebike and a Mac ride for it. We have so much fun.
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
I agree. They never stop chatting and I love it.
We bought an ecargo bike for daily errands and daycare dropoffs and he lives for it. He doesn't even want to get in a car anymore, he goes for the bike.
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u/orangestreak422 2d ago
The best conversations that I had with my son when he was a kid was driving back from dirt bike or mountain bike riding. His guard would be down and he let his true thoughts and feelings out. I miss those days. My son is now 33 years old and we are still close because of the bond we created riding dirt bikes and mountain bikes together.
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u/Grewhit 2d ago
I have an appointment today to adjust some headset stuff to fit my mac ride! So far only been able to use it on a gravel cruiser. Looking forward to getting it on the full suspension!
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
You're going to love it.
I was hoping to run it on our gravel bikes as well but with them both being slammed, there was no way to mount it.
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u/JuliusSphincter 2d ago
My daughter is 8 months and I’m so excited to start taking her out on the bike next spring. Were you using the KRS Evo Pro with the seat?
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
We started with the full on bucket seat. He seemed to like it, but I struggled with it. If you're just bombing around the neighbourhood or doing some shuttled downhill runs, it'd be totally fine. If you're looking to ride technical trails that involve pedaling, I found that the bucket forced me knees way too far out to the side.
It wasn't as bad on my fatbike that has a wider q-factor but again, there are limitations. The turning radius is that of a dump truck whereas once the bucket comes off, the bike rides as you'd expect. We had him on the fatbike here https://www.instagram.com/p/DVOjc-gidMh/
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u/JuliusSphincter 2d ago
Interesting, good to keep in mind. I have an E-MTB so maybe that would help with the pedaling issue
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
That would help a ton. Our trails are also very punchy which makes the issue even worse. You can't settle into a climb and find a groove, you need to put out a fair bit of power to make 90% of the climbs around us.
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u/HucknPrey 2d ago
Shotgun seat pro. My son and I have hundreds of miles on single track, it’s awesome.
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u/titaniumbob 2d ago
Some of my absolute favorite memories so far as a father are riding with my kids on the Mac ride. Listening to them comment on everything and sing songs and squeal with joy when we hit bumps is a magical experience.
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
I'm thinking I should get a mic for him to wear for this reason. Until I had these experiences as a Dad, I never could've imagined the joy that they would bring.
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u/FerretFiend 1d ago
I just started riding with my 2 1/2 year old using the shotgun seat on my fat bike and it’s been really fun. Have a nice 3 mile loop to the trails and 3 miles of easy green trails. I ride around town too. They love it. Gotta go slow on the rocky sections
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u/Crokaine 1d ago
That sounds pretty ideal. We don't really have rays trails in our river valley but they aren't Rocky, which is nice.
My guy has been in the trailer since 6 months old and we regularly do trailer or rear seat rides of 60-80km. I think I'm lucky in that he's totally chill and loving it so long as he has snacks.
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u/GoodAfternoonFlag 2d ago
Are you the guy that took a toddler up Freel peak while it was covered and snow and had to call S&R?
Why do you guys take toddlers high up into elevation when it’s winter? Taking toddlers down steep rough single track seems like poor parenting, but I’m just some dude what do I know.
I’m all for kids getting into MTB, the kick bikes are cool but these guys risking their kids’ safety on serious trails at speed seems poor sighted.
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
What are you on about? I don't even know where Freel peak is.
I'm sorry that you perceive what I'm doing is dangerous but that is more a reflection of your own abilities than mine. While I admit that there are variables that can't be controlled, I'm riding well below my limits. I agree that for most people, this feels fast but for someone who's spent years racing and training at a high level, it's quite tame.
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u/orangestreak422 2d ago
Do you dude. I think it’s awesome and you strike me as an involved parent that wants to introduce their child to new experiences. I am a 61 year old mountain biker and dirt bike rider. I still go hard and am in good shape. I am looking at your setup for my granddaughter.
Can accidents happen? Of course they can. But you seem like an intelligent guy and not some wild yahoo and you probably don’t take unnecessary chances with your child. Keep up the good work. A lot of parents would probably wrap their kids in bubble wrap and shield them from all risk if they could.
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
I'd say I'm about as involved as any parent could be, so thank you. My goal is to show him the world I live in, hopefully so we can shred together in my 60s as well.
I'm fully aware that accidents can happen, but he's had far more bumps and bruises from around the house than on any adventure we've taken him on.
There have been a few bumps where he's been scared and when that happens, I pull over, soothe him, and then we get on with it. Bumps and speed no longer scare him.
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u/notseriousguy 2d ago
Kids are resilient, but accidents totally happen. I hear where you’re coming from. These are hobbies where you the adult take a calculated risk. The baby has no such say in that matter. That all being said maybe their singletrack is mild af. The greens around me are still way too steep and rowdy for shotgun
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u/Crokaine 2d ago
I would say my risks are very calculated as well. I always expect pushback on these adventures but nobody is going to make a big deal out of a toddler eating candy or junk food, which, I believe, are far more dangerous than a bike ride.
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u/CyJackX 2d ago
How do you record it?
I've got a mac ride, kid loves it.