As a keen cyclist I've obviously spent the occasional minute daydreaming about my son riding his first bike. OK, so in fact that such minutes would often drift into long sessions on the PC searching for a suitable purchase, long before he was up on two feet let alone two wheels. Well, my research will finally bear fruit today when this little beauty arrives!
It's a bike without pedals, which will allow him to develop balance and (the theory claims) means that he will never need stabilisers. It's made by Islabikes, a small company set up specifically to make high quality bikes for children. This bike is the Rothan.
To say I am excited is a bit of an understatement. But it's not all vicarious pleasure and transposition of my wishes onto Oliver. I know Oliver is going to be excited too because he makes a beeline for any sort of scooter, trike or bike he comes across in the park and he loves riding on my bike in his seat. So I suspect he's going to love the idea of this bike even if he finds it hard to use at first. After all he's still not quite two years old, but hey, English summers don't last long so we thought we'd make an early start rather than wait for his birthday which is still 6 weeks away.
The other excuse, erm, I mean perfectly sound and commendable reason for buying it for him now is that it coincides with the baby's arrival (hopefully!), so we are telling him it's a present from our new arrival.
I've also bought him a new helmet with a special "pinch-free" strap. I was already looking yesterday before I took him to the park on my bike and managed to pinch his chin with it. Ouch! The little man had a pinch mark and cried, which is rare for him. However he soon recovered and I gave him "choc choc" when we got home for being so brave. Guilt suitably assuaged!
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