# How far 8 year old ride on bike before its considered child abuse?



## AntiNSA (Oct 29, 2009)

: ) I want to get my son a bike and often ride 70km rides a lot. Can I expect to be able to push him that far on his bike? I think I am going to buy him a little trek with gears. I like to ride my bike everywhere, and just wondering whats the realistic expectations are for a 8 year old child.

How long before they fall down?


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## jdgang (Oct 1, 2009)

first off great video. As for distance I would not expect to push him anywhere near that far. I have started to take my 7 year old riding. On rail trails (mostly), very light single track with about 76meters of climbing total he has gone about 10km. I also take him another loop which is light single track (mostly) and some rail trail with about 121 meters of climbing that is 7km. He is riding a haro 7speed. Could he do more? Sure but I want him to have fun!


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## AntiNSA (Oct 29, 2009)

The thing is the city I live near is about 25km from home. I got a trailer forhis and his little brother... but at 8 hes getting to be a big boy. Im wondering about even strapping him and the bike and his brother (and my 3 month old) in or something... I dont trust my wifes ability to let her ride with my kids.. I hardly trust my own.. always worry about them... but havent had a car since like 1994.... wil lbe riding on pavement the whole way (no time to play most of the time... )


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## Vespasianus (Apr 9, 2008)

My wife and I took my 6 year old daughter on a 14 mile double track mountain bike ride (Broad MT in Jim Thorpe, PA) in the summer. At the end she was feed up and angry but she did it. 

My son, who is 8, did it without complaint.


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## jdgang (Oct 1, 2009)

Ves...was that anything like Jordan Creek? OP 25km on a open road flat with a lot of breaks I could see happening. The rail trail I take my kid on his 2.9 each way and he can do it twice without complaining. And one way is almost completely uphill (granted its rail trail grade). I would def get gears..


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## AntiNSA (Oct 29, 2009)

whats the average speed you can get out of an 8 year old? I am thinking of tying a rope onto his bike maybe...

eaither going to buy something like this http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/kids/ages_9_12/mt220boys/

or this

http://www.giant-bicycles.com/zh-HT/bikes/model/chasers.540/6825/42732/

I live in China so the selection kinda sucks..


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## jdgang (Oct 1, 2009)

Dont know average speed..if either bike fits neither is a bad choice.


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## NYrr496 (Sep 10, 2008)

My six year old is able to farther and farther every ride.


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## scottb32 (May 14, 2009)

My 7 year old can ride for about 2 hours total (8 mph) - on a mtn bike on road. He does about 5 mph on singletrack (lots of stopping). It's funny, because he can hike for 4 hours straight (we climb lots of mountains). We just don't ride alot and he hasn't strengthened his bike-muscles. I think you need to gradually get him to do longer miles.

You might try a "trailgator" to tow another bike (that way when he wears out, you can tow - I'm tempted to get one for towing my son up climbs).

http://www.amazon.com/Trailgator-Bicycle-Tow-Bar/dp/B000QHCWIK

Good Luck,
sb


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## Aresab (Mar 27, 2007)

My seven year old can do the outer loop with me of Lewis Morris park in Northern NJ. I believe we go between 7 and 8 miles (we dip in from the yellow on green and red and Orange during our ride). I bougth him a Specialized Hot Rock 20 at the beginning of the year. He loves the ride and sometimes asks to keep going.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

My four year old and I have gone 13 miles together. The terrain we rode on includes “bumpies” (his word that implies we are riding in dirt and over bumpy rocks). He rides one of those tiny-ass “BMX” style 12" wheeled bikes with no training wheels and a single speed. Lil dude is tough!


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## Jwiffle (Jan 26, 2004)

My 7 year old happily rode 24 miles with me on a paved path. On singletrack, he's done 10-12 miles. 

As for pushing him 70km, you would need to work him up to that distance.


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## Greg WJs (Apr 1, 2005)

My opinion - take him 20-30 minutes shorter than HE wants to go.


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## kntr (Jan 25, 2004)

When my daughter was 7 yo she was good up to about 20 miles on the road. Now that she is 8 yo and in better shape, she can do about 30 miles. I always bring a strap... just in case. I have had to pull her a time or two up the big long climbs.


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## sv_freya (Apr 18, 2006)

Riding on what?

If your kid is riding 30 PSI knobbies on a poorly greased inefficient and improperly size heavy steel frame upright against a head wind while wearing flexible soled shoes, and if you're in a full tuck on a 19 pound bike that has almost no friction, you'll be expending 1/10 the effort, so then no.

I once read an article on teaching your kids to cross country ski. It pointed out that half of the kids who hated it did so because their parents would go on on long skinny perfectly waked skis, and expect the kids to keep on on plastic fish scale-bottomed POS skis.

If you want her to enjoy it, then carry all the food/water/gear for you both, make sure she's wearing shoes with some sole stiffness, and put her on a properly sized 24" hybrid with well inflated low-rolling-resistance road tires. That will allow her to ride as far as she can. If you want to feel a bit more equal, then put low pressure knobbies on your bike, limit your shifting to force you to work harder, and carry an extra 50 pounds in a pair of panniers.


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## AntiNSA (Oct 29, 2009)

Yeah Ill be on a 29 inch cobia with 700x38c 980gm schwalbe marathon plus tires, and paniers/trailer other kid  weighted down like a tank 

Hes already askingg when I can change his tires to "little tires" and get spd pedals, etc.... really funny


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## normonster (Jan 12, 2008)

*Tow and go FASTER, FARTHER...*



scottb32 said:


> My 7 year old can ride for about 2 hours total (8 mph) - on a mtn bike on road. He does about 5 mph on singletrack (lots of stopping). It's funny, because he can hike for 4 hours straight (we climb lots of mountains). We just don't ride alot and he hasn't strengthened his bike-muscles. I think you need to gradually get him to do longer miles.
> 
> You might try a "trailgator" to tow another bike (that way when he wears out, you can tow - I'm tempted to get one for towing my son up climbs).
> 
> ...


Instead of the trailgator, try the X2Cycle:
http://x2cycle.com/
Basically, its a tow bar, and easier for person in the back and front to maintain their own balance.
I've pulled my daughter up hills and on long pulls. Orig got it for a bike trip w/ the wife, and it worked great then too!


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## scjohn (Jul 21, 2010)

my 6 y/o boy has done 12 miles on a combo of rolling paved hills and fire road, on a little BMXer. Be sure to bring plenty of food and drink. Their Kcal burn is 3X what yours is relative to their body weight. Rest, eat and drink often would be my advice.


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## scottb32 (May 14, 2009)

normonster said:


> Instead of the trailgator, try the X2Cycle:
> http://x2cycle.com/
> Basically, its a tow bar, and easier for person in the back and front to maintain their own balance.
> I've pulled my daughter up hills and on long pulls. Orig got it for a bike trip w/ the wife, and it worked great then too!


NICE FIND - The X2Cycle design appears to be much better (unless the young one doesn't want to steer). I'm tempted to make 1 myself.


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## normonster (Jan 12, 2008)

*X2cycle design*

It is a smart design. The bar pivots so that the rider in the back can be off to the side of you a bit, and whats nice is that it will clip off when the bar pivots beyond a certain # of degrees. And it can clip right back on. In addition to pulling the rider behind, the bar will also push the rider in front when the rider behind picks up the pace... its cool!


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## merlinm (Feb 12, 2010)

I have 6 and 8 year old. We occasionally do an 8 mile trail but they are quite tuckered out by the end. Being in florida, trail is almost completely flat but plenty of rooty obstacles.

There is another trail which is 4.5 miles that they love to do. More elevation, but more fun. Generally:

*) morale is very important. unhappy kid is worse mishap than broken chain

*) bring snacks, water, band aids, toilet paper, anything you can. 

*) take lots of breaks. pick some hills or other fun playground type areas and let them blow off some steam. 

And most especially:
*) don't run them over :-D


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## antonello.lobianco (5 mo ago)

Sorry to revive this old topic, but I am too proud
My 6 (and half) boy did 80km today.. and when we were close to home we passed a playground.. he still wanted to play!
Trip was around a river, all asfalt and flat, and we stopped A LOT, but still  
The trick was to have a clear destination and the idea to ride a train to come back, that is what he wanted to do, so he never complained ....


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

My 8 year old is good for about 15 miles on trail and 30 on his road bike. All of our riding has a ton of climbing factored in


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## plummet (Jul 8, 2005)

If you want to put him off for ever then go harry hard nuts on arse bleeding long rides. 

Do your own long rides and then take the kids for rides at their speed and enjoyable distance.


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## JackOfDiamonds (Apr 17, 2020)

My 10yo rides 20mi easy trail rides with me, and he's not otherwise a super athlete or anything. Of course his bike fits him well, rolls great and isn't heavy, which helps.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

I did a 55 mile rail trail loop at 8. 

Just have to build up to it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Monty219 (Oct 26, 2020)

I have a good friend who loves being in the wilderness whether biking kayaking hunting etc… he had a kid much earlier than i did, took his son out on hikes that were way too long, way too often apparently. That kid grew up to not like hiking and outdoors in general. Lesson learned, moderation is key.


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## Darth Lefty (Sep 29, 2014)

My current 8yo, no way. He has a hard enough time going a mile to the smoothie shop.

My now-5yo girl will be an utter terror by the time she is 8


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## Sanchofula (Dec 30, 2007)

If your measure of success with a child is how far they can ride, you may be missing the point of doing activities with your children


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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

Funny title to this thread.

My 8 year old girl, who is tall and brave for her age could do 7-8 miles (12 km) of singletrack, some moderately technical, once I built her a killer 24" full suspension bike.On her previous low quality 24" bike she was done after 1-2 miles.

Now she is 10 years old on a 26" Trailcraft Maxwell (going for sale btw as she has outgrown it) and has done as much as 16-17 miles (27 km).

The catch is that you don't want to push them because you will make them hate the sport. You want to take candy, stop whenever they want to stop to play in streams or whatever, keep the rides short/ fun/ non-pushy.

GL


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