FABB Blog

bikes@vienna's Black Friday Ride (via Meetup) - Riders are will depart from bikes@vienna on Friday at 10 a.m. They will proceed along the W&OD Trail to Herndon, returning to the shop for coffee and tea afterwards. Be sure to bring canned goods to Committee Helping Others.

Spokes, Etc. Carl's Vienna Shop Ride - "Join Carl at the Vienna store for 20-25 miles of road and trail riding every Saturday morning! We will meet at the shop at 7:45am for a 8am roll-out and a 1-1.5 hour ride. Please join us! More information is available by joining the Vienna Shop Ride Google group. Please contact vienna-shopride@googlegroups.com to join!"

The Bike Lane Saturday Rides - TBL sponsors two Saturday rides: WheelWomen Road Bike Rides, "a 20 mile ride women's road ride along the roads in Reston, VA. Our average pace is 12-15 mph and its a no drop ride;" and TBL Saturday Morning Road Rides, "a ride on the rolling roads of Reston. We average 17/18mph over 29 miles and travel through neighborhoods and on main roads. The majority of the ride is on the roads on rolling terrain with a few hills to climb." Both rides leave The Bike Lane at 9am.

Performance Reston Saturday Ride - "A beginner level Saturday morning group ride, starting and ending at Performance Bicycle. The ride is for beginners, those getting back in the saddle, or riders who want to add some variety to their cycling. The ride will last approximately one hour, and will go at an average pace of between 12 and 15 miles per hour." Ride leaves at 9am.

Also check the Reston Bike Club and Potomac Pedalers ride calendars for more rides. If you know of other group rides open to the public this weekend, use the comments section.

1. Think about where your child will be riding. It can be tough to choose between a bike with gears and hand brakes and one with just one speed and coaster brakes. Some bikes are equipped with both. Strang said parents are often concerned that if a child stops suddenly with hand brakes, he will flip over the handle bars. Kids learn quickly, though, and Strang said parents shouldn’t be afraid of hand brakes. “If the goal is to ride on a bike path with the family, with a little practice, gears are going to be helpful,” he said. “But if it’s just for riding around the neighborhood, the better option might be to not get gears, because it makes [riding] simpler.” The same goes for style of tires. If your child will be on hiking trails or other dirt paths, a knobby tire will give better traction. But if it’s mostly neighborhood riding, the standard street tire is fine, Strang said.

2. Find the right fit. Choose the bike based on your child’s size, not age. To check the fit, have her get on the bike. Her knee should be extended about 75 percent of the way when her foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke, Strang said. “Typically when you have that, the child can’t put their feet on the ground,” he added. If your child is skittish, you can lower the seat until she becomes more comfortable and then gradually raise it to give her the proper pedal stroke.

3. Go lightweight. Whether shopping at a specialty store or a big-box merchant, get the lightest bike you can afford, Strang said. Avoid bikes with dual suspension, which can make them heavier. Inexpensive bikes that are not well made can make riding more difficult and less enjoyable, and turn young riders off from the sport, Strang said. A high-quality used bike is a good alternative if cost is a concern.

4. Consider bypassing the training wheels. Bikes with training wheels teach children to pedal first, then how to balance. But balance bikes, which have become popular in the last three to five years, teach children to balance first and eliminate the reliance on training wheels. A balance bike has no pedals, so children push their feet on the ground to make the bike go, then use a footrest when coasting. Once a child has the balancing down, he can graduate to a bike with pedals. A balance bike at Spokes Etc. costs about $170.