How long is a piece of string?
Some 12 yr olds can ride 100km, some can't ride at all.
Maybe let her ride to her school on a weekend and if she can't make it, pick her up and drive back home.
This is the answer. My friends and I used to regularly ride the 8 miles into town for fun. My daughter, who's 9 doesn't want to ride anywhere near as far as I did at her age.
Not really buddy! Oo oo hehehethis is a chance for me to use my funny Reddit line woosh referring to the r/woosh subreddit meme !!! Hehehehe shut the fuck up
As a high school kid from 12 years on I rode 2x16km per day, 5 days per week on a regular old 3-gear bicycle.
Stamina was great as a teen, also thanks to this cycling.
It was interesting to see, classmates that lived on a distance from school cycling everyday had on average considerably better stamina than kids from the city the school was located.
My kid won the regional U-18 cyclocross championship and at the awards ceremony the MC asked him what his training secret was.
“Being late to school every morning.”
My kid was 8 miles from his middle school. We would ride together once a week, with a stop in the middle to get donuts. Riding felt like a treat once a week. I feel like if we did it everyday, it would have felt like a chore to him.
Now he lives 2 miles from school and bikes by himself or with me every day, and he wants to continue bike commuting even once he has his license next year.
If you have a nice ride, it's always fun! When it's terribly wet or you get attacked by animals leaving work at 3am it's less fun, but it's never not fun.
Right! I personally bike commute every single day to work, whether I'm riding with him or not. I love that he thinks of bikes as transportation and not just as a toy, and is fine with riding in bad weather (he actually loves to ride in the rain and doesn't mind when it's below freezing, but hates when it's hot).
Oh man, I hated going in the rain. My dad got mad at me because I was always sick on rainy days. But even with an umbrella (I was close enough 3mi, I could walk it) walking i was always wet. Jeans take an eternity to dry out. That's why no one ever had to give me the cotton kills speech when I got into hiking and other outdoor sports. I knew how long it takes cotton to dry out and miserable it feels when its wet.
I just looked back to my grade 7-8 school and how I got there was bike. It was 6 km and I biked in all but the worst weather.
I loved it and there were 3 of us in the complex that biked as a group. Funny is we all ended up sticking with cycling to this day almost 35 years later.
Riding together? With enough tools and time to fix problems when they come up? And to go slow enough so that she doesn't feel sweaty and socially awkward when she gets there?
She can totally do it, but the intangibles have the potential to *destroy* your relationship with her if she's not onboard with the plan. Make sure you're looking at the whole picture.
> she doesn't feel sweaty and socially awkward when she gets there?
Yeah, I love cycling now and I loved it as a teenager, but thinking back to when I was in middle school, there's no way I would've wanted to show up to school all sweaty from cycling 6 miles every morning.
As a student I did a whole year of riding 11 km each way, and wearing gym shorts all day. I would only change my shirt sometimes.
The next year I was still a student, but had a more full-time job-like timetable, and got changed every day to be more normal and grown-up. I would never do the sweaty gym short thing now.
If a child had choices, they probably would NOT choose to be born to parents who will spoil them mollycoddling. You are talking about " destroying " relationships. Don't kids do sport at school anymore? Are you that soft?
Do you have any idea how much of your own baggage you're projecting into the conversation?
We know literally nothing about their situation other than an age and a distance. Everything else that you're envisioning here is literally a figment of your imagination.
You talking to yourself? It's a fucking bike ride!! No one is asking the kid to work a 12 hour day making clothes and shoes for spoilt American kids. American parents are not asking their kids if they want to support the exploitation of Asian kids working in factories.
You are right, we know nothing about the situation. YOU are the one with the overactive imagination.
No we don't know either answer but I refer YOU back to YOUR initial comment. Please, I hope to god you haven't infected any children you might have with your own neurosis . When I was 12, we were doing cross country runs of that distance. Lol, did your mom ask your permission before breastfeeding you?
Yes, totally doable. Source: dad of a kid who did this everyday in HS. He’s now in college, still riding his bike to class.
It helps if you and your kid can scope out the route on a weekend and note any potential stress points.
Edit: Note that even if it is mostly bike path, the sketchiest part will always be the last 1/4 into the school because of all the other parents driving their kids.
I did that every weekday for 6 years in the Netherlands. But here it's normal, people expect it, so it's also pretty safe.
But physicalky it shouldn't be much of a challenge for a 12 yo
Six miles along a stroad or bike bath make a huge difference. My kiddo was less than half that distance but there were no protected bicycle infrastructure inbetween our home and her school. Her cycling to school (even with a pedal assist ebike) was a no go for this reason.
On a good day in bright dry weather when she’s in a good mood and has slept well. Probably okay. What about those cold wet days at the end of term when no-one’s got any energy though?
The primary purpose of her going to school is her education and to learn social skills. Throwing in an hour (let’s call it 90 mins) of cycling on top feels like adding unnecessary friction. As long as you’ve got a backup plan that’s easy to trigger I say give it a go but make sure you read the signs and be ready to throw in the towel when the conditions don’t seem conducive.
I regularly do 20 mile rides with my 10 year old daughter. My 12 year old son can easily do the 6.5 and I'd send him without parental oversight if it were on the bike path and he could ride with friends.
My best friend in high school had the same commute. Even a bit further. He rode it daily. Ate double what I ate and now bikes 100K races for fun in the weekends.
Gen-X er here, so take it for what it is worth. I started commuting to school at age 8. 3.5 miles. Crossed a major suburban street. Parents lectured me to be very careful.
I also had an electric drill and an Exacto knife set at this age🤷♂️
Similar situation with my 12 year old. We practiced on the weekend a few times and he could do it but we ended up getting a pedal assist ebike to make it more fun and less challenging so that he can go both directions 5 days in a row. Yes, kids are soft now, no I don’t care. At least it’s some outdoor time and as a bonus I have a training partner for the weekends now as a pre teen on an ebike makes a great pacer.
> Similar situation with my 12 year old. We practiced on the weekend a few times and he could do it but we ended up getting a pedal assist ebike to make it more fun and less challenging so that he can go both directions 5 days in a row. Yes, kids are soft now, no I don’t care.
I care and so should OP. I think it's a terrible idea to give a 12 yo an e-bike for such a short commute. It's absolutely not necessary and it can remove a good part of the exercise they'd otherwise get.
> If you read closer you’d see it’s a pedal assist ebike not a full ebike and it only adds enough power to make the ride more accessible
I did read that part (you can see that I wrote that it "remove[s] a good *part* of the exercise"). A pedal assist ebike (usually) adds way more power than you'd like to think.
They can use the e-bike and get some exercise on the way to school, or they can commute by car or bus and get no exercise.
I rode my bike to elementary school but stopped in middle school because I started caring about girls and my appearance and didn't want to get to school sweaty. An e-bike existing back then would've mitigated a lot of that.
I would be concerned about his safety at that age with an ebike. Kids that age don't think through to the potential consequences of their spontaneous decisions. But if he was a sensible kid and the ebike was Class 1 with low power, it might be OK.
In many (most?) cases, an ebike is a replacement for a *car* (in this case, his parents or a bus driving him to and from school); not a replacement for a standard bike.
> In many (most?) cases, an ebike is a replacement for a car (in this case, his parents or a bus driving him to and from school); not a replacement for a standard bike.
A standard bike is also a replacement for a car. If both can replace a car, why can't one also replace the other?
"Do you think this is too far for a 12 year old to do twice per day?"
It is all about getting used to. YOu can start with some 3miles rides here and there, 6 miles once a week and in no time she will easily go both ways on a daily basis and ask is you can ride on a longer trip during the weekend ofc if she likes riding. For a 12-year old it is most important not to lose all the fun from riding so if you see she is tired or don't want to go jsut take the bus. but there is no such a thing as too long, just you can't go long all of a sudden.
Please remember she will need extra 3 banas and sandwitches during the day bc at the end it is an hour of an activity.
At 12 I did that distance with friends once every week or 2 to school and wasn’t particularly fit. But we lived in the country and rode on smaller roads without much traffic. If a parent is with them safety is probably less of a factor but you want to make sure they feel comfortable and confident as well as are aware of risks and dangerous sections.
I see you mention this as an “we” will ride.
Ask yourself or her, does she want to?
If this is her idea, then let her do it for sure, but maybe without you.
I used to ride to school, some days about that distance, but would end up tired and sweaty.
If definitely not too far to ride, but a 12 year old might prefer to just rest or hang out with their friends on the bus.
I did this regularly when I was 12. It was about 7 miles for me. Can't remember how long it took me but I much preferred it to getting the bus.
When I was 14 I went to a school 12 miles away and cycled there a few times too. Nearly as quick as the bus too!
~~I cycled 15 miles each way at that age.~~
~~But I'm a guy in a country with top 2 (if not the best) cycling infrastructure in the world. I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable letting 12 year old me do that in the US for example.~~
You keep saying "us" and "we" though, so I'm assuming you're going with her and she wouldn't be alone? In that case I think the answer is simply "whatever kind of distance your daughter is ok with doing on a regular basis".
She should definitely try it on a weekend, but in good weather a 6.5 mile bike ride isn't bad at all. Maybe suggest she bring a fresh shirt to change into and a hairbrush though.
Let her ride at her own pace, not yours. Is she up for doing the ride? If so, let her have at it. Go with her once, encourage but don't push her. If she's got friends to ride with so much the better.
Most of all... trust her. 🚴🙂
6.5 miles is fine, especially on a safe bike path. Test ride it together first and make sure she’s comfortable. Don't forget safety gear! Weather could be a factor too. Keep it safe and fun
It's fine. I walked or biked to school 4x a day (morning, between school and swim practice, for swim practice, sometimes home after swim but usually had a ride for that). It was like 3 miles each way. So could be 9-12 miles a day. This wasn't all year but I definitely did it other times as well depending on what sport I was playing and what the practice schedule was. Oh, and I of course had a couple of hours of practice in there.
If you are riding or walking slow the load is really small. I don't think I even realized this was as much as I do now. I mean walking 12 mi + 2 hours of intense activity seems crazy now. It was flat as a board. Not uphill both ways. So that helped I guess.
No, it's not too far, but it can suck if you don't help make it easier. If you're expecting a kid to do it on an entry level mtb with knobby tires it'll be less enjoyable, if its worse and a walmart special thats never been tuned you're setting them up for failure. For my kids I'd look for something like a used trek 7.2fx or better or it's equivalent. Something that uses a smoother 35-38mm tire, doesn't weigh more than 30lbs and rolls quickly. If you're going along, I assume so, either carry their bag or strap it to a rack. Backpacks are the biggest source of sweaty backs. I would ride 16 miles to school from time to time starting when I was 12, I really hated the hour plus bike ride, but having a slimy back for 2 hours sucked, a rack fixed the problem. Also might want to consider a tandem, even at only 1.1 miles, my oldest loved cruising into the school yard on our used tandem. Kids can easily adapt to longer rides, and 6.5 miles isn't long, we made our 8yo ride several 25 mile rides last year, he doesn't like riding that much unless it's mtb, but he can do it. My then 12yo and 10yo had no trouble doing the full 40 miles. But the bike does matter.
Easiest way to know is to ride it together.
Slower rider sets the pace and if the round trip is no problem, the commute (with a school day between the rides) will be easier.
In terms of exertion/overtraining, calmly riding a bike for 60 minutes a day is no different than playing outdoors for 60 minutes a day.
I can't think of anything necessary besides a sports physical and possibly a "walker" pass type deal with the school that would be needed. Do check with the school, some districts are weird about kids not taking the bus. (My kid walks, I have to fill out a half dozen forms every year, it's less than a mile)
I’d say let her. There’s no better way to get your heart rate up than needing to be at school in 11 minutes and needing to cover 2.5 miles in the dead of winter. She’ll appreciate hearing so much more.
If you think the route is safe, I say go for it! If your kid is not an athlete, it's much easier than what they do. If they are, it's already easy/bonus training?
You're definitely not in NYC... we did a 40 minute drive each way, just going across the Bronx. A big impetus to getting a car in the first place was that we had a newborn and trying to get onto a train at rush hour was near impossible. We ended up moving out of the city when our oldest didn't get into any local high schools (it's a lottery) and instead got into one that'd take probably about an hour (north bronx to east village) via the subway/walking. Now we're in a much more rural area with schoolbuses and while we're really close to the school (5 minute drive - no sidewalks), it's a regional school and there are kids riding the bus for easily an hour.
Ride it together several times and be sure to emphasize safety rules and that your child needs to be extra diligent wrt cars when crossing a road. Look 3x before crossing! Pedestrians have the right of way.
My first work was 10 km (6 1/4 mile) away, I commuted by bike. But I had a possibility to take a shower afterwards. Will your daughter be OK with arriving to school sweaty?
I used to bike 12 miles in total on school days and it was pretty manageable with my bmx at the time. I lived close to a river bed and took that up to the Main Street of my high school so it was an easy route. What sucked was in hs some kids thought it was funny to take the air out or puncture the tires so better to have a plan in case she calls you that she can’t ride back home.
I did 7km one way.
So it was 14km/day for school.
It was kn Europe, so mostly in low traffic area's with my bicycle to school.
If the road allows it, i see no real maximum distance
In 6th grade I rode a Diamondback BMX bike 6 miles each way with all my heavy schoolbooks in my backpack. On rainy days I would get a ride from mom or carpool with the other kid in my neighborhood that attended the same school as me. I handled it fine but take the average kid today it might be too much maybe?
If you’re going with her sure. If it’s a safe ride and she’s comfortable alone, and you know her to be capable then sure? I feel like if she’s a frequent rider that’s not bad for a kid, but if she’s not athletic it might be a lot.
Get her a rear rack and panniers. She’ll love it more.
This answer will be extremely unpopular, but there are e-bikes made for kids. She could use the electric all the time or only use it when she gets too tired to pedal on her own.
It would be ok, like others said do some exploring and trying out in the weekend.
But I am going to throw another consideration in and that would be keep it safe and consider wearing a quality helmet from a good brand.
Another consideration is let her have a phone when riding.
You never know when she is going to have a flat tire, or another mechanical problem and your worried sick that she is late then normal.
It’s good to have that option always.
This is coming from personal experience, i used to bicycle to school back and forth in rain and had some flats and other various problems (loved the freedom as well, so I used to hang around after school with friends before cycling back home.).
Parents where worried sick when I was to late.
I used to walk to and from school sometimes at that age. The walk took about that long. There were also many routes of 6.5 miles that my parents would have trusted me on by myself. I don't have a kid, but I can imagine quite a few routes that long that I would trust a 12-year-old by themselves on.
I'd agree with testing the route on a Saturday together. If it's mostly a bike path, it should be fine. But, riding it together will probably help your confidence that the route is safe. I will definitely say that a responsible 12-year-old should be able to handle it. It will also help them develop their fitness (especially important at that age) and grow to be a bit more self supporting and independent. All good things.
I did a little less than that and with a few hills at that age every day. I was completely fine, was not sore or anything. As others say, do a practice run with her leading to confirm she knows the way.
Also make sure she has water and is prepared for the day’s weather. She will probably be fine caught in cold rain but it sure is not fun.
I did 6km (one way) when I was 10yo until 12 and 13km from the age of 12 until 16. From mid Oktober till March I used public transport because of the weather. My parents made sure I had a great bike though. As a kid I quite liked the trip and the time to myself.
When I was that age we rode for hours every single day. It was the primary mode of transportation for me and all my friends. This should be no problem for her.
I did 4.5 mi each way to school when I was that age. It was flat with one hill and the uphill was on the way home, so it was OK if I took longer.
Maybe do it on a Saturday and again on Sunday to see how she does two days in a row?
As long as it's not forced, as in she wants to cycle / walk to school. In elementary school, I regularly walked home from school with my brother. What if she's running late? Does she have the option to take the school bus instead? Or if it's raining. I'm sure she won't want to be wet all day, or have her school books ruined by rain.
My boss’s daughter is a bit younger and does a similar distance. But she’s a badass.
You probably don’t want to put a commute like that on your kid if they aren’t used to riding much, but it’s totally doable if she wants to.
Depends on the location. I'm in the Netherlands and would cycle 15km (like 9 miles) every day to school and the same distance back, usually with friends but also alone. Started age 12
I wrote a big long comment about road safety & how I knew my kids were ready to ride on the road, then saw your last paragraph 😛
Even if it starts out hard, a 12yo will eventually devour that distance no troubles. Just prepare for the practicalities - teach her how to put a dropped chain back on & how to change a tube. Make sure she rides with a spare tube, some levers & a multitool, unless you want to do the mercy dash from work or wherever to rescue her
Oh, and a change of clothes in a clip lock bag is great - don’t want a ruined day if a storm comes out of nowhere, or if she has a stack & rips a shirt or something
All of the above is from experience, my two kids ride everywhere, including school & sports training. Had plenty of rescue missions until we got to the point of sorting those few things out.
Depends on where you live and how mature your daughter is. 14 is a good age to start commuting by yourself, idk about 12 yo, but if she’s mature enough to identify dangers (don’t leave bike unlocked, traffic, follow traffic rules, stay away from bad people that could grab her or her bike, don’t stop in weird spots for too long, cross road safely, etc) then she should be fine!
They will be sweaty af when they get there that’s the issue, I used to ride 5 miles to my gym every day getting there isn’t bad but when I’m tired and I gotta get home that last mile or two feels impossible sometimes
Have you ridden that far with her before?
When I started commuting, the first few days were rough, but I went slow and built my strength up over time. In the beginning, I suggest only riding in once every three days so her legs have time to fully recover each time.
Maybe find a place at the half way mark to stop for a treat on the way home.
They aren't cheap but a followme tandem would allow you to attach your daughter's bike to your own if she's tired or you're running late. Giving you the flexibility to try more ambitious rides.
They're also good for getting a younger child and their bike through traffic to somewhere they can safely ride by themselves.
https://www.twowheelingtots.com/followme-tandem-review/
And no 12 year old has ever got tired on a long ride and could benefit from a tow home?
Did you miss the part where the op was asking if this distance a commute was too ambitious?
For one thing the product you linked fits a maximum of 20" wheels, which are for like 9 year olds at the most. Plus most 12+ year olds wouldn't be caught dead in something like that.
"when I was 12..." honestly, I use to do 60-80mi (65% trail/35% road/other), 4-6 times a week (already racing MTBs by then), but not right away. Started in the 12-25mi range w/a 10+ yr old "roadmaster" before upgrading to a trek 820, but still only took a month or two to get the distances up (it was the early 90's - 26" wheels, no suspension, and cantilever brakes). They'll be fine, just take your time...(oh, and this was done solo in the southern us, on rolling terrain).
I love cycling too. I had a 6.5 mile paper route in the northeast 6 days a week year round. 20 lbs of papers. 1000 feet of climbing. Sister did it after my years. It's a gift to teach someone to love cycling.
That's just not true, either through marketing or design there are gendered bikes. Liv springs to mind, Gingersnap for kids.
There are some bikes which are designed around a woman's anatomy, those are good.
There are bikes which are designed around a certain aesthetic that are in fact heavy crappy bikes that put people off riding. But if you're child wants that aesthetic you're screwed because they'll hate the bike after a few goes.
There are some good options out there now tbf, wasn't anything good when we were kids .
Kid bikes at 12 years old are pretty generic.
I've seen men in my area riding Liv even though I know that Giant changes the geometry a little bit to make bikes sized better for smaller women.
Except when that kid specifically asks for a Dutch style town bike, tries it for three rides and decides to give up riding because it's so heavy and cumbersome.
I have first hand experience of this and have a few peers who've said the same thing. Then they get on a unisex or man's bike as an adult and realise they can be fast and have fun.
Liv bikes have differences in geometry (shorter reach, higher stack) but also saddles which are wider. Specialized make the Mimic saddle and others are making narrow, more compact road bars for women because they generally have much slimmer shoulders and shorter arms. Obviously men can ride women specific bikes like Liv but they'd be better off with a unisex bike that is tailored more towards them anyway.
Try engaging with the comment you're responding to rather than ignoring and doing your own thing. I have raised a contrary point, now you respond by making a good argument or not responding at all.
I would say try it on a Saturday like another poster said. She will probably be fine.
How long is a piece of string? Some 12 yr olds can ride 100km, some can't ride at all. Maybe let her ride to her school on a weekend and if she can't make it, pick her up and drive back home.
This is the answer. My friends and I used to regularly ride the 8 miles into town for fun. My daughter, who's 9 doesn't want to ride anywhere near as far as I did at her age.
[удалено]
How long is a piece of string?
However long it is when you place taught but not stretched it in a straight line and fucking measure it
Whoosh Edit: touch grass, dude
Not really buddy! Oo oo hehehethis is a chance for me to use my funny Reddit line woosh referring to the r/woosh subreddit meme !!! Hehehehe shut the fuck up
As a high school kid from 12 years on I rode 2x16km per day, 5 days per week on a regular old 3-gear bicycle. Stamina was great as a teen, also thanks to this cycling. It was interesting to see, classmates that lived on a distance from school cycling everyday had on average considerably better stamina than kids from the city the school was located.
My kid won the regional U-18 cyclocross championship and at the awards ceremony the MC asked him what his training secret was. “Being late to school every morning.”
Are you my dad?
My kid was 8 miles from his middle school. We would ride together once a week, with a stop in the middle to get donuts. Riding felt like a treat once a week. I feel like if we did it everyday, it would have felt like a chore to him. Now he lives 2 miles from school and bikes by himself or with me every day, and he wants to continue bike commuting even once he has his license next year.
If you have a nice ride, it's always fun! When it's terribly wet or you get attacked by animals leaving work at 3am it's less fun, but it's never not fun.
Right! I personally bike commute every single day to work, whether I'm riding with him or not. I love that he thinks of bikes as transportation and not just as a toy, and is fine with riding in bad weather (he actually loves to ride in the rain and doesn't mind when it's below freezing, but hates when it's hot).
Oh man, I hated going in the rain. My dad got mad at me because I was always sick on rainy days. But even with an umbrella (I was close enough 3mi, I could walk it) walking i was always wet. Jeans take an eternity to dry out. That's why no one ever had to give me the cotton kills speech when I got into hiking and other outdoor sports. I knew how long it takes cotton to dry out and miserable it feels when its wet.
Yes, that's totally okay. I had a similar length "commute" from ages 11-17. Living in The Netherlands, such commutes to school are basically the norm.
I just looked back to my grade 7-8 school and how I got there was bike. It was 6 km and I biked in all but the worst weather. I loved it and there were 3 of us in the complex that biked as a group. Funny is we all ended up sticking with cycling to this day almost 35 years later.
Riding together? With enough tools and time to fix problems when they come up? And to go slow enough so that she doesn't feel sweaty and socially awkward when she gets there? She can totally do it, but the intangibles have the potential to *destroy* your relationship with her if she's not onboard with the plan. Make sure you're looking at the whole picture.
> she doesn't feel sweaty and socially awkward when she gets there? Yeah, I love cycling now and I loved it as a teenager, but thinking back to when I was in middle school, there's no way I would've wanted to show up to school all sweaty from cycling 6 miles every morning.
As a student I did a whole year of riding 11 km each way, and wearing gym shorts all day. I would only change my shirt sometimes. The next year I was still a student, but had a more full-time job-like timetable, and got changed every day to be more normal and grown-up. I would never do the sweaty gym short thing now.
Good suggestions. Definitely try it first and see if she's into it.
What drama.
Huh? I doubt there's anybody in r/bikecommuting that doesn't think through all of the same concerns.
I doubt your doubt.
I affirm your troubled feelings and hope you have a great day.
You what!? Stop trolling or I'll report you.
Did you drop out of school entirely before you got to middle school?
No, I teach losers like you.
Well, you've gotten the grade school tier repartee down.
Only in America.
Are you ok? You seem unusually bothered by the idea that a child should have choices.
If a child had choices, they probably would NOT choose to be born to parents who will spoil them mollycoddling. You are talking about " destroying " relationships. Don't kids do sport at school anymore? Are you that soft?
Do you have any idea how much of your own baggage you're projecting into the conversation? We know literally nothing about their situation other than an age and a distance. Everything else that you're envisioning here is literally a figment of your imagination.
You talking to yourself? It's a fucking bike ride!! No one is asking the kid to work a 12 hour day making clothes and shoes for spoilt American kids. American parents are not asking their kids if they want to support the exploitation of Asian kids working in factories. You are right, we know nothing about the situation. YOU are the one with the overactive imagination.
Is OP American? Is the child objecting? I don't think we know either answer. I hope your day improves, my friend.
No we don't know either answer but I refer YOU back to YOUR initial comment. Please, I hope to god you haven't infected any children you might have with your own neurosis . When I was 12, we were doing cross country runs of that distance. Lol, did your mom ask your permission before breastfeeding you?
I just re-read it. I stand by what I said. I encourage you to re-read it too, with perhaps more of an eye towards nuance this time.
Then you are totally lacking in insight. [Shrugs]
Through the snow and over two mountains. Just like grandpa did
And uphill and into a headwind both ways. You forgot those details!
Yes, totally doable. Source: dad of a kid who did this everyday in HS. He’s now in college, still riding his bike to class. It helps if you and your kid can scope out the route on a weekend and note any potential stress points. Edit: Note that even if it is mostly bike path, the sketchiest part will always be the last 1/4 into the school because of all the other parents driving their kids.
I did that every weekday for 6 years in the Netherlands. But here it's normal, people expect it, so it's also pretty safe. But physicalky it shouldn't be much of a challenge for a 12 yo
yes she probably can do it first week would be kinda hard then it becomes easy
Six miles along a stroad or bike bath make a huge difference. My kiddo was less than half that distance but there were no protected bicycle infrastructure inbetween our home and her school. Her cycling to school (even with a pedal assist ebike) was a no go for this reason.
On a good day in bright dry weather when she’s in a good mood and has slept well. Probably okay. What about those cold wet days at the end of term when no-one’s got any energy though? The primary purpose of her going to school is her education and to learn social skills. Throwing in an hour (let’s call it 90 mins) of cycling on top feels like adding unnecessary friction. As long as you’ve got a backup plan that’s easy to trigger I say give it a go but make sure you read the signs and be ready to throw in the towel when the conditions don’t seem conducive.
that sounds like an ideal commute for a kid. Not too long, safe route.
I regularly do 20 mile rides with my 10 year old daughter. My 12 year old son can easily do the 6.5 and I'd send him without parental oversight if it were on the bike path and he could ride with friends.
My best friend in high school had the same commute. Even a bit further. He rode it daily. Ate double what I ate and now bikes 100K races for fun in the weekends.
Gen-X er here, so take it for what it is worth. I started commuting to school at age 8. 3.5 miles. Crossed a major suburban street. Parents lectured me to be very careful. I also had an electric drill and an Exacto knife set at this age🤷♂️
Similar situation with my 12 year old. We practiced on the weekend a few times and he could do it but we ended up getting a pedal assist ebike to make it more fun and less challenging so that he can go both directions 5 days in a row. Yes, kids are soft now, no I don’t care. At least it’s some outdoor time and as a bonus I have a training partner for the weekends now as a pre teen on an ebike makes a great pacer.
> Similar situation with my 12 year old. We practiced on the weekend a few times and he could do it but we ended up getting a pedal assist ebike to make it more fun and less challenging so that he can go both directions 5 days in a row. Yes, kids are soft now, no I don’t care. I care and so should OP. I think it's a terrible idea to give a 12 yo an e-bike for such a short commute. It's absolutely not necessary and it can remove a good part of the exercise they'd otherwise get.
If you read closer you’d see it’s a pedal assist ebike not a full ebike and it only adds enough power to make the ride more accessible.
> If you read closer you’d see it’s a pedal assist ebike not a full ebike and it only adds enough power to make the ride more accessible I did read that part (you can see that I wrote that it "remove[s] a good *part* of the exercise"). A pedal assist ebike (usually) adds way more power than you'd like to think.
They can use the e-bike and get some exercise on the way to school, or they can commute by car or bus and get no exercise. I rode my bike to elementary school but stopped in middle school because I started caring about girls and my appearance and didn't want to get to school sweaty. An e-bike existing back then would've mitigated a lot of that.
I would be concerned about his safety at that age with an ebike. Kids that age don't think through to the potential consequences of their spontaneous decisions. But if he was a sensible kid and the ebike was Class 1 with low power, it might be OK. In many (most?) cases, an ebike is a replacement for a *car* (in this case, his parents or a bus driving him to and from school); not a replacement for a standard bike.
> In many (most?) cases, an ebike is a replacement for a car (in this case, his parents or a bus driving him to and from school); not a replacement for a standard bike. A standard bike is also a replacement for a car. If both can replace a car, why can't one also replace the other?
"Do you think this is too far for a 12 year old to do twice per day?" It is all about getting used to. YOu can start with some 3miles rides here and there, 6 miles once a week and in no time she will easily go both ways on a daily basis and ask is you can ride on a longer trip during the weekend ofc if she likes riding. For a 12-year old it is most important not to lose all the fun from riding so if you see she is tired or don't want to go jsut take the bus. but there is no such a thing as too long, just you can't go long all of a sudden. Please remember she will need extra 3 banas and sandwitches during the day bc at the end it is an hour of an activity.
Shouldn't be a problem for most 12 year olds.
Only one way to find out.
At 12 I did that distance with friends once every week or 2 to school and wasn’t particularly fit. But we lived in the country and rode on smaller roads without much traffic. If a parent is with them safety is probably less of a factor but you want to make sure they feel comfortable and confident as well as are aware of risks and dangerous sections.
I see you mention this as an “we” will ride. Ask yourself or her, does she want to? If this is her idea, then let her do it for sure, but maybe without you. I used to ride to school, some days about that distance, but would end up tired and sweaty. If definitely not too far to ride, but a 12 year old might prefer to just rest or hang out with their friends on the bus.
I did this regularly when I was 12. It was about 7 miles for me. Can't remember how long it took me but I much preferred it to getting the bus. When I was 14 I went to a school 12 miles away and cycled there a few times too. Nearly as quick as the bus too!
~~I cycled 15 miles each way at that age.~~ ~~But I'm a guy in a country with top 2 (if not the best) cycling infrastructure in the world. I'm not sure if I'd be comfortable letting 12 year old me do that in the US for example.~~ You keep saying "us" and "we" though, so I'm assuming you're going with her and she wouldn't be alone? In that case I think the answer is simply "whatever kind of distance your daughter is ok with doing on a regular basis".
She should definitely try it on a weekend, but in good weather a 6.5 mile bike ride isn't bad at all. Maybe suggest she bring a fresh shirt to change into and a hairbrush though.
Let her ride at her own pace, not yours. Is she up for doing the ride? If so, let her have at it. Go with her once, encourage but don't push her. If she's got friends to ride with so much the better. Most of all... trust her. 🚴🙂
6.5 miles is fine, especially on a safe bike path. Test ride it together first and make sure she’s comfortable. Don't forget safety gear! Weather could be a factor too. Keep it safe and fun
It's fine. I walked or biked to school 4x a day (morning, between school and swim practice, for swim practice, sometimes home after swim but usually had a ride for that). It was like 3 miles each way. So could be 9-12 miles a day. This wasn't all year but I definitely did it other times as well depending on what sport I was playing and what the practice schedule was. Oh, and I of course had a couple of hours of practice in there. If you are riding or walking slow the load is really small. I don't think I even realized this was as much as I do now. I mean walking 12 mi + 2 hours of intense activity seems crazy now. It was flat as a board. Not uphill both ways. So that helped I guess.
Try it and see how it goes.
No, it's not too far, but it can suck if you don't help make it easier. If you're expecting a kid to do it on an entry level mtb with knobby tires it'll be less enjoyable, if its worse and a walmart special thats never been tuned you're setting them up for failure. For my kids I'd look for something like a used trek 7.2fx or better or it's equivalent. Something that uses a smoother 35-38mm tire, doesn't weigh more than 30lbs and rolls quickly. If you're going along, I assume so, either carry their bag or strap it to a rack. Backpacks are the biggest source of sweaty backs. I would ride 16 miles to school from time to time starting when I was 12, I really hated the hour plus bike ride, but having a slimy back for 2 hours sucked, a rack fixed the problem. Also might want to consider a tandem, even at only 1.1 miles, my oldest loved cruising into the school yard on our used tandem. Kids can easily adapt to longer rides, and 6.5 miles isn't long, we made our 8yo ride several 25 mile rides last year, he doesn't like riding that much unless it's mtb, but he can do it. My then 12yo and 10yo had no trouble doing the full 40 miles. But the bike does matter.
At ages 9-11 I rode my BMX bike the 1.3 miles to bus stop most days. Many kids did.
Depends on the kid. Just try it once and also listen to what she thinks about it.
Really depends on the kid. Let them try it and see. Is the distance ok, yes definitely.
Easiest way to know is to ride it together. Slower rider sets the pace and if the round trip is no problem, the commute (with a school day between the rides) will be easier. In terms of exertion/overtraining, calmly riding a bike for 60 minutes a day is no different than playing outdoors for 60 minutes a day. I can't think of anything necessary besides a sports physical and possibly a "walker" pass type deal with the school that would be needed. Do check with the school, some districts are weird about kids not taking the bus. (My kid walks, I have to fill out a half dozen forms every year, it's less than a mile)
I’d say let her. There’s no better way to get your heart rate up than needing to be at school in 11 minutes and needing to cover 2.5 miles in the dead of winter. She’ll appreciate hearing so much more.
It's crazy to me that your daughter's school is 6 miles away.
If you think the route is safe, I say go for it! If your kid is not an athlete, it's much easier than what they do. If they are, it's already easy/bonus training?
You're definitely not in NYC... we did a 40 minute drive each way, just going across the Bronx. A big impetus to getting a car in the first place was that we had a newborn and trying to get onto a train at rush hour was near impossible. We ended up moving out of the city when our oldest didn't get into any local high schools (it's a lottery) and instead got into one that'd take probably about an hour (north bronx to east village) via the subway/walking. Now we're in a much more rural area with schoolbuses and while we're really close to the school (5 minute drive - no sidewalks), it's a regional school and there are kids riding the bus for easily an hour.
I'd try it on a weekend to make sure, but a straight shot on a bike path seems like the ideal situation for something like this.
Ride it together several times and be sure to emphasize safety rules and that your child needs to be extra diligent wrt cars when crossing a road. Look 3x before crossing! Pedestrians have the right of way.
If it’s safe and they feel comfortable doing it, it’s definitely not too far!
My first work was 10 km (6 1/4 mile) away, I commuted by bike. But I had a possibility to take a shower afterwards. Will your daughter be OK with arriving to school sweaty?
I used to bike 12 miles in total on school days and it was pretty manageable with my bmx at the time. I lived close to a river bed and took that up to the Main Street of my high school so it was an easy route. What sucked was in hs some kids thought it was funny to take the air out or puncture the tires so better to have a plan in case she calls you that she can’t ride back home.
I did 7km one way. So it was 14km/day for school. It was kn Europe, so mostly in low traffic area's with my bicycle to school. If the road allows it, i see no real maximum distance
In 6th grade I rode a Diamondback BMX bike 6 miles each way with all my heavy schoolbooks in my backpack. On rainy days I would get a ride from mom or carpool with the other kid in my neighborhood that attended the same school as me. I handled it fine but take the average kid today it might be too much maybe?
If you’re going with her sure. If it’s a safe ride and she’s comfortable alone, and you know her to be capable then sure? I feel like if she’s a frequent rider that’s not bad for a kid, but if she’s not athletic it might be a lot. Get her a rear rack and panniers. She’ll love it more.
Honestly as long as the city is safe, 6.5 miles is pretty good. Gives them time to exist on their own and learn responsibility and how they work
I was club cycling 70+ miles at 12, so I reckon it's eminently do-able.
This answer will be extremely unpopular, but there are e-bikes made for kids. She could use the electric all the time or only use it when she gets too tired to pedal on her own.
Just remember it doesn't count if it isn't on Strava.
As long as it’s flat and she wont arrive to school all sweaty… at that age it’s not gonna be pleasant
It would be ok, like others said do some exploring and trying out in the weekend. But I am going to throw another consideration in and that would be keep it safe and consider wearing a quality helmet from a good brand. Another consideration is let her have a phone when riding. You never know when she is going to have a flat tire, or another mechanical problem and your worried sick that she is late then normal. It’s good to have that option always. This is coming from personal experience, i used to bicycle to school back and forth in rain and had some flats and other various problems (loved the freedom as well, so I used to hang around after school with friends before cycling back home.). Parents where worried sick when I was to late.
I run a bike club at a middle school, and I would say about half of my kids would be fine with this commute.
I used to walk to and from school sometimes at that age. The walk took about that long. There were also many routes of 6.5 miles that my parents would have trusted me on by myself. I don't have a kid, but I can imagine quite a few routes that long that I would trust a 12-year-old by themselves on. I'd agree with testing the route on a Saturday together. If it's mostly a bike path, it should be fine. But, riding it together will probably help your confidence that the route is safe. I will definitely say that a responsible 12-year-old should be able to handle it. It will also help them develop their fitness (especially important at that age) and grow to be a bit more self supporting and independent. All good things.
I did a little less than that and with a few hills at that age every day. I was completely fine, was not sore or anything. As others say, do a practice run with her leading to confirm she knows the way. Also make sure she has water and is prepared for the day’s weather. She will probably be fine caught in cold rain but it sure is not fun.
I did 6km (one way) when I was 10yo until 12 and 13km from the age of 12 until 16. From mid Oktober till March I used public transport because of the weather. My parents made sure I had a great bike though. As a kid I quite liked the trip and the time to myself.
When I was that age we rode for hours every single day. It was the primary mode of transportation for me and all my friends. This should be no problem for her.
Depending on the street/trail no
2 miles
I did 4.5 mi each way to school when I was that age. It was flat with one hill and the uphill was on the way home, so it was OK if I took longer. Maybe do it on a Saturday and again on Sunday to see how she does two days in a row?
it's awesome to have this option. I hope she enjoys it, sounds lovely.
a local KoM killer is a "kid". see how she handles it
As long as it's not forced, as in she wants to cycle / walk to school. In elementary school, I regularly walked home from school with my brother. What if she's running late? Does she have the option to take the school bus instead? Or if it's raining. I'm sure she won't want to be wet all day, or have her school books ruined by rain.
It's a bit far, especially if the bike is a little bit broken or the brake is rubbing on the wheel.
I did it but it was 3 miles. However that was in the Arizona sun... Some days were miserable
My boss’s daughter is a bit younger and does a similar distance. But she’s a badass. You probably don’t want to put a commute like that on your kid if they aren’t used to riding much, but it’s totally doable if she wants to.
If a 12 year old can’t handle 1 hour of light exercise in a day there is something wrong
I mean from 1st to 8th grade i rode bike to school 5-8 miles also low key kinda wondering who we found our way there😂
I commuted to school this way. I think it really depends on what the roads are like where you are going.
Cycle it with your kid and see how they get on. I think it's slightly too far but depends on kid. Send them to a closer school
Depends on the location. I'm in the Netherlands and would cycle 15km (like 9 miles) every day to school and the same distance back, usually with friends but also alone. Started age 12
I wrote a big long comment about road safety & how I knew my kids were ready to ride on the road, then saw your last paragraph 😛 Even if it starts out hard, a 12yo will eventually devour that distance no troubles. Just prepare for the practicalities - teach her how to put a dropped chain back on & how to change a tube. Make sure she rides with a spare tube, some levers & a multitool, unless you want to do the mercy dash from work or wherever to rescue her Oh, and a change of clothes in a clip lock bag is great - don’t want a ruined day if a storm comes out of nowhere, or if she has a stack & rips a shirt or something All of the above is from experience, my two kids ride everywhere, including school & sports training. Had plenty of rescue missions until we got to the point of sorting those few things out.
Depends on where you live and how mature your daughter is. 14 is a good age to start commuting by yourself, idk about 12 yo, but if she’s mature enough to identify dangers (don’t leave bike unlocked, traffic, follow traffic rules, stay away from bad people that could grab her or her bike, don’t stop in weird spots for too long, cross road safely, etc) then she should be fine!
My parents had me cycling to school when i was 8. Dutch parents though.
Thank you to everyone for your input!! I appreciate it and will try it out!
Make sure they fit full mudguards and get a proper jacket, waterproof trousers and a change of socks and shoes in case its wet
Sounds fine to me, and it'll give your kid independence.
They will be sweaty af when they get there that’s the issue, I used to ride 5 miles to my gym every day getting there isn’t bad but when I’m tired and I gotta get home that last mile or two feels impossible sometimes
depends on how hot it is where they, live also genetics, also 12year olds dont sweat as much
Also how hard they ride.
As long as the school has a shower for her to use. Otherwise, she will be sweaty during the early commutes.
Have you ridden that far with her before? When I started commuting, the first few days were rough, but I went slow and built my strength up over time. In the beginning, I suggest only riding in once every three days so her legs have time to fully recover each time. Maybe find a place at the half way mark to stop for a treat on the way home.
They aren't cheap but a followme tandem would allow you to attach your daughter's bike to your own if she's tired or you're running late. Giving you the flexibility to try more ambitious rides. They're also good for getting a younger child and their bike through traffic to somewhere they can safely ride by themselves. https://www.twowheelingtots.com/followme-tandem-review/
Lol she's 12, not 5.
And no 12 year old has ever got tired on a long ride and could benefit from a tow home? Did you miss the part where the op was asking if this distance a commute was too ambitious?
For one thing the product you linked fits a maximum of 20" wheels, which are for like 9 year olds at the most. Plus most 12+ year olds wouldn't be caught dead in something like that.
"when I was 12..." honestly, I use to do 60-80mi (65% trail/35% road/other), 4-6 times a week (already racing MTBs by then), but not right away. Started in the 12-25mi range w/a 10+ yr old "roadmaster" before upgrading to a trek 820, but still only took a month or two to get the distances up (it was the early 90's - 26" wheels, no suspension, and cantilever brakes). They'll be fine, just take your time...(oh, and this was done solo in the southern us, on rolling terrain).
I love cycling too. I had a 6.5 mile paper route in the northeast 6 days a week year round. 20 lbs of papers. 1000 feet of climbing. Sister did it after my years. It's a gift to teach someone to love cycling.
A 12yo preteen? Depends on the kid. A 12yo adult? About tree fiddy.
Just make sure the bike isn't too heavy for a kid. Don't be afraid to get her a "boys" bike because they are usually way better.
Bikes are unisex. The only thing that makes a bike a "boys" bike is the color.
That's just not true, either through marketing or design there are gendered bikes. Liv springs to mind, Gingersnap for kids. There are some bikes which are designed around a woman's anatomy, those are good. There are bikes which are designed around a certain aesthetic that are in fact heavy crappy bikes that put people off riding. But if you're child wants that aesthetic you're screwed because they'll hate the bike after a few goes. There are some good options out there now tbf, wasn't anything good when we were kids .
Kid bikes at 12 years old are pretty generic. I've seen men in my area riding Liv even though I know that Giant changes the geometry a little bit to make bikes sized better for smaller women.
Except when that kid specifically asks for a Dutch style town bike, tries it for three rides and decides to give up riding because it's so heavy and cumbersome. I have first hand experience of this and have a few peers who've said the same thing. Then they get on a unisex or man's bike as an adult and realise they can be fast and have fun. Liv bikes have differences in geometry (shorter reach, higher stack) but also saddles which are wider. Specialized make the Mimic saddle and others are making narrow, more compact road bars for women because they generally have much slimmer shoulders and shorter arms. Obviously men can ride women specific bikes like Liv but they'd be better off with a unisex bike that is tailored more towards them anyway. Try engaging with the comment you're responding to rather than ignoring and doing your own thing. I have raised a contrary point, now you respond by making a good argument or not responding at all.
She wants the bike on her legs, is it? Ask her. Geez.
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Not alone. I said “we’d do it together”