SkipRatt mountain bike blog

Ok..so the kids need a new bike...they want a mountain bike. I don't have a problem with this. After all they have gears and are a lot more practicle than those silly BMX things that you see so many of the kids on these days. Although if they told me they wanted a 'racer' I would be fine with that too!!

Well you think purchasing a childs mountain bike would be easy right?? You take the kids in a shop...you give them a price limit and they start looking. You'd think you would have nothing more to worry about than them trying to haggle the price a little if they see something extra cool,yeah?? See where I'm coming from?? I think you may and this is probably how it goes for most parents. Is this how buying a childs mountain bike goes for me?? Hell no...'cause I live with...'SkipRatt...THE mountain bike enthusiast'!!!

So all of you who read this blog are going to probably seriously pull me down because I'm sure you will see SkipRatts point of view (seens as how you're all bikers and will therefore be totally biased) and not the Moms!!The kids just need a new bike for christ sake...they will grow out of it in a few years...crash it countless amount of times...leave it out to the elements...never bother cleaning it and think that the rust growing on it is a cool new feature that keeps it held together in its old age!!

Ok so I don't let them get away with murder and I do make them pump up there own tyres and stuff..(at least those that are old enough) and maybe once in a while say to them...'If your bored why not clean your bike??' but they are not mountain bikers....they may become mountain bikers and get into the sport as they get older (much as my oldest nephew is doing now) but up until that point their bikes are purely a tool for them to get from A to B in a quicker way which is free!!
they aren't that interested in how effective and expensive the forks are...whether it is fitted with disc or v. brakes (oh look at that I used a technical term!!) and what the frame is made out of...to perfectly honest I can't say I'm particuarly bothered myself about all those things when buying a bike...as long as it fits and feels comfy surely that should be enough!!

For any normal people this is enough but if you live with a mountain bike enthusiast then trying to purchase a mountain bike off the rack is cause for whinging and whining and moaning and groaning..(and thats just from the hubby!!)

So what do I do?? Totally avoid the subject at ALL costs!! That is the easiest thing.....problem is the kids grow and so they grow out of their bikes and need a new mountain bike that they think is cool from the shop...and me I'm just trying to ignore the fact that they are growing out of their bikes!!


Does it really have to be such a chore to buy a childs mountain bike??? Am I just being the moaning wife?? Does any body else out there have have these problems???