Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1893-05-04
CYCLING FOR CHILDREN.
At What Age Should Child Begin to
Ride?-How Far May He Ride?

At What Age Should a Child Begin to
Ride?-How Far May He Ride?
The question whether young children be-
tween the ages, say of and 10 should be
allowed to cycle and if allowed how much
they may indulge in the pastime without
mourning the risk of injury is one of con-
siderable interest. This, like most medical
questions, is one on which no strict or in
variable rules can be laid down. But the
following excellent advice has been given
by Professor E. B. Turner in The Bicycling
News:
While each case must be judged on it's
own merits, one fundamental principle may
be clearly unciated-namely, that no
young child with any organic weakness,
whether of heart, lungs, joints or nervous
system, should be allowed to mount ma
chine under any circumstances whatever.
For most children the age of 6 is quite
soon enough to begin to ride and too soon
for many. Great care should be taken in
choosing and fitting machine to young
rider. Any old castof crock will not do
and may even produce disease and deform-
ity. The machine selected should be light,
of course, the gearing low enough to admit
of short crank throw a inches Is generally
ample for child of or y and the saddle
and spring properly adapted to the weight
and size Of the rider
But most important Of all is the length Of
reach. This should be quite short. The
child should be able easily to touch the
pedal at its lowest point with the heel
Nothing is more injurious than reach so
long that the unfortunate boy appears as If
riding on rail, just touching the pedals
with the tips of his toes.
Then the position must be carefully
studied. Young growing tissues are easily
distorted, and a saddle too far back and
handles too far forward would certainly
cause curved spine and permanent cam
els hump. The peak Of the saddle two
inches behind the crank axle and the
handles so brought round and back that
the child can sit perfectly upright on the
machines are two things that must be In
sisted on in buying either bicycle or tri-
cycle for young rider.
But when the child is pronounced fit and
is provided with an ideal machine the very
important question arises, How far may he
ride itp The only thing that can be said Is
that anything more than moderate fatigue
is injurious. A young growing child suf-
fers much from overexertton. Though at
the finish Of a ride he may seem fairly
fresh, still If he has done too much the re-
suits will be apparent soon after, and a
sleepless night and distaste for food will
show that the system is poisoned by the
products Of it's own waste
The great test as to the distance which is
sufficient for each child Is to observe: l..
How he sleeps the night after the ride.
Q. How he takes his food. 8. How he is the
day after. If he sleeps well, eats well and
is bright and lively the next day, the riding
has not been pushed too far and has done
good, not harm, but if he is feverish and
sleepless, refuses his food and is languid,
dull and thirsty the next day, then it is Ger
tain that too much has been accomplished,
and that such rides, If persisted in, will lead
to mischief