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Friday, July 8, 2011

Daddy's Tender Heart (or how I was conned into buying a purple bike)

For Kathleen's fifth birthday, we're giving her a bike.  She has asked for various and sundry things (including a horse and carriage), but she's getting a bike.  Whenever the children start asking about various things they want for birthdays, I always remind them that although they are free to ask for whatever they want, Brandon and I are the ones giving the gifts, and so we will choose what we're giving them.  I'll be interested to see how long that explanation can hold up.

When Kathleen got a tricycle for Christmas several years ago, I found the most solid, gender neutral one possible because in this family almost everything gets passed down.  And in fairly quick order.  Just the other day, the girls were talking about passing down their blankets.  I assured them that blankets are personal possessions and so are kept.

So when I started looking for a bicycle, I looked for a nice, solid, gender-neutral one.  And I found that toddler bikes don't come gender-neutral.  They either have streamers and unicorns or man-eating trucks on them.  Eventually, after searching and searching I found these ones:


Of course, they were the most expensive bikes I could find, but they were nice, solid, gender-neutral bikes, acceptable to both girls and boys.  They blue one even looked a little girly, and I worried that Brandon wouldn't approve.  When I showed him the blue bike, he took one glance and snorted 'That's a boys' bike.'  So I showed him the next one, 'Boys' bike too,' he announced.

I explained to him all of my reasoning, my desire to be economical with our money (which always plays well with him), how I didn't think our boy(hopefully -s) would want to ride a pink bike with streamers.  To which he only replied, 'I rode a girls' bike and that didn't hurt me a bit.  And they have lower bars which help in a fall.'  

After some wrangling, he threw up his hands and announced that I could do what I like.  So I got to work scouring the internet for a good deal on the bike.  After a few websites, I stumbled on this bike:


I showed it to Brandon.  He approved, and then thanked me for deferring to his preference.

And that's how I found myself calling a bike shop in Raleigh, asking about having them hold that purple bike until we come in August.  I guess the boy (-s) will have to deal.

10 comments:

backlashphoenix said...

How to turn your girls bike into a boys bike...
http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Oleum-249124-Painters-Multi-Purpose-12-Ounce/dp/B002BWOS6W/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1310133729&sr=8-1

and,

http://www.amazon.com/ScotchBlue-Painters-Multi-Surfaces-2090--75A-Inches/dp/B00004Z4BB/ref=sr_1_6?s=hi&ie=UTF8&qid=1310133768&sr=1-6

viola, boys bike

backlashphoenix said...

yes, viola, it means a violin type instrument playing a happy tune because all is well in the little people bike world... :) voila

Bridget said...

Magdalena rides a boys' bike. She loves it. At least you have multiple girls to pass this one through, right?

AmyH said...

Kids at the just-learning age of riding a bike will ride anything. And hand-me-downs in any color work out all right. Ask my kids about the pink coat.

Nancy said...

We just did a bicycle rodeo and one of our scouts rides his sister's old bike (banana seat, pink frame, streamers coming off the side). He rocks it.

Of course, he's the coolest kid EVER, so he totally can pull it off. Some of the boys with more of an ego/less suaveness would certainly not be able to.

He just says, "Hey! It's a bike! And I like girls."

Also, your bike has to last for two girls before it gets to be a boy's bike and eventually you'll probably end up needing more than one bike, anyway. :)

UnkaDave said...

Dang! I'm envious! My bike is just boring silver-gray titanium-colored. Maybe I'll get the streamers.
Tell Kathleen I love the purple, and can't wait to ride bikes with her.

PaulaJean said...

I will have to confess I like the purple bike. She will love it!

markh said...

Purple bikes are awesome. Take the 1992 Specialized Rockhopper Sport, for example. Fade paint job? Awesome. Even more awesome when paired with a matching purple Specialized Sub 6 Pro helmet and purple gloves. :) I found a picture of the frame online, but it doesn't really do it justice: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/streets/rockhopper2.jpg

Unknown said...

They'll be dealing their whole lives. This is just really good practice. *grin* It's a cute bike!

Latter-day Guy said...

Now I HAVE to share this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwdz2BvefHU