My teenager wants an E-bike

[senpai71]

I would not let my kid ride a bicycle or e-bike on the public roads. I have a machine safety view of vehicles and roadways.

I get your viewpoint, but I also hate it (not you!) Cars and other vehicles will not allow bicycles (regular ones, not just e-bikes) on streets unless cyclists demand it. And that means taking a risk - the risk to actually ride on city streets.

I got my daughter into riding her bicycle on the public roads as soon as possible. Learning both basic bike skills (how to ride without falling over, being able to make hand signals without wobbling, etc.) and road sense (taking up space - the full lane where necessary, being visible, making eye contact, etc.).

She now lives in London and rides her bicycle and loves it. And I love that. I know bad things could happen, but the same is true of us bikers...

As far as the OPs' question, I agree that he probably should have a united front with his wife - no-one LIKES being the bad cop. And personally I probably wouldn't have let my daughter get an e-bike before she was at least 16. After that... situation-dependent - do I think she or her friends would be stupid?

 

[ST Guy]

If you do buy him an ebike, also get him, at the very least, a motorcycle helmet and gloves. And make sure he knows how to counter steer. And how far it takes to stop from speed. A course with the MSF would be a big plus.

 

[ocoas]

As a kid I wanted a BB gun. My Dad said absolutely not. If your want a gun then we get you a real gun so you learn to respect it.
He bought me a Remington bolt action 22 with scope. And then we went shooting.

My vote buy him a dirt bike and the two of you go riding. Do stuff with your Son, keep him close.


Never have owned a BB gun, maybe I should go buy myself one.

 

[greenmonster]

At the risk of beating a dead horse on this united front thing…your wife was with you before the kid came along, and she’ll be there after he moves out.
She is your life partner, not your kid.

 

[tzrider]

At the risk of beating a dead horse on this united front thing…your wife was with you before the kid came along, and she’ll be there after he moves out.
She is your life partner, not your kid.

I know two fathers who were supportive of their sons road racing from a young age and their sons were both killed before the age of 14. Apart from the tragedy of the loss itself, neither marriage survived. I don’t know where either spouse stood on racing but there is a point to consider:

Before allowing a kid to engage in a high consequence activity, both parents should be aligned on the risk/reward of it.

 

[budman]

Indeed those were tragic.

That activity is on a different level but a solid point.

 

[HadesOmega]

E-Bicycles I think is ok if they already know how to ride a bicycle proficiently. Now an E-Motorcycle is a different story like a Sur Ron or Talaria. Unfortunately they are cracking down on kids riding em because they are out doing dumb stuff on them so now they've got to regulate them all. I don't ride my Sur Ron on the road anymore because of this even if it has a moped plate. They are coming after the parents who purchase their kids E-Motos also, because they are pretty much enabling them to ride illegally.

 

[Rtmac]

My kids are grown, but if they were still teenagers they'd definitely have e-bikes (in fact I bought my son an e-scooter when they first came out about 20 years ago.)
I'm not believer in coddling kids. You give them the best advice you can, cross your fingers and hope for the best. At least they aren't sneaking off to ride a friends e-bike without the benefit of any instruction.

The brutal truth is, they don't all make it. And while I always feared losing one, I also feared them missing out on living life because of my/our fears.