Seriously?

[SoNiK4]

It's a custom KirkLee carbon frame, Shimano Di2, and yes those are special order Lightweight wheels in 650c. Cost of bike...I dunno, but well north of 10k.

 

[CycloErgoSum]

Metaphor for the pro peloton: velo deux vitesse.

Thanks to their parents' attitude, that kid is the real loser here. The rest are just there to participate and have some fun. Why fill a kid's head with the need to take advantage and dominate?

 

[Finbouy]

You've missed something glaring you in the face..

The kids wearing trainers, and the bike has cages, thats trainers and cages.

If the Kid/Kids parents were serious, the kid would be in clips by that age.

I only hope the Kid rode it hard and puked at the end of the race.

 

[krebs303]

Seriously!

Here's another

Kirklee Lays Up World’s Smallest Carbon Fiber Bike

What’s a kid to do when Dr. Daddy glams the group rides with his $19,000 Cervelo Project California and junior’s stuck rolling along on a $600 BMX whip?

Talk to Kirklee, that’s what

 

[Archibald]

Thanks to their parents' attitude, that kid is the real loser here. The rest are just there to participate and have some fun. Why fill a kid's head with the need to take advantage and dominate?

armstrong junior??

 

[masking_agent]

just as bad as the "hockey dads" and "hockey moms" in my area.. pathetic

 

[Escarabajo]

I bet her dad is really fat.

And rich.

This picture makes me remember a friend of mine who is a Doctor who kept buying his teenager son a mountain bike in Walmart. I am not sure how many times he did it (you know how long those bikes lasts, or just the repairs are sometimes more expensive than the bikes), but how stupid can somebody be. I kept telling him to stop doing that and just go to a LBS where they sell better brands with better service. He just could not get over the thought of paying more than $200 for a bike.

Complete opposite stories but both extreme.

 

[sublimit]

and what is that?learn to wear a helmet?
or you mean...rich and poor...hmmm that exists since hmmmm forever.get over it.

i hope the kid beat the shiit out of the competition.

Its not a battle between rich and poor more like one idiot parent and several more sensible parents entering their kids for a bike race.

Hopefully there's some off road involved at some stage and the kid on the blue bike beats the c'rap out of everybody.

 

[unsheath]

Photo looks genuine to me. The Kid even has the matching blue race number. Do lightweight still do custom orders? No mistaking those hubs.

 

[M Sport]

Photo looks doctored to me. Sad if it's genuine though.

 

[pedaling squares]

I think kiwirider might have nailed it. There's something wrong with the way that hand meets the bar.

 

[SoNiK4]

The photo is real, check the link below for more info on the bike:

http://www.kirkleebicycles.com/2010/09/kirklee-custom-650-di2-lightweights/

 

[42x16ss]

My race bike has been unrideable for 3 weeks because I can't afford a new chain, then I see this!!!!


Serenity now....

 

[sit ubu sit]

I think you are right, little box on the chain stay.

scary

Correct, it's Di2. And no, the photos aren't doctored. See here for the details: http://www.kirkleebicycles.com/2010/09/kirklee-custom-650-di2-lightweights/

 

[Anonymous]

You've missed something glaring you in the face..

The kids wearing trainers, and the bike has cages, thats trainers and cages.

If the Kid/Kids parents were serious, the kid would be in clips by that age.

I only hope the Kid rode it hard and puked at the end of the race.

whats the smallest sized shoe you can get that will hold a cleat?

as for the bike, when they have the kids races in exeter prior to the tour series there were kids ranging from a 12 year old on a brand new cervelo to a kid on a plastic trike.

 

[Winterfold]

I dont think its doctored

http://www.tineye.com/search/0f1927c70bbfae423625028f53a8998ca36f1aad/?sort=score&order=asc

lot of jumping to conclusions and judgements here - its like a clinic thread - what if the kid's dad works at the frame builder or is their number one dealer? Whatever, none of it is the fault of the kid.

 

[Boeing]

That pic pretty much sums up everything that is wrong with cycling.

amen brother. Getting kids into the sport at a competitive level is so out of reach for most. I wish there was some way of creating a standard or limit on technology at the youth level so it puts everyone at the same level.

What we have here in the OC is over the top parents putting big money into their kids equipment. Such a disincentive for most to enter the game.

Never mind the fact that training at this level at a young age before teens has little physiological advantage in the long run.


great photo and it sums up my opinion of the sport

 

[red_flanders]

When I first saw the photo the thing I reacted to was the TT helmet, not the bike. That helmet is by far the most ridiculous thing in the photo.

 

[RedheadDane]

I can just imagine the parents!
"My child is so going to win this completely unimportant race. Therefore he'll be provided with the best equipment! Never mind that it will make him look like a total dork!"

 

[mewmewmew13]

yes, sadly you see a lot of that in the junior scene around Boulder,Co, too. Makes me a bit ill.....kids completely kitted out, parents helicoptering over every detail...and junior is bummed unless he has a wonderful 'pit bike' for cross season. Many kids around here have nicer bikes than adults, too bad it all comes down to who has the most $$ to spend on gear & equip.
I feel for those that struggle just to get a bike that works!

 

[ksmith]

Can't see if the kid has a radio for the D.S. in the team car

 

[hmronnow]

Many parents wish they could give their kids nicer bikes.

Of course this bike is exaggerating, but so what. Spending 10k on a kids bike makes a lot more sense to me than all the fancy cars I see people driving around in.

Yes, maybe there is a sad storyr about parents pushing their kid. But maybe not, so lets not judge without knowing the story.

What I do know is that at the age of 3 my son had to ride a bike weighing more than mine. True it cost only 200CHF (~USD), but I would have happily paid 2-3 times more (his sister would inherit it). However, there exist no nice light bikes for kids. And before you comment that heavier bikes makes kids stronger, think about what heavy loads to to development of bone-structures etc, and the fact that some people live in hilly terrain.

So albeit the bike on this photo is over the top, I am very happy to see that someone is actually willing to do something about it. I wish they would make 12" and 16" bikes that weigh less than 4kg - which I think should be perfectly doable for, say, 500CHF~USD.

Edit: if anyone actually do know of better children's bikes available commercially south of 10k, please post links.

 

[RedheadDane]

It's not so much the pushing which bugs me, it's more the not letting him compete at the same level as the other children. Winning (if he did) is just not the same if you have a huge advantage...

 

[hmronnow]

It's not so much the pushing which bugs me, it's more the not letting him compete at the same level as the other children. Winning (if he did) is just not the same if you have a huge advantage...

Maybe one should not interpret this from such a competitive angle.

Lets assume for a second that he didn't get this bike just for this event. In fact, lets assume he has this bike because he likes to ride - alone, with family, for fun, for training.

And, now some bike race organizes and event for kids. (notice the installations at the start/finish line - they were made for an adult race - this is just some kids event under its auspices). Of course he want to take part - not necessarily to win over some kids on slower bikes, but because he likes riding his bike and dreams of racing. It would be silly if he doesn't use his nice bike for the race. It is unlikely that theer is a large choice of races for kids in his area - including some for kids on unusually fast bikes.

For a lot of people, participating in races is about - participating.

 

[Broken Spoke]

Rotor crankset!!!

Ohhh, just the rings are Rotor. Pov.