If you’ve been living on the East Coast last month, you’ll know there’s only one real update worth making: rain. So much rain. Our usual commute to kindy and school on the YCF 12 inch electric balance bike was swapped for soggy car rides, and our big plan to take the kids to Wylde Mountain Bike Park to ride their YCFs was a washout—literally. We got there, took one look at the puddles, and called it. Bonnie was gutted, and to be honest, so were we.
So with the riding on pause, we decided to give both the YCF 12-inch and 16-inch balance bikes a bit of TLC. Being electric, there’s not a heap of maintenance to do, but a few tweaks go a long way. We tightened the chains, gave the brake winders a quick adjust, pumped up the tyres, and gave both bikes a much-needed wash after their muddy pre-rain stints. Nothing major.
One small hiccup did pop up though—Bonnie’s grip fell off mid-ride. She noticed it and let us know straight away, which is a good reminder to check the grips regularly. Instead of wrapping it with lock wire (which could hurt her little hands), I went with the tried-and-true super glue fix. It’s held firm since.
Despite barely riding, the bikes are both still in great shape and ready for action as soon as the sun shows its face again. Hopefully next month includes less waterproof jackets and more wheelies. For now, at least the gear’s clean, the grips are glued, and the kids are itching to twist the throttle again.
Mitch Lees
