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Dev | Bikes | Adventure | Dad

@hardtaildad

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🪓🚲🧸🏕️🇨🇦🫈
Professional Dad (certified)
coffee before adventure
chasing a little shredder
👍🏻 friend of @libertyniagara

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Let’s talk kids riding bikes.

You asked for tips, so here’s what I’ve learned along the way! 👇

1 – Be patient.
Every kid has their own pace. You’ll know when they’re ready — they’ll start showing curiosity, asking about your bike, or trying to balance on anything with wheels. The key is not to rush it.

2 – Get good protective wear.
They’re going to fall, it’s part of the journey. Helmets, elbow pads, and knee pads make those early spills a lot easier (for both of you).

3 – Crashes happen.
No matter how careful you are, they’ll go down sooner or later. It’s all part of learning. The trick is teaching them that a crash doesn’t mean stop, it means try again

4 – Find a good bike.
We started with a @striderbikes rocking base. It helped our little shredder build a bond with his bike before he was even walking steadily. Once he was tall enough, we popped off the base, and he was off.

5 – Go on rides together.
Before they’re ready to ride solo, bring them along for the adventure. A good @thule bike carrier or trailer is a game changer. Some of our best early memories are from those shared rides.

6 – Work on balance.
Training wheels? Forget ‘em. Balance bikes are where it’s at. Learning to balance first made the transition to pedals almost instant, less than an hour before he was confidently pedaling on his own.

7 – Find somewhere safe, fun, and a little challenging to ride.
We were lucky to have space to build a few small features in the backyard, little bumps, ramps, and paths.

8 – Consistency.
Make biking a regular part of your lives. Weekend rides, park loops, or neighborhood adventures, the more they ride, the more they love it.

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#mtb #mtblove #mtblife #bike #bikeride #bikelife #balancebike #striderbike #toddler #toddlerfun #toddleractivities #dad #dadlove #dadlife #adventure #life #family #thule #familybythule #marinbikes #konabikes taken in Niagara, Ontario by @hardtaildad

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9 months ago

What’s next for Hardtaildad? 🏎️

Still a dad. Still love the chaos, the coffee, and the backyard builds.
 But this next chapter is about something a little different, pushing my limits, showing up, and finding out how far I can go.

Training for an Ironman 70.3. @im703muskoka
 Still the same energy, just a new kind of adventure.

And no, I will not be giving fitness or training advice. But if you have any for me, it’s always welcome.

ps, I can’t swim. #enjoytheride
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#dad #raddad #dadlife #bike #bikelovers #bikeride #cycle #cycling #cyclingtips #swim #triathlon #triathlonlife #ironman #ironmantri #ironmantraining #muskoka #muskokalife #kona #konabikes #gopro #goprohero #endurance #training #trainingmotivation taken in Port Dalhousie by @hardtaildad

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10 months ago

nothing changes if nothing changes. 🖤

2024 has been a heavy year for me so far - lots of changes and challenges. having the opportunity to spend the last week away with our little fam, making new memories on the west coast (best coast), was exactly what I needed. thankful for family, friends and hobbies, old and new, for keeping me grounded and on the up and up. 🏔️ #mentalhealthmatters taken in Whistler Mountain Bike Park by @hardtaildad

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2 years ago

I didn’t grow up with driveway ramps, but I grew up building them. 👷🏻‍♂️

A pile of scrap wood (borrowed from some local construction sites), a handful of tools, and a good imagination were all it took.

Looking back, those homemade ramps gave me some of my best childhood memories and taught me that you don’t need much to have an unforgettable childhood.

Here are a few more reasons to move your cars, get some wood and make some memories:

• Builds confidence.
• Teaches resilience.
• Sparks creativity.
• Keeps em’ outside.
• Creates lifelong friendships.
• Less screen time.
• More scraped knees.
• Endless imagination.
• Real-life friendships.
• Memories that last.

For parents:
• Reason to buy new tools 🧰

Build those ramps. #dadlife #mtblife #toddler #toddlerlife by @hardtaildad

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a day ago

even after finishing the @im703muskoka , I’ll forever say I don’t know how to swim.

thanks to everyone who showed their support, leant an ear, offered advice and of course huge thanks to my kidney stone, who started this whole thing.

I’ll stick to driving the boat, swimming isn’t for me. #ironman703 #triathlon taken in Huntsville, Ontario by @hardtaildad

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20 days ago

morning rides before coffee. ☕️ #cycling #roadbike #coffee #specialized #pov by @hardtaildad

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a month ago

It’s not that I’m unhappy. 🖤

I love my little family more than anything in this world. If I could go back and do it all again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

I’m just tired of feeling heavy.

Heavy in my body. Heavy in my mind. Heavy in a way that makes every day feel a little harder than it should.

The life I have is the life I always wanted. The people around me are the people I’d choose every single time.

I don’t want a different life, I just want to feel lighter while living this one. #dadlife #dadandson #dad #mentalhealth by @hardtaildad

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a month ago

sent it a little too hard. 🧸 #dadlife #dadandson #mtb #mtblove #mtblife by @hardtaildad

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a month ago

days are long, years are short. 🧸

I’ve been wanting to hang these in the garage for a while now, but I’ve been avoiding it.

so many adventures, so much fun.

I’m happy, but damn I’m sad. #dadlife #dadandson #mtb #mtblove #family taken in Niagara, Ontario by @hardtaildad

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a month ago

🏁 75th anniversary for @merrittvillespeedway 🏁

We started attending Merrittville’s Alumni Night with my wife’s grandfather, John Marino, the original owner.

Now that he’s gone, we carry on the tradition with our little guy, celebrating the legacy he helped build.

Although they never had the chance to meet, I’m sure a shared love of fast cars, loud motors, and popcorn with a side of dirt would have made them best friends. #dirttrackracing #racecar #merrittvilleviews #speedway #dirtracing taken in Merrittville Speedway by @hardtaildad

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a month ago

just kidding, go for a swim. #gopro #triathlon #triathlontraining #swimmijg #training taken in International Flat Water Course Welland, ON by @hardtaildad

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a month ago

hard to put yourself out there, but the fun has been totally worth it! 🧸 @gopro @goprobike #dad #dadandson #dadlife #toddler #mtb taken in St. Catharines by @hardtaildad

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a month ago