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Reid rider of the month – October
Rebecca’s (@rebeccabooholden) girls, Amelia and Harper, are our Reid riders of the month for October
Little Amelia and Harper from Southern New Jersey, USA have become our Reid riders of the month for October on their Girls Classic 16″! They caught our eye on Instagram for their super fun and lovely images that their mom Rebecca posted! We caught up with Rebecca to find out more about the ‘cycling family’ and their bikes…
Introduce yourself/ your family and the girls – Reid riders of the month on their Girls Classic 16″
Hi, my name is Rebecca Holden. My husband Chris Menchin and I have two girls: Amelia age 8 and Harper age 6. We live in Southern NJ near the beach – we live offshore. It is pretty rural but where we live is great. We’re only an hour from Philadelphia and 2 hours from NYC!
When and how did the girls get into bike riding?
It just came naturally – it was never a question that they wouldn’t have a bike! I grew up riding my bike everywhere as a kid. In high school, I rode constantly to get to work and friends. As we live near a beach town, it was the only way to get around before you had a car. Likewise, my husband rode everywhere around northern NJ and NYC.
Interestingly, I worked in a bike shop all through college in NC where I learned to sell and work on bikes. Nowadays, I’m still able to fix most things! Also, I would often ride with Amelia on a bike seat while I was pregnant (with my huge belly) with Harper and with two bike seats front and back when they were little. Bike riding is in their blood! I rode up to about 8 months with Amelia in a bike seat. And we’ve had them on bikes since they were months old (in bike seats). We got my husband the men’s Reid bike in blue as well.
So, what made you choose Reid and why the vintage Girls classic 16″ for the girls?
I have a love for antiques and vintage and have always loved old bikes. I have 2 old Schwinns from the ’50s and ’60s. Actually, I’m a digger and did a lot of research before finding Reid. I wanted good quality and the older Dutch bike vintage look. The fact that I could have the same bikes as my girls was such a selling point! People freak out for our bikes when they see us out riding! I’ve sold so many Reid bikes out on our rides…! The quality of Reid is wonderful – totally exceeded my expectations. The girls, like most kids, are super hard on things – and ride like crazy. We are completely in love with them and they ride them literally every day!
Initially, I called up my local bike shop Tuckahoe Bike Shop in Tuckahoe NJ. They didn’t carry Reid but were totally into it when I told them about Reid and how their style and quality were amazing! They opened an account and ordered them in a few days! I think I may have found the rep for them, too – I’m a digger!
Is this their first bike?
It’s the first bike for both of them. Amelia got hers first – for Christmas and Harper got hers for her 3rd birthday. It was an ET themed birthday and we had it all decked out with a basket and an ET stuffy in it to surprise her.
So, how have the Girls Classic bikes treated them?
Their style is of course vintage which we are totally in love with. Significantly, it handles wonderfully and isn’t clunky or heavy at all. They ride on dirt, grass and over hills all the time! Also, we love that there are hand and foot brakes. For some kids, it can be a hard transition to go from only a foot brake to hand brake. These have both which is great!
What and where have they been with it?
They mostly ride our long driveway but we often go for rides in the neighborhood. We love riding on our boardwalk at the beach. It’s a famous old boardwalk in a vacation town in Southern NJ called Ocean City. It’s where I grew up.
Finally, what advice would you give to other parents who haven’t given their kids the freedom to ride a bike?
It’s so important!! Children need to feel free and take risks. It’s ok to get hurt and fall down! Falling off is so important – they learn to apply “getting back on” and “trying again” in so many aspects in life. It helps with good behavior and getting energy out. Your bike is your first taste of adventure and freedom as a kid. Moreover, it is perfect for getting them outside first of all. Also, giving them that freedom will help with so many other things as they grow. They have the responsibility of taking care of something that can’t be left outside and needs to be tended too occasionally. My girls love pumping up the tires and fiddling with things on their bikes.
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