Teaching your child to ride a bike from a young age has many benefits. For starters, children absolutely love the freedom of being able to ride a bike. It allows them to explore with confidence and promotes independence. Furthermore, cycling is great for both mental and physical health and will also improve their coordination and motor skills.
If you are choosing a bike for your child, it is important to look for one that is made from good quality materials that will ensure the comfort and safety of your child. The experts at children’s bike manufacturer Woom say that a lightweight bike for kids is the best option as it will be easier for kids to ride as it is built specifically for children.
What to Consider When Buying Your Child a Bike
It is important to choose a bike that your child will be able to hold and maneuver. This is where lightweight kids’ bikes come into their own. Look for a bike with an aluminum frame rather than one made from heavier metal as your child may struggle to control a heavier bike.
The design of the bike is something to consider too. Whether you are buying your child a balance bike or something a bit bigger, look for a bike that is easy to step on and off from.
The age and height of your child are important considerations when buying a bike as well. Most bike retailers will have a chart that you can use to find the most suitable bike for your child. As long as you have their age and height, you can find a bike that is the right size. However, it is not just the size of the bike that is important, especially as your child gets older. You also need to think about the type of cycling that your child is likely to be doing and then choose the most appropriate bike for this.
What this means is that there is no point in buying a road bike if your child is likely to spend most of their time on a BMX track or traversing muddy mountain trails, and vice versa.
If your child is young and you are buying their first bike, stay away from bikes with gears because these can be confusing. Gears are important when you are riding different terrain and need a bit of help in terms of how fast you need to move the pedals. So, if you are cycling up a hill, you might want to use a lower gear so that you don’t have to push so hard on the pedals. If you are cycling on a flat surface, then you can move to a higher gear so that the pedals are not spinning so fast, and you need to put a bit more force on them. For children just learning to ride or those who do not spend much time cycling up hills, gears are unnecessary and often confusing. Plus, they make the bike heavier and harder to control.
Protection is Important
When you have bought a bike for your child, never forget to buy protective gear as well. As well as a helmet, you should look for some knee and elbow padding because kids tend to fall from their bikes quite a bit when they are learning. Furthermore, make sure your child’s bike is fitted with a bell and that it has lights. You should also consider reflective taping for your child’s clothing or a high vis vest so that they are always visible when out on their new bike.