Did you know that Cyclechic is run by mums? Caz and Lavinia’s kids spent a lot of time in their formative years viewing the world from their child seats on the back of their mum’s bikes. Here Lavinia reveals what to expect when it’s time for your kids to venture out on their own bikes:
It is a momentous occasion in a cycling family when you feel the kids are now big enough to come off the pavement and go on a road. Here is a summary of stuff we have learned over the years…
First of all, a summary of the Highway Code is a good start. We told them about road signs, road marks and the relevant rules for cycling. We also explained the risk of cycling too close to parked cars in case someone opens the door without checking.
Always look around you and behind before you start moving onto the road and establish eye contact with other road users to make sure they have seen you.
When we thought they got the message, helmets on and off we went. We chose some quiet roads to start with. Because we were two adults, we split and had one the front and one at the back. Every now and then we would stop and let them know what they have done right and what was wrong. If you have only one adult, there is no need to be too ambitious at the beginning and a small journey is recommended. The adult should stay behind and it’s good to figure out how you can communicate with each other. They not only need to concentrate on the road but also need to be able to hear your voice giving them instructions. You might want to stop frequently to let them know where the next turn will be.
We explained that simply signalling with your arm that you want to change direction was not enough and they needed to look behind to make sure whoever was there had seen them and could give them some space to move.
Cycling gives kids a new sense of freedom, a bit like a rite of passage. At first you will probably cycle as a family but soon enough, your kids might want to go on their own. You can start with a short distance, to the park and let them increase little by little. If the journey is one they are not familiar with, maybe go with them for the first time and show them where the potential dangers might be.
If they cycle in the darker month, make sure the bikes are fitted with lights and that they wear some reflective items and high viz.
To find the right helmet for your child, the best is to measure their heads and once you know their measurements, check out our kids section. We cover everything from toddler to teenagers!
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