Safest Bikes for Kids and Bicycle Safety

Safest Bikes for Kids

Bicycling is an enjoyable and healthful experience for all the family especially for the growing kids. Kids can’t ensure their safety themselves so it is your duty as parents. Take care to teach and instill general bicycle safety for kids before allowing them to take their bicycle on road. It is very important to protect your beloved children from any hazardous situation that is likely to occur. Some of the general safety measures are:

Reflectors are used to make your kids visible while riding the bicycle especially in dim light. Simply, it would be better to not let your kids ride bicycles in night or in dim light conditions, i.e. fog. Red reflectors are mandatory by law in different states but amber reflectors give out more light. The position of the reflectors must be accurate so they reflect the most light back to drivers. You can add a headlight or flash light and similar items to improve reflected light to make your kids more visible to drivers.

Training Wheels

Training wheels are one of the best options for the kids who have just been promoted from tricycles. These are two extra wheels attached to the back wheel one each on right and left side. These promote balance and let the child concentrate on other basics of cycling. With passage of time and training these wheels can be removed to let the child enjoy the real sport of bicycling.

Height of Seat

To have a good bicycling experience, height of the seat counts a lot. It should be equal to the height of the handlebars. To exactly set the height of the seat keep in mind some factors like:
• Gender of the child
• Height of the child
• Length of the child’s leg

While calculating the accurate height of the seat also allow a little bend in the knee when the legs are fully extended for pedaling. There are many methods to calculate the accurate height of the seat for your child, choose one according to your needs.

Proper Footwear

Footwear is an essential element of general bicycle safety for kids. Proper footwear ensures the safeguard of shins, toes, ankles etc. The footwear must be well fitted to the foot of your child. High heels must be avoided while cycling. The sole of the footwear must be flat for the comfort of your child. Proper footwear will enable your child to keep their feet on the pedals. This is especially important it the child is riding a coaster bike. The brakes on a coaster bike are applied by pedaling backwards. We don’t want children’s feet to slip when they are applying the brakes.

Helmets

Helmets are necessary to avoid head injuries to children in case of any accidents. Purchase a helmet that is well fitted, properly ventilated and it has wide straps and good buckles. Instill it in your child’s mind that avoiding wearing a helmet means no bicycle rides! No matter how short the ride is, it is just for fun or for any necessary work, it should never be without helmet.

Careful Measures for Safest Bikes

• Wear bright clothes while bicycling
• All parts of bike should be well maintained like tires, chain, handlebars, brakes, seat etc.
• Pick the right bike for your child
• Safety kit must be complete including helmet, knee pads, gloves, pair of shoes etc.
• Abide by the traffic rules

Check for known safety issues.

It is always a good idea to check for safety issues. A  good place to start is the Consumer Product Safety Commisson website.

Tagged As: Bicycle Safety, Bicycle Safety for Kids, Safest Bikes, Safest Bikes for Kids