Cycling with kids

Learning to cycle can create some of the most rewarding times in childhood.

So, to make that experience as special as possible, here’s a little guidance on the kind of equipment available for cycling with children, together with hints and tips that will help you to enjoy the experience and make it all the more enriching.

If you want to go on long bike rides with young children you’ll need a child seat on your bike, a trailer or, when they’re able to hold on and pedal a bit, a ‘tag-a-long’.

Top 10 Tips for family trips

Here’s our Kellogg’s guide to successful cycling with kids. Follow these little tips and enjoy special times together!

1. With very small children it may be best to keep the cycling trips packed with interest - try to keep the journey no longer between stops than the length of time they’re happy to sit and play at home.
2. While they’re getting used to it, for your first rides, use a traffic-free stretch of the National Cycle Network. Details of your nearest route can be found on www.sustrans.org.uk
3. Don’t force a reluctant child to cycle. You can build up their interest by involving them in the planning and highlighting points of interest/possible wildlife on the journey that you think would appeal to them.
4. Try and keep the whole thing as fun as possible with games like "I Spy" on route!
5. Don’t forget - if you’re planning to cycle on road, teaching a child how to look behind them without wobbling or veering into the middle of the road is one of the most important skills of safe cycling.
6. If the child is on the back of the bike, don’t forget that unlike you working the pedals, they won’t be generating any heat. Even on a fine day, take extra clothes and something waterproof for them – just in case.
7. Be careful not to pinch their skin when putting the helmet on. It’s easily done and almost always ends in tears – not a good start. Instead, just place your forefinger between the clip and the chin, easy.
8. It’s usually safest to cycle in a line with adults at the front and the back, keeping the children in the middle. If there's is only one of you, the adult should always cycle behind with the children in front, where you can keep an eye on them.
9. Don’t be too ambitious! It’s better that everyone wants to go out cycling again, rather than coming back home exhausted and tearful and permanently put off!
10. Stock up on the odd healthy treat for a mini snack or two, to make a stop-off a bit more of a fun event.

Cycling with children

Of course all children grow up at their own pace, but here are some general guidelines for how to best enjoy cycling with them in their more formative years...

From birth to nine months remember that until babies can hold their heads up by themselves they shouldn’t be carried on bikes. They are able to do this between 6 and 12 months.

Between the ages of 9 months to 4 years, specially designed bike seats, normally fitted to the back of a bike, are perfect for the children. These seats will come with weight limits, so check you get the right one for your child, and look out for the CE mark too as a guarantee of quality.

Good foot support makes the journey much more comfortable for children, and good padding protects young bottoms from bumps. Straps and padded headrests are essential because children will sometimes fall asleep on a ride. Look out for seats that can grow with your child, particularly allowing their legs to grow, and check whether or not panniers can be used with seats so you don’t have to carry a back-pack.

Practice before you go on a longer bike ride so you can get used to the feeling of having a child as well as you on the bike. Remember that you are blocking their view, so be prepared to talk about what you are seeing, and for a bit of leaning to the right or left so the child can get a glimpse at what you are describing. And lastly remember that just because you are pedaling and are nice and warm, your child is just sitting, so make sure they are dressed warmly.

A toddler will happily graduate from a push-along bike or tractor to a tricycle or bike with stabilizers, but moving onto riding without stabilizers depends on the child, and needs confidence, try not to be tempted to force the process. Sometime between 4 and 7 years old, be prepared for a lot of holding and releasing and picking up. Balance will come – sometimes removing the pedals as well as the stabilizers helps children to get a feeling for balance while freewheeling without the added complication of pedalling. Local parks and traffic-free sections of the National Cycle Network are ideal places for children to learn, far away from the fear of traffic.

Trailers are also a perfect way of taking children on longer bike rides. They can take two children, up to the age of about 4, and are very stable and highly visible, encouraging drivers to give you a wide berth. They are covered to keep children dry, but with big windows giving a good view. Most hire shops will stock trailers, so try them out before you buy.

‘Tag-a-longs’ attach to the seat post of your bike, and are essentially the back half of a child’s bike attached via a pole that rotates. Children can pedal when they want (useful when going up hill) and rest when they don’t want to. These are suitable for children between the ages of 4 and 7, and can be hired too so again, it’s worth trying one out before buying.

Buying the bike

It’s always best to buy a bike that fits your child, not one that they can grow into. A bike that is too big or too small is difficult and dangerous to ride, and will probably put your child off rather than encourage them. Once they grow out of their bike pass it on, and get another correctly sized bike. And think about buying a bike without a cross-bar – if they fall they will fall through the bike, not off it.

Don’t forget the helmet

Helmets! They must wear them! These are of course essential and can provide vital protection if your child falls off their bike, so you may want to consider one for young children learning to cycle. To be effective, helmets must fit perfectly and should be comfortable to wear, so try a few and get some advice before buying. Only buy a helmet that conforms to high safety standards – (again - look out for the CE mark). And always replace a helmet if it has been involved in a serious fall or accident.