Buying the first bike for your children can be a fairly unforgettable milepost in their lives. You are bestowing a gift to them which will not just get them ready for instant entertainment but make them acquire a skill that will last out a lifetime. Here are five major considerations you need to check over when you present your kid the first set of nimble wheels.
- Your kid’s age
Children can get going on a bike once they attain nearly 2 years of age. For this age group, you can select two types of bikes namely:
- Balance or Strider Bike
These bikes usually come without pedals. They are driven and halted by your child’s feet only. Riding such a bike will kick off the skill of balance, steering, and coordination in your child.
- Scooter
If your child finds it problematic to cope with the balance required for a stroller bike and fails to grapple with the concept, then a scooter is a more favourable choice, to begin with.
- You child’s bike fit
This happens to be one of the most vital factors which you need to think through when you plan to buy your child’s first bike. Do not go for a bike that is too big as compared to your child’s height. This can be risky as your child may find the bike too uncomfortable and tough to control. It may trim down your child’s riding confidence as well.
Having a low standover height is what a kid’s bike needs. In that case, even if they fall, they do not skid too far. The handlebars should be placed high and offer a nice grip. This facilitates your child to stay upright while riding and be aware of the surrounds.
- Your child’s bike components
Try to keep the bike’s structure simple and unfussy. Also, make sure that the bike is light-weight so that there are minimal chances of anything to go awry. By and large, kids’ bikes do not call for any suspension. It is superfluous to the requirement as kids normally have soft, spongy arms and legs.
As far as the gears of the bikes are concerned, pick out the ones with an alloy-made chainset with a single ring. Kids habitually find front gears a tad difficult to change. In case, your child is below five, do not worry about gears.
- Your child’s bike material
It is also of great consequence to mull over the material used in the manufacture of the bike. Even though a steel bike feels pretty light to an adult, it can turn out to be quite weighty for kids between the age group of 3 to 5 to drag along. Therefore, aluminium is more suitable as it is comparatively lighter and easier to trot and manoeuvre.
- Your child’s bike accessories
To make sure your child’s absolute safety, a helmet is all what you truly need. While settling on the helmet, see to it that it fits properly. It is advisable to take your kid into a bicycle shop Maitland along and check the ideal fit. The helmet should neither park itself too far above the forehead nor should it sit down too low and restrict the view. In addition, make sure the helmet is not too much wobbly even though a slight easy movement is permissible.
You may avoid kitting out your child with shoulder and knee pads. They hold back lots of free movement essential for cycling. Furthermore, they impede the natural feel of enjoyment while your child rides the bike.
