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Latest Spanner time Click here for some help in keeping your bike tip top Why should I ride? Think of you, think of your family, think about the planet - then do. Biking fitness I see you baby (shakin' that pert butt you got from biking). Get outside! This is it - Kids bored at home? - get them outside on the bike and make the most of the outdoors. Commuting Ride to work for "me time" and "gym time". Which bike for me? Spoilt for choice-not sure what kind of bike to get? -check out this little lot.
	Teaching a Child how to ride Children love bikes. It's almost a given that any child will love their bike more than many other toys. It's their first independent transport and forms the basis to learn much about balance, co-ordination, anticipation, socialising and the world around them. The most important thing to remember is that every child is different and should proceed at his or her own pace. Getting started with pedals and wheels, is really easy. The pedal power journey can start at a very early age, here's a quick summary of solo riding steps - all these depend on individual children, generally boys are more active and take more risks in the early years than girls do - but just wait till the girls get older - there is always a passenger in the dolly carrier!: Age 9 mths onwards - Sit on and push trike like the Little Tikes version. Age 18mths onwards - Traditional pedal trike. Age 2 yrs on onwards - "Like a bike". Having seen a number of children advance very early on with the "like a bike" (pictured right), I'd reccommend using stabilisers as a last resort. Want to see the like a bike in action? "Click here to go to Likeabike and watch the video"> After having a short period on a trike, it's a good idea to move straight on to balance, a small bike with stabilisers is not the best way forward. Here's why: Stabilisers give a false impression of progress, whilst they allow learning of pedalling and braking, the fundamentals of balance and steering by leaning take a big step backwards. With stabilisers, you turn the bars (a lot) to turn, with no stabilisers-you turn AND lean. Stabilisers enforce steering through excessive handlebar movement. Stabilisers encourage poor body positioning for corners. Incorrectly fitted stabilisers (and most are) are set too low, how many times have you seen a frustrated child pedalling on an uneven surface and going no-where. When the time comes for the stabilisers to come off - even a confident child takes a major step backwards, all of a sudden, the child has to learn balance - usually with an impatient parent bent over semi-running, holding on to the back of the saddle - you've seen it everywhere. If a child doesn't successfully get going solo by about 4, then the process is very slow, with many children leaving the bike only to come back to it out of neccessity at a later stage. So what's the rush? - well there isn't a rush, it's all about setting the better foundations for your child's biking enjoyment. Here are the benefits of the "Scoot method" (this method, while tried and true, may not work for every child): The child gets independence straight away. Having (in most cases) just learn't to walk -why not use this skill to progress? Any bike can be used to scoot - as long as the child has their feet on the ground when sat on the saddle. All that needs to happen is the pedals (and preferably the cranks) are removed so they are not in the way of the walking action. Very quickly, the child scoots along with legs up for longer and longer periods -steering and balance come naturally because the child can "feel" what's going on - if they lean over too far in the early stages, their feet hold them up. Having learn't balance, steering and stopping, the only thing left is pedalling -pop the pedals on and off they go! I've seen children go from a like a bike to a bike without stabilisers and be confident in 20minutes. The great thing is the child has a lot of fun, the parent enjoys the experience too and without the back pain and emotional turmoil of the stabiliser experience! Below are some images of bikes designed specifically for teaching the scoot method, they are available in most progressive bike shops - don't take no for an answer! Remember - if in doubt: The child pushes his or her self along with feet on the floor. When they are ready they can put their feet up (onto a platform on some models) and just keep going. If they feel unstable the feet go straight back to the floor without pedals getting in the way. These are the small bikes without pedals for children to learn to ride on with confidence without the need for stabilisers. Where to learn? Try to find a place that is: Large Flat Even Fairly firm to hard surface This can be a quiet bike bath - there are many local ones, a running track (if you've got access to Nunnery), a football field, a driveway, a park path , or an empty car park. Next steps Gear: If you haven't already, it's a good time to introduce your child to a cycle helmet. You may already have one from the trailer or child carrier days. If it still fits, your child can use that for learning. A pair of cycling gloves is also a good investment. Long trousers are a good idea for that little extra protection for the enevitable tumbles. While making sure the helmet is good and snug, it's a good time to go over the Rules of the road. Make sure your child: Looks both ways before going onto the pavement or road (from a driveway). Wears bright clothes. Rides safely and in control of the speed and braking. Is alert at driveways, gateways and junctions. Rides a safe distance from other bikes. Keeps to the left. Lets pedestrians know if he's coming up behind them by using a bell. Lets a parent know when he's riding his bike. These are a few basic rules- "tune to suit". Important Note on Helmet Safety: When a helmet is not worn in the correct fashion, its effect on safety is reduced. A helmet should rest on the middle of the forehead (often it is worn too high and tilted back), and the strap should fit around the ears in a "V" shape. The helmet should be snug so that it does not slide forward or backward too easily on the head. First family rides This is where parents will need to keep fit! If you've spent your pre-children lives missing out on the joys of pedal power - beware of new aches and muscles you've long since not taxed! When out on the first few family rides, remember to reinforce success, rather than focus on what your child does wrong. One of the most important parts of cycling with the very young is to know when to stop. For more family cycling information see children.
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