Sending your child off on their first ride is a scary moment. Are they going to be safe? What will the weather be like during their ride? Will cars be able to see them? To help put your mind at ease, prioritise their safety by taking a look at our suggestions to help keep them safe on two wheels.

Be Seen

Wear the right clothing: we suggest clothing which is comfortable, breathable, bright (avoid dark fabrics) and weather appropriate.

Reflective gear: clothing or bike add-ons which are light should also be on the essentials list for cycling in low light. In winter those school runs can have poor visibility, so cars and other road users need to be able to see you and your child.

Light up your bike: Both your child and their bike need to be visible in the dark or when visibility is poor. There are front and rear lights available for kids (see the TRACE rear light and MINI) to fix to the bike or our kids helmet comes with a rear safety light.

Be protected

Always wear a properly fitted cycle helmet. Correctly fitted helmets can reduce the risk of head injuries by at least 45%. For more information on choosing the right children's bike helmets and measuring your kids head size, follow this link.

Cycle in style. With thousands of children's bicycle helmets available, pick a kids helmet that your child will actually want to wear. We have a large range of helmet designs available and in multiple sizes to fit a range of kids head shapes. Check them out here!

Be Heard

Adding a bell or horn to your kids bike can be another safety feature. You may not be cycling on busy roads, but it is good practice to get your child used to using a bell or horn to notify pedestrians or cars of their presence. For kids we have the MINI or the NANO available. These are not for road use, however perfect for riding around the park or paths. If you are out with them, the dB140 is the perfect horn for being heard. At 140db, the horn boasts two sound modes and is as loud as a jet engine!

Know the Road

Knowing the area and being aware of their surroundings is key when your kids are on the roads. You could go on a practice ride together to make sure they know where the busy areas, dangerous junctions, and blind corners are. Knowing about bike lanes, advanced stop lines at traffic lights and appropriate places to lock up your bike are also really helpful. Basic hand signals are another quick an easy way to ensure bike safety for kids.

Bike-ability

Many schools are now encouraging students to take part in Bike-ability, the government-recognized, practical and professional training programme for kids. Offering three stages of training, Bike-ability ensures that kids are more skilled and confident once they’ve taken part.