If there’s one way to create a life-long bicyclist, it’s by starting kids early. But how early is too early, and how do kids safely transition to riding on their own?
The first thing to consider is how to get your child accustomed to riding on their own bike. Balance bikes are a new and good option; the hook is that they skip the brakes in favor of foot power, which helps kids build confidence.
What’s important at any bike stage is for the child to properly be fitted to the bike, and for the bike to include the options that might be needed for your family’s particular situation. That may equal fenders or shocks and gears, depending on where you’re riding and how much riding you’ll be doing. Another must-have is a properly fitting helmet.
What’s key is to go from age to age with the right bike and the right protection, and the graphic below and article can help you sort through the options.