The Gift of Freedom
Starting out on Two Wheels
It’s a two-way thing.Life is all about stages. Milestones build upon one another and prepare us for the future. Second to walking, learning to ride a bike is the first time your child is truly ‘on their own.’ It’s an act of bravery and commitment. It takes true courage to fall, get up and try again.
Cycling promotes problem-solving, exploration and nurtures independence.
As a parent, your child learning to ride their first toddler bike is a shared experience that will teach you about them and about yourself. It’s an opportunity to strengthen the bond of trust and understanding. A family activity that can help build the lifelong habit of fitness. A Balance Bike is the perfect way to get them started on this journey.
You’re on your own kid!
A Taste of Independence
Brilliant at breakfast (and at school).Let’s face it, most kids aren’t exactly crazy about the morning trip to school. As Oscar Wilde put it ‘Only dull people are brilliant at breakfast’.
So how about trading the humdrum car ride for an invigorating bicycle trip to school? Even if your kids hate school it’s an opportunity to bond with them and build memories along the way. In a world where kids spend so much time on screen, it’s also a great way to sneak in some well-needed exercise and connect your child with the environment.
A cycle trip to school will boost mood and prime your kids for the day ahead, and there’s nothing better than a Bobbin Kid’s Bike to do it on.
You never forget your first bike
Picking Personality
Independence in a box.Choosing the colour of their bike is a chance for a child to express their personality. Our fire engine red kids' bikes might echo the fiery spirit of a confident child, bold and brimming with energy. Whilst Duck Egg Blue could whisper of a soulful, introspective nature. Green children’s bikes might signal a heart in tune with nature. Black could hint at a mature soul, finding beauty in simplicity and practicality.
Let your child paint a picture of their unique identity. Cherish and encourage these expressive moments, as they're heartwarming revelations of your child's blossoming individuality.
Racing into the World
Racing into the World
Cycle of MischiefOur world has changed dramatically. If you grew up in the seventies or eighties, you’d have experienced a pretty unconstrained childhood, with kids building ramps out of old doors and car tyres in an attempt to impersonate the legendary Evel Knievel (all without kids bike helmets!) Bicycles were the centre of a child’s social life; a means of visiting friends and getting up to collective mischief.
Sadly we now live in more uncertain times, but with the right precautions, there’s no reason why today’s kids shouldn’t experience some of the freedom of the past.
Our Hybrid Kids Bike, the Hornet, embodies this spirit of freedom and is built to inspire young riders to chart their own path as they race towards adulthood.
Kids bikes best sellers
Tips to Help Kids Learn to Cycle
Here are a few key insights which will help you both along the way.
- You have handlebars, but you don’t really turn them, you lean into corners
- Being stable only really happens at speed, typically around 8mph, so this requires an act of faith from your child
- If your child’s handlebars are too high you won’t have enough weight on the front end. Your child needs around a third of their weight through the bars.
- Pedal position when starting off is vital. You should make sure that your child pedals away with their leading foot in the 2 O clock position. Their leading foot is the one they kick a ball with.
- Stabilisers work on perfectly on flat surfaces and are good to get your child going, but when learning to balance, take them off together with the pedals so your child can use the bike like a balance bike. Don’t forget to lower the seat. Once they can balance, replace the pedals
- You’ll only get your child to learn to ride if they’re engaged. To them, they might see a bike as a way to get to the slide in the playground so be prepared to mix up the activity
- Make sure they’ve got elbow and knee pads together with a good helmet.
- Sustrans have an excellent video outlining the steps to learning right here.
Or visit TFL's Cycle Skills course to pick up essential skills for cycling on the road.
Tips to Help Kids Ride to School
Turn your mornings from groggy to gleaming, trading the rush of traffic for the rustle of leaves and chirping birds with these tips.
- As the old gym teacher used to say “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only inappropriate clothing”, so make sure you’ve factored in the unpredictable weather
- Be seen. With the trip to school being peak time, ensure that the young rider is wearing visible clothing and the bike has lights on
- Your kid may want to take a break from cycling, so be prepared to give them a little push from time to time, or even carry the bike.
- Breakfast like a King (or Queen) Your little athlete will need some calories on board for the trip ahead. Porridge and fruit are a great start to the day
- Allow plenty of time for the trip
- Be realistic about the distance
- If you're cycling in London, it's a great idea to use as Cycleways they're a safe place to cycle.
Tips for Getting Your Teen Back in Saddle
It’s time to stop being a taxi! Here are our tips for getting your kids back in the saddle.
- They need a well-maintained bike that they’d actually like to ride
- Make sure they get some training from an official course. Most councils will be able to hook them up with some lessons on road safety, often these are free.
- Find out where they’d like to go and plan a route that avoids busy roads and dangerous areas
- Stay in touch with shared location via phone
- Make sure that they have a good set of lights and a helmet
- Ensure they wear visible clothing, there are some cool high-vis options available
- If they can ride with a friend that’s better still
- Set a clear timeframe for returning from the trip and try to avoid peak travel times
- Don’t make it a chore, we don’t always want to ride every day and your kids are no different
