Biking is a great way to get outdoors, stay active, and bond as a family. You can take your bikes all over to explore new trails or just pedal around the neighborhood for some fresh air and exercise. It can be hard for families to find activities that everyone enjoys, but with the right approach, biking can be fun for everyone. These are tips you’ll need as a beginner cyclist to help every member of the family get on board with biking.
Start Small
If your children have never been on a bike, you’ll obviously have to teach them all the basics before you can take off on a family adventure. But this learning experience can also be a blast as long as you keep it fun and train in short bursts. Some children are naturally more resilient while others tend to get discouraged or frustrated with challenging tasks. Work with your little one to help them build endurance and a sense of pride.
As a family, you can all take turns riding short distances and cheer your aspiring cyclist on as they master the art of riding without training wheels. If your children already know how to ride, you should still stick to short routes at first. It’s easy to get burnt out, and you don’t want anyone to be stuck sweaty and pushing their bike all the way home when they get tired.
Teach Them the Rules of the Road
Make sure your children fully understand bike safety and biking rules before you set out together. They should know that they are never to get on their bike without a helmet, and it’s a good idea to wear additional safety gear, too. Even children who are in middle school need guidance, especially when it comes to riding more independently around traffic. They aren’t aware of the practices experienced adults are because they simply lack the experience it takes to know better. Make sure that your children fully understand:
- How and when to stop at intersections and cross the road.
- How to read and follow street signs.
- How to use bike hand signals and perform shoulder checks.
- How to maneuver their bike around unexpected obstacles.
Consider Motoring on an Ebike
For families with toddlers, the idea of becoming a biking family might seem far off. But you can actually switch to a high-end bike that supports a child seat easily. Electric bikes are the leading form of green transportation, and they make it easier for you as a parent to get around with a baby on board. Ebikes still give you a great workout, but they have pedal assistance that allow you to ease up if you’re running low on energy. This can be especially helpful when you’re riding with a small child and are pedaling extra weight. If you want to go on longer excursions as a family, you can extend the range with a secondary battery for your ebike. This will also give you added peace of mind in case you’re taking your child for a ride on a more secluded trail.
Plan Your Trips Together
For kids, even just a bike ride to the ice cream shop is an amazing adventure. Rather than just telling your children to grab their helmets and head out the door for a ride, make the entire process family-oriented from start to finish. If your children are several years apart in age, you’ll want to come up with trips that are easy on the younger ones while still being engaging for the older ones. This takes some planning, and you might even find that at times, it’s a good idea to plan one-on-one rides with your kids. Let them pick a destination in your neighborhood, then set out together to make some memories.