As summer winds down and the school bells are about to ring, it’s the perfect time to ensure your kids’ bikes are prepped for their daily school commutes. For families encouraging cycling to school, like ours with a kindergartener and a 3rd grader who bike 3-4 times a week, bike readiness is key for safety and enjoyment. We rely on Prevelo Alpha 3 20″ and Woom 5 24″ bikes for our children. Let’s run through the essential steps to get those kids’ bikes in top shape for the school year.
When preparing kids’ bikes for regular use, I prioritize three main aspects: reliability, visibility, and fun. These factors contribute to a safe and positive biking experience for children, encouraging them to embrace cycling as a mode of transport and recreation.
Essential Kids Bike Safety Check
Before the school year begins, a thorough safety check is paramount. I adhere to the simple yet effective “A, B, Cs” method for all bike inspections:
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Air & Tires: Maintaining proper tire inflation is crucial, and I make it a weekly routine. Check the tire pressure against the sidewall recommendation. While inflating, inspect the tires for any signs of wear and tear, such as cuts, bulges, or embedded objects. For added flat tire protection, consider using a sealant like Slime within the inner tubes. This can proactively seal minor punctures as they occur.
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Brakes: Effective brakes are non-negotiable for safety. Test both front and rear brakes to ensure they provide ample stopping power and respond quickly. Ideally, the front brake should engage just a fraction of a second after the rear brake. This prevents the child from accidentally going over the handlebars in case of sudden front brake application. Adjust brake cable tension or pad position as needed to achieve optimal braking performance.
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Chain & Gears: A lubricated chain ensures smooth pedaling and gear changes. Apply bike-specific lubricant to the chain regularly, especially after wet rides or storage periods. If the bike has gears, cycle through them to confirm smooth and accurate shifting. Address any hesitation, skipping, or noise in the gear changes by adjusting cable tension or derailleur alignment.
For a more detailed visual guide on conducting a comprehensive kids’ bike check, you can refer to this video.
Child performing a bike safety check, focusing on tires and brakes, in a home setting.
Enhancing Your Kid’s Bike Visibility
Visibility is a major concern, especially for children on bikes. Kids are smaller and can be easily overlooked by drivers, particularly on busy roads or in low-light conditions. Since part of our kids’ route to school involves navigating a winding neighborhood street, we’ve taken extra steps to maximize their visibility.
Safety Vest for Kids
A brightly colored safety vest is an indispensable piece of gear for young cyclists. We prefer the pull-over style vests as they are easy for kids to put on and take off independently. Making reflective vests mandatory whenever our children ride their bikes, especially on streets shared with car traffic, provides an immediate and significant boost to their visibility. This simple measure ensures they are seen by motorists from a greater distance, enhancing their safety on the road.
Bright yellow kids reflective safety vest, clearly visible and designed for easy pull-over wear.
Bike Lights for Increased Safety
Bike lights are essential for visibility, regardless of the time of day. Even during daylight hours, flashing bike lights can draw more attention from drivers. We equip our kids’ bikes with blinky lights both at the front and rear. This year, we’re using the Lumos Firefly lights, which offer a convenient magnetic attachment for easy removal and a multi-charger that can handle four lights simultaneously. While the Lumos Firefly lights are a premium option, there are many more affordable bike light sets available that provide excellent visibility. We are evaluating the Lumos lights to determine if their features justify the investment over more budget-friendly alternatives in the long run.
Close-up of Lumos Firefly Smart Bike Light System packaging, highlighting features and included components.
Adding Fun to Kids’ Biking
Making bike riding enjoyable is just as important as safety and visibility. Fun elements can motivate kids to ride more often and develop a lifelong love for cycling.
Bike Bells: A Fun and Functional Accessory
Bike bells are not only fun for kids to use, but they also serve a practical safety purpose. A bell allows children to audibly alert pedestrians and other cyclists of their presence, especially on shared paths or trails. Kids love ringing bells, and it adds an element of playfulness to their bike rides. For a classic and resonant sound, consider a brass bell like the Mirrycle Incredible Brass Duet Bicycle Bell.
Mirrycle Incredible Brass Duet Bicycle Bell, a classic chrome bell known for its loud and clear ring.Music to Motivate Morning Bike Rides
A portable Bluetooth speaker can be a game-changer for those mornings when motivation is low. Playing upbeat music can energize kids and make their bike commute more enjoyable. A compact and durable speaker like the Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker is perfect for bike rides, offering great sound quality in a small, bike-mountable package.
Bose SoundLink Micro Bluetooth Speaker, a small, rugged, and waterproof speaker, ideal for attaching to a kids bike for music on the go.Bike Ride Tracking for Tech-Savvy Kids
For kids who are interested in data and technology, a bike ride tracker can add an engaging element to their cycling. We recently installed Garmin Speed Sensor 2 on our kids’ front wheels. These sensors wirelessly transmit ride statistics like distance and speed to the Garmin app on their iPads via Bluetooth. While we are still in the early stages of using them, our kids are already excited to review their ride data post-ride, and we appreciate that there’s no handlebar-mounted computer to distract them during their bike journeys.
Garmin Speed Sensor 2, a small sensor designed to attach to the bike wheel hub to track speed and distance wirelessly.Additional Bike Accessories for Kids
Beyond safety and fun, certain accessories can enhance the practicality and comfort of kids’ bikes. For bikes lacking fender clearance, like my son’s 20″ bike, woom plastic zip tie fenders provide a lightweight and effective solution to minimize spray from puddles and wet roads. For my daughter’s woom 5, we are adding standard fenders and swapping the original knobby tires for more versatile and durable Schwalbe city tires. City tires offer lower rolling resistance and better grip on paved surfaces, making them ideal for school commutes and general neighborhood riding.
As the school year progresses, I plan to share updates on how these bike setups are working for our kids. I’m also keen to learn about your experiences and any tips you have for outfitting kids’ bikes for school commutes. Share your insights in the comments below!
