Children’s Cycling Safety Guide – Adequate Preparation Before Cycling
When children are looking forward to riding, being fully prepared before riding is the basis for safe and happy riding. As parents and bicycle industry practitioners, we need to build a solid safety line for children’s cycling journey. The following are the key things that children need to pay attention to before riding.
1. Vehicle Inspection
Before each ride, parents should carefully check all parts of children’s bicycles. First, check whether the frame has cracks or deformation to ensure that its structure is stable; check whether the handlebars and seat are firmly installed, whether they can be flexibly adjusted and will not shake at will; for wheels, make sure that the spokes are not loose or broken, the tire pressure is normal, and there is no obvious wear and cuts on the surface. If the tire is severely worn or bulged, it needs to be replaced in time. At the same time, the inspection of the brake system is particularly critical. Test whether the front and rear brakes are sensitive and effective, and whether the travel of the brake handle is appropriate to ensure that the child can brake with a light squeeze. In addition, the chain should also be kept lubricated to avoid dryness and jamming, which will affect the smoothness of riding.
2. Equipment
Proper riding equipment is an important barrier to protect children’s safety. Be sure to let your child wear a helmet that meets safety standards. The helmet can effectively protect the head when falling and reduce the risk of injury. When choosing a helmet, pay attention to the right size and adjust the helmet straps to ensure that the helmet fits the child’s head firmly and does not shake easily. In addition, according to the riding environment and season, children can wear protective equipment such as knee pads and elbow pads to reduce abrasions on the elbows, knees and other parts when falling. At the same time, let children wear comfortable and well-fitting sportswear, and avoid wearing clothes that are too loose or have long ribbons to prevent them from being caught in the wheels and causing danger.
3. Site and route planning
The choice of riding venue and route is crucial to children’s riding safety. For children who are younger or just starting to learn to ride, it is recommended to ride in closed, flat and sparsely populated areas, such as open squares in residential areas and dedicated riding paths in parks. These places have fewer vehicles and obstacles, allowing children to practice with peace of mind and making it easier for parents to supervise them. As children’s riding skills improve, if they want to ride on open roads, they need to plan their routes in advance, giving priority to roads with complete non-motorized vehicle lanes and fewer vehicles. Avoid busy sections of road, construction areas, and steep slopes and sharp bends with complex road conditions. At the same time, familiarize yourself with the route in advance and understand the locations of shops, toilets and other facilities along the way so that you can find help in time when needed.
Every preparation before children’s cycling cannot be ignored, from vehicle inspection to equipment wearing to venue selection, all of which lay the foundation for children’s cycling safety and happiness. I hope this list of precautions can help parents and children make adequate preparations and start a safe and enjoyable cycling journey!
