Get kids riding guide

Intro
Learning to ride a bike is a rite of passage for most kids, a promotion
into the big-kids club that brings with it one of the first tastes of
freedom and accomplishment.
For parents it is also a new territory, especially for those who havent
ridden a bike in a while.
This booklet is designed to:
A
 nswer some of the questions that you may not even
be sure to ask, and
Help you guide your childs transition onto two-wheels.
It includes quick and simple guidance on the following items:
Choosing the right sized bike
Making sure their helmet is the right size
Teaching your kids to ride
Finding good places to ride
Practicing path etiquette
Keeping kids bikes in good condition
Checking bikes are good to go.

Choosing the right

bike for your kids
When standing, the clearance from the
crossbar (between their legs) should be:

We know that children not only come

in different shapes and sizes, but also
their skills develop at different ages and
paces.

At least 3 cm on a road bike and

Whether you get your childs bike from a

bike shop or from their cousin, make sure
it is the right fit for them.
When sitting on the bike, your child
should be able to:

5 10 cm for a BMX or mountain bike.

When riding, your child should be able to
pedal with plenty of clearance from the
handlebars.

Comfortably hold the handlebars.

Place the balls of both feet firmly
on the ground.

Bike size guide

Childrens bikes are often identified by wheel diameter.
The following table identifies approximate fit guide.
Wheel diameter
bike size

Approximate Age

Childs Inseam*

Comments:

12 inches

24 years

3542 cm

Most come with training wheels.

Usually single geared with primary
back brake.

14 inches

46 years

4050 cm

Most have rear coaster breaks

(and secondary hand brake)

16 inches

58 years

4555 cm

Most have rear coaster breaks

(and secondary hand brake),
some have two front hand brakes.

20 inches

710 years

5563 cm

Some models are multi-speed

with hand brakes.

24 inches

9+ years

6072 cm

Can have most of the features of

adult bikes.

*Length of inner leg.

Balance bikes (without pedals)

Age recommended: 18 months
4 years depending on the child
Not all children use balance bikes before
learning to ride a bicycle.
They assist in the development of balance
and steering skills and are a precursor to
riding a bike.
They have no pedals. Children propel
themselves along by pushing the ground
with their feet.
Once they get more confidence and speed,
encourage them to lift their feet to coast
and develop their balance skills.

S ingle-speed bikes with

back-pedal brakes
Age recommended: 410 years
depending on the child
Single-speed bikes provide a solid learning
base before progressing to multi-speed
bikes.
Back-pedal (coaster) brakes are
recommended for young children whose
hands are not strong enough to operate
hand brakes effectively.
They have a secondary hand brake
that the child can learn to use over time
before progressing to a bike with only
handbrakes.

Multi speed bikes

Age recommended: 6 years and
older, depending on the child
Multi-speed (geared) bikes generally have
two hand brakes and no back-pedal brake.
For children who are beginning to ride
further distances or in hilly areas.

Helmet fit
Step One
With loose straps, ensure that the
helmet sits centred on the head

Step Two
Adjust the chin straps it should sit
tightly but not uncomfortably

Step Three
Ensure the helmet sits correctly on
the head by measuring out a two finger
spacing from the top of the brow to the
start of the helmet.

Step Four
If possible, adjust the connection point
of the neck strap so that it sits on the jaw,
just below the ear.

Step Five
Tighten the neck strap so that both sides
are tight and both connection points
remain on the jaw between the ears.
The straps should not twist or cover the
ears. When done up correctly the straps
should provide a snug fit over the ears and
under the chin.

Step Six
Ensure that the helmet does not move
off the forehead or from side to side.

Tips for teaching your

child to ride a bike
Learning to ride a bike takes patience, practice and time. Some children learn
in a day, and some take a few days or learn over a course of a few weeks.
It is important to:
Remember to keep it fun
Take breaks when your child needs to
Be patient and take it slowly
There are a few methods you can use to teach your child to ride a bike.
The most popular methods include:

Balance bike (or pedals removed from bike)

1
Begin with a balance bike or
remove pedals so that they
can first learn to balance, and
introduce pedaling later.

2
Instruct your child to push off
with their feet and to coast,
before taking more steps and
repeating. Gradually encourage
them to coast for longer lengths
between strides.

3
Once they have gained
experience controlling balance,
you can move onto bicycle (or
reattach bike pedals).

Training wheels

Children learn to balance after

they learn to pedal.

Gradually raise training wheels

as childs pedaling skills
increase.

At some point you will have

to remove training wheels
completely and work with
them to achieve independent
balance.

Adult assisted balance

1
Run alongside child riding bike, holding the back
of the seat to help them balance while they
increase speed.

2
Eventually let go of the seat when you can feel the
child has gained balance.

Tips for teaching your

child to ride a bike
Once your child has learnt how to balance, introduce the use of brakes. You may
like to watch some other parents on youtube, to get a feel for the experience.

Get riding
Find a smooth grassy slope with a level area at the bottom to create easy momentum
on a bike. Find an area that is free of people or obstacles.
Sealed surfaces have less friction, making it easier for your child to pick up speed.
They can be good once the basics have been established, or if you cannot find a
grassy slope.

STEP 1 Gaining balance

Instruct your child to put their feet on the
pedals when coasting down the slope,
and to start pedaling when they feel ready.
Encourage them to keep pedaling when they
reach the bottom of the slope to see how far
they can go.

 STEP 2 Learning to stop

Tell them that they can stop by putting their
feet on the ground at first, and then gradually
teach them how to use the brakes. Have them
practice stopping the bike with the brakes.

STEP 4 Starting and stopping

Move to a sealed surface so they can
practice stopping and starting the bike.
Show your child how to put one foot on the
raised pedal (power position) and place
the other foot on the ground. Teach them
to push down on the raised pedal and lift
the opposite foot onto the lower pedal to
continue the forward momentum.

STEP 3 Turning
Practice turns by riding in
circles on a flat area.

There will be a bit of trial and error, and a few rest breaks before you see some
results. When a training session stops being fun, its time to call it a day.
Dont forget to teach your child how to walk with their bike. Show them to walk
on the left side of the bike and hold the handlebars, or place their left hand on
handlebar and right hand on seat.

Where to Ride?
Footpaths and shared paths
Children under 12 years and an accompanying adult can ride on all
standard footpaths.
Shared paths are typically wider paths that are shared by bike riders and
pedestrians. They can be found in most local neighbourhoods and often
provide a scenic route along a river or through a park.
Contact your local council for a map of your local shared path network.

Path etiquette
Keep to the left on the path.
Let others know you are approaching by ringing your bell or calling out.

Be alert on paths
Teach children to look for and
how to respond to:

Dont ride too fast or act unexpectedly.

Other path users.

Give way to pedestrians.

Dogs or other animals.

Obey signs.

Driveways, laneways or
other crossings.

Ride side-by-side only when path is wide enough to give way to

oncoming bikes and pedestrians.

When passing driveways

Path obstacles, such as

pot-holes, change of surface,
sharp or blind corners.
Steep hills.

Children need to learn to be aware of reversing cars.

Remind them to watch out at each driveway and stop out of the
way of reversing cars.
Childrens peripheral vision is not fully developed until around the
age of 10, so its important to encourage them to turn their head to
look at driveways.

10

 hen crossing
W
roads
Stop, dismount and walk
your bikes across the road.

Riding to
school builds
independence

Turn your head when

passing driveways

When on roads, adults

should ride behind in
protective position

Ride Side by side when

path is wide enough

Be alert and watch out

for obstacles

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Where to Ride?
On the road
Start teaching usually somewhere between eight and 12 years, depending on the child.
Once your child can demonstrate good bike control and behave safely, you can start
teaching road riding.
Start on quiet local roads. As your childs skill and confidence increases over time, slowly
venture onto roads with more traffic.
When riding on roads, adults should ride behind children, in a protective position slightly
further out from the kerb than the child.
If you dont feel confident about your own ability riding on the road, you can ask a friend
to help out, or you can brush up your skills (see page 16 for more details on how Bicycle
Network can help).
If you are unsure of relevant road rules visit bicyclenetwork.com.au/roadrules.
Due to cognitive development, children should not ride on the road unaccompanied
by an adult until around the age of 10 years.

Riding to school
Riding to school helps children progressively learn independence, helps with
confidence and improves their health and social connectivity.
Test different routes to school with your child until you are comfortable for
them to ride independently the whole way, or part way to school.
Establish the preferred route to school with your child by riding with them
for a week.
The Ride2School program can help your school get more active.
See Ride2school.com.au for more details on how we can help your school.

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Ride ready checklist

1. Helmet fit
Does your childs helmet move around when you wiggle
it on their head? Can they salute two fingers between
their eyebrow and helmet? Adjust to a snug fit.

2. Firm tyres
Fully inflated tyres make riding easier and are more
resistant to punctures. Check for the correct tyre
pressure on the side of the tyre.

3. Check the brakes

It is important that your child is able to stop quickly.
Check that the bike brakes are working before you set off.

4. Check for loose bits and bolts

Have a quick scan for any loose bolts or bits on your
childs bike before you set off. This includes bells, racks,
bolts or any other attachments. Also make sure their
clothes dont dangle in the vicinity of the spokes.

5. Wiggle the saddle

Your childs saddle is the right height when they can sit
and place the balls of their feet on the ground. Adjust
their saddle and tighten so it cant move about while
they are riding.

6. Be heard with a bell

All bikes need bells. It is also good practice to
encourage them to use their voices.

7. Be warm and visible

Dress your child in brightly coloured clothing
that is weather appropriate.

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Looking after kids bikes

Bike Safety: The M Check
The following is a good checklist for servicing your bike yourself.

Saddle
Check its secure
Correct height - it should be in line
with the top of your hips
Check the seat post - the max
extension should not be visible

Gears
Derailleur clear of spokes
All gears can be selected
Ensure gears dont slip

Chain
Chain remains on sprockets
No excessive play in the chain
No sign of rust or stiff links

Tyres
Check the condition (not worn or cracked)
Check pressure

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Brakes
All components are tight
Cables are not frayed
Brake pads clear of the rim
No excessive pull required with the levers
Brake levers easily accessible
Handlebars
Align with front fork
No movement or swaying

Forks & Frame

No cracks or holes
No wrinkling paintwork or rust

Bottom Bracket
Hold pedal crank arms and
check there is no side-to-side
movement

Front Wheel
Check wheel nuts & quick release are secure
and the wheel centralised in the fork
No spokes missing or loose
Wheels roll smoothly
Rims running free

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More resources
Local council
Bicycle Networks website has heaps of
information on road rules, maps for bike
paths and looking after your bike.

Local council websites have details on

your local shared path network.
Check their website for a map or call them
for more information.

bicyclenetwork.com.au

Your school
If they currently do not offer it, speak to
your school about including Bike Ed in
the physical education curriculum.
Ride2School supports thousands of
schools across Australia to get students
walking and riding to school.

Speak to our team about helping you to

gather support from other parents and the
school community.

ride2school.com.au

Road rules
All bike riding related laws and road rules
for each state and territory.
bicyclenetwork.com.au/roadrules
Google Maps shows bike lanes across
Australia. It is a great interactive tool for
planning your route.
google.com.au/maps

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Notes:

17

Level 4, 246 Bourke Street

Melbourne VIC 3000

234 Crown Street

Darlinghurst NSW 2010

210 Collins Street

Hobart TAS 7000
Supported by

Phone: (03) 8376 8888 Freecall: 1800 639 634

bicyclenetwork.com.au