I overheard my kid tell her best friend the memory of her first bicycle. She said, “My pink bicycle had a basket in front. I always kept my favorite teddy bear in the basket. Afterwards my Dad removed the side wheels. I was very scared to ride my bike without side wheels. Suddenly, one day I put both my feet on the pedals and rode. Finally, I learnt to ride a bicycle all alone! I was so happy.”
Kids love their first bikes. For most of us, our bike adventures are the most vivid of all childhood memories. If you are a dad or mom who is out to buy your kid’s first bike, the goal is to buy one that your kid would love to ride on — a thing to enjoy rather than endure.
TLDR: Toss out the window all thoughts you may have about what your kid’s first bike should be. Consider your kid — is he/she the brave one, someone who will just grab that handlebar and try to ride the bike, fall, get up and keep going? Or is your kid the anxious one, someone who might have doubts whether he/she can take on this cute but steely seat on two-wheels?
If your kid is the former, we recommend the first bike to be slightly oversized. You can drop by The Spin Cycle where experts help you find the best bike size for your kid. We can remove the balancer (side wheels) and pedals of the properly sized bike. We adjust the seat so his feet can easily reach ground level and make your kid stride the bike while pushing with the feet. Once he/she gets the hang of it, we re-attach the pedals and off your kid goes to a first real bike ride.
If your kid is the anxious one, we advise that you get one with both the pedals and the balancer like a single speed junior mountain bike. The more your kid rides the bike, the faster he/she learns. Before you know it, your kid has learned to balance the bike. When that happens, we remove the balancer.
More things to consider.
– Your kid should always wear a helmet when riding a bike. Let the kid choose the helmet of their liking so he/she will use it; just make sure it properly fits the kid’s head.
– Your kid’s bike is only as good as its brakes. There are two types of brakes. The Coaster Brake is what is on most first bikes. It is mounted on the rear wheel. To brake a coaster, your kid will backpedal to activate it. Handbrakes have levers to activate the front and rear brakes. The Spin Cycle recommends the handbrake over a coaster brake because the latter makes it difficult the learn pedalling the bike. The Spin Cycle will adjust the handbrakes so that your kid can easily pull the lever.
– Finally, most parents will wonder if the first bike needs gears. The answer is no. Your kid has to learn to ride the bike first so gears are not needed.
Visit the The Spin Cycle and let them help you find the perfect first bike for your kid. It is located at Ayala Malls Solenad. You will find good quality first bikes from Schwinn, Fuji and Cannondale.
For more expert advice on picking the right bikes for your children, visit @TheSpinCycle in Space M17, Bldg 2, Ayala Malls, Solenad 2, Sta. Rosa, Laguna. For inquiries, call 049.302.2150 or 0920.967.8163. Check them out in Facebook for the latest news and products.
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