5 Safe Cycling Tips with Your Kids, Parents Must Know!

Cycling is a great way to spend time with your family. In addition to improving physical fitness, cycling can also help your little one learn about traffic rules and build confidence. As a parent, before you take your kids out, do you know the tips for safe cycling?

If your child is not yet trained to ride a bike on the road, make sure you as a parent know how to do it properly.

Here Rodalink gives you some tips on how to keep your children safe when cycling. Here are the best tips for you.

Safe Cycling Tips with Kids on the Road

When kids between the ages of 7 and 11 can ride a “real” bike, they will want to travel on larger roads independently. It is the perfect time to give a present to a kid.

Before you allow your child to ride a bike on the road, make sure they have the necessary skills. Some parents may be reluctant to let their children cycle on busy roads. However, one day the child will be on the road alone.

Introducing cycling in traffic is best done gradually. You can start on quiet roads or around your neighborhood while introducing your child to traffic signs.

For this reason, you need to know the following safety tips for cycling, especially with children.

1. Choose the right bicycle for kids

One of the most crucial aspects of safe cycling with your child is picking the perfect kids bicycle. It's not just about aesthetics; the right fit and features can significantly impact your little one's comfort, control, and ultimately, safety. 

2. Required to Wear a Bicycle Helmet

Safety comes first and a cycle helmet is a must for all family members, no matter how long or short the trip. This is because many cycling accidents involve head injuries.

To protect yourself and your family from head injuries, you should wear a helmet every time you cycle on the road. Here are some important things to consider when buying a cycle helmet:

• Choose a bright helmet color so you can be easily seen by other riders.
• Look for a helmet with good ventilation.
• Make sure the basikal helmet meets safety standards.
• Make sure the strap on the helmet can be easily fastened to the child.

One of the recommended bike helmets for children is the Polygon Helm Baisikal Anak Aero. This helmet uses a glue-on shell material that is good enough to withstand impact and is supported by antibacterial padding technology.

3. Children's Clothing Must Be Customized

Safety should be your top priority when traveling with your children, and some of these include:

• Wearing brightly colored clothing will help you to see your children on the road.
• Light clothing with thin fabrics will help them avoid overheating.
• Make sure that their trousers are not too loose or baggy, as they can get caught in the chain when riding.
• Make sure your children's shoes have a good grip on the pedals. Don't let them ride barefoot!

In addition to clothing, you can also equip them with children's body protectors, such as the Xzone Body Protector Kids Letters Elbow & Knee Set. These body protectors are designed to give maximum protection to the child's body, especially the important bones when cycling, while still being comfortable.

4. Teach the Rules of the Road While Cycling

Teaching children to ride a bike may seem simple, but many parents forget the rules of road safety.

Here are some safety rules you need to know to teach your children safe cycling tips:

• Stop at every stop sign and always obey the rules of the road. Teach your child to yield to pedestrians, stop at red lights, and signal for caution at intersections.
• Teach them to always ride in the same direction as cars. Never ride against the flow of traffic.
• Always stop and look both ways when entering an alley or side street.
• Don't let your child drive too close to parked cars to avoid suddenly opening car doors.
• Use zebra crossings and follow traffic signs when crossing busy intersections.
• It's a good idea for dad to walk in front of the child as a guide and mum to walk at the back as a supervisor.
• Never use headphones when cycling with children.

5. Teach Signal Signs to Children

You need to teach your child the signs of the arm signals. To do this, you need to know and use the signals correctly. Here are some signs that use the left arm:

• Turn left: After checking and making sure your rear is secure, stretch your arms straight out and slowly move them forward.
• Stop: Once your rear is secure, bend your elbows, point your arms down in an L-shape, and stop.
• Turn right: To give this signal, bend your elbows, then raise your arms in an 'L' shape and move them slowly forward.

Teach your child cycling skills

Teaching your child skills is part of your safe cycling tips and it's your responsibility as a parent. Your child will probably learn some skills from you by imitating you when you ride together.

The best way to assess your child's cycling skills is to ride with them. It's like mentoring, except you don't give direct instructions, but you stay behind to observe and intervene if necessary.

You also need to teach your child how to check the bike. You can tell them if the brakes are working if the tyres are strong enough and if there are any loose parts.

Where to Buy Cycling Safety Equipment?

Now that you've understood the tips for safe cycling, it's time to prepare your child's bike.

To support your child's safety while cycling, Rodalink offers a complete range of children's cycling safety equipment. Rodalink is a kids bicycle shop (Kedai Kids Bicycle Malaysia) that sells complete and affordable bikes and equipment. Here you can find a kid bicycle with a wide range of kids bikes that are suitable for your kids.

For girls, there is the Wimcycle Yuna children's bike, available in 3 sizes: 16", 18" and 20". The bike material is made of strong steel and is equipped with front and rear mudguards to prevent splashes. The character is very cute, perfect for your daughter.

For boys we recommend the Wimcycle BigFoot children's bike. This boy's bike is ready to join your child's adventures. The frame uses HI-TEN STEEL BMX, which looks dashing.

One of the best ways to help your child learn to ride safely is to set a good example. Apart from always obeying the rules of the road, the most important thing is to prioritize safety by always wearing a helmet.

COLLECTION OF QUALITY PROTECTION KIDS BIKE