Back to school bike preparation

 

With only a few weeks left of the holidays to enjoy, preparations are underway to return to school. Many of you will have purchased new uniforms and new stationery for your children, but have you thought about their bike needs?

 

Whether your child is going to cycle to school for the first time, or you need to update their existing cycling equipment, there are some items you may want to consider to make the ride to school as effortless as possible, whilst ensuring their safety.

 

BIKE ACCESSORIES

We’ve compiled a list of options to assist your child with travelling to school with ease.

 

PANNIER RACKS

Pannier racks sit on the back of the bike over the rear wheel and are designed to help carry belongings, which are great for heavy books and school supplies. The advantages of panniers over backpacks are that they enable the rider to carry more weight.

 

KICK STANDS

Kickstands are a great addition to a kid’s bike, they allow riders to leave the bike almost anywhere and will help to protect it from scrapes and dents. But more importantly, it makes loading the bike with school supplies easier and is simple to fold away when not needed.

 

Kickstand for 14-16" bikes

Kickstand for 20-26" bikes

 

WATER BOTTLE AND CAGE

To ensure your child doesn't get thirsty on their ride you can add a bottle cage and a Frog water bottle to their bike to ensure they stay hydrated. Check these out here >>

 

SAFETY ACCESSORIES

There are several safety accessories that should be considered when cycling. We take a look at ways to protect your child and for them to be seen when out on their bikes.

 

HELMETS

A bike helmet is a standard piece of equipment for kids’ two-wheeled adventures, so now is a good time to make sure that their helmet still fits. Here’s our guide to fitting a child’s bike helmet correctly.

 

HIGH-VIS ACCESSORIES

Children in the UK usually have to wear dark school uniforms so the use of high-visibility accessories will make your child visible to traffic whilst cycling, and the bright colours and reflective stripes will help to improve safety when having to travel in darker months. There are many options available including high-vis vests, shoe reflectors, rucksacks and spoke clips.

 

BIKE LIGHTS

For cycling safely during the winter months we recommend lights be fitted to your child’s bike. As seen on Dragons' Den, the Mini Hornit is both a light and a horn, so your child can be seen and heard! And, the wings make it easy to attach the Mini Hornit to any bike.

 

Mini Hornet Red

Alternatively, we offer separate front and rear lights that provide greater visibility for street use.

 

Front Light

Rear Light

 

GETTING PREPARED

Now that you have all the bike accessories sorted out, there are two things we suggest doing before cycling back to school:

 

GIVE THE BIKE A THOROUGH CLEAN

A clean bike is a happy bike! Keeping your child’s bike clean and lubricated is key to keeping it in tip-top condition. Our family-friendly cleaning kit from Muc-Off will help kids to keep their bikes looking box fresh and running smoothly for longer. You can view our range here >>

 

GIVE THE BIKE A SAFTEY CHECK

The M-Check bike inspection can be carried out at home to examine for any damage or wear and tear of the bike. This video helps explain what to look for on the wheels, tyres, gears, chain, frame, seat, pedals, crank, brakes, handlebars, suspension, forks and bolts.

 

 

 

 

Now your child's bike should be school ready!