Family bike rides are a fun way to get outside, exercise, and
enjoy each other’s company. It’s time to outfit your family with
the bikes, gear, and knowledge of the best places to ride.
Consider this weekend’s cold weather a bump in the road on the way to spring. With daylight hours getting longer and a new season fast approaching, now is the time for South Valley families to hop on their bikes and get outside.
“Bike riding is great for family involvement,” said Russell Anderson, an employee of Sunshine Bikes in Gilroy. “It’s something fun to bring everyone together.”
Aside from getting families outdoors and exercising together, cycling is a good way for parents to teach their children road safety, said Brian Lucas, owner of Off the Chain Bikes in Hollister.
“When kids are young, you can help them learn the dangers of cars, how to look for imperfections on the road, traffic rules, and how to use common sense when they’re riding,” he said.
Start with Safety
Any bike rider can tell you the most important piece of equipment in cycling is a helmet. Not only is it common sense to wear a helmet, it’s the law for anyone younger than 18.
Before purchasing a helmet, make sure it’s certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, said Mark Silva, owner of South Valley Bikes in Morgan Hill.
Safety equipment such as knee and elbow pads are also smart purchases for riders in the family who are more adventurous and like to try tricks or go off-road. But sometimes, padding is more of a problem than a help to smaller, less-experienced riders, Silva said. He recommended waiting until children know how to ride a bike and start getting more adventurous before putting them in padding.
“For kids, especially kids just learning how to ride, limit the safety gear to a helmet, long pants and a long T-shirt,” he said. “The pads are really distracting, and they’re very restrictive. They’ll actually interfere with what the kids are trying to do.”
Bright clothing to make yourself more visible and gloves to protect your palms during a fall are other smart safety items for families to have when riding bikes, Lucas said.
When planning longer rides with the family, be sure to bring sunscreen and plenty of water. Getting lots of rest the night before will also help keep kids alert when cycling, Anderson said.
Ticket to Ride
When it’s time for the youngest members of the family to graduate from training wheels to two wheels, making sure the bike properly fits the child is very important, Silva said.
“If they’re going to be falling and crashing, the closer to the ground they are, the less banged up they’ll get,” he explained. If the bike is too big for the child, it won’t be as easy for them to put out a foot and catch themselves, and they’ll have farther to fall.
To ease children off training wheels, start adjusting the wheels without the child knowing, Silva said.
“Raise them little by little so the bike teeters more and more,” he said. “It will make kids find their balance, until one day, they won’t be relying on the training wheels anymore.”
Though teaching children to ride a two-wheel bike varies from case to case, one thing all children will experience is a fall, Anderson said.
“Try to take the kids to an open space, like a park with lots of grass, where kids can fall down and not get hurt,” he said. “At Las Animas (Park in Gilroy), there’s a dirt path with grass on either side that’s pretty ideal.”
Bikes for Everyone
For every person’s riding preferences, there’s a bike to match. When choosing a bike, the most important thing is to purchase a quality bike, Silva said.
“Sure, you can buy a bike for $75 that’s made by some toy company, but they’re really meant to be a disposable bike, not one for exercise and enjoyment,” he explained. “If you want a quality bike that’s going to last, you get one made by a bike manufacturer assembled by professionals that know what they’re doing. You can get a really good bike for about $250.”
For off-road biking, mountain bikes with thicker tires and shocks are best. For on-road biking, taller bikes with skinny wheels and small tread are best. There are, however, hybrid bikes that combine the best of both mountain bikes and road bikes, Silva said.
“The hybrids have more upright seating, and a taller wheel, but not as skinny of a wheel as a road bike,” he explained. “They’re really good for path and trail riding, going to the occasional camp site and commuting.”
Other kinds of bikes include beach cruisers, with balloon tires and single to three speeds, which Silva described as “a fashion statement that’s good for cruising around and looking cool.”
BMX bikes are designed for jumping and doing tricks, so are built to be very durable, but aren’t good for family bike riding, Lucas said.
“Even though BMX bikes are durable, they’re really heavy and they aren’t good for family rides,” he explained. “Family bikes should have gears, and BMX bikes don’t.”
Bike Safety Laws
Everyone younger than 18 must wear a helmet. The fine for not wearing a helmet is $25.
At night, all bikes, regardless of the rider’s age, must have:
– a white lamp to the front
– red reflector in the rear
– white or yellow reflectors on each pedal
– white or yellow reflectors on each side of the front tire
-white or red reflectors on each side of the back tire.
The only exception for the tire reflectors is if the bike is equipped with already-reflective tires.
Source: Officer George Ramirez, Hollister Police Department.
What’s it cost to get a bike?
Beach cruiser, single speed: starting at $150-$190
Beach cruiser, three speed: starting at $250
BMX bike: starting at $180-$250
Mountain bikes: starting at $260
Road bikes: starting at $800
Hybrid bikes: starting at $330
All prices are an average for reputable brands of bikes. Road bikes are often more expensive because they are a lot more technical, lighter, faster and designed for speed.
Source: Brian Lucas, owner of Off the Chain Bikes Inc. in Hollister
General Tips for Cyclists
– Try to cycle using the same revolutions per minute by changing the gears to adjust for hills and wind. In other words, ride at a comfortable cadence, using the gears if you need more or less tension.
– Wear stiff-soled shoes, and pedal with the balls of your feet. Toe clips help keep your feet in the right place.
– Wear layers if it is cool. You may get warm on the uphills, but it can be very cold going downhill.
– Change gears before starting up a hill. If you wait until you are on the hill, the chain may derail when you change gears.
– Bike bags that attach to the handlebars are great for storing necessities, and they usually have a transparent pocket for the directions.
– Bike computers are useful if you want to check mileage, cadence, time and distance.
– Check for wind directions. If you are pedaling with the wind, the headwinds on the ride back may be strong. This is especially true near the coast or on the plains.
– Bike shorts with padding are great. They don’t have seams, which can cause chafing, and the padding makes the ride more comfortable.
– If you are planning to do extended rides, learn more about bicycle maintenance.
Source: www.pedaling.com
