As the Summer holidays come to an end, we look towards the start of the new school year. If the thought of peak school traffic hours makes you groan, you’ve come to the right place. My Ride has all the tips and tricks for getting your kids riding to and from school safely!

Whether they were lucky enough to get a new set of wheels for Christmas or are starting at a new school that’s just out of walking distance, riding a bike to school is a great way for kids to have fun and stay active. It’s quicker and more practical than walking and gets their minds ready for a day full of learning. It’s never too early to start your kids off on bikes but you must make sure that safety is the priority. This helps build confidence, for both you and your child, and lets them enjoy the freedom that the ride brings. So, what’s the first step when choosing a kid’s bike and getting them ready to ride?

Know The Routes & The Rules

Before looking at the gear associated with riding to school, it goes without saying that your child must know the route to school, have the appropriate riding ability and are aware of the cycling rules. While there is currently no legal minimum age to cycle on the road in New Zealand, the New Zealand Transport Agency (NZTA) strongly advises adult to always ride with children under 10 years old and protect the group from behind when riding with them. All riders must obey give way rules, road signs, markings and use hand signals correctly.

My Ride Tip: It’s recommended for your child to be headphone-free when riding to school. Although bombing hills to your favourite soundtrack seems like a great time, being able to hear your surroundings is a vital part of your spatial awareness on a bike.

Get A Bike That Fits Right

So now they know where to go, how to get there and what rules to follow, what’s the next step in getting your kids off to school on a bike? Well.. a bike! More specifically, a bike that fits right. My Ride has a helpful size guide here which shows how to fit a bike based on your child’s height.

My Ride Tip: A good indication that a bike is the right size is when your child can comfortably reach the handlebars, touch the ground with the balls of their feet when sitting on the saddle and, have reasonable clearance when standing flat-footed over the top bar. Your local My Ride store can help make sure your bike is correctly adjusted and ready to ride.

There is more to choosing a kid’s bike than just their height. My Ride’s large range of kids bikes starts at balance bikes, for the little ones that aren’t ready for pedals, and goes all the way up to junior e-bikes, pedal assist bikes to help them get the most out of each ride. Single speed bikes and geared bikes are both great options for riding to school depending on your child’s riding ability, however they’ll be sure to thank you for the gears when the hills get steep.

Essential Ride To School Accessories

My Ride has a huge range of kids gear and accessories to help young riders get on their way.

Below is a list of must-have items for your young riders.

1. A helmet . This is not a recommendation but a legal requirement and is essential for impact protection. A hairstyle can be redone in the bathroom before class. A correctly fitting helmet should sit level on the head with the straps pulled tight enough that it doesn’t move around.

1. Closed-toe shoes . Likely a requirement for school uniform anyway but closed-toe shoes reduce the risk of having something get caught in the pedals or chain while they ride.

1. Lights . Not only for early morning and late-night rides, lights help increase the visibility of riders in all conditions. Be safe, be seen, stay lit.

1. Bike lock . Once at school, keep your bike safe and secure with a bike lock. With key and combination locks, you can be confident that your wheels aren’t going anywhere.

1. Bottle cage and drink bottle . A frame-mounted bottle cage keeps your water bottle within arm’s reach, ensuring your kids can stay hydrated on the ride to school.

1. Spare tube and frame pump . A flat tyre or punctured tube can slow you down, damage your wheel and even act as a safety hazard for young riders. A small pump and replacement tube can get them back on the road in a matter of minutes.

1. Thornproof tubes/ tyres and/or inner tube sealant . Recommended to avoid getting punctures in the first place. Your local My Ride store can help prepare your bike to deal with rough city streets with puncture-resistant tyres.

Once kids start riding to school, they’ll be hooked! More bums on bikes promotes a healthy, active and fun lifestyle for the whole family, and My Ride will be there for you every step of the way. Find your local store here . Make sure to stop in if you ever need advice or assistance on kids bikes or anything to do with cycling in general.