If you’re looking for a fun outdoor activity that you can do together as a family this spring and summer, consider cycling. It keeps your family fit and makes for adventurous experiences that you’ll treasure forever. Here’s more about cycling together as a family.
Choosing the right bike
Choosing the right bicycle is crucial and you want to decide carefully based on your cycling needs as a family. Here’s a brief overview:
• Road bikes: Meant for cycling on pavements and roads, these bikes are usually lightweight and have skinny tyres. Road bikes are usually single-speed bikes meant for light everyday use around town.
• Mountain bikes: Mountain bikes have thick, sturdy tyres and a very durable feel. These are perfect for biking in rugged terrains and have great steering control, but don’t go as fast as road bikes.
• Hybrid bikes: A combination of standard and mountain bikes, hybrid cycles have become immensely popular in the last few years. They feature skinny tyres and can ride fast on pavements like road bikes and also allow the biker to sit upright, like mountain bikes.
If you want to roam around town for a leisurely weekend activity, you’re better off with road bikes. However, since mountain bikes are more stable and easier to steer, they might be a better choice for beginner cyclists.
Choosing the right cycling gear
After choosing your cycles, the next step is to choose your biking accessories. Biking essentials include a digital tyre pressure gauge, bike cleaner, mini bike pumps, cycle headlights and tail lights, reflective vests, and of course, a hard body cycling helmet with features such as flow vents, easy adjust, matching visors and moisture wicking. You might also want to invest in good bike wear for the whole family. Active soft-shell jackets, biking shorts and comfortable biking shoes are highly recommended.
Baby seats, bike trailers, and tag-along bikes
You can put your baby in a bike seat or trailer when s/he is at least one year old. Invest in a good baby helmet and follow all directions that come with the trailer/seat. You can also use a tag-along bike – a single wheel cycle that attaches to the seat of your cycle – so that your child can ride behind you.
Tandem bikes
Tandem bikes – meant for two people to cycle together – can be a lot of fun. It can make for a romantic ride but, it can be tricky to have a conversation!
This is the perfect time to discover the joys of cycling together as a family. Use the information above to choose the right bike, good cycling gear and have fun bonding with each other as you take on the trails.
