Season 2 - Episode 2

How do you get young couch potatoes out into the great outdoors? Easy – with a mountain bike! It’s guaranteed to get ALL kids out and about. But which is the right bike? And how do kids learn to ride over rough terrain? We explain all this in Part 2 of the series “Heroes inspire Heroes!”

The most important thing for young mountain biker is quite simply the bike itself. But there are countless different bikes out there. Which should you buy? The best thing is to pack up your youngster and go to a specialist bike store for advice. The professionals there will know immediately what size your little one needs: toddlers from the age of two first learn speed and balance on a balance bike. The smallest pedal bikes after that come with 14-inch wheels. They are suitable for little ones up to 110 cm tall. Once a youngster hits around 120 cm, they are ready for their first real mountain bike (16-inch wheels). But four to five year-olds don’t need to worry about gears just yet. The most important thing is to get the size right – and the lightest possible weight.

Off to primary school at last! And after school it’s time to get out and about on the bike. Now they’ve graduated to 20-inch wheels and are showing off with gears for the first time. Some of these bikes even have suspension forks and disc brakes. But primary school children can manage just fine with rigid forks and caliper brakes. Kids between 130 and 150 cm tall are comfortable on 24 or 26-inch wheels. These are mostly fully-fledged mountain bikes with knobby offroad tires, which can be ridden hard. And teenagers? Though they may not care about much, they do covet a 26-inch adult bike. Or perhaps even a 27.5-inch bike with full suspension? But remember: With kids’ bikes, weight matters more than suspension! And please don’t buy them a mountain bike to “grow into.”

For kids, wearing a helmet is to biking what a full stop is to the end of a sentence. It's clear as day: your helmet is your most important biking accessory. You just never ride without it. The helmet has to fit perfectly, without wobbling or pressing on the temples. The triangular straps should sit just below the ears. That way, this potential lifesaver is always in the right position. What else do mini mountain bikers need before they head out on the trails? Sunglasses, full-fingered gloves, kneepads and a backprotector. After all, safety always comes first in the world of biking. Oh, and Mom and Dad should quickly check the brakes etc. before setting off! Remember: don’t skimp on safety! Be careful – heed the style police when they say: safety before style.

Ready for takeoff! Like the ABCs in school, children start by learning the basics – the basic position on the bike: pedals horizontal, body centred over the bike, elbows out like duck wings, looking straight ahead. From there, just try different things to see what works. The same rule applies here as in school: practice, practice, practice. Organizing a track stand challenge or a slow bicycle race to see who crosses the line last are fun ways of improving balance. Next step: try something new! Why not try to "ride the waves" on a pump track and master those humps and bumps? Or check out some berms and small jumps in a bike park? Or develop a feel for speed on a flow trail? Riding up and down steps or off drops – the better the kids get, the more exciting the challenges. But never forget: it’s all about one thing – having fun!