Season 2 - Episode 5

The eight commandments for biking with kids

Whether you’re doing a circuit after work or riding after school on a Friday afternoon, a shared day tour, a cool bike park weekend or even your first trans-alp adventure – mountain biking with the whole family is an incomparable experience! To ensure the shared bike ride doesn’t turn into a nightmare, parents should take one or two tips to heart. Here are our eight commandments.

First commandment: never ride trails with your kids that are (too) difficult!

Obviously, when Dad is out with his mates he wants to prove what he can do. That nasty carpet of roots with the chasm on the right is doable, but might not work … What definitely won’t work: trying out unfamiliar trails with the kids. The risk of it all ending in tears (or someone getting hurt) is just too great. So: start with the basics and work your way up to more difficult sections together. If you’re unsure at any point: get off and push! Always a good idea if in doubt: cool dads should keep a lookout, standing ready at the right place to intercept their child if they should fall.

Second commandment: don’t always ride in pole position!

Dads have a natural drive to show who’s in charge. And that’s a good thing. As long as they don’t go the wrong way – or the batteries of the GPS device run out. But kids on tour want to see more than just their old man’s backside ahead – sometimes they want to ride in front. So: give up pole position from time to time and let your children take the lead. That way kids learn the magic (and pitfalls) of speed, look for and find their own perfect lines – and grow with every kilometer they lead!

Third commandment: celebrate the downhills, not the climbs!

Children are not fighting machines. Anyone who plays the 80/20 climb/descend trick with children is in for a big surprise. A sit-down strike is probably the least of your problems … Remember: kids want to have fun! And they seldom get that on those long, miserable forest trails. It’s much more fun to ride gently technical rollercoaster tracks – downhill, of course. So why not take the comfortable gondola that goes to the top of the mountain next to the steep uphill piste?

Fourth commandment: lead by example!

Children learn by watching and imitating. So if parents thunder downhill without a helmet and with their rear wheels locked up (and threaten to destroy themselves and the beautiful nature trail), their offspring will naturally do the same. Parents are role models! Take heed of the “trail rules”, which are similar in all bike spots: helmet and protection on, keep your braking distance, show consideration for bikers, hikers and wild animals, leave nothing behind except good karma, etc.

Fifth commandment: make sure your kids have the right kit!

All too often you see parents on brand new, high-end bikes – while the children are puffing along behind on ancient, rusty cheap heavy bikes. No wonder that after the first or at most the second shared tour, the youngsters are happier back on the couch with their Wii. Better to invest from the start in a high quality child’s mountain bike and age-appropriate, practical kit! You’ll be glad of that decision for the rest of your life. And: a high quality bike can be sold for a surprisingly good price once the youngster has grown out of it.

Sixth commandment: make sure you have enough food and drink on board!

Kids’ built-in powerpacks work very efficiently, but need a whole lot of fuel. It follows that parents’ backpacks need to be stuffed full of energy bars, chocolate, apples, bananas etc. And don’t forget the drinks! Children’s bikes should be fitted with a drinking bottle, preferably filled with fresh tap water. You can’t beat the taste of pure water up on the top of a pass!

Seventh commandment: always look out for your children’s welfare!

The mountain bike ride should end with a high-five in a burger place, not in the emergency room. So do a proper kit check before the tour and plan the route carefully as well! Medical bills are always more expensive than a high quality, perfectly fitting helmet, good sunglasses (a must against small stones and insects!), long-fingered gloves and knee and back protection.

Eighth commandment: always make sure you provide three things: fun, joy and laughter!

Mountain biking is a hugely enjoyable sport. And the whole thing is even cooler when you go on a ride together rather than alone. But to ensure there are no tears at the end, you all have to be willing to compromise and rein in your own wishes where necessary. The weakest in the group calls the shots! Excessive parental ambition often backfires. The most important factor: fun for all!