Essential Bike Gear for Kids
To get the most out of riding, you need the right gear. Mountain bike, BMX, and MOTO brands realize that kids are becoming pretty handy on their bikes, which means they need quality gear too. Having the proper clothing and protection helps kids progress and shred the trails to the best of their ability. Therefore, we decided to put together a guide to essential gear for little riders.
Kids BIke Technical clothing
Mountain bike, BMX, and MOTO specific clothing is made from technical materials. These materials keep riders dry by wicking moisture away from their body. The moisture is drawn to the outer surface of the fabric, where it evaporates. Technical materials are also breathable, so water vapor escapes from the fabric.
You may be tempted to put your little rider in a cotton T-shirt. But cotton makes moisture condense on their skin. As they cool down, the trapped moisture makes them cold, especially when riding in cold temperatures.
Technical bike clothing also gives your kids unrestricted movement. Bike clothing manufacturers make their products with an ergonomic shape. Therefore, the fit allows the rider to get into the proper riding positions and easily move while shredding the trails. Often, you will find jerseys with a baggy fit, so they can wear body armor under them.
We have some excellent technical jerseys and shorts for kids in a range of fantastic styles. Check out our selection of kids technical bike wear here.
Kids Bike Helmets
The most important area! Nobody should ride any kind of bike without wearing a helmet. There are some great kid's helmets on the market these days. You don't want to scrimp on your kid's bike helmet, as it is the most important piece of protection. Many good bike helmets for kids come with the same features as their adult counterparts.
It is a good idea to buy your child a very lightweight helmet that does not compromise safety. The weight of the helmet is important, as it can cause unnecessary stress on their necks. But the helmet also needs to provide sufficient coverage. Therefore, we recommend full-face helmets worn with goggles. Full-face helmets offer the most protection, thanks to their chin bars.
We also recommend that you buy your child a MIPS helmet. MIPS is a great feature that reduces the rotational forces you can experience in a crash. These forces can increase the risk of minor and severe brain injuries. Learn all about MIPS here and why it is so effective in keeping your child safe.
Kids Bike Knee And Elbow Protection
Kids fall off their bikes a lot, especially when they are learning or trying new things. But with some good knee and elbow protection, they can avoid scrapes and bumps.
There are different types of knee and elbow protection for mountain biking. Which you choose will determine how much protection you want. You can get heavy-duty knee and elbow pads that offer more protection with hard plastics. These are excellent for nervous riders or kids that ride in rocky areas or are accident-prone. However, they can get quite hot in warm weather while compromising range of motion slightly.
You can also buy lightweight knee and elbow pads. These pads use softer foam to protect your child's joints from impacts. They offer a more range of motion and are more comfortable. For examples of knee and elbow protection, you can check out: Little Rider Co knee and elbow armour.
Kids Bike Gloves
Wearing gloves while riding is another essential area. Gloves offer you a few different benefits, such as enhanced grip on the handlebars, protection during crashes, preventing blisters and keeping fingers toasty on cold days.
With these benefits in mind, it is worth looking at the characteristics of kids gloves before you buy them.
Having good grip on the handlebars gives your child good control and comfort. Some gloves have a material on the fingers and palms to enhance grip, which is worth taking note of. If your child rides in cold weather often, you should pay attention to how much insulation the gloves have. Lots of insulation is great for warmth, but it can compromise dexterity and feel. If the gloves are too thin, the material can bunch up, causing friction and blisters.
It is essential to get the glove size right. If the gloves are too big, your little rider can get blistered hands. So how do you know what size to buy?
Standard glove sizing is based on the circumference around the palm of the dominant hand. You will notice that most bike glove manufacturers size their gloves as s, m, l, or xl. We have a size guide on our glove product pages for you to check out.
We believe our kid's gloves strike a good balance of all of these characteristics. Check out the kid's cycling gloves in our online store.
Kids Bikes Footwear
Bike specific footwear is great, as it absorbs shock and improves grip on the pedals. You can get away with footwear with flat soles, such as skate shoes, but they won't be as good as specific bike shoes.
A firm favourite brand in the world of bike shoes is Five Ten. Five Ten are owned by Adidas, and they offer superb comfort and lots of grips. Grip comes from the "stealth rubber" soles, which keys into the pins on the pedals for excellent traction. Great alternatives are available from Ride Concepts, which makes a range of youth bike shoes that look and perform great both on and off the bike. You can also look at what Vans has to offer. Vans are best known for their skate shoes, but they also make some excellent BMX footwear.
Final Thoughts
Having the right technical clothing and protection for the job makes riding bikes easier and more enjoyable. But, more importantly, improved confidence and safety for your Little Riders!.
If you would like more information you can check out our technical ranges to help your little riders start earlier, improve confidence, and get them looking like a PRO.
Want to connect with other Little Rider families?
The Little Rider Co Army will be more than happy to help – Jump into the Facebook group today and ask for recommendations, the community is here to help.
Let’s Ride!
