Thinking of riding as a family? We’ll give you some tips
See our session schedule below
If you’re thinking of cycling as a family you might like to consider doing one of our short sessions dedicated to riding as a group.
You’ll be taken on a relaxed and informative ride during which you’ll pick up some useful and specific skills.
Our instructors have plenty of experience teaching little people how to navigate the traffic with confidence and they can share with you some do’s and don’ts, useful insights into what motivates children to cycle and some tips relating to mechanical problems you might encounter.
They can help you set up your bikes for comfort and safety as well as advise you on what sort of bikes might be best suited for you.
And of course most bikes allow you the flexibility of leaving the road to explore footpaths, something which might be more relaxing for a family starting out riding together. Our instructors can help you to get started off-road.
Our family sessions supplement the Bikeability training which we provide in schools but they don’t depend on anyone having done Bikeability. There’s no doubt that Bikeability inspires a lot of families to ride together.
Family training courses are free of charge in several boroughs.
Why ride as a family?
Riding as a family can be great fun because everyone can be together sharing an adventure and getting some exercise out in the fresh air.
Often it can be easier than walking and therefore take the stress out of an excursion.
The Mental Health Foundation lists regular exercise, having the time and freedom to play outdoors and being part of a family that gets along most of the time as some of the things that can keep children mentally well. We believe that cycling can form a useful part of anyone’s regular exercise.
And the Bikeability Trust in recent years carried out a survey in which parents said that cycling as a family makes their child happy, physically fitter as well as less stressed.
The government and many local councils are encouraging active travel in recognition of the health, social and environmental damage associated with personal motorised transport. And for this reason they are funding cycle training, including for families.
Plenty of families are reducing their dependence on the car by turning to cycling. They stand to gain not only economic benefits but better health as well because of increased physical activity.
Many people have found that cycling can take the stress out of the school run and that exercise in the fresh air sets everyone up for the day’s mental tasks.
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