When my kids were young I loved to ride with them to school as much as I could. I found driving to the school to be frustrating. Even though the school was close, it was not walkable at their age being 2.5km away, about a 5 minute drive with no traffic. Unfortunately during rush hour there is a lot of traffic making it a 20 minute drive there and 30 minutes back home. On bikes the ride was 15 minutes there and 15 minutes back. It was a great ride in, and I didn't have to wait for my turn at the drop off. In the car, the drop off was always rushed as they jumped out of the car. On bikes it was much more civilized. We rode to the bike racks, said our goodbyes and off they went. I would lock up the bikes and ride home or to work.
This may not be for everyone and you can't do it all the time such as when it's raining or there is a big school project to deliver or if your home school is to just too far away. But I would say a lot of us could try it. A 2017/2018 Canadian Government study shows only 4% of kids ride bikes to school while 74% get driven. Even though 47% of kids live less then a 5 minute bike ride from school. The same study showed that there are benefits for kids too:
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- increasing cardiorespiratory fitness and maintaining a healthy weight
- developing a sense of autonomy and independence
- improving mental health
- building social skills, and
- improving performance at school
So here are tips for not only riding to school, but also for riding with your kids in general:
Lets start with the obvious, your kids should have a proper bike. It doesn't have to be new, it can be a hand me down but it should not be a toy. Some of the bikes you see at big toy/ big box stores are not going to cut it. Make sure the bike is the right size. Yes your child is going to grow but don't get a bike that's too big. I hear parents say they're going to get a bigger bike so they can grow into it but that only makes it harder and less safe to ride and the child can get frustrated or hurt and not like riding the bike. Or worse, stop riding all together. The goal is to set them up for success and for them to love cycling.
Every bike should have a bell (Highway Traffic Act 75 (5)) and daytime lights. Cyclists should be visible at all times to cars but also to pedestrians. Daytime lights are highly visible in the day from far away. Bells are also part of the traffic act and are a great way to let people know you're there. Using a bell is more friendly than yelling "On your left" or "Watch out!" Pedestrians know that the sound of "Ring, ring" on a path is always a bicycle.
Helmets are also the law. All bicycle riders under the age of 18 must wear an approved bicycle helmet when cycling on any public road. For children aged 16 and under, a parent or guardian must ensure they wear a helmet. Bicycle helmets are not compulsory for adults over 18, but a helmet can greatly reduce the risk of permanent injury if you fall or collide. It is strongly recommended that all riders wear helmets.
On e-bikes, adults must wear either a bicycle or motorcycle helmet.
Before heading off to school make sure they're comfortable riding, that they can ride under control and stop comfortably even on a hill. Plane a safe route. Try to find bike paths and shared paths that might work. Pick up a cycling map from you local bike shop. Get directions from Google maps for cycling. Do some test rides on the route. Remember to make it fun! Make it an adventure! Talk to the school about making a bike club for the kids that ride in or starting a Bike Bus program.
A Bike Bus carries a group of children to school in the same way a regular school bus does, except everyone is on bikes. The “bus driver”—an adult on a bike—guides a slowly moving group ride along a predefined route. Kids and their parents join the group on their own bikes when the pack rolls by.
Bike Buses are a way for everyone to bike together for fun, convenience, and safety; a big group of five to 10 kids is much more visible than one or two kids biking alone. The idea has caught on recently, as kids of all ages have slowly returned to in-person schooling in cities that have adapted to make their streets more welcome to cyclists.
https://greencommunitiescanada.org/ontario-bike-buses-are-revamping-students-routes-to-school/
They should be dressed appropriately with running shoes, not Crocs. They should have knapsacks that fit them well so they can carry some school supplies. You may have to carry their lunch or other heavy items. A good lock is recommended but you shouldn't need to carry it with you. You should be able to leave it locked on the school bike rack. Each bike should have its own lock.
You should do a quick A.B.C. safety check every ride.
A. Make sure that the tires have air. You are going to have to pump them up once in a while so having a proper bicycle floor pump handy will make things a lot easier. The tire pressure is written on the sidewall of the tire.
B. Check the brakes. Squeeze the back brake and try to move the bike forward. Then squeeze the front brake, turn the handlebars as you do it and see if you can feel any knocking. If the bike doesn’t stop or there is a knocking back-and-forth in the headset, there’s something wrong. I also like to pick up the bike a tiny bit off the ground and gently drop it. There shouldn’t be big sounds or clunking. If there is, it could mean that one of your axels is loose or your headset or bottom bracket might be loose.
C. Check the chain or the whole drive train. Make sure the bike shifts properly and the chain stays on. Lubricating the chain is necessary once in a while, but not with oil or WD40. We prefer using a lubrication from Muc-Off as it doesn’t attract dirt and keeps the chain very clean.
Also, it’s a great idea to get the bike tuned up at a bike store. We offer everything from safety checks to tune-ups on kids bikes.
Now you’re ready to ride. Have fun! The more you do it the easier it will get. You may inspire some other families to start riding with you, helping build more of a community in your neighborhood.
If you like it and want to take advantage of trailers and trailer bikes, or electric cargo bikes there are lots of options to make this easier and more fun.