Helmet and clothing check

Wearing a helmet is a personal choice for your family. While we recommend that you and your children use one, do make sure it is fitted properly, otherwise the helmet will be uncomfortable to wear and your children will fiddle with theirs, often pushing the helmet off their forehead.

What to do

• Check there is no more than two fingers’ width between the eyebrows and the front of the helmet.

• Check that the chin strap is tight; two fingers should fit comfortably between the strap and the chin.

• Check that the strap forms a V around the ear on both sides.
• Shake the head – the helmet shouldn’t wobble.

When it is cold, consider some well-fitting warm gloves with grippy palms. Hands get cold very quickly on a bike, and that is no fun. Wrap up warm and a well tucked-in scarf is a good idea to keep out draughts. Longer thick socks are great for toasty toes and can double up for tucking trousers into, keeping them out of the way of chains and spokes!