{"id":28329,"date":"2019-09-30T15:31:01","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T14:31:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/?p=28329"},"modified":"2019-09-30T15:33:12","modified_gmt":"2019-09-30T14:33:12","slug":"how-to-choose-the-right-gear-for-a-young-competitive-cyclist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.merlincycles.com\/blog\/how-to-choose-the-right-gear-for-a-young-competitive-cyclist\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Choose the right Gear for a Young Competitive Cyclist"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For many bike-riding parents, the time when your child shows an interest in cycling is a very special one.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Once your child starts to show a keen interest in cycling as a hobby, you have a wide range of choices to make. You\u2019ll want to ensure they have what they need to take their interest to the next level: heavy, badly fitting old bikes and the wrong clothing can put them off straight away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While you might be a pro at picking out your next bike or jersey, it\u2019s a little trickier when doing so on someone else\u2019s behalf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s why we at Merlin have put together a comprehensive gear guide for parents of kids who want to take cycling seriously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having the right bike and equipment will maximise the chances of your child enjoying cycling as an activity, a form of transport or even competitively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Bikes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s start with the biggest \u2014 and arguably most important \u2014 investment: the bike itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Until now, your child has probably been using a bike that \u2018gets the job done\u2019, whether that\u2019s a cheap starter bike you picked up from a store or a family hand-me-down. And so far, that\u2019s been fine: it\u2019s been a nice place to learn the basics. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once your child has learned to ride and shown an interest in competitive riding, this is a good time to look at upgrading to a more suitable bike for their particular interest. This is easier if they are keen on a specific area of bike riding, such as BMX, for example. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

If they are mainly riding in the local woods with their friends or on local trails, a mountain bike may well be the way to go. For a general do-it-all bike, many parents opt for cyclocross models which give a good mix of on and off-road capabilities, offering the most choices for future competitive riding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Under 9s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The key focus for children up to around 9 years old is building their confidence on the bike. Child-specific bikes like from cycling brands like Frog<\/a> are ideal for giving kids a sense of ownership. These bikes are also great for helping improve the skills they need both to achieve balance and to handle the bike well. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many of these bikes also have built-in safety features, too. For example, the Frog 48 (suitable for 4-5-year-olds) features a locking headset; this means the handlebars have a steering limiter, which is especially useful for learner riders. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Over 9s<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Once your child is around the ages of 9 or 10, they might be ready to try out more specialised bikes. Many pre-teen youngsters are tall enough to be able to ride small adult bikes, and if they\u2019ve expressed an interest in competitive riding, they\u2019ll want something that will keep them competitive with their fellow riders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
Frog 70<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Bikes for this age group tend to have 26\u201d or 700c wheels. Here are some examples of large kids and small adult bikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n