Families

You can ride further than you think

Almost everyone who joins us for United Energy Around the Bay (kids included) find that they can ride further than they thought because of all the excitement this event entails.

As you know, kids also have way more energy than most people give them credit for, so you might be surprised just how far they can cover on the bike, especially when it’s packed with fun.

If you’re not sure where to start – take a look at our family-friendly ride options for some ideas.

Ride. Ride. Ride.

Get plenty of bike riding in before the event to help build up your muscle memory and confidence.  This will also help you understand each other’s rhythms, the pace you can expect to ride at and of course, you’ll condition your bodies for riding. It’s also a great opportunity to practice your communication on the bike and learn how to ride comfortably together as a group.

To give you an idea on the amount of training you may need to do, check out our training plans.

Getting started

Before you head out for a family ride, you don’t want annoying mechanical issues holding you back or slowing you down. Bikes in regular use need a service every year to replace worn out parts. Bikes that haven’t been ridden for ages need a service to replace rusted parts and perished tyres.

Before you take any bikes to your local bike shop for a service or get ready to do one yourself, check out Ride2School’s easy safety check.

Organise a bike service

Your local bike store can service your bike. You’ll need to book it in but they should be able to do it within a week. We recommend that all riders get their bike serviced before the event. A service should check and fix any problems with:

• brakes  
• gears 
• wheels and tyres 
• headset and crank bearings
• suspension (if you have it)
• loose accessories, like luggage rack, kickstand, basket, etc. 

You’ll be amazed at the difference it makes to have everything running smoothly.

Kids in front

Ride behind the kids instead of out in front. From behind you can see them and what’s ahead and communicate what to do. Try to keep together in a compact group and stop together when someone needs to pull over.

Have a chat

Talk about every little point of interest along the way like the different kinds of bikes around you and what they can see, as well as to other riders alongside you.  On United Energy Around the Bay, the Family Ride is packed full of fun so there will be plenty to talk about and there’s no doubt the 50km ride’s highlight is the Westgate bridge.  The celebrations continue post-ride at the Event Village’s Kids Zone, so you can also talk about what you can do there once you’ve crossed the finish line.

Take breaks

Stop often, just about every time the kids want to. It might seem like too many interruptions to an adult but it breaks up the monotony. They never want to stop for long anyway, in a minute or two you’re back underway.

Keep eating

Carry plenty of snacks and drinks and encourage your kid/s to eat and drink constantly.