“The CTC guide to family cycling” is about getting children, from babes in arms to teenagers and all the points in between, on bikes.

This book is aimed at all families who are on the cusp of becoming cyclists or existing cyclists who have recently become parents. It is, in short, everything you need to know about cycling with children, from birth until they’re bigger than you. It is currently the only book available on family cycling and it is a comprehensive guide on topics such as:

 • How to choose the safest child seat or child trailer.

• Trailer cycles and tandems explained.

• How to cycle with a child aboard.

• Buying your child their first bike.

• The best way to teach your child how to ride a bike.

• Cycling to school.

• When to buy a bigger bike and what to look for when you do.

• Clothing and accessories to keep you all comfortable and secure.

• Essential skills for riding on and off-road.

• Great days out: the best places to ride your bikes.

• Tips to make your cycling trips a success.

 As cycling is such a popular activity for children,* CTC – the UK’s national cyclists’ organisation receives numerous calls from parents wanting information about family cycling. Therefore CTC decided to produce an informative and practical book to help.

Dan Joyce, the author of the guide has been a cycling journalist since 1991 and is currently the freelance editor of Cycle, the magazine of CTC. Dan Joyce said:

“Give your child a good bike and the skills and opportunities to use it and you’ll solve at a stroke everything that’s supposedly ‘wrong’ with 21st century childhood. Fresh air, exercise, freedom, fun – cycling does it all. It doesn’t matter whether you’re picnicking by a cycle path, cycling to school together, cycle-camping in the countryside or slaloming between pine trees on a mountain bike. Just ride.”

Dan is also the father of three boys and has almost 17 years’ experience of cycling with children:

 “My youngest son wants to know when we’re going mountain biking next. My middle son happily cycles to friends’ houses several miles away, when his peers are cooped up in the parental ‘taxi’. My eldest was delighted to be asked by the doctor what sport he did, because the health check showed he was an athlete – even though he’s never done any sport; he just rides his bike.”

• CTC - the UK’s national cyclists' organisation, with 70,000 members and affiliates in 250 clubs across the UK, is the oldest and largest cycling body in the UK, established in 1878. We provide a comprehensive range of services, advice, events, and protection for our members and work to promote cycling by raising public and political awareness of its health, social and environmental benefits. For more information see www.ctc.org.uk.

• *According to the National Travel Survey; cycle ownership is highest amongst children - 86% of 5-10 year olds and 76% of 11-16 own their own bikes, as opposed to just 37% of adults. Boys aged 11-16 take an average of 46 cycle trips a year - higher than any other age/gender group.

• The CTC guide to family cycling is published by James Pembroke Publishing and it’s available from all good bookshops and direct from CTC.
  
• 22nd April 2008. Source: CTC
  

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