Bike Info for Camp
Riders Need a Bike and a helmet
All riders MUST bring an appropriate helmet to camp every day from Day 1 of camp (Monday). The video below provides good guidance on how to find a good helmet for bicycling.
All riders must have an appropriate personal bike brought to camp and available for use in the iCan Bike program by no later than Thursday (Day #4). Our goal is to transition all riders to their personal bike towards the latter part of the iCan Bike program such that they are comfortable with the bike they will be riding at home after day #5.
Please also see detailed written instructions for finding a good bike and helmet for your rider below.
Also, to retain and sharpen their newly learned bike riding skill, it is very important that each rider spend at least 15 minutes bike riding each of the three days immediately following camp. Research shows that for each of the three days immediately following camp that a rider does not ride at least 15 minutes, the chances of losing this valuable skill increases by approximately 10%.
Please watch this short, informative video on how to choose the best bike for learning.
General Bike Purchasing Tips
No BMX bikes - not designed for learners and are very difficult to ride
Pick a "step-through" framed bike (sometimes called a girl's bike)
Choose a bike with coaster breaks and/or a rear hand brake.
Single hand brake only
Avoid front brakes as they are harder to learn with
Handle bars should be higher than the seat
Seat comfort is very important - 75 minutes on a bike can make your bottom hurt! - so worth splurging on a comfy seat
Purchase your bike at a reputable bike shop if possible. See Click here for ones in San Diego. They have higher quality bikes (with replaceable parts so they bike can last a longer with your rider) and much better service than the box stores
A good kids bike can cost about $200-$400
If you already have a bike
Please bring the bike as soon as possible to camp so the technician can take a look at its suitability early on.
There are things they can do to make some bikes work for the riders!
Please use the below iCan Bike Camp instructions below for more specific information on finding a good bike for our riders.
In English
En Español
Selecting-the-Right-Bike-and-Helmet.pdfSelecting-the-Right-Bike-and-Helmet-Spanish.pdf