Info for parents
Parental Responsibilities
To ensure safety and smooth operations, parents must:
To ensure safety and smooth operations, parents must:
- Provide rider information and parental consent before participation (information collected during session booking process)
- Ensure safe travel to and from ride start/end points
- Inform the club of any changes affecting participation (illness, medication, injury)
- Ensure participants have the correct equipment in good condition
- Ensure participants have any medical devices then need – e.g. Asthma Inhaler, EpiPen
- Notify the club ASAP for cancellations
What do riders need to bring to sessions?
Essential:
In the interests of safety we reserve the right to refuse active participation to riders whose bike or equipment is judged to be dangerous.
For advice on choosing a helmet and other essential kit visit our kit guide.
- A mountain bike in good working condition
- A helmet that fits and is in good condition (conforming to the BS KiteMark standard)
- Appropriate clothing for the weather conditions - if there's any rain in the forecast bring a waterproof jacket!
- Protective eyewear / sunglasses
- Riding gloves
- Spare inner -tube
- Something to eat and drink (e.g. Banana, Jam Sandwich, Fruit bar)
In the interests of safety we reserve the right to refuse active participation to riders whose bike or equipment is judged to be dangerous.
For advice on choosing a helmet and other essential kit visit our kit guide.
Club policy on electric bikes
The club policy is that e-bikes are not allowed on any of the junior activities.
We know this will be disappointing for some, but legal reasons and the practical challenges involved in leading mixed groups of riders on electric and analogue bikes mean it is not something we can accomodate.
Legal Reasons:
Under UK law you must be 14 or over to ride an electric bike (https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules).
Pacing and Fitness Disparities
E-bike riders can climb faster and with less effort than riders on traditional bikes, regardless of fitness level. This creates gaps in the group, where e-bike riders might have to wait frequently, or regular riders may feel pressured or discouraged trying to keep up.
Group Dynamics and Morale
As any biking parent knows, motivating kids to ride up hills can be hard! Regular riders may feel frustrated or demotivated riding with e-bikers who seem to effortlessly float past. Likewise, e-bike riders can get bored or restless waiting for others to catch up.
Safety
Our leaders and coaches ride analogue bikes and may occasionally need to catch-up with participants (for example a rider who may not have listened to an instruction to stop). Riders on e-bikes make this extremely challenging and we really don't want to be losing any riders!
Technical Considerations
An e-bike with a flat battery or technical issue is suddenly a very heavy bike which can be a ride-ending event for the whole group.
We know this will be disappointing for some, but legal reasons and the practical challenges involved in leading mixed groups of riders on electric and analogue bikes mean it is not something we can accomodate.
Legal Reasons:
Under UK law you must be 14 or over to ride an electric bike (https://www.gov.uk/electric-bike-rules).
Pacing and Fitness Disparities
E-bike riders can climb faster and with less effort than riders on traditional bikes, regardless of fitness level. This creates gaps in the group, where e-bike riders might have to wait frequently, or regular riders may feel pressured or discouraged trying to keep up.
Group Dynamics and Morale
As any biking parent knows, motivating kids to ride up hills can be hard! Regular riders may feel frustrated or demotivated riding with e-bikers who seem to effortlessly float past. Likewise, e-bike riders can get bored or restless waiting for others to catch up.
Safety
Our leaders and coaches ride analogue bikes and may occasionally need to catch-up with participants (for example a rider who may not have listened to an instruction to stop). Riders on e-bikes make this extremely challenging and we really don't want to be losing any riders!
Technical Considerations
An e-bike with a flat battery or technical issue is suddenly a very heavy bike which can be a ride-ending event for the whole group.
