When it comes to buying a kids bike, you may wonder how much should kids bikes cost? The cost can vary greatly depending on the brand, model and features. One note is that the prices below are related to the original MSRP of a bike, which may be different than your purchase price. There is a lot of value in checking the used bicycle market. Also, smaller children’s bikes (of course) generally cost less. A balance bike will probably cost less than a 16″ wheel bike, which in turn costs less than a 20″, 24″ and 26″ kids bike. Lower-priced kids bikes: under $250 MSRP You can find perfectly functional bikes in this price range. These kids bikes are typically made with less expensive (and heavier) materials and may have poorer quality components compared to higher-priced models. They are going […]
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How are bikes usually stolen? 12+ Helpful tips about bike theft.
How are bikes usually stolen? Bikes are great. They are a convenient, eco-friendly way to get around, and help you get healthy physical activity. They also allow kids to independently transport themselves. Bike theft is a huge issue especially in the Bay Area. When I first moved here, I bought a “beater bike” for errands and commuting, because I didn’t want to risk having my nice bike be stolen. Reading Craigslist “stolen bike” posts over the years I’ve read and gathered some data from Craigslist post over the years. I’ve been casually studying and observing bike theft for more than a decade. Bikes are stolen in several ways, but some are much more common. Bikes are often stolen during a home break-in Perhaps surprisingly many are stolen during a home break-in. People often store their bikes in their garage, and […]
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Bicycle flag poles: Effective for increasing visibility on the road
A bike flag pole is a good visibility tool to improve road safety As a parent of a child who rides a bike, or a bicycle commuter yourself, you know how important it is to make sure that your child or yourself are visible on the road. With the increasing number of cars on the road, it’s crucial that bicyclists take extra precautions to stay safe while riding. One way to do this is by attaching a bicycle flag pole to your bike. A bicycle flag pole is a simple yet effective tool that can help increase your visibility on the road. It attaches to the back of your bike and holds a brightly colored flag that can be seen by drivers from a distance. These flags come in various shapes and sizes, from the traditional triangular shape to a […]
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Can you ride a bike in the rain? Definitely. It can be uncomfortable.. or fun.
Riding a bike in the rain sounds like it could be bad, but you can work around that. With an atmospheric river and bomb cyclone event recently hitting the state of California, we’ve gotten a lot of recent experience with riding in the rain. I wrote a post with tips for gear and prep for riding in the rain, and wanted to add some updates in this one. https://youtu.be/Rbi-piGhXF4 Why shouldn’t you ride your bike in the rain? You might be put off by it for a few reasons: Safety: Roads can be slippery and visibility can be reduced. Comfort: Riding while wet can be uncomfortable, especially if you’re not dressed appropriately. You may feel wet and cold.. Maintenance: All that rain can be hard on your bike as well. Water can corrode metal parts. Here’s how you can overcome […]
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JUST RELEASED: The Bike Sight, An AirTag bike mount hidden from view
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, the Bike Sight is now released and ready for sale. This AirTag bike mount helps keep your Bike Safe and Secure Place an AirTag (sold separately) inside, attach the Bike Sight to your bike, and you will be able to track the location of your bike in real-time. Use Apple’s FindMy app to know where your bike is whether you are at home or on the go. You can set up notifications in the FindMy app to alert you if your bike is no longer detected near you. If you live in an area with a high rate of bike theft, adding an AirTag to your bicycle with the Bike Sight can help you recover your bike if it’s stolen. When you lock your bike while at work, school, shopping, or dining, you can […]
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We rode the Emeryville tree lighting and Emeryville holiday parade. It was a blast.
Emeryville Tree Lighting and Emeryville Holiday Parade We had a great time at the Emeryville Tree Lighting ceremony, and then we rode in the car-free holiday parade from City Hall to Bay Street. Pixar folks had some great giveaways from the new Lightyear movie, and the City of Emeryville gave out fiber-optic lights and light sticks for the kids to play with and wave around. Fake snow was blown from a city hall window, much to the delight of the kids. The live band was great. We got to test ride an Urban Arrow front loader cargo bike, courtesy of Blue Heron Bikes. https://youtu.be/0ejbVCx2oY0 The Tree Lighting itself was really entertaining for the kids. We all gathered around the palm tree in front of City Hall, and the kids and adults shouted merrily to “turn on” the lights. Mayor John […]
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A 15-minute stop in Blue Heron Bikes in Berkeley
Blue Heron Bikes is a fun bike shop to visit I went to Blue Heron Bikes to buy a new spoke and checked out their bike selection. I saw a bunch of Urban Arrows, a Velo Orange Minivelo, and the new Tern Short Haul. Not pictured is the Yuba Fastrack, which looks really good. Blue Heron Bikes has a ton of cargo bikes, folding bikes, and e-bikes, and is perfectly situated in North Berkeley along the Ohlone Greenway bike path. A note about the Ohlone Greenway: It’s a commuting route as well as a recreational route for people who walk, bike, run, and roll. It mostly follows the BART tracks and probably exists because it was formerly a railroad right of way. It’s 4.5 miles long (wish it were longer). It is punctuated by a decent number of cross streets, […]
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Riding a bike along the Bay Bridge from the East Bay is beautiful
You can’t bike across the Bay Bridge to San Francisco, but it’s still a pretty ride. With Daylight saving time no longer in effect, the sun sets a bit later, and it’s easy to get a bike ride in with a dramatic sky against the setting sun. To get there and if you are coming from the north, you can enter the trail in Emeryville on Shellmound Street, sort of across from the Ikea. If you are coming from the south, you enter the trail on the east side of Shellmound street, just south of the Ikea. There’s a smooth, paved bike path the leads to the bridge. This is officially called the Bay Bridge Trail. There are usually a handful of people biking, walking, or running on it. The wastewater treatment plant can kind of smell sometimes. You pass […]
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Our Better AirTag Bike Mount Kickstarter is now live for 30 days
An AirTag Bike Mount that helps you track your bike’s location We’ve just launched our mini-Kickstarter project for the Bike Sight, an AirTag bike mount that hides under your water bottle cage. You can place your AirTag (sold separately) inside, and then be able to track the location of your bike using Apple’s vast FindMy network. This works on Apple iOS devices only. Your iPhone can detect the AirTag in your bike up to 33 feet away. If you are farther away from your bike (like when locking up for example) any adjacent Apple iOS devices (there are at least 113 million in the USA) can confirm its location for you and update it in the FindMy app accordingly. If your bike somehow moves without you, you can opt to receive a notification in the FindMy app if your bike […]
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Bike Twitter’s (or soon Bike Tooter?) tips for helping kids bike to school
Why bike to school? There’s something special about biking to school and watching your child wave to friends as they near the front gates. If you’re just starting out, for Bike to School day (in Alameda County, it’s Walk and Roll to School Day), or because you want to take climate action and make sure your kid(s) get exercise, here are some reasons why biking to school is great: Builds community and friendships Lets kids have fun riding with friends – bikes make people smile! Promotes better air quality & a lower carbon footprint Reduces the number of cars on the road Gets Kids and adults healthy physical activity Saves money on fuel Allows kids to be independent “You and your kids will be happier riding and get used to it quickly” – @share_hugh on Twitter As easy as riding […]
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