So you grew up on bicycles, and loved the freedom it gave you as a teen. Now you have kids of your own, and they’re clamoring for a two-wheeler of their own – but with the prevalence of e-bikes, you might be wondering if your kid should have one of those instead of the boring old acoustic Bicycle. Well, experts say you should probably wait.
Consumer Product Safety Commission says that children under age 9 should not ride motorized bikes at all, while children ages 9 to 12 can ride bikes that go no faster than 10 mph. New York City is even stricter, saying e-bikes can only be ridden by riders 16 years of age or older (although the city does not have a separate section for e-bikes under 10 mph). These are expert opinions, but experts only focus on safety. Another aspect to consider: What are the good kids doing?
let kids be kids
Unfortunately for the experts, as humans we all find our balance between safety and truly experiencing life – I know as a kid I took some ill-advised advice on the types of transportation that were available to me at the time, and I don’t regret them. If your child’s friends all have e-bikes, and they’re begging for one for Christmas to keep riding, it can be hard to say ‘no’.
Experts say that children should start riding electric bikes at the age of 9 years and prepare them to ride fast bikes at the age of 12 or 16 years. I, who is an expert not on safety but on relaxing and having a good time with your friends, say keep an eye on what your child’s actual developmental status is and what their friends are doing. However, in both, you should pay attention to your child – do you trust them to drive fast?
