wheelkids

1. Does my kid have to be an expert bike rider?
No. Wheel Kids provides services to kids of all cycling abilities. We have lessons and camp programs for novice and beginner riders who are trying to figure out the basics of riding, and programs for advanced beginner through advanced riders who want to have fun on their bikes and learn new skills. See out Rider Skill Categories for more information and to better place your child within Wheel Kids' programs.

2. My kid isn't quite in your age range - is that okay?
This is a tough one because chronological age and developmental levels aren't always in sync. Some 4 year olds have the riding skills, stamina and cognitive abilities to be grouped with 7 and 8 year olds; but most don't. To ensure fairness we need to stick with our limits: 5 to 15 only please.

3. What's a BikeCircus?
Safe and effective bicycling can't be learned just by going on rides. Knowing how to handle the bike in a variety of conditions is critical to being a safe rider and to feeling comfortable enough to enjoy cycling to its fullest. The BikeCircus is a skills training activity that Wheel Kids uses to help kids work on different aspects of riding, including balance, turning, signaling, obstacle avoidance, braking, etc. If you've heard of bike rodeos you get the picture. We'd just rather be clowns than cowboys.

4. Do you ride on the streets? Isn't that dangerous?
For the most part we ride on off-street bike paths, such as the Golden Gate Promenade along Crissy Field or Herb Cain Way along the Embarcadero. These multi-use pathways are designed to allow both cyclists and pedestrians to proceed at their own pace away from auto traffic. Occassionally we'll ride on-street if we need to get from one pathway to another or if there are no bike paths where we're riding. The Presidio, for example, has a few bike paths but they're not ubiquitous. So, we'll ride in bike lanes or on quiet streets.

In general, we feel that riding on-street is a skill that all cyclists should develop to allow them the maximum amount of bicycle-based mobility. The skills we practice during our off-street rides and drills will be applicable when your child is ready for riding on-street. For the most part, though, we assume that most of our riders are not yet ready for that kind of riding. Our Advanced Riders, however, will gain experience in riding on-street - which is why we require them to have both adequate skills and sufficient maturity and focus for this type of riding.

5. Are gears required?
No. We highly recommend single speed bikes for most of our riders. Gears are great, eventually. But for learning the basics of riding and for riding around the City - even with its hills - single speed bikes are fine. They aren't cluttered with distracting equipment and allow a kid to focus on the fundamentals. If your kid's bike has gears, that's okay - we'll work with her or him to learn how to use them properly. If your kid's bike doesn't have gears be ready for "gear envy" but realize that she or he will get along great without them. We do highly recommend our Advanced Riders to have a bike with gears.

6. What bike should my kid have?
Hmm, this may be a long conversation. We've addressed that in our blog and are happy to do so in person or over the phone. But the short answer: the simpler, the better.

7. My kid's still on training wheels. Is that normal? Can you help?
Kids of varying ages may not have the opportunity to learn to ride, especially in San Francisco. While many kids may become independent riders by 5 or 6, many others haven't mastered riding well beyond that age. Our Two Wheelers Club is a summer camp aimed at kids from 5 to 7 who want to learn to ride. We also have weekend lessons for this age range. For older kids we offer weekend lessons, too, but we don't combine the older kids with the younger. We respect the fact that older kids may be embarrassed about not knowing how to ride, but we make sure they understand that it's okay, they're with their peers, and it's never too late to learn.

8. Does my kid have to carry her/his own lunch to camp?
We're on the go all day, especially the Wheel Kids group (Two Wheelers often stay closer to the clubhouse). So we need to be self-sufficient, which includes carrying food, water, any clothing layers that have been removed, etc. The coaches are responsible for carrying the equipment needed for daily operations - first aid, tools, games/balls, etc. - as well as their own provisions. Each rider needs to carry his/her own lunch, snacks and water. We recommend a big lunch, but a small backpack to avoid the temptation to carry superfluous things that just add weight.

9. What if it rains?
We always have a rainy day plan, which usually involves leaving bikes behind. There are plenty of indoor destinations that we can explore and we can get there on foot or MUNI. If the forecast is uncertain we'll bring ponchoes for the kids and advise families to pack an extra pair of socks and send along a rain jacket or other weather gear.

10. Can we sign up for half days or partial weeks of camp? Can we pick up early?
We typically require full-time attendance for several reasons. First, we work on riding skills from the first day of the week and build on them throughout the week. Missing a day, especially early in the week, puts your kid at a disadvantage in terms of learning skills and also leaves the coaches uncertain about her or his skill level. Second, since we're on the go all day it can be difficult to arrange a place and time for a mid-day pick up or drop off. It can be done, but the logistics are tricky. On Thursdays, though, Wheel Kids is out of town all day on a field trip, so that's definitely an all-day activity. Finally, we maintain a fairly low coach to rider ratio (1:7 for Wheel Kids, 1:5 for Two Wheelers) which is easier to do if we have a stable attendance throughout each week. On most days (except Thursdays for Wheel Kids) we can arrange for an early pickup - just let us know when you need to meet us and we'll figure out where to do so and try to make it as convenient as possible for you to pick up your kid and the bike. Some of our holiday camps have a drop-in enrollment option that will be noted in that camp's description and registration.