Always ensure your children are safe when cycling. Adult supervision is recommended at all times, and bike riders should always wear a helmet – a properly fixed helmet could save your life. Also make sure you are seen and heard – let people know you are there. Use a bell and wear highly visibility or reflective clothing between dusk and dawn. Also, never carry anything that could become entangled in the moving parts of your bike.

Keep your bike well maintained and in good working order. Carry out regular checks to make sure that the lights and reflectors are working and clean, the tyres are in good condition and inflated to the correct pressure level, the gears are working correctly and the chain is properly adjusted and oiled. Also ensure that the brakes are efficient and all the nuts and bolts are correctly tightened.

You should also ensure that your children’s bikes are the right size for them or their balance will be affected. Straddling the frame, they should be able to stand comfortably with both feet on the ground, and when sitting on the saddle, they should be able to touch the ground on either side. They should also be able to reach the handlebars without feeling overstretched.

This week we consulted the experts at Toys R Us. Find out more about their huge range of bikes and accessories for kids of all sizes at the Mina Free Port location in Abu Dhabi (02 673 2332) or Bawadi Mall in Al Ain (03 784 0290).