Get 20% off the RASCAL Trunk balance bike with the code BESTXMASGIFT
Due to the inventory check, we will be closed on 12th &13th November 2024. Orders made during this period will be processed on Thursday 14th November.

Cart(0)

Close

No products in shopping cart

The Drinking Regime of Young Cyclists: Why Is It Important and How to Follow It?

Cycling is a great activity that develops children's fitness and allows them to have a good time in the fresh air. As with any physical activity, it is important to provide children good drinking regime.

Why should even young cyclists always carry a water bottle with them? How often should they take a sip? And where is the most suitable spot on the bike to place a water bottle? In this article, we go through all of that.

Why is Your Child's Drinking Regime Important?

A child's organism is much more sensitive to dehydration than an adult's. Children sweat more during their daily activities and therefore lose fluids much faster. In addition, when riding a bicycle, young children often concentrate fully on the ride and forget to drink regularly. They can easily become dehydrated, which could lead to some serious consequences. Dehydration can result in a significant decrease in performance, severe fatigue, and even nausea.

A good and regular drinking regime is also beneficial for various reasons:

1. It increases physical performance

Proper hydration ensures that muscles and organs work efficiently, which increases a child's overall performance and endurance.

2. It improves concentration

Lack of fluids can affect the ability to concentrate, which is crucial for riding and being in control of the bike.

3. It prevents fatigue

Regular hydration helps prevent fatigue and allows children to enjoy their ride.
 

How Often Should Children Drink?

Simply said, children should drink regularly. When riding a bike, it is ideal to supply the body with fluids every 15-20 minutes, even if children say they do not feel thirsty. This rule is particularly important during hot summer days.

Nevertheless, the responsibility lies primarily on us adults. Therefore, encourage your children to drink regularly, even when they are not engaged in any major physical activity. When you plan to go for a family ride, keep in mind that the drinking regimen starts before you set off.

Stick to these three simple rules:

1. Drink before the ride – Make sure your little cyclist is well hydrated before setting off for the ride.

2. Drink during the ride– Take a break to take a sip every 15-20 minutes, especially on hot summer days.

3. Drink after the ride - It is important to follow the drinking regime even when the trip is over. This helps with better recovery after physical activity. 

And do not forget! Children often copy what adults do. Therefore, set an example for them and stick to the right drinking regime for yourself in the first place.

Cheers!
 

Where to Place the Water Bottle on the Bike

For your little biker, it is very important to have easy access to the water bottle while riding. That is why you should pay attention to the right type of bottle and the way it can be attached to the bike. 

The greatest victory for a child is when they manage to pick and drink from the water bottle while riding. However, we can expect such skills only from older children who have their bikes fully under control. As adults, we need to make sure the safety of our little riders always comes first.

Here are three handy tips on where to place a bottle on a bicycle without compromising a child's safety.
 

1. Handlebar bag for little riders

For little explorers riding the RASCAL Punk!, RASCAL Trunk or the RASCAL 14, you would normally carry a bottle by yourself and give them a sip when you stop. However, we have another much cooler option!

If your little one wants to show off carrying the bottle on their own bike, get the RASCAL Foodbag Treasure Box. It perfectly fits the RASCAL Healthy Baby Bottle. You can easily fasten this bag on all types of RASCAL bike handlebars, including balance bikes. 

And what is more? Your little rider will be cheerfully proud to carry the bottle on their bike.

2. Bottle with a magnetic lock

We also offer a great alternative for older children and bikes from size 16. The RASCAL x Fidlock bottle can be attached to the frame using a magnetic lock, which is included in the package. Thanks to this smart system, children can easily remove the bottle from the bike frame, have a drink and put it back in place. The magnetic system draws the bottle back to the lock mechanism, which makes it easy and fun to operate with the bottle.

Another advantage is that you can place the 450 ml RASCAL x Fidlock bottle on the small frame of the RASCAL 16 and RASCAL 20 children's bikes. The RASCAL x Fidlock 600 ml bottle is suitable for the RASCAL 24 models and larger.

3. Bottle cage

A cycling bottle combined with a bottle cage is a standard solution. It is suitable for more experienced young riders, who are in full control of their bike. As the RASCAL Bottle Cage has a side opening, it is easier to take the bottle out and slide it back in. It works great in combination with the RASCAL Ride&Play Bottle

To Sum up

Drinking regime is one of the key aspects of healthy and safe cycling, and not only for children. By a proper supply of fluids, we can prevent dehydration and improve the performance of the little cyclist during their ride.

Therefore, encourage your children to drink regularly and make sure they always have some water within reach. For sure, their health and safety are the first two things we should have on our minds.

Share



Learn more

Appropriate Children's Bike Size

Appropriate Children's Bike Size

Has your child grown up fast and you wonder how long their current bike will last? Are you about to buy their first pedal bike? We have some relevant tips for choosing the right children’s bike size no matter if you are planning to try the bike in advance or order it online.

Learn more
Making the Most of the Gears

Making the Most of the Gears

It is important to say that there is no specific age limit to start using multiple gear systems. However, there are some skills your child should master beforehand.

Learn more

Did you enjoy this article? Share it.



Cookies close

We use cookies for the proper functioning of this e-commerce shop, to adapt the site content to your needs, for statistical and marketing purposes and to personalize advertisements from Google and other companies. By clicking "Accept All", you consent to their collection and processing, and we will provide you with the best shopping experience.

Your cookies settings

Here you can enable cookies according to your own preferences.You can change those settings any time in the future by clicking 'Cookie settings' link in our website's footer.

Necessary cookies help make a website usable by enabling basic functions like page navigation and access to secure areas of the website. The website cannot function properly without these cookies.

Preference cookies enable a website to remember information that changes the way the website behaves or looks, like your preferred language or the region that you are in.

Statistic cookies help website owners to understand how visitors interact with websites by collecting and reporting information anonymously.

These cookies are used by advertising and social networks, including Google, to transmit personal data and personalise ads to make them interesting to you.