Alice Cary Alice introduced her oldest child, Will, to the outdoors at a very early age by climbing New Hampshire's Mt. Washington in winter while pregnant. And she and her family haven't stopped experiencing the joys of outdoor adventure, even with newborn twins. As you know, mountain biking has inherent risks, but that's not to say children should avoid it. If you teach your girls how to ride safely and in control, and to recognize when a trail is too tough for their abilities, you'll greatly reduce their chances of a bad accident. Of course, as with any cycling, riders need helmets.
Gloves are also good protection during falls.
Expert Answers Archive Mountain biking requires strength plus a certain level of maturity and judgment. Your kids need to have great balance and they need to develop swift reaction and recovery times to the unexpected. Once they've got this, generally after several years of basic biking, they're probably ready to start learning about trail riding. You can sign them up for lessons or a mountain biking camp, but you can also get them started in your own yard or a park. All you need is a flat grassy spot.