(NAPSA)—When it comes to buying your youngster a new bike, AAA's Rhonda Shah saysit’s vital that youfind onethat’s the proper size. HowTo Size A Bike You'll know the bike fits the child whenheor she can sit on the seat and balance the bicycle with the balls of both feet touching the ground and without leaning to one side or the other. If the bicycle seat is in the lowest position and the child cannot touch both feet to The right size bike and helmet Mean more comfort and a greater ability to control and ride. the ground,thebikeis too large to met has been shown to reduce the beriddensafely. risk by up to 85 percent, accord“Tf you wantto give the bike as a ing to the National Highway Trafsurprise present,” says Shah, “you'd be wise to go to the bike shop with the child’s measurements and a tape measurein hand.” Measure the child’s inseam to the ground. The distance from the top of the bike’s horizontal bar (or where it would be on girl’s bike) to the ground should be an inch or two shorter than that. Other Safety Suggestions *Consider brake design. Chil- dren’s bicycles typically have either hand brakes or coaster brakes, which engage when pedaling backwards. Keep in mind that fic Safety Administration. Just as a bike must be sized correctly, so should helmets. It’s best to try on a helmet, but if that’s not possible, measure aroundtherecipient's head at the forehead to determine which size to purchase. Make sure the helmet meets safety standards by lookingfor a sticker on the inside from the Snell Memorial Foundation, the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), ASTM International, or the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). wrists. Before taking a spin on a new bike, check thatit’s put together securely and that additional safety equipment, such as horns or skill level, should wear a bicy- rectly. Wear brightly colored or hand brakes can be dangerous for youngerchildren, who have smal- ler hands andless strength in the * Everyone, regardless of age or lights, have been installed cor- cle helmet on every ride. Head reflective clothing and learn all injuries are the leading cause of safety rules. death in bicycle crashes but wear For moresafe bicyclingtips, go ing a properly fitted bicycle hel- to ShareTheRoad.AAA.com.
