Gearing up for Spring with Bike Safety Tips and the Live Secure Safety Squad

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For those of us that live in places that get an actual winter – we are so happy to see spring making its way into our days. And with springtime that means more time we can spend outdoors playing, biking and having fun. 

As part of the Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad I was asked to put together some Bike Safety Tips to share with my readers. I thought a while on this topic and tried to include a few that maybe weren’t as obvious as some others would be. 

1. Bike Maintenance – While you should ensure that the bikes your family is riding are in good condition while you’re using them, for those of us that need to store them in a garage or shed over the winter months, it’s especially important to check them out before we ride off on them in spring. 

You’ll want to check and make sure that the tires are inflated properly and that reflectors are not damaged or cracked. Your children may have grown over the winter, or they may be getting a sibling’s hand-me-down bike. In those cases make sure that the seats and handlebars are adjusted for the proper height of the child riding it. Give the pedals a spin too and tighten any screws so that they’re securely attached and of course check that chain so that it’s not loose or rusty. 

2. Once the maintenance is complete Gear Up for Safety – Children usually learn to ride a bike between the ages of 3 and 8 years old (Pediatrics.About.com) and even though many kids don’t like wearing them, helmets are a must when bike riding. When asking a young 7 year old his thoughts on bike safety he thought it would be a good idea to have knee pads too! Not a bad idea for the little ones just learning to ride. Bright clothing for daytime and reflective gear for dusk and night time riding should be worn. Another good idea is to either carry or have a little pouch attached to your bicycle that has first aid supplies such as bandaids and antiseptic just in case of any falls or accidents. 

3. When the riding is done Secure Your Bikes – Locking up your bikes not just when you’re out, but even at your home is a smart thing to do. Most stolen bikes are targeted for one simple reason—they were left unlocked and unattended. (BicycleLaw.com) Master Lock has many products to help protect against theft and secure your family’s bicycles. From a full range of bike locks including cable, U-locks and other chains to Combination Padlocks and Hasps and Hasplocks for securing outbuildings and garages.

If remembering 5 or 6 combinations for each bike you own is not your strong suit, check out the Master Lock Vault where you can securely store your combinations for each lock you own. To help you out even further, they even have a smart phone app (which is handy if you forget the combination when you’re at the park ready to leave for home!). 

For more tips on how to Live Secure visit the Master Lock Safety Squad landing page and read what my fellow squad members are doing to keep their families safe and secure. 

As a Master Lock Live Secure Safety Squad Ambassador, I have received compensation and products for my family to use in my home for our safety and security. Any opinions I share in posts related to the Live Security Squad and Master Lock are my own.

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