EARLY RIDER Lite £94.99 www.earlyrider.com Beautifully crafted from FSCcertified birch, this pedal-less starter bike is designed to get your child riding without the extra challenge of both balancing and pedalling. Steering can also be restricted at first to prevent the wobbles. Shod with pneumatic 12.5-inch tyres on aluminium wheels and ball-bearinged hubs, the bike runs smoothly and is fine for tarmac and light off-road use. Suitable for children from as young as 20 months (inside leg of 32cm) the adjustable saddle allows for growth up to three-and-a-half years. It’s a real head-turner in the park, styled like an American chopper with faux leather seat and in either natural wood or pastel pink. I’m not sure who loves it more, my 2.5-year-old who progressed from scooting to freewheeling within a month or his show-off dad. For older kids there's the Early Rider Classic (£109) or Early Rider Evolution (£119). Matt Mallinder PROS: well crafted CONS: price
RESTRAPS £19.99 www.restrap.co.uk Restraps are recycled from old car seatbelts and will attach, using an allen key and spanner, to almost any set of pedals that has holes for toe- clips or reflectors. We did have a bit of a problem squeezing them onto one pair of mountain bike pedals though. Once they’re on, adjust the massive Velcro contacts so they fit snugly; they fit at an angle across the pedal, so you put your foot in from outside, then straighten up to pedal, this helps the straps hold your shoes properly. Then it’s hours of comfortable pedalling. The fixed-gear brigade will love these, as will commuters who want the extra power and control of binding foot to pedal. MM PROS: use with any shoes CONS: more expensive than plastic clips/straps
MUXU Ride Shirt £70 www.muxu.cc Part of new city cycling line that’s being designed in Barcelona and made in Portugal. It’s constructed mainly from cotton, with an elastane blend, which means that it’s more breathable than your normal work shirt and it’s got a bit of stretchy ‘give’ so that it doesn’t ride up or feel restrictive when in your normal riding position — also aided by hidden ‘pleats’ at the rear shoulder area. Cleverlypositioned flatlock seams prevent chafing if you wear a backpack. There’s a couple of chest pockets and a smaller one accessed by a hidden zip in the right side seam that will hold cash, phone or MP3 player (with hole for headphone routing). Choice of blue or grey. PROS: best riding shirt we’ve tried CONS: very slimline fit
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