We have a variety of programs with different refund policies and timelines. Please see our Refunds page for details.
We have a set of rules that we’d like our riders and their families to know about. The basic rules for our riders are:
- Be Safe
- Be Nice
- Have Fun
Of course there’s more to it than this, and there are some registration rules parents/guardians need to know. See our Club Rules page for details.
We identify different skill levels for our riders: Levels 1 – 6. We use these categories to help determine the most appropriate camp program for our kids and how to team them up when we go on rides.
See our Rider Skill Categories page for details and to find out what camp programs are best for your kid.
We encourage self-sufficiency in our riders but we don’t want them too loaded down when we ride. So, bring the basics – lunch, water, sunscreen – and see our special page for more details. Oh, don’t forget the bike and helmet…!
No. Wheel Kids provides services to kids of all cycling abilities. We have programs for novice and beginner riders who are trying to figure out the basics of riding, and lessons and camp programs for advanced beginner through advanced riders who want to have fun on their bikes and learn new skills. See out Rider Skill Categories for more information and to better place your child within Wheel Kids’ programs.
To ensure fairness we need to stick with our age limits. Chronological age and developmental levels aren’t always in sync. Some 4 year olds have the riding skills, stamina and cognitive abilities to be grouped with 7 and 8 year olds; but most don’t. We do not make exceptions to our age limits.
Safe and effective bicycling can’t be learned just by going on rides. Knowing how to handle the bike in a variety of conditions is critical to being a safe rider and to feeling comfortable enough to enjoy cycling to its fullest. The BikeCircus is a skills training activity that Wheel Kids uses to help kids work on different aspects of riding, including balance, turning, signaling, obstacle avoidance, braking, etc. If you’ve heard of bike rodeos you get the picture. We’d just rather be clowns than cowboys.
Riding on-street is a skill that all cyclists should develop to allow them the maximum amount of bicycle-based mobility. The skills we practice during our BikeCircuses help prepare your child for riding on-street. When we’re out on our rides our coaches provide additional guidance and training for their riders, and provide safety measures (such as traffic control) when needed. As much as possible we proportion the amount of on-street riding to skill level: Advanced Beginners will ride fewer on-street routes than Advanced riders.
No. We highly recommend single speed bikes for most of our riders. Gears are great, eventually. But for learning the basics of riding and for riding around town, single speed bikes are fine. They aren’t cluttered with distracting equipment and allow a kid to focus on the fundamentals. If your kid’s bike has gears, that’s okay – we’ll work with her or him to learn how to use them properly. If your kid’s bike doesn’t have gears be ready for “gear envy” but realize that she or he will get along great without them. We do highly recommend our Advanced riders have a bike with gears. For our unsolicited advice about buying a bike, see this guide.
Hmm, this may be a long conversation. We’ve addressed that in this very website and are happy to do so in person or over the phone (if you have the time…). But the short answer: the simpler, the better.
Kids of varying ages may not have the opportunity to learn to ride. While many kids may become independent riders by 5 or 6, many others haven’t mastered riding well beyond that age. Two Wheelers Club camp, and our riding classes and private lessons (when available) provide opportunities for kids aged 5 to 8 to learn how to ride. If we don’t have classes or lessons opportunities listed on this website, please contact us if you’re interested in lessons for your child.
During camp we’re on the go all day. So we need to be self-sufficient, which includes carrying food, water, any clothing layers that have been removed, etc. The coaches are responsible for carrying the equipment needed for daily operations – first aid, tools, locks, games/balls, etc. – as well as their own provisions. Each rider needs to carry his/her own lunch, snacks and water. We recommend a big lunch but a small backpack to avoid the temptation to carry superfluous things that just add weight.
Our preference is to ride, no matter the weather. If the forecast suggests rain or is uncertain, pack an extra pair of socks and send along a rain jacket and other wet weather gear (but no umbrellas, please). If the rain gets heavy for a while we’ll get off our bikes and wait it out – there are plenty of indoor destinations that we can explore if needed. Sometimes we may change plans for an event and leave the bikes behind, getting to our destinations on foot or transit. But these are rare days, indeed.
We request full-time attendance for several reasons. First, we work on riding skills from the first day of the week and build on them throughout the week. Missing a day, especially early in the week, puts your child at a disadvantage in terms of skills development and also leaves the coaches uncertain about her or his skill level. Second, since we’re on the go all day it can be difficult to arrange a place and time for a mid-day pick up or drop off. It can be done, but the logistics are tricky. Finally, we maintain a 1:7 or lower coach to rider ratio which is easier to do if we have a stable attendance throughout each week. On most days we can arrange for an early pickup – just let us know when you need to meet us and we’ll figure out where to do so and try to make it as convenient as possible for you to pick up your kid and the bike.
We don’t mean to discourage proto-hipsterism, but … no. Bikes need to have the ability to coast and be ridden safely in a group setting. If your kid has the skills to ride a fixie – which is awesome – we’ll work with him or her on developing those skills and more. But please flip the hub to the freewheel and put front and back brakes on the bike.
For our sites that have a clubhouse you’re welcome to leave your bike overnight when enrolled in multi-day camps. Please note that bikes left overnight are not insured by Wheel Kids. We lock our clubhouses at night but can’t guarantee against risk of theft or damage.