When choosing the right braking system for your child’s bike, hand brakes offer significant advantages over back-pedal (coaster) brakes.
Here's why we chose to equip all our bikes with hand brakes—and why they’re a safe choice for your child.
1. More Efficient Braking
Hand brakes provide better stopping power and allow for gradual, controlled stops, especially in emergencies. Coaster brakes are less efficient because they require back-pedalling, which can lead to jerky or delayed stops. This inefficiency can make children feel uncertain or unsafe, especially when stopping suddenly.
2. Maintaining Balance
With coaster brakes, children must back-pedal to stop, which limits their ability to pedal forward and regain balance. This can lead to falls, especially for young or beginner riders. Hand brakes allow children to keep pedalling forward while applying the brakes, ensuring smoother stops without compromising balance.
3. Easier Pedal Positioning
Another downside of coaster brakes is the difficulty in placing the pedals in the “start” position. Because coaster brakes engage when pedalling backward, kids often struggle to position the pedals properly before starting again. With hand brakes, there’s no need to worry about this, allowing for a quicker and easier start after stopping.
4. Loss of Braking When the Chain Comes Off
One of the biggest risks with coaster brakes is that if the chain falls off, the child loses all rear braking ability. This can be particularly dangerous in situations where a sudden stop is required. Hand brakes, on the other hand, are independent of the chain, ensuring that your child always has braking power, even if the chain slips off.
5. Better for Hills and Advanced Riding
Coaster brakes aren’t ideal for riding downhill or on uneven terrain, as they can’t provide gradual speed control. Hand brakes allow children to modulate their speed easily, making downhill rides smoother and more controlled. As children grow and begin tackling more advanced riding conditions, hand brakes offer the necessary control to keep them safe, whereas back-pedal brakes quickly become a limiting factor.
6. Future-Proofing
Starting your child with hand brakes prepares them for larger, more advanced bikes, which almost always use hand brakes. This future-proofs their learning, making the transition to bigger bikes seamless. Parents who’ve tested base bikes praise the ease with which their children adapt to hand brakes, helping them build confidence early on.
Conclusion
Hand brakes are a safe and efficient choice for kids’ bikes, offering better control, easier stopping, and protection even when the chain falls off. At base bikes, our bikes fully comply with Australian safety standards and are designed with hand brakes to ensure your child has a safe and enjoyable riding experience.
Ready to make the best choice for your child’s first bike? Explore our range today and discover why base bikes are built for confidence and safety.