Bicycle equipment
Cycling equipment is a broad category that includes all equipment for cycling. Our store has bicycle child seats, bicycle computers, bicycle parts, helmets, bicycle lights, bicycle pumps, bicycle trolleys, bicycle bags and bicycle locks. It is important that your bike is properly equipped before you leave. There are laws, set by the Swedish Transport Agency, on what things your bike must be equipped with.
Bicycle equipment according to law
By law, a bicycle must have brakes and a bell. A bicycle must have reflectors and lights when it is dark. It should have red reflector and light at the back, yellow or orange reflector on the sides and white light and reflector at the front. All children and young people under the age of 15 must wear a helmet by law. Children and young people under the age of 15 who do not wear a helmet can be stopped by the police but not fined. Parents or other persons who have reached the age of 15 can, on the other hand, be fined if they ride a child who does not have a bicycle helmet on their bicycle. Of course, we at our store recommend everyone to wear a helmet! It is very important to be careful in traffic and a bicycle helmet protects the head very well. Read more about the law on the Swedish Transport Agency’s website.
What should I choose for a bicycle helmet?
When buying a new bicycle helmet, there are several things to consider. First and foremost, start with the fit. It is important that the helmet protects the head and fits properly. The forehead, back of the head and the scalp should be protected. The bicycle helmet should sit far forward without obscuring your view, and it should not press anywhere on the head. This is because it easily results in headaches. You can try on the helmet by opening the buckle at the back and placing the helmet so that it covers the forehead, scalp and back of the head. It should not pinch anywhere when the helmet is fitted correctly. Then carefully tighten the buckle in the back of the head. When you have done this, you should be able to shake your head without the helmet falling off. Then tighten the strap under the chin and make sure that you get a finger between the strap and the chin. When you buy your helmet, make sure that it has a CE mark. It shows that it complies with all directives and safety requirements set in the EU and EEA. Good to know is that all helmets sold in Sweden are tested and approved according to the Swedish Consumer Agency’s CE standard and EU requirements.
Bicycle helmet for children
By law, all children under the age of 15 must wear a bicycle helmet when cycling or being transported by others. Despite this, many people skip the bicycle helmet - especially when they become teenagers. Perhaps the best tip is to use a helmet yourself, children imitate adults and if you have a helmet, it is more likely that your child also wants it. Feel free to choose a model that the child likes, so that the possibility that he wants to wear it is greater. Bicycle helmets for children up to seven years must have a green buckle. The green buckle indicates that it is released at a certain jerk, so that if the child who plays with the bicycle helmet on does not risk being strangled. Do not buy an oversized helmet for the purpose of the child having something to grow in. The helmet should protect the scalp, forehead and back of the head. It should be easy to use. Check that you can easily adjust the buckles and snap. Make sure that the helmet has good ventilation and that there is room for a thin hat under the helmet. Replace the helmet if it has been subjected to a strong shock or blow.
Bicycle helmet with MIPS
Researchers at KTH in the mid-90s developed a completely new type of bicycle helmet that could protect the head much better than the helmets that existed at the time. The result was MIPS, a technology that mimics the brain’s own way of protecting itself by having a rotation space between the part that lies against the head and the outer parts of the helmet. The reason why MIPS was developed is based on what head injuries with traditional helmets look like. Often the helmets protect against hard, fast blows that come straight from the top or side. But most people who have ever fallen while cycling know that the body often has some form of rotation on impact. With a MIPS helmet, the head is better protected by having a loose part in the helmet that allows a certain lateral movement.
Things to keep in mind when buying a bicycle child seat
Cycling with your child is both fun and exciting for the child, but also for you. You who cycle a lot can have great use of a bicycle child seat, the freedom becomes greater and you can easily get around on the roads without a pram. There are a few things to consider before getting a bicycle seat. Always make sure that the child seat is properly seated and that no screws or nuts are loose and that the child seat is complete without cracks or the like. Some old bicycle child seats can easily crack as the plastic ages poorly and becomes porous. There are bicycle seats that must be mounted on the front of the bike, but it is not as common as the variant that you mount on the package holder. The maximum weight on the bicycle seat is marked, it is important to keep it. It is usually easy to mount a bicycle child seat on the package holder. If you have difficulty assembling it yourself, we recommend that you take it to a bicycle dealer who can easily help you install the seat on the bicycle.