Kids bike maintenance basics

1. Tires — the job that changes the most

Underinflated tires make a bike feel heavy, slow and vague, and a child reads all of that as "cycling is hard". Check the pressure range printed on the sidewall and pump to it. On a small wheel, air is lost faster than you expect — check monthly.

Foam tires — the Strider 12 Sport uses them — skip this job entirely, which is a genuine advantage for a bike that lives in a garage.

2. Chain — clean and lubricated

Wipe the chain with a rag, apply a drop of bike-specific lubricant to each link while backpedaling, then wipe off the excess. A dry chain is noisy and wears fast; an over-oiled chain collects grit and wears faster. Once a month, or after any wet ride.

3. Brakes — pads and lever travel

Squeeze hard. The lever should stop well before touching the bar. If it comes close, the cable needs adjusting at the barrel adjuster — a quarter turn at a time. Check the pads for grooves and for even contact against the rim.

On a coaster brake there is nothing to check, which is its one real advantage. On hydraulic discs, a spongy lever means a bleed, which is a shop job.

4. Bolts — five that matter

5. Saddle height — the one everyone forgets

Children grow constantly and a saddle set correctly in April is too low by August. Check it at the start of each season and after any growth spurt, and never raise it past the minimum-insertion mark on the post. The two correct positions are explained on kids bike seat height.

What to keep in the house

A floor pump with a gauge, a multi-tool with hex keys, chain lubricant, a rag, and a spare tube in each wheel size you own. That covers everything above.

When to take it to a shop

Bent wheels, a bleed on hydraulic brakes, a derailleur that will not index after a barrel-adjuster tweak, a headset with play you cannot remove, or anything to do with a bottom bracket. None of those are worth learning on a bike your child rides.