Safer | Smarter | Simpler

Kids need a Brake! Less worry and more FUN! Our patented SureStop Brake System has simplified braking, to give kids more confidence, a better biking experience, and keep them safer than ever before. Found only here at Guardian Bikes, here are our top 3 reasons every kid should have SureStop on their bike!

“Every kid should have this”

Mark Cuban

Safer Braking

Reduce Stopping Distance and Prevent Head-Over-Handlebar Accidents

Bike riding is a right of passage for a young kiddo. Going FAST, learning new tricks (“hey mom look, one hand”), and going on adventures with friends and family are all memorable experiences for a kid on a bike. While a young rider has a lot to see and discover on their bike, they often get distracted and accidents and injury may occur. During a typical “panic stop” a rider will squeeze their brakes abruptly and with too much force, causing their front wheel to lock up, sending the child over the handlebars. According to data by the CPSC, this type of accident sent over 22,000 riders to the emergency room in 2013. A bike equipped with the SureStop Brake System eliminates this from happening. How? Like anti-lock brakes on your car, the SureStop Brake System prevents the front wheel from locking up so that both wheels stay on the ground during braking. The system dynamically controls the braking power on both wheels so that your child can stop in shorter stopping distances. More on this in #2 and #3 below.

Smarter Braking

Automatically Distributes the right amount of braking power to both wheels for smooth and controlled stops.

On a traditional two-lever brake system, children are required to learn proper brake modulation. Brake modulation? Yes you heard that right… If your child relies too heavily on their rear (right) brake, they will have long stopping distances and the rear wheel can skid out causing them to lose control. This is because most of their stopping power comes from the front (left) brake. However, as mentioned above, if your child squeezes the front brake too hard, they can lock up the front wheel and head over handlebar accidents can occur. To learn how to stop quickly without locking up the front wheel, children need to learn how to properly modulate their front and rear brakes. Leading bicycle accident reconstructionist at Collision and Injury Dynamics Harm Jansen says, “that takes a lot of experience; that actually takes a couple of crashes”. This is the reason many young riders are taught by their parents to solely use their rear brake only.

If your child has a coaster (back-pedal) brake system on their bike, this system only engages the rear brake causing long stopping distances and less control. Pushing the pedals backwards is often unintuitive for kids, leading to slow reaction times and loss of control during braking.

The SureStop Brake System solves all of these problems. The system intelligently distributes the right amount of braking power to both wheels with a single brake lever giving your kiddo the stopping power and confidence they need to stop quickly and in control. With so many unforeseen obstacles and unexpected stops a new rider can experience, giving your child the opportunity to use both front and rear brakes no matter the situation is crucial in keeping them safe. 

“Braking” a sweat yet? Here's a helpful video talking all about the SureStop Brake System vs other brake systems. 

Simpler

Single Lever System makes braking worry-free for a more confident and enjoyable riding experience.

SureStop condenses a standard two-lever braking system into a more efficient and simpler one lever system.  Eliminating the worry of which brake lever to squeeze allows your child to focus on the FUN and adventures ahead, and giving them the ability  to stop quickly when they need it. The system also requires less hand strength to slow the bike down because the front brake is done by the momentum of the bike moving forward (essentially your child is just doing the work for the rear brake). 

All Guardian Bikes come equipped with brake levers designed specifically for kids so that they are easier to reach. 

 SureStop has given parents more peace of mind knowing their child is safe and able to stop quicker and with more control. AND kids are able to ride with more confidence knowing their Guardian Bike is safer, simpler, and going to do most of the dirty work for them. (besides the mud puddles, dirt hills, and rides in the rain) We will leave that dirty work up to them! 

Geeking out and wondering just how the physics of SureStop work? Learn just how it works from our CEO and Co-Founder Brian Riley below: 

Interested in Bike Safety? Check out our Ultimate Bike Safety Blog to learn more.