Fewer Kids Are Riding Bikes These Days; Duluth + Superior Offer Trails To Help

Summer is upon us and that means one thing:  kids will be riding bikes to pass the time and get from place to place.  But will they?  As electronics consume an even greater amount of the day for most people, it seems that our children are being left behind.

I came across an article recently about the decline in the sales rates for kids bicycles.  According to the report, sales for kids bikes fell 7.5% in the last year (2018 to 2019) - worrying those in the two-wheel manufacturing industry.  At the same time, so-called "screen time" - the hours or minutes spent looking at a cellphone, computer screen, or television - has increased just as dramatically.  One source suggests that a children under the age of 18 spend more than seven hours a day looking at the screen of an electronic device - time that used to be spent outdoors, playing in the yard, on a bike.

So what can be done about it?  Health officials urge parents to limit screen time for their children.  They also recommend the obvious:  Get outside and enjoy Mother Nature; a good way to do that is on a bicycle.

Duluth and Superior play host to a wide variety of trails.  Many are made for walking and hiking, but most of them also sport bike-friendly options.  On the City of Duluth's webpage, you'll find easy access to lists and maps of the bike trails available for use by the general public.  The City of Superior offers a similar digital resource.