Typical Biking
We have so many success stories. Kids who never thought they could ride, figuring it out. Kids who couldn’t balance when a parent was teaching them, finding confidence with a skilled instructor.
“So many times, we see the entire class cheering when someone finds their balance for the first time. It’s really inspiring to see how proud they are of their accomplishment,” says Kimberley Nelson, program lead for cycling education.
We start non riders on strider bikes – simply bikes without pedals. They can learn to brake and steer, while running with the bike to get a sense of balance. The next step is a big push off the ground and one pedal at the top of the rotation. With a big push down, the youth looks to go 40 to 50 feet. At that point, we add the full pedalling motion. There’s no one holding the bike, just the youth working to master balance. At times, we’ll hold the bike to help the kids practice finding the pedals with their feet. Looking down is a sure way to lose balance.
Follow the snake
The next steps are to build confidence. For those that can already balance and ride confidently, we look to incorporate hand signals, tighter turns, quick stops and uphill starts. As the group follows the line, they’ll play a Simon says game of changing gears or taking feet off the pedals as a way to build skills and confidence.
The first short ride around the school is where we look to determine the best places to ride. It also leads to a discussion about safe cycling infrastructure and how to advocate for routes and changes. A mapping activity that helps youth determine best routes to go places. It’s called wayfinding in the cycling world. We know that not knowing the best route is a huge issue for teens who simply don’t know them.
Culminates with a community ride
The goal of the cycling unit is to take every student on a short community ride. Sometimes its to a local park, or C-train station, or perhaps a favorite store or restaurant. With lots of support and team work, students learn how to take care of each other on group rides. They also learn proper pathway etiquette and the rules of the road.
At the end of the week, these youth have the agency to choose to use a bike as transportation. We also work to deliver as many good, refurbished bikes so the kids can go off and build more skills, go places together and connect to their communities.
