Courses

How to ride safely:  Handling skills, group riding & individual mentoring.  2.5 hours in classroom and on-bike, all attendees must be 14 years or older.

Contents

This course will focus on how to ride safely in traffic, both as individuals and as part of a group.  Topics include; principles of bicycle safety, the Highway Traffic Act, positioning on the roadway, safety equipment, signalling and turns.  Basic factors in how to efficiently use your bike will also be addressed such as gearing, pedaling and cadence, road climbing, turning, descending and braking.  We practice your bike handling skills on bike in a controlled parking lot setting.  Then we finish the session with a group ride to practice the skills that have been taught.

For this session, you will need to bring your bicycle.  Helmets are mandatory, your bike must fit you properly and be in good working order.  Proper lighting and a bell are legal requirements.  This session is designed for bicyclists who have some experience riding in traffic but want to learn more or upgrade their skills.  Cyclists must be 14 years of age or older.

Content Outline (In Class & On Bike – 2.5 hrs.)

Note: Contents may change slightly depending on Instructor

In Class – 45 min. 9:00am – 9:45am

Using Your Bike

• First Principles of Cycling
• Key factors
• Drivetrain, gears, pedalling, cadence
• Turning, descending

Safety

• Principles of Bicycle Safety
• Riding in Traffic, urban and rural
• Safety Equipment

Break – 15 min. transition to bikes

On-Bike – 90 min. 10:00am – 11:30am

Safety Check

• Bike Legal Equipment
• Helmet Check
• Personal Equipment & Attire
• Bike ABC Check

Handling Skills in Parking Lot (5)

• Straight Line Riding
• Shoulder Checking
• Signalling
• Rock Dodge
• Threshold/Emergency Braking

Group Ride

• Group riding skills
• A learning fun ride on low volume roads and off-road trails if available

Course 3:   Rediscover Cycling!!   One Course Combines Courses 1 and 2 above – Two options

Option 1 – In Class only 1 hr., Option 2 – add on-bike component for total of 3 hours

In Class for everyone – 1 hr., 35 slides, 9:00am to 10:00am

Break/Questions/Transition to Bikes – 15 min to 10:15am

On Bike group outside for 1.75hrs, 10:15am to noon

Contents

IN-CLASS

9:00am Introduction – 4 slides

Intro & Bike Niagara

Selecting and Buying – In class – 6 slides

What are your goals?

Where will you ride?

Do you want speed or comfort?

Different cyclist types

Selecting a bike

Frame

Where should I buy?

Using Your Bike – In Class – 3 slides

First principles of cycling

Factors that affect cycling operation

Drivetrain explained

Using the gears

Safety – In Class – 18 slides

Principles of bicycle safety

Highway Traffic Act

Basic approach to safe cycling

How to ride safely in traffic – urban and rural

• Cyclist position from the curb
• Obstructed lanes
• Narrow lanes
• Parked vehicles
• Passing on right
• Position at intersections
• Destination Positioning
• Turns
• Railway tracks
• Trucks
• Off Road Bike Paths
• Sidewalks
• Rural Riding Considerations

Safety Equipment – 4 slides

• Bike safety equipment by law
• Helmets
• Personal equipment & attire
• Bike check

10:00am Break/Questions – 1 slide

Transition to Bikes – Parking lot

 ON-BIKES

10:15am Safety Equipment Review

 10:45am Bike Handling Skills  

• Straight line riding
• Shoulder checking
• Signalling
• Rock dodge
• Threshold/emergency braking

Group Riding Skills

11:15am Group Ride – On bike on local roads ends at noon

This is a 3 to 4 hour course for individuals of all ages who have never learned how to ride a bicycle.  The focus is on mastering balance, basic bike riding skills and riding comfortably.

Contents

Course Duration: 3 hrs. (180 min.)  The time allotments below are estimates and flexible.  We could also do the course over 2 separate time periods of 1.5hrs. each if that proves to be more convenient and workable.

1. Introduction and Registration – 10 min
2. Helmet and Bike Fundamentals – 30 min

• Helmet information and fit
• How a bike works
• Power transmission
• Steering
• Brakes
• Gears
• Bike Fit
• Bike ABC Quick Check

3. Learn to Ride (including rest breaks) – 90 min

• Coast & Balance
• Pedal and Steer
• Go and Stop

If time and student progress permits

• Straight Line Riding
• Braking
• Riding with one hand
• Shoulder checks
• Signals
• Gearing

4. Concurrent Topics (during ALR ride sessions) – 30 min.

• Bike safety equipment
• Clothing and carrying things
• Bike type and uses
• Bike parts
• Bike security

5. Next steps – 10 min.

• Practice tips
• Other courses

6. Recap – 10 min.

• Questions
• Debrief

Both classroom and playground components are offered for schools and community groups.  A structured format is provided which covers pre-ride essentials including helmets, bike checks and personal checks.

Contents

The in-class session covers safety considerations and principals, road positioning, and sidewalks, with a video highlighting important safety messages.  The playground set-up gives the opportunity to learn and practice essential handling skills including straight line riding, braking, shoulder checking, signalling and gearing.  An on-road component is optional depending on the availability of adult supervisors and low volume local roads.

At this time Bike Niagara is partnering with Heart Niagara to help implement bike rodeos in elementary schools across Niagara

Rodeo Summary Outline – General Overview                                                            

Approach:

• Pre-rodeo set-up
  • Permission from School or Community Group then Letter to parents and children outlining requirements
    • Waiver needed
    • Bike in good operating condition
    • Certified Bicycle Helmets mandatory
  • Night before mark out playground rodeo, or one hour needed before rodeo starts
  • If off site ride allowed, then route must be identified beforehand
• Format
  • Experienced adult volunteers, and or senior students helping with on-bike outside sessions
  • Bike instructors doing the class-room sessions if there is this opportunity
  • No offsite ride unless permission obtained

Components:

1. In-Class (consider on a separate day before outdoor/on-bike session)
2. On-Bikes within playground (handling skills and games)
3. On-road/on-trail ride? (only if permission obtained)

In-Class– Power Point Slides, Static Bicycle Demonstration. Flip Chart, Question and Answers

Slides & Video? – depends on amount to time available

Introduction

• Safe cycling instructor, assistants
• Course contents & purpose
• Cycling Benefits

The Bicycle

• Choosing a Bicycle
• Types of Bicycles and uses
• Bike parts
• Bicycle Security

Safety Equipment—Before You Ride

• Helmet Information and Fit
• Brain in a Crash
• Bike Adjustment and Fit
• Safety equipment by law
• ABC quick check
• Personal equipment, attire and carrying things

Traffic Dynamics – On Road, Trails and Sidewalk

• Bicycle Safety Considerations
• Traffic Cycling Principles (5)
• See, Be seen and Be Predictable
• MVPC – maneuverability, visibility, predictability, communications
• Sidewalks

Bike Operation & Handling Skills – Tips and Why Important

• How a bike operates
• Outside tarmac rodeo set-up
• Straight line riding – Balance, gearing, position from the curb, & wrong-way riding
• Braking/Stopping (Quick Stop) – to avoid hitting obstacles and stopping at stop signs
• Shoulder checking – Look before turning
• Signaling – 4 hand signals, road signs & traffic signals
• Games – Rock dodge, serpentine, turning obstacle course, & slow race – avoiding obstacles and turning

Video

• Bike Safety – Bill Nye the Science Guy (16 min.)

On-Bike– In Parking Lot or School Tarmac Playground with Bikes

• Outside rodeo layout
• Stations

1. Helmet Check, Bike Check, Personal Check (clothing, carrying things)
2. Straight Line Riding & Brake, Stop & Go
3. Shoulder Checking
4. Signalling
5. Games – Rock Dodge
6. Games – Serpentine
7. Games – Turning (within a 1.5′ border)
8. Games – Slow Race

On-road Ride?

Only with permissions from school & parents