Simple Projects - Bicycle Rodeos

Bicycle Rodeos | A Simple Bike Rack

There are some simple steps you can take in your community to make it better accommodate bicyclists and pedestrians, and to teach kids how to bicycle properly.

Bicycle Rodeos

Raise the topic of "teaching kids bicycle safety," and within the next few minutes someone is going to suggest hosting a bicycle rodeo. And with good reason. A well-run bicycle rodeo can:

* give a large number of children at least a basic understanding of the rules of the road
* educate those children (and their parents) about elementary bike safety
* give trained personnel a chance to look over the equipment the kids are riding
* involve parents, teachers, or a local civic organization in a worthwhile activity
*actually be a lot of fun.

That fun comes with some work attached. A typical bicycle rodeo involves laying out a course with a half-dozen or more "stations" that teach and test a particular skill. Those skill stations might include:

* the rock dodge
* looking over a shoulder without weaving
* fast braking without skidding
* dealing with traffic at intersections

A good bike rodeo educates children about bike safety while they're having fun; a bad bike rodeo merely provides a fun activity with no real education or learning of bicycle safety. The difference may hinge on your volunteers...bicycle rodeos take a lot of them. A typical rodeo involving 100 children might require 15 to 20 volunteers or more. Many roles may be given to members of a service club such as Rotary or the Lions, while members of the local bicycle club can provide the cycling expertise.

Don't try organizing a large event your first time. Instead, gather a small group of Cub Scouts or Campfire kids. Ten to twenty kids will help you organize stations and provide good feedback. Later you can try your hand at a large bicycle rodeo.

Volunteers will need an orientation course if the rodeo is to run smoothly. Including the initial orientation course, the course setup and cleanup, and actually running a rodeo. Expect to spend about 10 to 20 hours of organizing time on a good bicycle rodeo that may last two hours.

Get the police, a local bicycle shop, and the schools involved in promoting your rodeo and doing bike safety checks. The local street maintenance department can often provide the traffic cones and barricades you'll need.

There are several good resources available for learning more about rodeos. The best (linked below) is the Guide to Bicycle Rodeos by John Williams, available through the Adventure Cycling Association for $5 plus shipping. You can also get this guide together with a complete kit to host a rodeo (flags, vests, handouts, etc.) from Outdoor Empire Publishing in Seattle, Washington (see Resources below).

- Guide To Bicycle Rodeos | Online Resource
- Outdoor Empire Bicycle Rodeo kit | Online Resource