I'm involved with a youth group which runs biking sessions for the young people who come along. I've pulled together a few ideas for helping some of less confident ones to develop their balance and so on, but just wondered if the STW collective had any insights into drills and games that could be done in a fairly large games hall.
Bike Forum
Developing Kids Skills on Bikes
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Posted 1 year ago #
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Get qualified, you probably know you should be
The youth groups around here afik cannot just get "anyone" (no offence) to turn up without first having some sort of quali.
Mate is a DofE leader and has had to do his MBLA. Another works with cubs/scouts and has also had to do the course. Others I know have done the Bikeability course because a lot of their kids ride street(bmx etc) The idea is to make them "safe" on the road!!http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/go-rideracing
http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3376
http://www.dft.gov.uk/bikeability/
http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/scotland/article/scst-scottish-cycling-smbla. I've pulled together a few ideas
Which are?Posted 1 year ago # -
Done my SMBLA qualification - it's focus is on how to guide a group, not how to develop skills per se.
As I said, I'm primarily interested to know if anyone has any games or drills they've used to develop skills so that I can keep what we do fresh.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Do you do the cones stuff?
Slalom. Move on to slalom races
Slow races. Who can get to the end of an area slowest
Braking box. Can be turned into trackstand
High five. Starting with rider just doing a signal progressing to riders riding towards each other(jousting stylee)
Ride the line. 2 rows of cones and then narrow them down
2 tables and some bottles. Move bottles from 1 table/box to another
Circle of cones.
ride round the cones at steady pace
Then if they have gears get them to change into easy/harder gear.
Slalom around circle
Inside circle game. Everyone sets off in same direction. You narrow circle. If anyone runs wide out of circle or puts a foot down they are out.
Circle. Give each person a number. Bikes are laid down outside circle. Shout 2 numbers and riders have to race around circle back to their own spot. Can add on touching a cone in centre of circle
Limbo
Make up some imaginary road junctions, parked cars, roundabouts etc.Join all that lot together to make a circuit. Doing a follow the leader through it can be fun
I will be doing some of that on Thurs before taking the kids out on the road to practice junctions proper
Depending on what you can get away with you could introduce some ramps, planks and drops if you are allowed to make up some wooden stuff
Is that the kind of stuff you are looking for or are you taking the kids off-road??
Posted 1 year ago # -
limbo bar to get under
pick up object from the ground with out stopping
Posted 1 year ago # -
meant to come back and say thanks for the ideas - going to make use of several of these.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Lots of fun to be had with objects to carry - balloon, cups of water etc as well.
Planks to ride down / over.
Bumps / kerbs etc as well.
Easy singletrack
Posted 1 year ago # -
ooo trekster can i come to your kids club
Posted 1 year ago # -
the phrase "get a room" comes to mind for some reason
Posted 1 year ago # -
First thing I do is raise their saddles, as they will always be too low. Next step is to teach them to get the pedals up and push off and mount the saddle a the same time. Do this at least 10 times, boring drill, but correct position is everything. They will step off automatically when stopping - or fall over!
Next, once moving, I ask them to touch their nose with their forefinger. both hands. They have to get used to riding one-handed to signal, and it's easier to say "touch your nose" than "let go with your hand"! Then move to look over shoulder, then hand up for a signal.
Finally, I make them cycle figure of eights over a drain cover - both directions, must cross the drain cover twice. Beware if it's wet.
I'm sure there is lots of advice on cones, picking things up etc...
Posted 1 year ago # -
keep the saddles low :-).
Posted 1 year ago # -
keep the saddles low :-).
*nods*
Posted 1 year ago # -
could you do an estates skillz group?
wheelies the length of the estate...
riding no handed, no helmets and no clothes on the upper body...
police chase: half the group is chased by the police, the other half chases the police car whilst throwing things at it...
how to cut a cable lock and get away with a bike in under 1 minute...
how to identify expensive bikes so to effectively bully your poor friends......
that kinda thing... real life skills.... none of this signalling at junctions stuff!
Posted 1 year ago # -
philconsequence - Member
could you do an estates skillz group?wheelies the length of the estate...
riding no handed, no helmets and no clothes on the upper body...
That is Level 4
Had a girl in a group the other day and sure she would pass your test Phil
uiced - Member
keep the saddles low :-).POSTED 1 DAY AGO # REPORT-POST
matt_outandabout - Member
keep the saddles low :-).
*nods*
Teach them how to mount/start/stop/dismount properly/safely and the seat can be set at the "proper" height
Unless it is a bmx/too smal/broken/seized etc Posted 1 year ago #
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