Learn to Ride is an all-ages event designed to teach families how to ride a bike in a comfortable and supportive environment. The event was organized in partnership with the City of Raleigh’s Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Department. This program was modeled after a successful Learn to Ride program in Charlotte started by a local non- profit organization. We hosted our second event at Lake Lynn Community Center on Saturday, June 10th from 9am to 11am.
The Lake Lynn Learn to Ride event built off lessons learned from our event in January, and included the following enhancements:
- Conducting short volunteer training on the “balance bike method” at the beginning and mid-way through the event.
- Set up portable bike rack stations which kept the bikes organized and easier to transition between participants.
- Utilized the City of Raleigh’s communication channels to promote the event. This nearly doubled the number of attendees from the first Learn To Ride event. A total of 27 riders came to Lake Lynn to learn to ride, assisted by 11 volunteers + 5 staff.
The structure and flow of the event was casual. This allowed attendees to come and go, take breaks and jump back in. Each attendee was checked in at the City of Raleigh’s registration table, which allowed walk-up attendees to register on the spot. Participants were then directed to the helmet fitting station where they could receive a helmet or have their helmet fitted properly. Once attendees were fitted with a helmet, a volunteer helped them find the correct size bike and pair-up with them on the cycle track. Participants then learned the “balance bike method” with their volunteer buddy.
Each new rider starts out with a balance bike from the Oaks and Spokes or City of Raleigh bike fleets. If a participant brought their own bike, our volunteer mechanics helped remove the pedals to turn it into a balance bike. Volunteers were trained to look for signs when their rider was ready for pedals.
Signs a rider is ready for pedals:
- Shoulders are relaxed, and the body is not stiff.
- Rider demonstrates confidence by turning and using the brakes at the same time.
- Rider is allowing the bike to pick up enough speed to glide and feels the sensation of balance.
- Smiling face!
The Lake Lynn learn to ride event was a fun, interactive learning experience for both the volunteers and attendees. In the post event feedback Oaks and Spokes received from the City of Raleigh – participants had such a good time they want to know when the next event will take place! Feedback also included a desire for follow-up events to help riders build on the skills and confidence they gained. We look forward to continuing a fruitful partnership with the City of Raleigh to host additional events in future contracts.
This report was prepared by Sara Ellis.
Learn To Ride programing is by Oaks and Spokes’ Safe Routes To School Program Manager, Sara Ellis and Mary-Jo Gellenbeck, Wake County’s Department of Health and Human Services, and Jennifer Delcourt.