Cycling Project

The cycling project in schools has 7 modules from basics for the youngest children through to advanced biking skills for keen older students. With a stepwise approach, students will have the requisite knowledge to utilize their bicycles for fun, as a transportation device and for competition, safely and effectively.

1. Learn to Balance
2. Learn to Pedal
3. Learn to handle bike safely
4. Learn to Maintain your Bicycle
5. Learn to Commute
6. Learn to Compete
7. Advanced Bike Handling Skills

The skills developed are summarized below:

🚲 Physical Development

• Develop balance and coordination while riding.
• Improve gross motor skills (pedalling, steering, braking).
• Build muscle strength and endurance in legs and core.
• Demonstrate ability to start, stop, and control speed safely.

🧠 Cognitive Development

• Understand and follow basic road safety rules (e.g., looking both ways, stopping).
• Develop spatial awareness (judging distance and direction).
• Improve problem-solving skills (e.g., adjusting balance, avoiding obstacles).
• Show ability to focus and concentrate while riding.

😊 Social and Emotional Development

• Build confidence and independence through mastering a new skill.
• Develop resilience and perseverance after falls or mistakes.
• Experience a sense of achievement and pride.
• Learn to follow instructions and accept guidance from adults.

🤝 Social Skills

• Practice taking turns and sharing space with others.
• Demonstrate awareness of others when riding (pedestrians, other cyclists).
• Develop communication skills (e.g., signalling, asking for help).

🛡️ Safety Awareness

• Understand the difference between risk mitigation and risk avoidance.
• Understand the value of wearing safety gear (helmet, pads) according to the type of riding.
• Understand safety gear selection and set up for actual risk mitigation.
• Identify safest routes for biking.
• Show awareness of potential hazards and how to avoid them.

🎯 Observable Outcomes

By the end of the learning process, children would be able to:

• Ride independently without support
• Start and stop on their own
• Steer around obstacles confidently
• Follow cycling rules
• Demonstrate safe riding habits
• Maintain their bicycles
• Use their bicycle for transport
• Use their bicycle for competition

The 7 modules are further explained below:

1. Learn to Balance
   1. Use of balance bikes for early years and bicycles without pedals for older students
      
      
   2. Inclusion of games to develop posture and core control.
   3. Minimum of 2 x 30 min sessions for older students. For early years regular exposure and play throughout the school year is recommended.
   4. Note Balance Bike Presentation
      
      
2. Learn to Pedal
   1. Correct bicycle size for learning has:
      1. A lowest seat position that allows feet to lie flat on the ground with a slight bend to the knee
      2. Handlebars within reach with an upright posture. No forward lean required to reach
   2. For younger students shifting from balance bike to normal bike, step 1 remains balancing without pedals until weight of the bike is adapted to.
   3. Use of brake levers. Understanding that a brake lever needs to stay squeezed for full braking to happen.
      1. Eyes forward
      2. Good posture
      3. Braced arms
      4. Feet up in the air (and later on pedals) until sufficient braking has occurred.
      5. Staying on the seat until coming to a full stop.
   4. Next step is gliding while lifting feet to touch pedals and putting them down again onto the ground repeatedly.
   5. When step D is confident, encourage to keep feet on pedals and to attempt to turn the pedals.
   6. Once confident in turning the pedals, teach how to start by themselves with one foot on a high pedal, one foot on the ground.
   7. Some basic lessons on manoeuvring:
      • Slaloms around cones and Figure of 8
   8. Minimum 4 x 30 min sessions for Year 1 and 2 and 2 x 30 min sessions for older ones.
3. Learn to handle bike safely
   1. Learning how to do an M check (that ensures bike is safe to use)
   2. Further lessons on manoeuvring:
      1. Slaloms around close cones and tighter figure of 8 set ups.
      2. Passing through narrow passages
      3. Cycling in proximity to each other
      4. Emergency Braking
      5. Taking a hand off to indicate
      6. Riding in a standing position
      7. Looking behind
      8. Riding down a small step
      9. Body position while riding uphill or downhill
   3. Learn how to adjust helmet and put it on properly for actual protection (must be well fitting and secure, covering the forehead)
   4. 4-6 x 30 min practical lessons for older students
   5. 1 x 30 min theoretical lesson on basic risk understanding and decision-taking.
      
      
4. Learn to Maintain your Bicycle
   1. How to clean frame, brakes and chain. How to oil chain.
   2. How to use bicycle tools like spanners, allen keys, torx keys etc
   3. How to adjust gears and brakes
   4. How to inflate tyres and knowing the difference between Schrader and presta valves.
   5. How to change a tube/fix a puncture
   6. How to tighten headset and other loose parts
   7. How to remove and attach pedals
   8. How to adjust seat position – height and fore/aft setting.
   9. Minimum 7 x sessions
5. Learn to Commute
   1. Highway code and rules of the road
   2. Route planning – home to school and back
   3. Assertive Positioning – where to ride on straight roads, at junctions and when negotiating roundabouts for maximum visibility and safety.
   4. Psychology – making eye contact with drivers before crossing a road or exiting a side road.
   5. Understanding visibility and blind spots, especially where there are trucks, SUV’s and vans.
   6. Online safety – using GPS apps without disclosing home location etc
   7. Hand signals and communication while riding.
   8. Use of lights, reflectors and secure locks.
   9. Riding in the rain. Mudguards, protective wear.
   10. 5 x 40 min lessons for secondary school students
6. Learn to Compete
   1. Experiencing BMX, Mountain bike and road bike riding (practical sessions)
   2. Participation in events (representing the school)
   3. Learning about the different federations and the competitions. (Handbook)
   4. Coached sessions for speed and endurance
   5. Minimum 20 x 40 min lessons for secondary school students
      
      
      
      
7. Super Advanced Skills
   
   This module is only for older students who have fully achieved the previous modules with a high level of confidence and control.
   
   Including but not limited to:
   1. Picking up cones and bottles from the ground
   2. Track standing
   3. Riding up and down stairs
   4. Wheelies and Manuals
   5. Sideways jumps