A Wise Athlete Sport and education. Both.
Get the app

Cycling · Intermediate · i10

Ride together on a family tour

Park or court 45 min 2 to 6 players Yard or lane

Ready when: Look behind and signal (i2) and Turn at the junction, yard first (i6) done.

Start a session

What you are learning

Riding in a group: single file with a gap of two bike lengths, looking and signalling early, and each rider looking after the one behind. Group rides are safe when everyone keeps the same rules.

Words on this card Handlebars, Signal, Single file
Handlebars
What the hands hold to steer.
Signal
Holding one arm straight out to show which way you will turn.
Single file
Riding one behind the other in a line.

Set up

A route an adult has ridden first; rules written with the children; a repair kit, a pump, first aid and a phone.

Weather: dry ground

The base setup for cycling

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. Read the written rules together before setting off.
  2. Line up single file: one adult at the front, one at the back, two bike lengths between bikes.
  3. Ride 50 m slowly and stop: everyone checks the gap.

Your part while they practise

One adult rides at the front, one at the back.

Step by step

  1. Single file with a gap of two bike lengths or more.
  2. Each rider looks after the one behind and waits.
  3. Look and signal early.
  4. No racing; both hands on the bars except to signal.
  5. Follow the road rules.

How much: 1 ride 45 min a session 1 day a week

Say one thing Pick one line from "What you will see" for today and say only that.

The game: Gap keeper

The back adult checks each stretch; every rider who kept two bike lengths scores.

Who plays: the whole group together, against its own best; the back adult judges.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. Split the route into stretches between stops
  2. Ride each stretch single file
  3. At each stop, the back adult names who kept the gap and signalled
  4. Count the riders at every stop
Fair play
The slowest rider sets the pace, right behind the front adult.
Points
1 point for each rider who kept the gap on a stretch; 1 point for each stop where everyone is there.
Fouls
The rider scores nothing for that stretch
  • Riding side by side on a road
  • Racing another rider
  • Not waiting for the rider behind
Winning
The group beats its best score on the same route.
Stars
  1. 5 points for 1 star
  2. 10 points for 2 stars
  3. 15 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

A short loop on a park path.

Harder

A longer route with a few small climbs.

What you will see, and what to say

  • riders bunch side by side on a road One line, two bike lengthsSingle file, always.
  • a rider sits on the wheel ahead More gap when it gets fasterFaster needs a bigger gap.
  • two riders start to race No races on the roadRide at the group's pace.

Self-check

5

At every stop count the riders: everyone is in the group, 5 stops in a row.

Stop and get a coach when

Busy roads: a cycle-training course first.

Fitness for this

Warm up first: how to warm up, at workonfitness.com. For strength and stretching, its exercise library shows each exercise step by step, with an easier version.

This card trains group riding, road awareness.

Intermediate is done when the child does all the traffic-free skills smoothly: a look behind and then an arm signal in a lane, small obstacles rolled over, and a one-handed stop in a marked square.

awiseathlete.com/sports/cycling/cycling-i10