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Triathlon · Basic · b1

Bike control games

Park or court 10 min 1 and a grown-up Yard or lane, park, hall or court

Ready when: nothing, this is the first card.

Start a session

What you are learning

Controlling the bike: setting off straight, riding round cones while looking up, looking behind over the shoulder while riding straight, and stopping smoothly or quickly on a line. These keep a young triathlete safe in a race.

Words on this card Slalom, Pace
Slalom
Riding a zigzag round cones.
Pace
How fast you go, and a plan to keep going steadily.

Set up

A bike that fits; a helmet; cones; a start and stop line.

Weather: dry ground

The base setup for triathlon

Show it first for the one teaching

  1. Check the helmet is buckled and the brakes work. Brakes on, look behind, then set off in a straight line.
  2. Ride round the cones looking up, fingers resting on the brakes.
  3. Ride straight and glance back over each shoulder; then squeeze both brakes to stop on the line.

Your part while they practise

Check the helmet and the bike first; stand beside the lane; do not hold the bike.

Step by step

  1. Brakes on, look, then set off straight.
  2. Ride a cone slalom looking up, fingers covering the brakes.
  3. Look behind over each shoulder while riding straight.
  4. A smooth stop and a quick stop on the line.
  5. Follow the leader at a safe gap.

How much: 6 runs 10 min a session 3 days a week

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

The game: Follow the leader

Copy the leader's line and speed round the cones, keeping a safe gap.

Who plays: 2 or more riders, taking turns to lead; you judge.

How to play, turn by turn
Turns
  1. The leader rides a path through the cones and stops on the line
  2. The followers copy it, at least two bike lengths behind
  3. Swap leaders after each lap
Fair play
A grown-up leads at walking pace.
Points
A follower scores 1 point for each lap copied without touching a cone or a foot; 1 more point for stopping on the line.
Fouls
No points for that lap
  • Closer than two bike lengths
  • A foot down
  • Riding without the helmet buckled
Winning
The most points after everyone has led.
Stars
  1. 2 points for 1 star
  2. 4 points for 2 stars
  3. 6 points for 3 stars

Easier or harder

Easier

A balance bike or a short lane.

Harder

A tighter slalom; one-handed in a straight line.

What you will see, and what to say

  • the child wobbles at low speed Look ahead, not downEyes up.
  • the braking is grabby Squeeze both brakes slowlyGently.

Self-check

20

Ride in a straight line for 20 m and stop on the line 5 times.

Stop and get a coach when

Repeated falls.

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 bike control.

awiseathlete.com/sports/triathlon/triathlon-b1