Bike Trains: Safety and Planning
Planning For Safety
Safety is the most important consideration in operating a Bike Train, and should be reinforced at every opportunity.
- Everyone must have a properly fitted helmet, and wear it correctly.
- Brakes in front and back work smoothly
- Tires are properly inflated.
- Handlebars are tight and straight.
- Seat is straight and at the right height.
- Students are expected to follow the rules of the bike train, practice safe riding behaviors, and listen to the Bike Train leaders at all time.
- Adults should have bike pump (frame), tire patch kit, and a bike tool with them.
Bike trains work best with two adults: one to ride at the front of the group to set the pace and make go/no go decisions at intersections; the other rides behind all the kiddos to observe and enforce safe riding behavior. If only one adult is available, as in this video, he/she should be behind all the riders. If needed, they can speed up and ride to the left of the group to address safety and behavior concerns.
Bike hand signals let cars know what you are doing!
Remember when preparing your student to travel to school this year:
- Check that students can still hear and see properly when wearing personal protective equipment such as helmets, masks and other gear.
Bicycle Safety Video
Planning a bike route is very important! When picking a safe route choose the safest path, even if that means the trip will take a little longer. Minimize the number of street crossings and avoid busy, high-speed or multi lane roads wherever possible.
Check Basic Rider Skills
Bike Trains are best suited for children in upper elementary and middle school grades when they are better able to judge and react to the speed, distance, and sounds of traffic. Because children develop these skills at different ages, parents/caregivers must asses their child’s bicycling ability and give permission for student participation in a bike train.
The information contained in the website above is also in a printable document.
Check Knowledge for Rules of the Road
All Bike Train participants must know and follow the basic bicycling rules:
- Ride on the street in the same direction as traffic.
- Ride on the right side of the road, a safe distance from curb or parked cars.
- Ride single file, leaving space between bicycles in case of sudden stops.
- Stop at all stop signs and red lights.
- Use hand signals to indicate turns, slowing, and stopping. Calling out “slowing,” “turning,” or “stopping’” can also be helpful when riding in a group.