Yet Another Cycling Forum
General Category => Freewheeling => Topic started by: dougal on 11 February, 2011, 10:26:45 am
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my 10 yr old is signed up for a bikeability course at his school next week and we have been sent a reminder that he needs to attend with a roadworthy bike and a well fitting helmet.
without going into too much detail could anyone confirm the basics of what is considered roadworthy in this context. specifically does a bike need reflectors to comply and anything else obvious i might have missed.
thanks for your help
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I think you will find, from those on here who run similar courses that the bike needs to:
1) be clean and lubed (especially chain)
2) have tyres pumped up to a suitable pressure
3) the brakes work
4) Not be a danger to the rider or others.
Sounds obvious, but I have heard tales of children turning up on bikes that look like they have been dragged out of the local canal, expecting the instructor to fix them prior to the lesson starting. As most riding is done off road (school playground etc) then lights and reflectors (and bell)are not really needed, but a nice to have...
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tiermat has it.
The first of these sessions are typically taken up with bike checks. Anyone with something that is beyond redemption can't take part.
So, if your child turns up with a bike on which everything works, that will do.
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Tiermat's on the money.
Basically no BMXs with half a brake and a tyre scrubbed to the fabric. ::-)
It is not an exclusion test with reference to the Highway Code. If you'd ride it in traffic, they'll probably pass it.
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Two brakes, straight(ish) wheels, no loose or missing bolts. :thumbsup:
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Amazing the apalling state many bikes turn up in. Including brand new ones from a certain national chain, with brakes not working, forks reversed, wrong size for the child, etc.
We only turn them away if they're unrideable or brakes don't work - such as when the rim has been oiled, blocks missing, cables seized. :facepalm:
Strictly a road bike should have a rear reflector fitted, but we wouldn't refuse just on that basis.
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I took some photos yesterday of the state of bikes we frequently come across. Yesterday we had time and resource to fix them. In a typical course we wouldn't have have time to fix as many as we did on this occasion.
Kennington People on Bikes: Pedal Power at Charlotte Sharman Primary School (http://kenningtonpob.blogspot.com/2011/03/pedal-power-at-charlotte-sharman.html)