Where you start your journey depends on the children involved. All the games and activities have been designed to meet the ability of individuals, not their age.
We recommend completing the Ready Set Ride series starting with Prepare 2 Ride, Skills 2 Ride - Balance using balance bike and then onto Skills 2 Ride – Pedals.
You can deliver any of the Ready Set Ride activities using the website and app, but if you would like to purchase a resource pack you can do so on the Youth Sport Direct website.The resource pack includes rewards, a letter home and school certificate, plus you can buy top-up packs for additional classes.
To purchase bikes and helmets for your school, please visit the Ridgeback Bikes website where you will be able to build your own discounted bundle and receive ongoing support from a local bike shop.
Prepare 2 Ride – No specialist equipment is needed. Each game in this set is designed with equipment or things that you may use from a classroom environment.
Skills 2 Ride – Balance will require balance bikes. Pedal bikes can be adapted into balance bikes by removing the pedals.
Skills 2 Ride – Pedals will require a pedal bike. Remove any stabilisers as this will undo all of a child’s balance practice.
We recommend that anyone taking part in the activity wears a helmet. Make sure it is fitted properly, otherwise the helmet will be uncomfortable to wear and the children will fiddle with theirs, often pushing it off their forehead.
No specialist clothing is required, although we advise you to ensure that children in your class wear clothing that is kept well out of the way of chains and spokes. For further advice, see the Helmet and clothing check page.
No, you do not have to do the games in a specific order. However, we would recommend progressing through all three sets in the following order: Prepare 2 Ride, Skills 2 Ride – Balance, Skills 2 Ride – Pedals.
No, children do not have to complete Prepare 2 Ride.
However, the games in this set help to get children ready to ride and are great fun activities to do anytime.
These off the bike activities develop core skills which will set a child up for an active life but have been created with cycling in mind.
Once children have had a go at the Skills 2 Ride – Pedals Challenges and feel that they have really mastered them, they will be ready to enjoy cycling for a long time to come. All of the challenges can be repeated and enjoyed as much as you want and you can go back to them at any time. Very experienced riders still benefit from having a go at all these challenges.
The most important next step is to enjoy being on a bike and maybe going for fun bike rides. Get out and explore your community, use the bike to get to school, football, and to the shops. If you can get out riding with your child, they will absolutely love to ride with you and show you how good they are.
Hunt out interesting places to ride, such as canal paths, the countryside, and rides between local parks.
As your child reaches the age of 10 and starts to become a more independent rider, they may want to consider Bikeability training. More information is available at bikeability.org.uk.
British Cycling provide a range of other opportunities for young people to continue cycling. For more information, visit britishcycling.org.uk.
At the end of each set of games, there is a series of Challenges to successfully complete. Once you have successfully completed the challenges, log on and register to access certificates.
Printed copies are available. If you would like to purchase a printed copy, please register your interest by emailing [email protected]
Check out our guide to buying a balance bike
These materials have been developed so that activities can be facilitated by any responsible adult who feels confident to use them. They are not designed to facilitate formal coached sessions unless the person overseeing those sessions holds a relevant qualification.
British Cycling have developed an entry-level coach education course for school staff and volunteers, providing knowledge and practical experience to help you deliver cycling techniques and grassroots competition in the playground or on your school field.
Read more at britishcycling.org.uk.
All the games we have developed can be used with a group of children. The games can be scaled up for two, three or a whole class.
There is no set minimum or maximum number; however, remember that you can organise a large group into smaller groups, playing different games and rotating round.
All the Skills 2 Ride – Balance and Pedal games can be run together. In fact, mixing balance bikes and pedal bikes is fun and really encourages children at different stages. The confident pedallers can be used as inspiring guides for those still balancing and, as long as there is plenty of space for the games and the pedallers know to keep their speed in check, there is no reason why the two groups cannot mix.
There is no set method for engaging parents in Ready Set Ride. Parental engagement can be encouraged through a range of interventions and each school’s approach will be different depending on their community. It could be achieved through sharing information on the school’s web site, making paper copies of the activities, setting homework activities for children or delivering Ready Set Ride jointly with parents and children as part of encouraging CMO guidelines of 30 active minutes at school and 30 active minutes at home.
Parents do not have to be involved. It can all be delivered in school time. However, as part of encouraging young people to develop a love of cycling, we want to empower parents to help children learn to ride a bike and use it to explore their world!
