I’ve done a patching exercise with elementary school kids outside, and it wasn’t too bad. I showed them how first and then they tried it with my help. I’d recommend it- mostly because it’s an essential skill. 

-Ariel

On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 6:32 AM Ainsley Naylor <needleandthread@gmail.com> wrote:

ABCs are usually a major component of a short bike workshop:

Pumping tires (properly)

Brake check (lever pull) and brake pads

Chain check (should move smoothly, regularly clean and lube)

Agreed on avoiding patching, it’s just messy and you’d need a lot of pumps to check their work.

Ainsley (Toronto)

On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 9:00 AM Jim Sheehan <jim@ohiocitycycles.org> wrote:

Agree with Josh that the most useful, memorable important thing to relate is safe riding principles.  Take (or email) a PPT slideshow with pictures.

Would not bother with the patching exercise -- it's a skill few kids can master, plus the glue is toxic and abuse-able, messy, and would probably get you in trouble with the teacher.  

I wonder about your no tools or a bike rule, when tactile learning is so in vogue... We use a box of 16" wheels with tires and tubes mounted -- cleaned well, and with axles removed, so they pack better -- and do hands-on tire changing, and let them keep their tire levers for a useful memento.

Jim Sheehan
Executive Director

Ohio City Bicycle Co-op
1840 Columbus Rd
Cleveland, Ohio 44113
216 830 2667
OhioCityCycles.org

jim@ohiocitycycles.org

On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 8:41 AM <veganboyjosh@gmail.com> wrote:

If you can get some small pocket city maps, those make great handouts and kids love getting stuff. If you have time to have them use the map to draw the route from their school to their house, or something similar, that's a good exercise. 

90 minutes isn't a lot of time at all but going over the basic rules of the road, hand signals, the importance of riding in a predictable way, etc, is also good. 

Without a bike and lock as visual aids, it would be tough to do but a discussion about how to properly lock up a bike is also great fodder for kids to learn. 

Good luck! 

josh. 

On Fri, Jul 12, 2019 at 7:43 AM Robert Christiansen <robert@sacbikekitchen.org> wrote:

Hello everybody,

We are going to be giving a 1 1/2 hour class on bike basics to 17 middle school kids and then again to 17 high school students. This is being done offsite in a classroom setting with no bikes or tools.

Im hoping that some of you might have some advice on what to cover in this short period of time and any tips and tricks you may know.

I am thinking start with a bike anatomy  overview and then move into fixing a  flat which would consist of presenter demonstration interspersed  with a little Q and A then followed up with a student hands on with a punctured innertube to patch. Perhaps make a game out of it? 

Finishing the class with an overview of the pre-ride saftey check. I can hand out laminated checklist cards for them to keep.

Any commemts, advice, pointers would be much appreciated. I thank you for your time.

In service,

Robert

Sacramento Bike Kitchen

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