Cycle Training Course

Pharty Pants <[email hidden]> wrote:
: For next term I'm setting up a 22 hour cycle training course, over ten
: weeks, for year 6 pupils (ages 10/11).

: Week 1: Bike control (2 hrs playground based)
: Week 2: Looking and signalling (2 hrs non road based)
: Week 3: On-road journeys (2 hrs)
: Week 4: Cycle maintenance (2 hrs playground based)
: Week 5: Junctions (2 hrs)
: Week 6: Using cycle paths (3 hrs)
: Week 7: Traffic light junctions (2 hrs)
: Week 8: Night time cycling (2 hrs)
: Week 9: Roundabouts (2 hrs)
: Week 10: Assessment ride (3 hrs mostly having fun!)

I'd be interested to see what you are covering, but for my money I'd
spend much less time on paths (say 1 hour) and a lot more on roundabouts,
junctions and road positioning

Basically my view is that if you can do the road stuff, the paths won't be
a problem. If you'd put the paths at the start, then I might understand it
more.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune PGP/GPG Key: http://www.clune.org/pubkey.txt
The struggle of people against power is the struggle
of memory against forgetting - Milan Kundera

"Pharty Pants" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Pharty Pants (formerly Mr Tilly)

No confusion as to gender now, after all, everyone knows ladies do not
phart, ladies emit little poofs of talcum powder scented with rose petals
;-)

Cheers, helen s

wafflycat said:

No confusion as to gender now, after all, everyone knows ladies do not
phart, ladies emit little poofs of talcum powder scented with rose
petals ;-)

Bl**dy funny smelling roses if you ask me ;-)

--
Tony

"I did make a mistake once - I thought I'd made a mistake but I hadn't"
Anon

On Thu, 28 Jul 2005 17:57:11 +0100, Tony Raven <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

wafflycat said:

No confusion as to gender now, after all, everyone knows ladies do not
phart, ladies emit little poofs of talcum powder scented with rose
petals ;-)

Bl**dy funny smelling roses if you ask me ;-)

If only Eve'd laid off that apple.

Arthur Clune said:

Pharty Pants <[email hidden]> wrote:
: For next term I'm setting up a 22 hour cycle training course, over ten
: weeks, for year 6 pupils (ages 10/11).

: Week 1: Bike control (2 hrs playground based)
: Week 2: Looking and signalling (2 hrs non road based)
: Week 3: On-road journeys (2 hrs)
: Week 4: Cycle maintenance (2 hrs playground based)
: Week 5: Junctions (2 hrs)
: Week 6: Using cycle paths (3 hrs)
: Week 7: Traffic light junctions (2 hrs)
: Week 8: Night time cycling (2 hrs)
: Week 9: Roundabouts (2 hrs)
: Week 10: Assessment ride (3 hrs mostly having fun!)

I'd be interested to see what you are covering, but for my money I'd
spend much less time on paths (say 1 hour) and a lot more on roundabouts,
junctions and road positioning

The 3hr lesson is my favourite. It's a ride which uses a selection of
quiet roads, busy roads, off road cycle paths, on road cycle paths,
shared use cycle paths, psyclepaths, cycle routes, a *foot* tunnel and
even the Woolwich Ferry. We discuss the various choices, look at how
cycle paths come to an abrupt end when roadworks start, talk about the
meaning of a "cyclists dismount" sign under a *shared use footpath*
sign. (The most useful cycle path on the route is a wide shared use
bridge over the A2, the least useful feature is a white line painted
on the pavement leaving 4" either side of a row of lamp posts.

Quoted message said:

Basically my view is that if you can do the road stuff, the paths won't be
a problem. If you'd put the paths at the start, then I might understand it
more.

The parts of the National Standards covered on the ride are:
2.11 decide where cycle lanes can help their journey and
demonstrate correct use;
2.12 explain why they have made decisions during riding are thereby
demonstrate understanding of safe riding strategy;
2.13 demonstrate a basic understanding of the highway code, in
particular how to interpret road signs.

But the main purpose is to open up the possibilities of cycling to the
children at the end of Level 2 training - and *to have a fun
afternoon*.

Pharty Pants said:

For next term I'm setting up a 22 hour cycle training course, over ten
weeks, for year 6 pupils (ages 10/11).

Week 1: Bike control (2 hrs playground based)
Week 2: Looking and signalling (2 hrs non road based)
Week 3: On-road journeys (2 hrs)
Week 4: Cycle maintenance (2 hrs playground based)
Week 5: Junctions (2 hrs)
Week 6: Using cycle paths (3 hrs)
Week 7: Traffic light junctions (2 hrs)
Week 8: Night time cycling (2 hrs)
Week 9: Roundabouts (2 hrs)
Week 10: Assessment ride (3 hrs mostly having fun!)

Have I forgotten anything? I'll expand further on each of the lessons
if required. e.g cycle maintenance will cover putting a chain back
on, fixing punctures and minor adjustments.

How many trainees? How many instructors?

Unless they are completely without road sense, or can barely ride a
bike at all, this schedule sounds very relaxed. You risk boring your
trainees.

We cover everything above except maintenance and night cycling in 3 x
2-hr sessions plus 1 x 1.5hr. Sometimes another couple of hours would
be needed to complete everything.

The 1.5hr session is 2 trainees with one instructor. They learn really
fast when they're in this small group, and to some extent they can
choose what they want to do. So I'd do your 'assessment ride' as 1.5
hour rides with half the trainees at a time.

You need to do bike checks at the start unless you're using the bikes
you've bought.

Using Cycle paths should include on-road facilities, with particular
reference to when not to use them.

Keep the maintenance session for a rainy day rather than scheduling it
a particular week.

Quoted message said:

Pharty Pants (formerly Mr Tilly)

Hope this isn't what the kids call you.

Colin McKenzie

Colin McKenzie said:

Pharty Pants said:

For next term I'm setting up a 22 hour cycle training course, over ten
weeks, for year 6 pupils (ages 10/11).

Week 1: Bike control (2 hrs playground based)
Week 2: Looking and signalling (2 hrs non road based)
Week 3: On-road journeys (2 hrs)
Week 4: Cycle maintenance (2 hrs playground based)
Week 5: Junctions (2 hrs)
Week 6: Using cycle paths (3 hrs)
Week 7: Traffic light junctions (2 hrs)
Week 8: Night time cycling (2 hrs)
Week 9: Roundabouts (2 hrs)
Week 10: Assessment ride (3 hrs mostly having fun!)

Have I forgotten anything? I'll expand further on each of the lessons
if required. e.g cycle maintenance will cover putting a chain back
on, fixing punctures and minor adjustments.

How many trainees? How many instructors?

Up to 12:2, usually 8:2.

Quoted message said:

Unless they are completely without road sense, or can barely ride a
bike at all, this schedule sounds very relaxed. You risk boring your
trainees.

I'm a teacher. Being boring is my job. ;-)

Here's a more detailed break down.

#1 - bike/helmet check
- starting off and stopping
- using gears
- slow control (playing dodge)
- braking quickly
- slow race
- swerving

#2 - bike/helmet check
- high/low gear race
- steep hills going up
- steep hills going down
- snaking (cycling in a long line)
- cycling with one hand
- looking behind
- signalling
- look - signal - manoeuvre

#3 - bike/helmet check
- starting an on-road journey
- where to ride on the road
- passing parked vehicles
- ending an on-road journey
- passing side roads

#4 - putting a chain back on
- using tire levers
- locating punctures
- fixing punctures
- replacing tires
- removing wheels
- replacing inner tubes
- replacing wheels
- brake lever adjustments to brakes
- oil

#5 - bike/helmet check
- cycling in pairs
- road narrowing
- road positioning at junctions
- turning left from a minor road into a major road
- turning right from a major road into a minor road
- turning left from a major road into a minor road
- turning right from a minor road into a major road
- U-turns

#6 - bike/helmet check
- a long ride with a doughnut break
- crossing a major road
- useful and not so useful cycle routes
- the highway code
- route choice
- assessment of level 2 skills

[The following is all new to me.]

#7 - bike/helmet check
- traffic lights
- road position at lights
- turning left
- going ahead
- turning right
- filtering
Demonstrated and drilled at two distinct locations.

#8 - bike/helmet check
- roundabouts
- road position at roundabouts
- turning left
- going ahead
- turning right
Demonstrated and drilled at two distinct locations.

#9 - bike/helmet/lights check
- A cycle ride requiring the use of lights
- junction turns
- traffic signals
- roundabouts

#10 - bike/helmet/lights check
- an extended ride requiring the use of lights
- doughnut break
- using off road facilities at night
- assessment of Level 3 skills

Quoted message said:

We cover everything above except maintenance and night cycling in 3 x
2-hr sessions plus 1 x 1.5hr. Sometimes another couple of hours would
be needed to complete everything.

The 1.5hr session is 2 trainees with one instructor. They learn really
fast when they're in this small group, and to some extent they can
choose what they want to do. So I'd do your 'assessment ride' as 1.5
hour rides with half the trainees at a time.

The trainees *love* the route - using the Woolwich Ferry and all. I
want them to see the mobility and freedom a bike will offer them as
they move up to secondary school.

Quoted message said:

You need to do bike checks at the start unless you're using the bikes
you've bought.

Using Cycle paths should include on-road facilities, with particular
reference to when not to use them.

Yes. The variety of cycle facilities and the standard of facility we
encounter on the long ride is fantastic. Everything from a purpose
built cycle bridge over the A2 to cycle symbols painted on the road to
misleading shared use path signs to roadworks ending cycle lanes
abruptly to pleasant riverside paths.

Quoted message said:

Keep the maintenance session for a rainy day rather than scheduling it
a particular week.

I hope I have a couple of volunteers to run this session with me.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Pharty Pants (formerly Mr Tilly)

Hope this isn't what the kids call you.

They call me far worse than that I'm sure.

in message <[email hidden]>, Arthur Clune

(') said:

Pharty Pants <[email hidden]> wrote:
: For next term I'm setting up a 22 hour cycle training course, over
: ten weeks, for year 6 pupils (ages 10/11).

: Week 3: On-road journeys (2 hrs)
: Week 5: Junctions (2 hrs)
: Week 6: Using cycle paths (3 hrs)
: Week 7: Traffic light junctions (2 hrs)

I'd be interested to see what you are covering, but for my money I'd
spend much less time on paths (say 1 hour) and a lot more on
roundabouts, junctions and road positioning

Basically my view is that if you can do the road stuff, the paths won't
be a problem. If you'd put the paths at the start, then I might
understand it more.

But cycle paths are on the whole significantly more dangerous than roads,
so doing the roads first makes sense. The better solution with regard to
cycle paths is to drop them from the course altogether, with the simple
advice never to use them. No, I'm not entirely joking.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

;; Diplomacy, American: see Intelligence, Military

Simon Brooke said:

But cycle paths are on the whole significantly more dangerous than roads,
so doing the roads first makes sense. The better solution with regard to
cycle paths is to drop them from the course altogether, with the simple
advice never to use them. No, I'm not entirely joking.

I think that would be misguided advice.

We tell children that smoking is dangerous. Does that stop them
smoking? Besides, a great many cycle paths are useful, the skill is
recognising when a cycle path may be useful and when they are not
useful. Given that cycle paths, used incorrectly can pose a
significant danger to young cyclists, it must be right to dedicate
reasonable time to teaching their correct use.