Creating Cycling Education
Programs: The Toolkit
Communities with Cycling Education Programs.Rings are proportionate to
program size.
Introduction
What is CAN-BIKE?
CAN-BIKE is a nationally-recognized cycling education
program. Introduced in 1985 by the Canadian Cycling
Association, CAN-BIKE has designed a series of cycling
courses for youth and adults, as well as specialized
instructor training.
CAN-BIKE programs operate in cities across Canada,
from large metropolitan centres like Toronto and
Vancouver, to smaller communities like Thunder Bay. At
time of publication, there are seven national examiners
with CAN-BIKE who are responsible for certifying cycling
instructors.
CAN-BIKE’s values, which provide the foundation for
cycling safety, include maneuverability, predictability,
visibility, and communication.
Who is Safe Cycling Thunder Bay?
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay is a cycling education
program run by EcoSuperior Environmental Programs,
in partnership with the City of Thunder Bay and the
Thunder Bay District Health Unit. The goal of the program
is to reduce cycling-related injuries by offering cycling
courses that help individuals develop the cycling skills and
knowledge needed to commute and ride recreationally in
a safe way.
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay offers cycling courses that
focus on commuting and recreational riding skills. The
goal is to provide participants with cycling courses that
teach them how to navigate neighbourhoods and run
errands safely and knowledgably.
At the date of this toolkit’s publication, Safe Cycling
Thunder Bay has 15 CAN-BIKE certified cycling
instructors who provide a range of courses, including
1-hour introductory seminars, instructors trained to teach
up to CAN-BIKE 2, an 18-hour course, and a Master
Instructor who can certify new CAN-BIKE instructors in
Northwestern Ontario.
In 2010, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay received a grant from
the Ontario Trillium Foundation. As part of the grant,
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay committed to developing and
distributing a Safe Cycling Toolkit to provide communities
across Northwestern Ontario with the necessary tools and
knowledge to create and run a cycling education program.
Purpose of this Toolkit:
This toolkit is designed to provide your community with the
tools to set up a CAN-BIKE cycling education program. It
will cover all aspects of setting up a program and how to
make it sustainable. This includes assessing the cycling
culture in your community, creating a program to fit your
community’s needs, how to set up and run courses,
advertising, and funding.
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Section 1: Before you Start 1
Chapter 1 - Assessing Cycling Needs in Your Community: Chapter 2 - CAN-BIKE Mission Chapter 3 - Assessing Your Community’s Cycling Culture 1
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Section 2: Running a CAN-BIKE Program 5
Chapter 1 - Who will Run the Program? Chapter 2 - Partnerships Chapter 3 - Recruiting Cycling Instructors 5
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Section 3: Funding 11
Chapter 1 - Determine Cost of Program Chapter 2 - Program Expenses and Revenue Chapter 3 - Funding Options 11
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Section 4: CAN-BIKE Courses 17
Chapter 1 - Choosing Courses Chapter 2 - Kids Courses Chapter 3 - Kids CAN-BIKE Festival or Community Bike Rodeo
Chapter 4 - Adult Courses Section 5: Getting Creative Section 6: Advertising Section 7: Summary Section 8: Appendices Appendix 1: CAN-BIKE Program Profiles Appendix 2: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay Course Classification Chart Appendix 3: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay Poster Examples Appendix 4: Cycling Canada Waiver Form Appendix 5: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay Waiver Appendix 6: Course Record Form Appendix 7: CAN-BIKE Student Evaluation Form Appendix 8: CAN-BIKE Student Course Evaluation Form Appendix 9: CAN-BIKE Student Feedback Form Appendix 10: Incident Report Form 17
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Section 1:
Before you Start
Assessing the
Cycling Needs in
Your Community
CAN-BIKE Mission
Assessing Your
Community’s
Cycling Culture
Chapter 1 - Assessing Cycling Needs in Your Community:
Understanding the cycling culture in your community is the first step in
creating a CAN-BIKE cycling education program. Cycling culture is growing
in cities across Canada as more people look for alternative forms of
transportation and ways to lead a more active lifestyle.
There are three primary
reasons why people cycle:
Commuting:
Commuter cycling is becoming much more common today
as people choose to commute to work or school by bike
rather than by a motorized vehicle. Not only is this a costeffective way to commute, it also provides many health
benefits. Smaller communities also have the benefit of
shorter commute times. In Thunder Bay, commuting
distances by bike are some of the shortest in the country.
In smaller communities throughout Northwestern
Ontario, these commute times are often shorter, making
commuting by bike a viable, economic, and fun option.
Recreation:
Cycling has always been a great form of exercise. Many
people will take to the streets and trails as a way to live
a healthy lifestyle and enjoy their community in a whole
new way. As the population ages, there is a need for low
impact, safe exercise to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Many
kids also enjoy the freedom that comes with cycling with
friends as they get to explore the world from the seat of
their bike.
Touring:
A more advanced form of cycling, touring involves long
distance and performance riding. This often involves trips
of 50 kilometres or more. Every year, individual cyclists
or groups of cyclists make long-distance trips, sometimes
riding across the entire country. But touring doesn’t have
to include riding from coast to coast. It could just be riding
further and harder than the average recreational cyclist.
But with touring also comes added risks, such as faster
traffic speeds on highways, more physically demanding
riding techniques, and being in remote areas.
Before you Start
1
Most communities have cyclists from all three categories.
When establishing a cycling education program, it is
important to research how many people cycle, the kind
of cycling that is most popular, what kind of education
is available, and what kind of education is needed. This
information will make setting up and running a CAN-BIKE
program much easier.
Unfortunately, many communities do not have any formal
cycling education programs. Learning how to ride a bike
is often a rite of passage for kids, but after those first
few lessons, little more is done to further proper cycling
education or riding techniques. This is certainly not the
case when it comes to driving a vehicle. Kids are not
taught that driving a car is simply pushing down on the
gas pedal. Driver education is comprehensive, structured,
and covers all aspects of driving techniques, rules and
regulations, including hands-on practice; so should
cycling education.
The majority of communities across Northwestern Ontario
hold bike rodeos for children to teach proper riding
techniques and bike safety. This is a great first step in
providing cycling education. If your community doesn’t
hold bike rodeos, this Toolkit will help to provide you with
the knowledge to create an annual event that is not only
fun but also a great introduction to cycling education.
What about cycling education for adults? Many adult
cyclists feel that riding a bike is as easy as, well, riding a
bike. However, in Thunder Bay, course participants of all
ages comment on just how much they learned from taking
a CAN-BIKE course. Everyone can benefit from cycling
education because cycling is not always as simple as just
riding a bike. Cycling safety involves communicating with
drivers, predicting dangers and traffic behaviour, as well
as navigating bad roads, train tracks, etc. Riding a bike
improperly can lead to serious injury or even death.
According to Statistics Canada, over 7,500 cyclists are
seriously injured in Canada every year. The majority of
serious accidents take place at intersections. Cyclists are
very vulnerable on the road, as they do not have a metal
shell to protect them, like motorists do. Therefore, cyclists
have to learn how to ride defensively to ensure their safety
on the road.
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Chapter 2 – CAN-BIKE
Mission
The responsibilities of the cyclist on the road are
outlined in CAN-BIKE’s mission: MPVC, which stands
for Maneuverability, Predictability, Visibility, and
Communication.
Maneuverability:
CAN-BIKE teaches that cyclists should ride one metre
from the curb. Not only does this make the cyclist more
visible and part of the flow of traffic, it also allows the
cyclist room to maneuver around road hazards and debris.
Predictability:
By riding in a straight line and making all intentions
known, cyclists are more predictable to other road users.
This includes proper signaling, straight-line riding, and
adhering to the rules of the road.
Visibility:
Being as visible as possible will ensure that all other road
users are aware of cyclists sharing the road. This includes
bright and reflective clothing, using a bell or horn on the
bike, using clear hand signals, and riding on the road
instead of the sidewalk.
Communication:
Just as any other road user, the cyclist must make their
intentions known by communicating with others. This
is accomplished with proper hand signals, making eye
contact with other road users, and other forms of body
language.
Chapter 3 - Assessing
Your Community’s Cycling
Culture:
Starting the conversation is key. It’s important to develop
a broad understanding of your community’s cycling culture
and the best way to do that is talking with people involved
in cycling.
Local bike shops interact with many cyclists and are often
aware of the issues cyclists have navigating the city.
Listen for who is riding: age, gender, neighbourhoods,
ethnicity. Are they associated with a particular group,
school, club, or organization? Make note of these things
and follow these leads.
If your community has a cycling club, talk to them and
ask similar questions. Are there schools that encourage
students and parents to ride? Are there service
organizations that run cycling programs? These are great
places to make connections, learn about who is riding,
and what kind of knowledge needs to be shared.
Once you’ve found and spoken to as many local groups
as possible, it’s time to get some empirical data. Every
municipality has a department dedicated to Engineering,
which usually involves roads and traffic. The staff in these
areas keep track of collision data, which is information
they are happy to share with you. It will be helpful to
examine this data and look at where and how collisions
are occurring. Are cyclists riding against the flow of traffic?
On the sidewalks? Swerving across lanes of traffic without
signaling? What age and gender are the riders? Collision
reports contain this type of information and provide great
insight into areas of focus for your program.
Other sources of useful information are your local Police
force, the Provincial Police, and your local and district
Health Unit. Often, these institutions have a mandate to
prevent or reduce collisions and injuries. They may have
data on collisions and already have a strong sense of
what type of education is needed and for whom.
Larger communities hire staff whose main responsibility
is to encourage more cycling and walking. These
employees are often called ‘Active Transportation
Coordinators’, ‘Cycling Coordinators’, or ‘Transportation
Demand Management Coordinators’. These staff have
a very good handle on the cycling community, their
needs, and recurring issues. They can also advise
about the predominant infrastructure: is there a good
trail system? Lots of bike lanes? Lots of highways with
paved shoulders? What does the typical trip look like?
This information can help you tailor your program to the
needs of the community and make your program far more
relevant.
By talking to all of these people, they become your
stakeholders. During the course of the conversation,
they realise how you can help them, and they become
interested in your program. They may want to help you run
your program, support it financially, or organize specific
courses. You may also find that these conversations
naturally develop the case for your cycling program and
generate productive community interest.
You may also want to query the cyclists in your community
using a survey. The survey can be available online or you
could have it at bike shops, cycling events, schools, or at
a busy place, like a mall. One advantage of a survey is
that you’re getting information directly from the source.
Another advantage is that you can reach people who
otherwise may not have a voice.
Whatever the cycling culture might be in your community,
there will always be a need for cycling education. While
many communities across Northwestern Ontario have not
reported any serious cycling injuries in recent years, there
have been collisions, including a Toronto couple who was
killed on the highway near Nipigon in July 2013.
While all collisions may not be preventable, you can
provide your community with the necessary tools to stay
safe while cycling. Ask yourself: how will my community
benefit from a cycling education program? The answer is
simple – it will allow people to share the road and cycle
safely, knowledgeably, and confidently in your community.
What People
are Saying:
Sample of feedback from participants who completed
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay’s 2013 CAN-BIKE 2 course
“Everything learned this weekend was extremely
relevant. Overall, the course was very well organized and
structured. It catered to many people’s learning styles.
Well done.”
“It was much more challenging than I expected. Lots of
new skills learned.”
“All valuable skills. All together a fantastic course.”
“The instructors were very good. They were very
knowledgeable and very supportive and helpful.”
Before you Start
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Section 2:
Running a
CAN-BIKE Program
Who Will Run
the Program?
Recruiting
Cycling Instructors
Partnerships
Chapter 1 - Who will Run the Program?
When setting up a CAN-BIKE program, it is key to determine how
the program will be run. Who will be responsible for administering
the program? Options for running the program will vary. Success can
be achieved no matter what method you choose to use, but finding
the right fit for your community will make things much easier.
Here are some examples of ways to run a CAN-BIKE program:
Privately:
A privately-run program will place the responsibility of
running and administering CAN-BIKE courses on one
individual. This individual does not need to be a CANBIKE-certified instructor. He or she will be responsible for
planning and running courses, advertising, recruiting and
coordinating with instructors, and securing funding.
A privately-run program can be beneficial for smaller
communities, as there might not be a large demand for
courses throughout the year; meaning the workload for
one dedicated individual is more manageable.
Some of the drawbacks include finding someone who
is willing to take on this responsibility and ensuring the
needs of the community are met. It may be a lot to ask
of a single person; however, through dedication and
proper training, this individual can meet the needs of your
community.
Case Study – Calgary: A OnePerson Show
In Calgary, Alberta, there is a CAN-BIKE program that is
privately run by a single individual, a stay-at-home mother
who runs courses in her free time. Some of the challenges
Running a CAN-BIKE Program
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she faces include recruiting instructors and coordinating
with existing instructors to plan and run courses. Other
challenges include promotion and getting the word out in
a city of over one million people about what the program
can offer.
The program is relatively new, starting in 2011. Currently,
there are 1 to 3 active instructors assisting with running
courses. The program has seen a number of successes.
In 2012, it offered 10 courses, with particular success with
Adult Learn to Ride participants, who have seen an 83
percent success rate.
Partnering with a Business or
Non-profit:
Another method for setting-up and running a program is
to partner with a business or non-profit organization. This
allows for a more structured program and more resources
to make it successful. These partnerships can provide
assistance with securing program funding as well as
boost the program’s profile through cross-promotion and
building on the business or organization’s reputation.
Non-profit and not-for-profit organizations are another
excellent option for running a CAN-BIKE program. Nonprofit organizations are often able to apply for funding
through federal and provincial grants, which can help fund
your program. Staff may also take on the responsibility of
administering the program if available.
Case Study – Partnerships
at the Heart
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay is a CAN-BIKE program run
by EcoSuperior Environmental Programs, a not-forprofit organization. In 2010, EcoSuperior successfully
applied for a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in
partnership with the City of Thunder Bay and the Thunder
Bay District Health Unit to fund the program and hire a
full-time program coordinator. This funding has allowed
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay to recruit and train 15 CANBIKE cycling instructors, as well as educate over 1,000
participants in only three years. As a program run by
EcoSuperior, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has access to
resources, funding, and brand recognition, which has
helped make the program a success.
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Case Study – Calgary:
Building off of Success
A second CAN-BIKE program in Calgary is run through
the non-profit organization, Bike Calgary. This program
runs a specialized Urban Cycling Skills course using
CAN-Bike materials. Bike Calgary offers a wide variety of
resources and services to the cycling community in the
City of Calgary.
City or Municipality:
Administering a CAN-BIKE program through a city or
municipal government carries many similar benefits as a
non-profit organization. City and municipal governments
sometimes fund cycling education and active
transportation initiatives as part of their annual budgets.
They may also be able to apply for further funding through
provincial or federal funding programs.
There is also the potential benefit of having a city or
municipal employee serving as a coordinator to run and
administer the program. They can assist with brand
recognition and advertising through city materials and
events.
Case Study – Integrating into
Municipal Programming
A CAN-BIKE program in Ottawa has been administered
by a non-profit organization and the municipality.
The program was first administered by a non-profit
organization before being taken over by the City of
Ottawa. City Wide Sports, a division of the City of Ottawa
government, offers cycling education courses to kids
and youth using the CAN-BIKE curriculum. Over 5,000
children have been trained since the start of the program.
The program has seen a great deal of success being
administered by the City of Ottawa, due in large part to
having a dedicated program coordinator.
Before setting up your CAN-BIKE program, you should
bring together those organizations and stakeholders
who have a mandate and an interest in improving road
safety. Start a conversation with them and learn who can
contribute to a cycling program and what they have to
offer. This way, the program is community-led which can
result in a more sustainable program.
Smaller communities may benefit from a privatelyrun program, while larger centres may need to seek
partnerships with businesses, non-profit organizations,
or municipal governments to have access to more
funding opportunities and resources to make the program
successful.
Chapter 2 – Partnerships
Creating strong and lasting partnership can help make
your program a success. Within any community, there are
many groups and organizations that are great partners for
cycling education. Many organizations already promote
health education and safety. Partnerships can range from
sponsoring courses to assisting with running the program.
Health Units:
Health Units are a natural cycling education partner.
Health Units across Ontario provide information and
presentations around pedestrian safety, cycling education,
healthy lifestyles, and health promotion. Health Units
also have a great deal of resources, such as promotional
material, existing programming, and staff that can benefit
from a cycling education program. Many Health Units in
Ontario are already collaborating with CAN-BIKE.
First Nations:
Northwestern Ontario is home to a large First Nations
population. Reaching out to First Nations groups and
organizations for partnerships is important. The first step
is to contact local bands and First Nations communities
to understand what their cycling needs are. Cycling may
be a common form of transportation in First Nations
communities. For example, in Longlac, Ontario, many
people cycle from the reserve to the city. Many First
Nations youth also cycle, so it is important to provide
cycling education to all ages.
You can also look to partner with local First Nations
organizations and groups. For example, Safe Cycling
Thunder Bay has contacted the Indian Friendship Centre
and the Thunder Bay Metis Nation to develop safe cycling
programs specifically designed for First Nation’s youth.
These organizations already provide programming for
youth; cycling education can become a natural extension
of that programing.
Police:
Partnering with local police forces is also beneficial for
your program. Not only are they a great source to recruit
cycling instructors, police officers can also assist with
community outreach and education. Safety is often a
key goal of any police force and the local force in your
community may already provide cycling education.
Partnering with police also helps to legitimatize and
generate public interest in the program.
Schools:
Partnering with local school boards will help you run
bike rodeos and provide beneficial community outreach.
Many parents are involved in parent councils and can
be trained along with the students when it comes to
cycling education. Teachers and high school students
can participate in instructor training in order to assist with
instructing during bike rodeos. Schools are also a great
place to advertise upcoming courses. School boards may
be interested in sponsoring courses or the program.
Case Study – Waterloo: Regional
Cycling Advisory Committee
In Waterloo, the local Health Unit has developed a
regional cycling advisory committee to provide support
for organizing courses and funding individuals to become
CAN-BIKE certified instructors. In return, the instructors
commit to deliver a certain number of courses throughout
the year.
Case Study – York Region:
Integrative Transporation
Expertise
A CAN-BIKE program was implemented in the York
Region through a grant from the Ministry of Health
Promotion’s Healthy Communities Fund as a two-year
pilot program. The program is overseen by York Region’s
Transportation and Demand Planning and Development
Services Division. Members from the Health Unit sit on the
implementation committee, provide feedback on marketing
materials, recruit secondary school students as CAN-BIKE
instructors, and enlist local elementary schools.
Running a CAN-BIKE Program
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Chapter 3 - Recruiting
Cycling Instructors:
The instructors who run courses are a critical element
of any CAN-BIKE program. Cycling instructors will be
responsible for developing and delivering courses, and
can even help with administering the program.
The first step is to determine who in the community might
be interested in becoming a cycling instructor. In several
communities across Northwestern Ontario, members of
the Ontario Provincial Police already participate in running
and instructing Bike Rodeos. This is a great place to start.
Police officers may be interested in becoming cycling
instructors as well. The CAN-BIKE program in Vancouver
has reported great success with RCMP officers, who have
been very receptive to the training. If local members of the
Ontario Provincial Police are already interested in cycling
education, they may be interested in receiving CAN-BIKE
certification.
Health Units are another great place to recruit instructors.
Many Health Units have programs aimed at promoting
healthy lifestyles, pedestrian and cycling education. One
of the cycling instructors with Safe Cycling Thunder Bay
is a Public Health Nurse with the Thunder Bay District
Health Unit. She utilizes her CAN-BIKE training to
enhance and inform her work in schools and workplaces.
Who is a cycling
instructor?
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has recruited cycling
instructors from all walks of life
55-Plus
A Public Health Nurse
Medical professionals
Students
Mill workers
Engineers
Outdoor enthusiasts
Recreational cyclists
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Cycling clubs or groups also have potential instructors.
Cycling clubs share a common passion for cycling and
want to advance cycling culture in their community.
Because these individuals are already familiar with
cycling, they are often ideal candidates for instructor
training.
You don’t need to look for people already involved in a
cycling group or cycling training. Because cycling is a part
of life for many people, you will find that you can recruit
instructors from all walks of life. Recruitment aimed at
the general public can result in great instructors from
surprising walks of life!
How many Instructors will You
Need?
The number of instructors you will need depends on the
size of your program. Some programs across Canada
may only have 1 to 3 instructors, while others will have 20
or more. In smaller communities with a population under
10,000, 1 to 3 instructors would suffice.
Recruiting instructors can be difficult. A CAN-BIKE
program in Calgary has reported that recruiting and
retaining cycling instructors has been one of the biggest
challenges they have faced. The individual responsible for
running the program has recruited several instructors from
a non-profit bike promotion organization, but she still has
difficulty reaching people in the general public.
However, sometimes too many instructors can be
problematic. Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has successfully
trained 15 cycling instructors in three years. While it
is great to have so many people interested in cycling
training, sometimes the course offerings throughout the
year do not provide enough opportunities for all of the
instructors. For 2014, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay did not
train any new instructors, instead focused on ways to
ensure that current instructors have enough opportunities
to instruct.
Recruitment Methods:
CAN-BIKE programs across Canada have used a variety
of methods to recruit instructors. Here are some common
ways to get people interested in becoming a cycling
instructor with CAN-BIKE:
• Posters at local stores and shops (bike shops in
particular)
• Encourage CAN-BIKE 2 graduates to participate in
instructor workshops
• Local media advertisements (radio, print, television)
• Contacting local cycling groups, clubs, high schools,
the Ministry of Transportation
• Contacting local volunteer organizations
• Recruiting people involved in cycling safety at local
schools (bike rodeos)
• Environmental groups
• High school students needing volunteer hours
Instructor Training:
CAN-BIKE instructor training is intensive. Before taking
the instructor workshops, potential instructors must first
complete the CAN-BIKE 2 course with a score of 80
percent or higher on the written exam and road tests and
be recommended for instructor training. The instructor
workshops require 32-hours of training. Participants in the
Instructor Workshops are required to pass a riding exam
and a written exam with a score of 80 percent or higher.
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has divided up this training
over two weekends because it reduces stress and allows
for more availability among participants.
The Instructor Workshops cover a broad range of topics
including:
• On-road riding tests
• Principles of adult education
• Risk management
• Effective teaching, learning, and feedback
• Traffic dynamics
• Equipment
• Handling skills
• Group rides
• Instructor responsibilities
• Adult learning styles
• Pre-course preparations
running and instructing bike rodeos. Participants must
complete a CAN-BIKE 1 course to qualify and can be
trained by either a Master Instructor or a CAN-BIKE
2 instructor. This training generally takes 8 hours to
complete and should be divided between two four-hour
sessions over two weeks.
Case Study - Train the Trainer
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay is currently developing a Train
the Trainer Course to train individuals as Kids CAN-BIKE
Junior Instructors. The idea arose in 2013 while working
with members of a high school mountain bike team to run
a bike rodeo. The team members were responsible for
bike repair and maintenance stations, but there was an
interest in training high school students to instruct kids at
future bike rodeos. Not only would this allow Safe Cycling
Thunder Bay to hold more bike rodeos throughout the city,
the high school students could also earn volunteer hours.
Other members of the community have also expressed
In 2013, CAN-BIKE has appointed
a cycling instructor from
Northwestern Ontario as a Master
Instructor, meaning instructor
training will become more readily
available in the region.
interest in participating in a Train the Trainer course.
The Instructor Workshops are taught by a CAN-BIKE
National Examiner or Master Instructor. The cost
of facilitating an Instructor Workshop can be over
$5000, which includes the instructor’s fee, airfare,
accommodation, meals, and mileage. Instructor training is
best held in the spring, which allows the new instructors to
teach courses throughout the summer. When planning an
Instructor Workshop, you need to contact CAN-BIKE and
arrange for a National Examiner or Master Instructor to
facilitate the workshop.
If the focus of your program is on children and youth, a
less intensive option is for individuals to be trained as Kids
CAN-BIKE Junior Instructors. This training provides the
necessary skills and knowledge to train kids; specifically,
Running a CAN-BIKE Program
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Section 3:
Funding
Determine Cost
of Program
Program Expenses
and Revenue
Funding
Options
Chapter 1: Determine Cost of Program
The cost of running a cycling program will vary from among communities. The
primary factor that determines the programs cost is the program size. Smaller
programs can be very cost effective. Larger programs will require a much larger
operating budget.
•
•
•
•
•
Administrative costs – Program Coordinator (part-time or full-time)
Equipment
Promotion/Advertising/Website
Instructor training/Pay
Running courses/Insurance
Case Study – Safe Cycling Thunder Bay
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay, which could be considered
a larger CAN-BIKE program, operates with a budget
of approximately $26,000. This cost may appear to be
high; however, it is because the program employs a
part-time program coordinator, has undertaken instructor
training, has developed a website, advertises, utilizes paid
instructors, and has allocated additional money for bike
rodeos.
Funding
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CAN-BIKE Program Sample Budget
Revenue
Course Registrations
Public Courses (8X)
$640.00
Additional Courses
Private courses (4X)
$240.00
Bike Rodeos
(5X)
$390.00
Presentations
(1X)
$30.00
Total
$1,300.00
Expenses
Human Resources
Hours
Project Coordination (Feb. 25-Dec. 31)
540.00
Total Human Resources
$10,800.00
$10,800.00
Program Supplies
Supplies, Equipment, Printing
$1,500.00
Honourarium
Instructor Fees and Training
$1,800.00
Advertising
Placement and Design
$1,500.00
Travel
Mileage
$300.00
Website
Hosting Fee
$1,000.00
Total
$15,280.00
Total Budget
$15,280.00
Doing the Math:
Example 1:
Example 2:
How to calculate the break-even point for a 4-hour
course and 1 instructor:
How to calculate the break-even point for a 8-hour
course with 2 instructors:
[Safe Cycling Thunder Bay charges participants $5 per
instructor hour and pays instructors $20 per hour]
[Safe Cycling Thunder Bay charges participants $5 per
instructor hour and pays instructors $20 per hour]
Cost of running course:
4 hours X $20 (per hour) X 1 instructor = $80
Cost of running course:
8 hours X $20 (per hour) X 2 instructors = $320
Cost per student:
$5 (per hour of instruction) X 4 hours = $20
Cost per student:
$5 (per hour of instruction) X 8 hours = $40
Minimum number of students required to run course:
$80 ÷ $20 = 4 (students)
Minimum number of students required to run course:
$320 ÷ $40 = 8 (students)
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Case Study – Ottawa: A
Large Program
A CAN-BIKE program in Ottawa runs a program with
a budget between $30,000 and $40,000. It is primarily
funded through municipal grants, as it is run through the
City of Ottawa. However, the program is not currently
sustainable and is looking to partner with planning and
transportation and public health for additional funding.
Case Study – Calgary: A Small
Program
A CAN-BIKE program that is run primarily by a single
individual has been able to keep costs down. Subsisting
on a grant of $5,000, the program was able to offer
over 10 courses in 2013. The program relies heavily on
donations from the public and private sector, which is
not very sustainable as the program could collapse if
donations are not secured from year-to-year. Sometimes
searching for money is so time consuming that it takes
away from running the program.
Chapter 2: Program
Expenses and Revenue
Program Coordinator:
When setting up a CAN-BIKE program you will need
to determine if you require a program coordinator. A
coordinator can work either full-time or part-time; however,
hiring a program coordinator will create a significant cost.
While there are many benefits to having a coordinator,
such as having a dedicated individual responsible for
planning and running courses, it may not be completely
necessary for your program.
If you are only planning to run several courses a year
and have only 1 to 3 instructors, a program coordinator
may not be necessary. An instructor can take on the
responsibility of planning and running the program, as is
the case in Calgary, where an individual instructor has
seen success running the program.
If your program is going to be larger, which may include
running 10 to 12 courses a year, with more than five
instructors, you may benefit from hiring a part-time
coordinator. If the program is in partnership with another
organization, an existing employee may be able to take on
these responsibilities.
Course Costs and Instructor Pay:
Another significant cost that your program may incur
will be instructor pay. Instructing CAN-BIKE courses
does take a lot of time, effort, and dedication. Instructors
are responsible for providing interesting and accurate
instruction on safe cycling techniques and knowledge,
while also ensuring the safety of their students. Many
CAN-BIKE programs in Canada have seen success with
volunteer instructors, while others are able to pay their
instructors.
Materials Cost:
Materials for courses include take-home materials for
students, resources for instructors, and feedback forms
and certificates for the participants. Most of these
recourse are available through Cycling Canada or your
provincial cycling association. In some cases, such as
certificates of completion, you may want to consider
creating your own custom certificates to reflect the
character of your program. Be sure to calculate material
costs when developing your course fee structure. The
following chart provides information on some available
resources. (See Table 1 - Material Costs)
Case Study – Honourariums
for Instructors
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay pays its instructors an
honourarium of $20 per hour of instruction. Instructors
also volunteer a great deal of their time attending events
and meetings, promoting safe cycling in the City of
Thunder Bay, and other commitments that arise.
The decision to pay or not pay instructors may also
impact the decision whether or not to charge for courses.
Charging for courses is a good way to cover program
costs, including paying instructors. However, it may
become a barrier for people who may not be able to pay
for cycling courses.
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay charges for the courses that
are offered to the public. In 2013, Safe Cycling Thunder
Bay charged $5 per instructor hour, which allowed the
program coordinator to determine the minimum number of
students required to run a course. In larger courses, such
as the Discovery Ride with eight or more people, the cost
could drop as low as $5 per person. Charging for courses
has helped make the program more sustainable;
however, it has also made planning some courses
Funding
13
difficult. Low income areas and non-profit organizations
have not always been able to sign up for courses because
of the cost. Safe Cycling Thunder Bay also utilizes pre-
registration and online payment options so the instructors
do not handle money.
Table 1: Material Costs
Item:
Use:
CAN-BIKE 2 Handbook
Supplementary material given out to
*$8 each with a
participants taking the CAN-BIKE 2 course minimum order
of 6 (shipping
included)
Contact Cycling Canada
Course Certificates
Certificates provide recognition of course
completion
CAN-BIKE Instructor
Manual
Used as reference material during
Instructor Workshop courses; Reference
material for instructors when teaching
courses
Provided by Cycling
Canada upon completion
of CAN-BIKE 2 and
Instructor Workshop
Kids CAN-BIKE Handbook
Student Feedback Forms
Traffic Posters
Supplementary material given out to
participants taking the Kids CAN-BIKE
course
These forms allow instructors to provide
detailed feedback to course participants
Provide detailed visual examples of
various traffic scenarios
*Prices subject to change
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Cost:
*$8 each with a
minimum order
of 6 (shipping
included)
Availability:
Contact Cycling Canada
*Free with
purchase
of Kids or
CAN-BIKE 2
Handbooks
Contact Cycling Canada
*$115 each
Contact your provincial
cycling association
*Free
*48 for a set
Contact your provincial
cycling association
Chapter 3 - Funding
Options:
The funding available to run your CAN-BIKE cycling
program will depend on how the program is structured.
Again, if the program is small in size and the demand for
courses is low, funding may not be a serious issue. But
no matter what the size of the program, there will still be
a need for funding to cover costs such as advertising and
materials.
If your program is run through a municipal or city
department, the program can be included within existing
budgets. This may mean limited funding, but should
be enough to run the program. For example, for 2014,
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay’s budget will be covered by
Active Transportation Thunder Bay, an initiative of the
City of Thunder Bay. This has resulted in the reduction of
the operating budget and hiring a part-time coordinator
instead of full-time. However, it does allow the program to
continue and keep providing cycling education.
If you are planning on running the program privately,
it may be difficult to access large amounts of funding.
Privately-run programs primarily rely on donations from
the public or businesses and charging for courses.
This may require that instructors work as volunteers as
opposed to paid instructors.
which has helped expand the program substantially over
the last three years. Some municipalities and Health Units
have applied to the Ontario Ministry of Tourism, Culture,
and Sport’s Ontario Sport and Recreation Communities
Fund to help seed their cycling education programs.
Businesses can also be a good source for funding.
Many businesses offer programs to fund community
groups and projects. Partnering with businesses or
other organizations to sponsor the program or individual
courses can help cover some costs. This option may
not provide long-term sustainability, but if your program
is smaller in size, it can help cover the costs of some
courses if no other funding options are available. Other
CAN-BIKE programs have had successes applying for
grants from both the public sector and the private sector.
Case Study – Calgary: MEC Fund
Fuels Program
A CAN-BIKE program in Calgary has been operating on a
capacity building grant from Mountain Equipment Co-op.
The grant was $5,000 for two years and it is expected that
the grant will be stretched over a longer period. This has
made it possible to pay some instructors (though others
have agreed to work on a volunteer basis) as well as
cover program costs.
Case Study – Ottawa: Covering
Costs with Course Fees
The program in Ottawa that is part of the municipal
government also relies on funding from course fees. This
has allowed the program to not only pay instructors for
their time, but also hire part-time staff to help administer
the program. Charging for courses and relying on the
income generated from those fees also forces the
program in Ottawa to cancel courses if registration is too
low.
Grants and Sponsorship:
Whether your program is part of a municipal government,
business, or non-profit organization, you might be able
to apply for grants to help fund the program. There are
grants in Canada at the federal and provincial level that
seek to fund educational and recreational programs.
For example, in 2010, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay was
awarded a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation,
15
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Section 4:
CAN-BIKE Courses
Choosing
Courses
Kids CAN-BIKE
Courses
Adult
Courses
Bike Rodeos
Chapter 1 - Choosing Courses
Kids How to Ride
Kids CAN-BIKE
Bike Rodeo
Adult Learn to Ride 1
Adult Learn to Ride 2
Rural Riding
Cycling Freedom for Women
Commuter Skills
CAN-BIKE 1
CAN-BIKE 2
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Instant
Push/Turn
Slalom
Threshold
Braking
Rock Dodge
Signaling
Shoulder
Check
Straight
Line Riding
Riding with
One Hand
Braking
Starting and
Stopping
Pedaling and
Steering
Course:
Coasting and
Balancing
Now that you have determined who cycles and why, you are ready to set up
cycling courses for your community. Knowing the cycling education needs of your
community allows you to determine what cycling courses would benefit your
community the most. CAN-BIKE offers courses for people of all ages and skill
levels. See the chart below for a list of CAN-BIKE courses and the skills that are
covered.
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CAN-BIKE Courses
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Chapter 2 - Kids CAN-BIKE
Courses
Cycling education for kids will be a large part of any
CAN-BIKE program, no matter how big or small. Instilling
safe cycling skills and knowledge in children at a young
age will help make those concepts a lasting part of their
cycling lives. It is important to teach these skills as young
as possible.
Kids CAN-BIKE Course:
Kids Learn to Ride:
Kids Learn to Ride is designed for youth who don’t know
how to ride a bike. It covers the basics of riding, including;
balance, starting and stopping, and turning. This course is
often taught one-on-one with an instructor and runs about
three hours.
This course may appeal to parents wanting their kids to
learn to ride without training wheels or transition from a
kick bike to a pedal bike.
Kids CAN-BIKE Course:
Age: 9+
The Kids CAN-BIKE Course is designed for children aged
8 years and up. This is an ideal age to start teaching
CAN-BIKE principles because they will have the cognitive
and motor skills to handle the information that is being
presented to them. Children are also required to know
how to ride a bike before participating in a Kids CAN-BIKE
course.
Class Size: 4-6 per instructor
Hours: 2.5 hours of training with 1 hour of setup
Content:
• In-class and on-bike instruction
• Teaches signaling, steering, right and left turns,
changing gears, braking, avoiding road hazards
• Focus on skill building, some on-road practice.
Community Bike Rodeo:
Age: 6-13
Class Size: 20 adult volunteers for every 100 children
Hours: 1.5 hours per student, 5 hours for entire event
Content:
• Series of exercises to improve bike handling skills
• Held off-street, in large open parking lots or paved
areas
• Facilitates learning without traffic concerns
• Focus on skill building
When teaching children, there are special considerations
to take into account. Due to lower levels of experience,
there are added risks when trying to teach children cycling
skills. For most kids, cycling is a fun and energetic activity
and sometimes keeping that energy in check can be
difficult. It is recommended that the maximum class size
for a Kids course be no more than six kids with an ideal
student-to-instructor ratio of 4:1. Larger groups of 7 to 12
will require two to three instructors.
Furthermore, some kids may be new to cycling and
maybe more at risk to fall and get hurt. Before the course
can begin, all participants must have a properly fitting bike
helmet, a bell or horn, a bike lock, and a properly-fitted
bike that is in good working order. This will help reduce
Traffic Lights
Right and Left Turns
Pedestrians
Right of Way
Stops
Intersections
Parked Cars
Position from Curb
Driveways
Entering the Street
Turning
Gearing
Slalom
Quick Stop
Signaling
Shoulder Checking
Course
Straight Line Riding
Table 2: Skills Covered in Kids Courses
Kids Learn
to Ride
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Kids CANBIKE Course
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Community
Bike Rodeo
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
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the likelihood of injury and allow the student to participate
in the course meaningfully. Parents or guardians will also
be required to sign a liability waiver in case of injury.
It is important to make the course fun. Here are some tips
for how to make your bike rodeo fun and successful:
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•
Be enthusiastic & lead by example
Include games, competitions, and challenges
Involve students in the learning process
Praise them to build confidence
Demonstrate and explain difficult techniques
Chapter 3 - Bike Rodeos
Kids CAN-BIKE Festival or
Community Bike Rodeo:
Many communities in Northwestern Ontario are already
using bike rodeos to provide young cyclists with the
necessary skills to become better riders. The Kids CANBIKE Festival is designed for children ages 8 and up
and is a prelude to the Kids CAN-BIKE Course. The Kids
CAN-BIKE Festival creates a fun environment for children,
while also teaching them valuable lessons about cycling
safety and injury prevention.
Bike rodeos are designed for children aged 8 and up.
Children who participate are required to have a helmet,
a bell or horn, and a properly fitted bike in good working
order. You can plan a bike rodeo around the needs of the
participants or the resources you have.
Bike rodeos can be planned in partnership with
organizations such as church groups, youth organizations,
community groups, Health Units, and local police
detachments.
groups and help to assess their skill level.
For the 2014 school bike rodeo season, Safe Cycling
Thunder Bay will run a classroom session and an
outdoors skills session on two different days. The
classroom session will include lessons on helmet safety,
traffic dynamics, bike fit, and an ABC quick check. The
outdoors skills session will include all of the on-bike skill
development activities and the on-road riding component.
Past school bike rodeos have included both the classroom
learning components and the outdoor components in one
combined outdoor session. The children participating
found it hard to concentrate on all of these lessons, as
they wanted to start riding immediately. Splitting up the
learning into two sessions should improve recall and
sustain the participants’ attention.
In 2013, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay held six school bike
rodeos.
CAN-BIKE divides their Kids CAN-BIKE Festival into
three sections:
Equipment Station:
Helmet and clothing check
Carrying things
Bike check and fit
Riding Station:
School Bike Rodeos:
Straight line riding
Shoulder checking
Signaling
Braking and stopping
Stop and go
Bike rodeos are often held in partnership with local
schools. This makes planning and running a bike rodeo
much simpler, as the children are in a central location with
adequate supervision during the rodeo.
Bike Security Station:
Running a bike rodeo with a school is a little different than
a community bike rodeo. The skills are all the same but
there is no need for a registration table as the children
have already gotten waivers signed by their parents in
advance. Teachers and staff are an enormous help during
a school bike rodeo. Because they are already familiar
with the students, they help keep the kids under control
and paying attention to the lessons. Also, beforehand,
teachers and staff can break the kids up into smaller
Locking the bike
CAN-BIKE Courses
19
School Bike Rodeo Versus
Community Bike Rodeo:
There are many similarities and differences between a
community bike rodeo and a school bike rodeo. When it
comes to running the actual bike rodeo, things will remain
pretty much the same. But there are several factors
to consider. The following chart outlines some of the
similarities and differences between a school bike rodeo
and community bike rodeo. (See Table 3)
One big difference is that school bike rodeos function best
when one instructor works with one group of students
through out all the activity stations; learning the kids
strengths and weaknesses and building on their individual
strengths.
Case Study – Are Community Bike
Rodeos a Good Investment?
In 2012, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay held a community bike
rodeo that was open to the public. The event cost over
$5000 to run and advertise, required 40 volunteers, and
eight CAN-BIKE instructors. 70 kids participated in the
event. While 70 participants may seem reasonable, when
Safe Cycling did an analysis of the cost of the Rodeo
per student, they realized that it was not a cost-effective
training tool. The organizers divided the cost of the event
by the number of attendees ($5000/70 students), which
resulted in a cost-per-student of $71.
For 2013, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay decided to forgo
a community bike rodeo, and instead, partnered with
several primary schools to hold school-specific bike
rodeos. The cost of holding bike rodeos in schools ranged
from $300-$500 dollars and attendance ranged from 20
to over 80 students at each event. Safe Cycling found
this option far more cost-effective. The cost-per-student
for school bike rodeos averaged at $6.25 per student
($300/48 students = $6.25 and $500/80 students =
$6.25). School-specific bike rodeos proved advantageous
on several fronts: some schools were able to pay Safe
Cycling for the rodeo, there was no need to recruit
volunteers, school staff were able to assist and supervise,
the schools did the advertising, the location was safe and
appropriate, and the school board offered very affordable
insurance.
Community bike rodeos are a great way to teach cycling
skills to kids in the community and promote cycling
education but they require a great deal of advertising and
resources to get people to participate and to run
Doing the Math:
$5000 ÷ 70 students = $71 per student
$500 ÷ 80 students = $6.25 per student
Table 3: School Bike Rodeo versus Community Bike Rodeo
Cost
Advertising
School Bike Rodeo
Community Bike Rodeo
Advertised through posters, school
newsletter, and notes sent home with
students at no cost in some schools
Must be advertised throughout
community with posters, may require
paid newspaper/radio/television ads,
media advisories, etc.
Between $300 and $500
Number of Volunteers Required
Teachers and school staff can assist
Time required
Between 2 and 4 hours
Number of Instructors Required
Time of day
Student to instructor ratio
Insurance
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
6+
Between $700 and $5000
Between 20 and 40 volunteers needed
8+
Between 6 and 8 hours
30 minutes to 1 hour required for
setup
3 hours required for setup
6:1
6:1
Monday-Friday, between 9am to 3pm
Saturday or Sunday, 9am to 3pm
Insurance acquired through school
Insurance provided by CAN-BIKE
program
Community Bike Rodeo Preparation and Stations:
First, you will need to determine how many instructors
are required for the bike rodeo. This depends on how
many children are expected to participate. The maximum
student to instructor ratio for skills practice is 6:1.
court, or a parking lot for skill development. If there are no
existing lines, you can use chalk or tape to make your own
lines. Provide a refreshment station with water and snacks
for the kids. You will be outside for long periods of time.
You will also need to have all the necessary equipment.
Some kids may not have helmets. Provide helmets for
purchase, borrow, or give-away. Have the necessary tools
to make adjustments to bikes. You will be surprised by
how many students have bikes that are not fitted properly,
have flat or deflated tires, and brakes that do not work.
Partnering with a local bike shop can be very beneficial
for providing mechanical repairs and tune-ups. Kids with
unsafe bikes cannot participate in the rodeo.
The way students move through the stations is up to you.
You can have a single group of students move from one
station to the next that is taught by one instructor, or you
can have one instructor lead the students through all the
stations. Having one instructor with one group can be
more beneficial as it allows the same instructor to assess
the student’s skills and how they are progressing and
whether or not they are able to take on more advanced
skills.
Before the bike rodeo, you need to set up all the
necessary stations. This will include a bike repair station,
a helmet fitting station, and the various skills stations.
If the bike rodeo is being held at a school, you can use
existing painted lines on the playground, a basketball
This outline has been very successful and is based on the
CAN-BIKE curriculum and Safe Cycling Thunder Bay’s
own experiences hosting bike rodeos.
Stations:
The following pages outline potential activity stations
for a community bike rodeo.
1. Registration:
This is your first point of contact with kids and parents.
This table should be front-and-centre, highly visible, fun,
and have all the forms the parents and participants need
to sign. Have plenty of pens and clipboards available.
The registration table is also a great time to do a cycling
knowledge test. This will be especially helpful if you do an
evaluation test at the end of the course. Having beforeand-after tests will allow you to measure how well you
met your learning objectives.
Goal: Get waivers signed and explain to parents and kids
how the rodeo course works, how long it will take, where
to go next, and answer any questions.
2. Helmet Fit:
This is the first activity station because helmets are
fundamental to safety. Before anybody can participate,
they need a properly fitted helmet that is in good condition.
It is essential that parents be present here; most don’t
know how to fit a helmet properly or nor identify a helmet
that is unsafe. For example, helmets older than 5 years
must be thrown out. Parents and youth should both be
shown improper and proper helmet fits. A mirror helps to
show this. This is where extra helmets will be handed out.
Goal: Educate parents and kids on proper helmet fit and
identifying an unsafe helmet.
CAN-BIKE Courses
21
3. Bike Safety Check:
The participants need safe and functional bikes for the
rodeo. This means no loose parts, brakes that work, gears
that shift, and tires with air. Parents should be present for
this station, as most don`t know how to identify broken or
dangerously dysfunctional bikes.
Goal: Teach parents and kids how to identify problems
with their bikes. Fix any major problems.
What to do: A.B.C. Quick Check
A – Air
1. Are the tires pumped up?
2. Are the tires worn or damaged?
3. Is the wheel straight?
A is for Air
B is for Brakes
B – Brakes
1. Are both brakes working?
2. Are the brake pads hitting the rims?
3. Are any cables frayed?
4. Are the brake levers too close to the handlebars?
C – Cranks
1. Is there any play in the crank?
2. Do the pedals spin freely?
3. Are the ball bearings loose?
Quick release – Are the levers tight and folded up against
the frame of the bike?
Final check – Pick up the bike a few centimeters and
drop it – Any funny sounds? Anything loose?
B
Q is for Quick Release
C is for Chain and Crank
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
4. Balance and Straight-line
Riding:
Riders need to know how to balance and ride in a straight
line. The first step is fitting the bike to the rider. Showing
riders how to start riding and how to ride predictably and
safe is your next task.
2. Once they are good at riding towards the instructor,
challenge them to ride on the white line.
3. Try and cycle along the painted line; the goal is to
keep their front tire on the line as much as possible;
encourage them to change gears if it makes it easier;
stay relaxed and look ahead to the destination.
Teaching theory:
4. Once good at that, some may be ready to ride with
one hand. Instructor could crouch half-way to end of
white line and challenge riders to give her/him a ‘highfive’ when passing by.
1. The slower we ride, the more our wheels wobble. As
we get better as cyclists and ride faster, we wobble
less.
Learning Questions:
1. Best place to ride is one metre from the curb – Can
they show you how far one metre is?
2. Ask them to think about what makes their wheels
wobble more or less.
2. Why one metre? (Answer: avoid debris, sewer grates,
potholes, car doors opening)
3. Riding in a straight line makes your predictable.
Motorists know where you are going and you get to
your destination faster.
3. Should we be tense or relaxed on our bikes?
(Relaxed)
Goal: Participants understand the importance of straight
line riding and feel confident riding in a straight line.
4. Riding in a straight line is easier in an easier gear –
when pedaling faster.
Skill Development:
1. The instructor will walk to the far end of the course
and have the children bike towards her/him.
4. Should it be hard or easy to pedal? (Easy!)
5. Where should you be looking when you are riding?
(You will go where you look)
6. Should you coast or keep pedaling? (Easier to ride in
a straight line when you keep your legs moving)
CAN-BIKE Courses
23
5. Shoulder Checking:
A good shoulder check is what makes a cyclist safe. It
helps the cyclist prepare and make decisions on when it is
safe to change his or her position.
Goal: Learn how to do a proper shoulder check while
riding in a straight line.
Teaching Theory:
1. To begin, ask the children just to straddle their bikes to
learn the skill.
2. With both hands on the handlebars, ask them to turn
their head and shoulder check; keeping the front
wheel straight.
3. What can help us to help with shoulder checking?
Being relaxed, riding in the right gear, constant
pedaling, look ahead when going straight.
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Skill Development:
1. Stand at the start line, ask the children to ride away
from you, down the straight line.
2. Ask the children to try shoulder checking a few times
while riding down the straight line.
3. Now, in order to determine if they can see accurately
when they are looking back, hold up one, two, or no
hands. Ask them how many hands you are holding up.
Using left, right, stop signals works well too.
Learning Questions:
1. How it feel to check over your shoulder?
2. What could happen if you turned into the street
without looking behind you? (Could get hit).
3. What is the first thing you do before you turn and even
before you signal? (Always shoulder check).
6. Signaling:
Signaling is one of the most important ways that cyclists
communicate to the other road users. Signaling combines
balance, straight-line riding, and shoulder checking into
one action.
Goal: Children understand the importance of signaling
and have begun to feel comfortable using the skill.
Teaching Theory:
1. Ask the children to demonstrate the signals they
know, while straddling their bikes but not riding.
•
•
•
Right turn: Left arm out, bent up at the elbow at
90 degrees.
Left turn: Left arm extended straight out.
Stop: Left arm out, bent down at the elbow at 90
degrees.
2. Remind them to spread their fingers wide, which
makes the signal more visible. They have to keep
their arms at a 90 degree angle and make the signal
obvious. Don’t rush the signal; hold the signal for at
least 5 seconds to make sure other road users see
what you are doing.
Skill Development:
1. Get the students to demonstrate what they must do
before they get on their bike. Start with the shoulder
check and then signal.
2. The students ride down in a straight line practicing
their signals without the shoulder check. (If a child is
Step 1:
Shoulder
Check
not comfortable doing a proper signal, ask them to
practice just dropping their hand off of the handlebar.)
3. Once confident with signaling, practice the sequence
of skills needed for a proper lane change or turning
maneuver; 1. Shoulder check 2. Look back to the front
3. Signal. 4. Turning in the right direction. While you
stand at the start line, get them doing both right and
left shoulder checks with a variety of signals as they
ride down in a straight line.
4. Finally, they need apply these skills. Stand behind
the painted line. Let the students know that you will
be pointing to the left or the right, or making a hand
signal. The students are to make the same signal
and turn in that direction. As the children ride down
the line, they will shoulder check. If they can see you
properly, they will mimic your hand signal and turn in
the right direction.
Learning Questions:
1. Why is signaling important? (Tells the other road users
what you are doing).
2. Before you signal, you have to shoulder check. Why?
(To see if it is safe to turn, to let other traffic know you
want to turn).
3. When do you want to signal? (before any and every
change in location of the road)
4. Do you need to signal if you are going to ride around a
parked car? (Yes. Other road users need to know this)
Step 2:
Hand
Signal
Step 3:
Make the
Turn
CAN-BIKE Courses
25
7. Braking and Stopping:
It is important to be able to stop predictably and
controllably. This station teaches riders what kind of
brakes they have and the best way of using them.
Goal: Develop an understanding of the importance of
braking and develop the skill.
Teaching theory:
1. Explain how brakes work. Rubber pads rub on the rim
of the wheel, coaster brake, or metallic pads on rotors.
2. Ask the kids to check their brake levers. They should
stop about two finger’s width from the handlebar. They
should be able to reach the brake levers easily.
3. Explain which brake does most of the work. (The
front). Demonstrate what can happen if you only
use the front brake (Fall over handlebars) and what
happens if you only use the back brake (You can skid
and takes longer to stop). Need to use both!
4. Introduce the idea of counter weight when stopping by
pushing back on the seat. Ask the kids to try.
Skill Development:
1. Take turns cycling to a white line or other marker
where they should come to a complete stop and put
their foot down. This helps them to stay stable and
look for traffic/hazards.
26
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
2. As they get more comfortable, have them increase
their speed. Encourage them to shift their weight over
the rear wheel to prevent accidental falls.
Learning Questions:
1. What happens when you ride in the rain or when the
road is wet? (You can’t stop as fast; you need to give
yourself more time to stop).
2. What happens if the brake pads are too high? (They
will rub on the tire and will wear a hole in the tire. They
should be adjusted)
3. What if they are too low? (They will miss the rim and
the pad will wear unevenly)
4. Which brake levers control the front and rear brakes?
(Left – front; Right – rear)
5. Which brake does most of the work (Front)
6. Which lever are you going to squeeze harder? (Front)
7. Skidding: When you back wheel skids, what can
happen to your bike? (Lose control)
8. Why else is skidding not a good idea? (Don’t stop fast;
you will wear a hole in your tire)
8. Cornering and Maneuvering:
They can start and they can stop, now it`s time to learn
to maneuver the bike. The idea is to get riders weaving
about; pylons are great, trees are great, tennis balls are
great. We want the students to learn balance and handle
their bike to avoid road hazards.
Goal: Develop an understanding of balance and
maneuverability.
Teaching theory:
1. Teach the principle of looking where you want to go
and plan ahead for your next turn.
Skill Development:
1. Ride your bike through the obstacle course first to
show how to do it (by exaggerating movements) and
what direction to go in.
2. Allow the students to go one-at-a-time.
3. Assure the students that going slow is OK; remind
them to pedal throughout.
4. As skills progress, move pylons or tennis balls tighter
together horizontally and/or further vertically for a
greater challenge.
Learning Questions:
2. Emphasize lesson through exaggerated head
movements to show where you are looking.
1. Where is the best place to look when riding the
course?
3. Explain that it is OK to go slow, and if in trouble, put
foot down.
2. Do you balance better when you pedal or stop
pedaling?
Easy
Hard
CAN-BIKE Courses
27
9. Using Gears:
Not only are gears cool, but they help riders go further,
faster, and tackle more challenging terrain. Unfortunately,
many adults and kids don’t know how to utilize the gearing
systems on their bikes, so they stick to a single speed or
fumble between gears,
Goal: Teach participants where, when, and how to use the
gears on their bikes.
Teaching theory:
2. Put student’s bike in easiest gear and have student
ride up the hill; upon return, have student describe
their experience.
3. Show student how to change gears on her/his own.
4. Get student to ride on flat terrain changing gears.
Once they have a handle on that, get student to ride
up hill, changing gears to find the best one.
Learning Questions:
1. Using a slope, explain how gearing impacts the effort
needed to go up the hill.
1. How does your bike change gears? (Student should
identify the shifter, chain, derailleur, and front or rear
gears)
2. Explain how easy gears allow the rider to spin easily
up the hill; how hard gears make it difficult to keep on
pedaling.
2. What parts of the bike actually change the gears?
(Derailleurs)
3. What is a really hard gear good for? (Riding downhill)
3. Explain that spinning quickly may be slow, but it is still
faster than walking.
4. What is a really easy gear good for? (Riding uphill)
Skill Development:
1. Put student’s bike in most difficult gear and have
student ride up the hill; upon return, have student
describe their experience.
GEARS
28
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
5. How fast should your legs be turning when you ride
normally? (80-100 rpm)
6. Why is riding in a hard gear bad? (bad for chain, bad
for joints, exhausting)
10. Rules of the Road:
With some basic skills nailed down, it’s time to help
the participants apply them in real life riding situations.
The safest way to do that is in a simulation. Bike rodeo
simulations try to cover typical road conditions such as;
stop signs, left turns, right turns, parked cars, and traffic
lights. Some special situations can be included such as
train tracks, yields, bike lanes, and other traffic conditions,
based on what you have in your community. It’s essential
to have a volunteer or instructor at each situation who will
guide the participants through what they should be doing
in that situation.
Goal: Teach students what they should be doing at typical
on-road situations to increase participants’ knowledge and
prevent accidents.
Components
Entrance: While it may seem common sense, don’t
overlook the need to have someone at the beginning of
the road simulation to explain to the participants what they
are doing, what to expect, and where to ride.The youth
need to know that this is a road simulation and that they
need to follow the rules of the road, just like if they were
really riding on the road. This will set the stage and get
them ready for this challenge.
Left Turn: Using a stop bar and a stop sign, have the
participants make a complete stop including the hand
signals. If they don’t know what to do at a stop sign,
you can let them know and explain why. Give them an
opportunity to try it numerous times so that they feel
confident. Teach them the proper hand signal for left turns,
including a shoulder check. Signaling teaches students
how to communicate their intentions to other road users.
This component combines one-handed riding, braking
skills, and shoulder checking.
Train Tracks: If you have access to a portable train
crossing sign, that is great but kids are great in such that,
if you get creative and make your own, they’ll love it. Use
chalk or a ladder to make your own train tracks. Have
the participants stop, dismount, and look for trains at this
station. Perhaps even have a train whistle on hand to
simulate an on-coming train to test their knowledge. Let
the participants cross the tracks and continue to the next
station.
opportunity to quiz them. Give them an opportunity to try
the signals and stopping numerous times so that they
feel confident. Teach them the proper hand signal for
right turns, including a shoulder check. Signaling teaches
students how to communicate their intentions to other
road users. This component combines one-handed riding,
braking skills, and shoulder checking.
Parked Cars: Two parked cars, 10-20 metres apart,
works best for this station. Riding on a straight stretch,
have the students ride past the parked cars without
instruction. Chances are, they may ride very closely to the
vehicles and weave between them. Here is your teachable
moment: you can explain to them why it is best to stay 1
metre from the car doors and not weave between cars.
The small group setting is the perfect learning situation.
Using one student as the rider, you can have her/him ride
between the cars while the others hang back – ask them
leading questions like “Could you see ‘student’ when they
were between the cars? Why might this be a problem?”
A similar demonstration can be used for opening up
car doors. This component teaches the need to be
maneuverable, visible, and predictable.
Bike Lanes: Bike lanes are a common feature in most
Canada communities. It’s important that youth understand
how they work at a young age, even though they may be
too young to use them. Using chalk and stencils, having
mock bike lanes will be very fun and instructive for the
participants. They will get a chance to ride in their own
little space on the road. Instructors can explain to the
students how bike lanes work and what to look out for: for
example, having a parked car beside a bike lane.
Traffic Signals: If you are able to borrow a working traffic
signal, it will be one of the highlights of the Rodeo. It
adds an element of fun, challenge, excitement, and skill
testing. Testing the youth’s knowledge of the light colours
and what to do, especially while riding, will challenge
their decision-making skills and cycling skills. Allow the
participants to ride this portion with different scenarios to
learn different situational skills.
Right Turn: Using a stop bar and a stop sign, have the
participants make a complete stop including the hand
signals. If they don’t remember what to do, this is a great
CAN-BIKE Courses
29
R
C
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
AD
RO
O
S
S
IN
G
IL
RA
30
CAN-BIKE Courses
31
11. Evaluation:
After all the fun and riding, your pumped up participants
will arrive at the evaluation station. This is your opportunity
to test the participants on what they learned. This can be
a follow-up to the pre-test or a stand-alone test. Either
way, this is an essential component. Parents should be
present during the test, as it gives you an opportunity to
educate adults and help parents understand what areas
their children need more help in. Usually the knowledge
test is done using a multiple-choice questionnaire and is
not longer than 20 questions. Once the test is complete,
your successful participant should be given their very
own ‘Certificate of Completion’ that will surely end up on
their fridge or bedroom wall. If there were major problems
with the youth’s bike or helmet, this is a good time to let
parents know.
Reminder:
Remember to ensure that all students participating in the
on-road section possess the necessary skills to ride safely
and confidently on the road. If there are any students
32
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
who do not possess the necessary skills required, have
an instructor stay behind and work with them to further
develop their handling skills
On-Road (School Bike Rodeos Only):
A bike rodeo does not need to include an on-road
component but there are many benefits to having one.
It may not be possible if the group is too large, but if
you are teaching a smaller group of 30 kids or less, it is
possible. The students can maintain their small group
of six students and ride with their instructor and another
adult which is sufficient to maintain a safe ratio on the
road. Therefore, each block of six students will ride with
two adults.
The on-road component can help put the handling skills
they just learned to the test in a real-world environment.
Before heading out on a ride, ensure that an appropriate
route has been chosen and approved by school officials.
Also ensure that all those participating in the ride have
the necessary skills. If there are any students who do
not possess the skills required to ride on the road, have
an instructor stay behind and work with them to further
develop their handling skills.
While on the group ride, all students must ride single-file
and practice the skills they just learned. This will be most
evident at stop signs and turns. Watch for proper signaling
and starting and stopping techniques. Remember not to
criticize or lecture while on the ride. If you see students
failing to signal, lead by example and show them how you
signal and remind them of the importance of making their
intentions known to other road users.
Have an instructor lead the group, while another stays in
the back. A teacher, an educational assistant, or parent
should be place in the middle of the group as well. This
will prevent racing or other unsafe behaviour. Be prepared
for mechanical breakdowns and students who are not able
to complete the ride. Having extra instructors or volunteers
riding along will allow these students to be accompanied
back to the school or assisted with any repairs that their
bikes might need.
CAN-BIKE Courses
33
Chapter 4 - Adult Courses
There is a wide variety of course selections for adult riders
in the CAN-BIKE curriculum. Courses cover everything
from learning how to ride a bike to Instructor Workshops.
The chart on page 36 details the CAN-BIKE adult courses
and the skills covered.
All of these courses have been designed by CAN-BIKE
and Cycling Canada and are recognized across the
country. The courses are designed to teach cyclists the
basics of cycling safety and traffic dynamics. However,
when setting up your own courses, you can use the CANBIKE curriculum to design courses based on the needs of
the cyclists in your community.
Adult Learn to Ride 1:
The Adult Learn to Ride 1 is designed for adults who don’t
know how to ride a bike. It covers the basics of riding,
including; balance, starting and stopping, and turning. This
course is often taught one-on-one with an instructor and
runs about three hours.
This course may appeal to parents having trouble
teaching their kids ride without training wheels, adults
with special needs (such a physical or mental disabilities),
and older adults looking to gain confidence and get more
active.
Adult Learn to Ride 2:
Adult Learn to Ride 2 is the next step for adults learning
to ride a bike. It is designed for people who are able to
ride a bike, but are too nervous or unsteady to ride safely
on streets. This course is usually small, with one or two
students per instructor and also takes around three hours.
This course may appeal to people who haven`t ridden a
bike in a long time and are looking to brush up their skills,
build confidence, and want to make cycling a regular part
of their lives.
focuses on defensive riding techniques and how to avoid
road hazards. It includes a classroom session and an onroad session.
This course may appeal to a similar crowd to a CAN-BIKE
1 course, but because this course is much shorter, it may
appeal to a broader audience. As well as being more
accessible, this course serves as a great introductory to
the methods and rigor of CAN-BIKE. This is the type of
course where you can potentially recruit potential CANBIKE Instructors.
Cycling Freedom for Women:
This course is very similar to the CAN-BIKE 1 course.
It is taught for women by women and is meant to build
confidence in female cyclists ages 14–and-up.
This course may appeal to women’s only groups who are
looking for a fun, energetic outdoor activity. This course
may also appeal to women’s cycling groups who want to
establish a common skillset among members. This course
can also be marketed to women who already ride their
bikes for commuting but who want to increase their skills
and knowledge.
Rural Riding:
For communities throughout Northwestern Ontario, a lot of
cycling will include rural riding. This course is particularly
important for cyclists who ride outside of cities and
residential areas, as it teaches cyclists how to negotiate
hazards that come with rural roads. This course is
designed for cyclists ages 14-and-up and generally takes
12-hours to complete. The course includes a classroom
session and an on-road session.
CAN-BIKE 1:
Advanced Courses
This course is meant for cyclists aged 14 and-up. CANBIKE 1 is a course that focuses on skill development and
provides students with the confidence and ability to ride
on residential streets. The course includes a classroom
session and an on-road session.
CAN-BIKE offers a variety of advanced courses for
cyclists who would like to develop their cycling skills.
These courses can often be altered to fit the specific
needs of the students; however, they cover the same
basic material and teach the same set of skills.
This course covers many of the fundamental skills needed
to navigate a city safely; Students will be provided with
instruction on riding on residential roads, minor arterials,
and with practical knowledge on traffic dynamics and how
to avoid dangerous situations.
Commuter Skills:
This course is marketed as a commuting course that
should be taken by anyone looking to reduce their reliance
on their automobile and wanting to make cycling a safe
and practical travel option.
This course is designed for cyclists who commute to
school or work. It is set up as an, 8-hour course that
34
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Case Study – Making a Custom
Course
already have experience riding in traffic. CAN-BIKE 2
is the prerequisite course for CAN-BIKE Instructor-level
courses.
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay used the CAN-BIKE 1 course
outline to create a course for the Roots to Harvest
program. Roots to Harvest is a non-profit organization that
delivers fresh vegetables to people throughout the city by
bike and trailer. Before the program started, organizers
wanted to ensure that their volunteers would be safe on
the road and asked Safe Cycling Thunder Bay to provide
cycling training. The course that was created was a
CAN-BIKE 1 course, modified to include elements that
were required by Roots to Harvest, such as cycling with a
trailer. Liability is often a concern to many organizations,
so the course also provided a way of showing that Roots
to Harvest undertook reasonable steps to prevent injury.
CAN-BIKE 2 is set up to include six-hours of classroom
instruction and 12-hours of on-bike training. This may vary
from course-to-course depending on the needs of the
students.
CAN-BIKE 2:
The CAN-BIKE 2 course is one of the most advanced
courses offered by CAN-BIKE. This course is designed to
provide cyclists with not only basic riding skills, but also
extensive knowledge on defensive cycling techniques.
The course is meant for cyclists aged 14-and-up who
Due to the advanced nature of this course, students are
expected to already have sold riding experience, a bike in
good working order with a lock, bell, and bike helmet.
Case Study – Breaking Up a
Big Course
In 2013, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay held a CAN-BIKE 2
course. Six people participated in the course, which was
taught by two instructors. The course took place over a
single weekend and took roughly 18-hours to complete.
The time was divided up into a three-hour session on
Friday evening and two eight-hour days on Saturday and
Sunday. This setup helped break up the lessons and
reduce stress on both the participants and instructors.
CAN-BIKE Courses
35
Adult L2R1
Adult L2R2
Commuter
Skills
Freedom
for Women
Rural Riding
9-13
14+
14+
14+
14+
14+
Class Size (per instructor)
6:1
4-6:1
1-2:1
1-3:1
Up to
6:1
Up to
6:1
Up to
6:1
Hours
1.5
6-15
3
3
7
8
7







































Age
14+
CB2
Kids
CAN-BIKE
8-13
Course
CB1
Bike Rodeo
Table 5: Detailed Skills Chart: CAN-BIKE Courses
14+
Up to
6:1
10-16
Up to
6:1
18-21
Skills Covered
Classroom:
Helmet Fit
1
Bike Mechanics
1


1
Bike Fit

1
Cycling Laws

1




1
1


1
Fixing a Flat

1
Lane Positioning



1
1
Traffic Flow

Skill Development:
Coasting / Balance









Straight Line Riding









Pedaling / Gear Selection









Basic Stopping









1
1
1

1





Steering


Shoulder Checking








Signaling








1
1
1
1


Emergency Stopping





Defensive Cycling Techniques
1
1
1
1
1

1





1
1


1
On-Road:
Residential Streets
2
2 to 3 Lane Roads
4 to 5 Lane Roads

Intersections
Lane Positioning
Left Turns











1
1
1
1








Multiple Lane Changes
Train Tracks
Group Riding / Touring

Rural Riding
1. Introductory to Skill
36





1
1
1
1

1





2. School or Small-Group Bike Rodeos Only
Bike Rodeo Toolkit


37
38
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Section 5:
Setting up
Cycling Courses
How to
Plan and Run
Courses
Build Your
own Course
Partnering
with Other
Organizations
Timing
Course
Setup
How to Plan and Run Courses:
The purpose of a CAN-BIKE program is to provide cycling courses to the public.
This will be the primary responsibility of whoever is running the program. The
logistics of running courses are fairly simple.
Some CAN-BIKE programs in Canada stick to the CANBIKE curriculum verbatim, offering only CAN-BIKE 1,
CAN-BIKE 2, and Kids CAN-BIKE courses. However,
developing custom courses for specific groups in the
community or specific needs can be more beneficial to the
public and your program.
•
Discovery Ride – This course takes participants on a
fun, exploration ride of the city and teaches cycling
skills in a situational and informal setting.
•
City Cycling 101 – This is an eight-hour course that
covers handling skills, traffic dynamics, on-road
training, while also providing a tour of the city to
familiarize cyclists with cycling infrastructure in the
city and how to get to popular places throughout the
city.
•
Cycling and Yoga – This is a four-hour course that
combines cycling and yoga. Students are taken
on a tour of green spaces throughout the City and
practiced yoga with a yoga instructor, while learning
safe cycling principles along the way.
Case Study – Getting Creative
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay offers a wide variety of courses
to the public. Every year the program plans public
courses that service specific needs of the community.
Some of the courses offered include:
•
•
Cycling Skills for the Whole Family – This course
focusses on cycling skills that will make riding as
a family more fun and safe, including; cycling with
trailers and kids, group riding, and route selection.
Cycling Skills for the 55-Plus Cyclist Women’s Only
Course – This course is designed for women who are
55-Plus and would like to gain confidence and skills
to cycle safely on city streets.
These courses have been designed for specific groups
to address specific needs and interests. All courses
utilize CAN-BIKE materials as the foundation but add
additional material to make the courses more accessible
and applicable to daily life. See the Safe Cycling course
classification chart in Appendix 2 to see where these
courses fit into the CAN-BIKE curriculum.
Running Courses
39
Build your Own Course:
Another option for structuring courses is to let the
community tell you what they want. Safe Cycling Thunder
Bay has developed a user-friendly website feature that
allows cyclists to design their own course. With this
feature, students can choose:
• What the course will cover
• How long the course will be
• Is it a one-on-one or a group course?
• When the course will be held
Case Study – Private Courses
Sometimes, there are enthusiastic members of the
public who know exactly what kind of course they want
and are willing to organize it themselves. These people
are a treasure. In 2013, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay held
several private courses that were designed and held for
members of the public looking for specific training. For
example, a mother wanted a course for the children in her
neighbourhood who wanted to bike to school. Because
there was no public course offered at the time that fit her
needs, she contacted program’s coordinator directly and
planned a course around her needs. The course was a
big success.
Partnering with Other
Organizations:
Much like the Build Your Own Course option,
organizations may approach your program to plan
courses. For example, many schools already hold bike
rodeos for children, however, other organizations also
benefit from these types of cycling events. Bike Rodeos or
similar events can be held for organizations like churches,
Boy Scouts and Girl Guides, First Nations organizations,
and other community organizations. Additionally, you can
partner with cycling clubs or groups to provide cycling
education.
Case Study – Vancouver:
Partnering with Emergency
Services
A CAN-BIKE program in Vancouver has seen a lot of
success partnering with police and emergency services in
British Columbia. The program has trained RCMP officers,
paramedics, and firefighters that have all reported back
that the training has been invaluable.
40
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Case Study – Connecting with
Community Groups
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has partnered with several
community organizations to provide safe cycling education
and presentations. In 2013, the program organized a
course for the Thunder Bay Women’s Cycling Club,
which was attended by over a dozen women cyclists. It
has provided presentations and helmet fittings for the
Multicultural Association of Thunder Bay and KinderPlace
Children’s Centre. The group has also pursued options to
provide cycling education to low-income neighbourhoods
through community action groups.
Offering shorter, 1-hour sessions free of charge is also a
great way to introduce the public to what CAN-BIKE has
to offer and what they can learn through a more extensive
cycling course. Doing demos and presentations at special
events is another great way to introduce members of the
public to what your program has to offer.
Timing:
Deciding when to hold courses will depend on the needs
of the potential participants. In general, courses held
on the weekends offer the most potential for success.
Evening courses can work, but depending on the time or
year, weather or light can play a factor. Generally the most
successful time for courses is Saturdays, between the
hours of 10:00AM and 5:00PM.
When it comes to the time of the year, this can be a little
trickier. The cycling seasons starts for some as soon as
the snow melts and runs until the first snowfall, while other
cyclists continue cycling year-round. May and June are
generally a good time to start because that’s when interest
is at its peak. Interest can sometimes start to wane by the
hotter days of July. But be aware that courses may need
to be canceled or rescheduled due to weather no matter
what the calendar says, so plan ahead and build in rain
dates into all of your course offerings.
When planning courses at any time of the year, you will
be at the mercy of Mother Nature because every course
requires an outdoor, on-road experience
Case Study – Mother Nature
Always Wins
In 2013, Safe Cycling Thunder Bay planned on getting an
early start to cycling training, planning several courses
in late April and May. Due to an unusually late spring,
several courses had to be re-scheduled because of rain,
snow, and cold weather.
Creating a CAN-BIKE Course
Course
Description
Posters
Waivers
Setting up a CAN-BIKE course takes several steps. This
toolkit provides a list of the steps, as well as examples
of the procedure used by Safe Cycling Thunder Bay and
sample forms required for courses.
CAN-BIKE Course Set up Procedure:
1.Course Details – Determine dates, location, duration,
and time of the course.
2.Description – A description of the course that informs
the participant of what will be covered during the
course and the course experience.
3.Posters – Posters are visually appealing and include
course title, course description, day, time, location,
and what to bring. See sample in Appendix 3.
4.Waiver – Helps to minimize your exposure to legal
responsibility if injuries are sustained by an individual
while participating in the course. See sample in
Appendices 4 and 5.
5.Cost – The cost of the course will be determined by
how much instructors are paid (if instructors are paid).
6.Registration – Registration can take place online
through PayPal if you have a website with online
Cost
Registration
Instructors
Equipment
registration, by phone if the program is setup through
a municipality or non-profit organization, or in person.
7.Instructors – The best instructor to student ratio is
less than 6:1. If there are more than six participants,
you will require a second instructor.
8.Equipment – For every course you will require the
following equipment:
a. An instructor kit containing first aid kit, waivers,
CAN-BIKE teaching materials, tape or chalk to mark
lines, tennis balls for skills practice, markers, paper,
and feedback forms.
b. Tools for making minor bike repairs.
Course Forms:
The example procedure below is used by Safe Cycling
Thunder Bay to plan courses. The procedure may differ
for other programs, but the information required for setting
up a course will be the same.
See Appendices 4 through 10 for sample forms that you
may need.
Running Courses
41
Course Set-up Chart:
This table provides an example of a chronological sequence of tasks that need to be completed to set up a course. This
procedure will likely vary, depending on your program’s organization.
Who:
Task:
1
Instructor
Pick course
YqNq
2
Instructor
Choose # of instructors needed
YqNq
3
Instructor
Determine hours required
YqNq
4
Instructor
Chose Date(s) and Time(s)
YqNq
5
Instructor
Choose primary and alternate course location
YqNq
6
Instructor
Course cost @ $5/hour
YqNq
7
Instructor
Write course description including: 100-word course description, 250word course description, max # of registrants, what to bring, contact
info, and target group
YqNq
8
Instructor
Send all info to Administrator
YqNq
9
Administrator
Book location
YqNq
10
Administrator
Set up course registration
YqNq
11
Administrator
Plug information into poster
YqNq
12
Administrator
Put information on website
YqNq
13
Administrator
Get insurance
YqNq
14
Administrator
Send course information to Instructor including: registration # and
poster
YqNq
15
Instructor
Pick up kit
YqNq
16
Instructor
Distribute posters (optional)
YqNq
17
Instructor
Advertise course in free venues/social media (optional)
YqNq
18
Administrator
Two days prior – email Registrant information to Instructor
YqNq
19
Instructor
Email registrants about pre-course survey and reminder
YqNq
20
Administrator
Confirm location and time of course
YqNq
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Done? Y/N
Instructor Course Set-up:
Please fill out the following information:
Course Information:
Course Title: Instructor(s) Name: Course Code (Do not fill in): Date(s): Time (s): Duration: Place: Cost: $ Age Requirement: Max # of participants: Min # of participants: What to Bring: Lunch: Brief Description (100 words): Full Description (250 words): Running Courses
43
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Section 6:
Advertising
Branding
Spreading the Word
Once you have determined which courses will be offered in your community,
you will need to get the word out. Advertising can be tricky, but there are
many ways to create awareness about the courses and programs you have to
offer.
Branding:
Advertising should start with creating a recognizable
brand or they may choose to use CAN-BIKE branding.
Something as simple as a catchy name or logo can go a
long way in making your program instantly recognizable.
This name and logo can then be attached to all
advertisements and promotional materials. When deciding
upon a name, it should be clear and simple. For example,
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay provides a clear and simple
brand of the CAN-BIKE program in Thunder Bay. See
sample poster in Appendices 3 for the Safe Cycling logo.
CAN-BIKE has templates available.
Spreading the Word:
Creating a website is a good place to start getting your
name out into the community. Websites are great at
providing a place for the public to find the most up-to-date
information regarding the program and courses. More
advanced websites can also provide online registration,
course requests, and feedback.
Websites can add significant costs to the program. If your
program is part of another organization or business, you
can be included on an existing website. If your program
is independent, a basic website and hosting fee can cost
as little as $6 a month, while websites that are custom
designed and hosted can cost $1000 a year to host,
depending on the scope of the site and its design. More
affordable options for creating a web presence include
free blog posting sites and social media sites, like Twitter
and Facebook.
The Internet is a great way to reach out to the public and
provide information but there are other ways to get your
name and courses out there.
Posters are a classic option. Posters should catch the eye,
provide all the pertinent information about an upcoming
course or event, and be clear and concise. See sample
poster in Appendices 3.
Partnerships are also a great way to spread the word and
generate excitement about your program. Partnering with
local businesses, bike shops, or cycling clubs to sponsor
specific courses or events will help target specific groups
of people and create excitement around a particular
course and the program.
Advertising
45
Meeting with community groups and organizations helps
to spread the word about your program. Word of mouth
is one of the most effective ways to educate the public
about your program. A booth at outdoor events, festivals,
malls, tradeshows, and markets are all great venues to
meet the public and share your program with the broader
community.
You might also want to consider having a spokesperson
for your program. This could be a member of the local
police force, a well-respected person in the community, a
celebrity, or athlete.
Case Study – Generating Interest
Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has participated in a variety of
community events to raise awareness about the program.
While some events have been more successful than
others, just getting out into the community and creating
that presence has made a huge impact. Information
booths have been set up at tradeshows, cycling
expos, outdoor concerts, youth festivals, Canada Day
celebrations. During the TBay Cycling 101 course held in
2013, instructors asked the 10 participants how they had
heard about the course. Responses varied from the Safe
Cycling website, to tradeshow displays, to community
presence. By creating a presence in the community, the
program has been able to generate interest in cycling
course.
Other advertising options include print, radio, and
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
television. This can be a very effective way to create
awareness for your program, but be aware that traditional
advertising can be very expensive. Free and inexpensive
alternative options include: posting upcoming courses
in community events sections of local newspapers and
broadcasting public service announcements on radio
stations. Libraries and community centres also have
event listings that you can utilize. Social media is a great
way to spread the word about courses: outlets such
as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have millions of
followers with avid users who continually follow threads
and posts. It`s a great way to reach all demographics
and have your program reach broad and unexpected
audiences. You can also invite media to events and
courses, which is free and creates great public awareness
as well. Local media organizations may also be potential
sponsorship partners.
Case Study – Ottawa: A Sample
Goes a Long Way
A CAN-BIKE Program in Ottawa has used free taster
courses to generate interest in the community. Providing
a sample of what the program can offer for free can be a
very clever way of generating interest in the community.
Often people who take a CAN-BIKE course are amazed
at how much they learned and want to learn more. A free
‘taster’ course could be only an hour long, which would
cover the basics of cycling safety and handling skills, but
47
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Section 7:
Summary
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this toolkit and for your interest
in creating a CAN-BIKE program in your community. Communities across Canada
are embracing cycling; through enhanced cycling infrastructure, installing endof-trip facilities and amenities, and a focus on respectful road sharing practices.
This toolkit, which operationalizes the cycling education teachings of CAN-BIKE,
will help you offer practical and fun cycling education for cyclists of all ages and
abilities in your community.
Remember that in order to plan and run a CAN-BIKE
cycling course you will need to determine the cycling
needs in your community, what the course will entail,
advertise the course, ensure you have all the proper
waivers and forms, register people for the course, ensure
you have enough instructors, and have all the equipment
ready.
The most important thing to remember when it comes
to running a CAN-BIKE program is knowing the needs
of your community. This will make it much easier to
determine the size of the program, funding options, how
many instructors you require, and if the program will be
run privately or as part of another organization.
Good luck with your CAN-BIKE program and happy
cycling!
Resources:
The following list of resources will help with many
questions you may have about CAN-BIKE or cycling
education.
www.canbikecanada.ca
www.ontariocycling.org
www.cyclingcanada.ca
www.safecyclingthunderbay.com
www.phecanada.ca/programs/bicycle-safety-guideride
Acknowledgements:
This toolkit was made possible thanks to a generous grant
from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. The toolkit has been
created by Safe Cycling Thunder Bay, in partnership with
EcoSuperior Environmental Programs and the City of
Thunder Bay.
Thank you to all the CAN-BIKE programs who participated
in the research questionnaire, as well as members
of the Thunder Bay and District Health Unit and the
Northwestern Health Unit who assisted with research.
Thank you to CAN-BIKE and Cycling Canada.
Illustrations adapted from Ontario Ministry of
Transportation’s Young Cyclist’s Guide.
Credits:
Researched, written, and edited by: Doug Diaczuk, Safe
Cycling Program Coordinator, EcoSuperior Environmental
Programs; Adam Krupper, Active Transportation
Coordinator, City of Thunder Bay; and Stasia Starr, Public
Health Nurse, Thunder Bay District Health Unit.
Additional editing by Ellen Mortfield, Executive Director,
EcoSuperior Environmental Programs.
Summary 49
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Section 8:
Appendices
Appendix 1: CAN-BIKE Program Profiles
CAN-BIKE has been operating in Canada for over 20 years and as programs
continue to expand and develop across the country, there are many lessons to
be learned by examining where these programs have found success and where
they have struggled. Here are some profiles of select CAN-BIKE programs
currently operating in Canada:
Ottawa, Ontario:
Established: 2004
Structure of program: Part of municipal government.
are not a high quality way of getting information to the
public, as parents don’t watch nor learn.
Calgary, Alberta (1):
Program coordinator: Yes
Established: 1986
Number of instructors: 8 to 10
Structure of program: Part of non-profit organization.
Courses offered: CAN-BIKE 1 and 2, as well as
specialized courses to fit the needs of the community and
clients.
Program coordinator: No – instructors handle
administrative duties.
Number of courses offered per year: 25-30
Courses offered: All CAN-BIKE courses, as well as a
specialized commuter course based on CAN-BIKE 2.
Cost of courses: $12 per hour for group courses of 4
people or more. Other courses offered for free through
funding from partnering organizations.
Cost of running program: $30,000-$40,000
Funding: Municipal grants
Successes: Training people how to be better cyclists.
Receiving support from people who have taken courses;
offering free sample courses.
Challenges: Getting the information out. Getting
people to understand that there is value to the course.
Breaking down the adult barrier to learning something
new. Connecting with different cultures. Repeat visits to
communities. Drop-in style bike rodeos are popular, but
Number of instructors: 7
Number of courses offered per year: 5
Cost of courses: Charge a $50 deposit then offer
students the opportunity to either become a “Friend of
Bike Calgary” for that amount at the conclusion of the
course, or a $40 refund if they are a struggling student.
$10 of the course goes towards insurance that remitted to
Alberta Bicycle Association.
Cost of running program: N/A
Funding: received a $5000 grant from the Mountain
Equipment Co-op. Instructors work on volunteer basis and
materials donated by MEC and Elbow Valley Cycle Club.
Appendices
51
Successes: Lots of positive course evaluations by
students. Online homework cuts down classroom time
significantly. Radios help retrieve run away students and
act as a PA system in noisy traffic.
Challenges: Properly training instructors takes a while.
There is a need to develop more human resources in
this area. Allowing one person to maintain online record
keeping using Google Drive.
Calgary, Alberta (2):
Established: 2011
Structure of program: Private.
Program coordinator: No
Number of instructors: 1-3
Courses offered: Kids CAN-BIKE Festival, CAN-BIKE 1,
CAN-BIKE 2, Adult Learn to Ride.
Number of courses offered per year: 10-15
Cost of courses: Varies based on time and expenses.
Cost of running program: N/A
Funding: Course fees and private funding.
Successes: Excellent success with the Adult Learn to
Ride courses, achieving a 83% success rate for getting
new cyclists powering themselves for transportation.
Challenges: Only one instructor who is a stay-at-homemom, which makes it difficult to run courses during the
week. Getting the word out for courses is challenging.
Southern Ontario (Shelbourne,
Caledon, Orangeville, Grand
Valley, Dufferin):
Established: 2013
Structure of program: Variable – partnering with
non-profit organizations and schools to offer children’s
programming, also partnering with municipal government.
Program coordinator: No – using consultant from
Headwaters Communities in Action to assist with
coordination.
Number of instructors: 10
Courses offered: CAN-BIKE 2 and Instructor Workshops
this year with plans to add Kids CAN-BIKE, Adult Learn
to Ride 1 and 2, CAN-BIKE 1, and Cycling freedom for
Women next year.
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Number of courses offered per year: N/A.
Cost of courses: $60/hour plus expenses.
Cost of running program: N/A
Funding: The Ministry of Health and Long Term Care,
local councils and other grants which are shared among
many community efforts.
Successes: A lot of interest in people becoming
instructors. Those that did found that they learned more
than expected in the CAN-BIKE 2 course and in the
Instructor Workshop. These people are now ambassadors
in the communities served. The best success has
been asking local business to distribute postcard-size
promotional material to their customers
Challenges: No permanent or funded administrator. The
area covers more than one county and is difficult to get
any one government agency or department to take overall
lead. Two major challenges: the first is educating people
on the benefits of cycling education; the second is stable
funding. Also, difficulty scheduling courses which meet the
needs of those who wish to participate.
Toronto, Ontario:
Established: 1990
Structure of program: Municipal government and
private.
Program coordinator: No.
Number of instructors: 20+
Courses offered: Kids CAN-BIKE, CAN-BIKE Cycling
Freedom for Women, CAN-BIKE 1 and 2, Instructors
workshops, Child & Caregiver, Adult Lean to Ride;
Festivals, Touring.
Number of courses offered per year: 20+
Cost of courses: The City pays instructors on an hourly
basis for the programs taught through them and prep time
is added when necessary. When programs are offered
privately, instructors determine the wage to be paid
hourly, the length of time, prep time, cost of insurance;
and the total is the cost for the course. Individual costs
like photocopying materials and manuals are also added.
If the course is a long commute for the instructors, there
may be a mileage or time charged.
Cost of running program: N/A.
Funding: N/A.
Successes: N/A.
Challenges: Lack of dedicated team. It has been
bounced around from Department of Transportation to
Parks, Forestry, and Recreation, which creates a bit of a
lack of identity. Shortening complex courses into too short
a time-frame i.e. Instructors Workshops squeezed into
one weekend sets participants up for failure as they don’t
have enough time to review and absorb information or
practice skills.
Campbell River, British Columbia:
Established: 2010
Structure of program: Part of non-profit organization.
Program coordinator: Yes, part-time.
Number of instructors: 20+
Courses offered: CAN-BIKE 1 and 2, Urban Cycling
Skills, Bike Rodeos.
Number of courses offered per year: 15-20
Cost of courses: N/A
Cost of running program: N/A
Funding: N/A
Successes: They follow the CAN-Bike Curriculum closely
for CAN-BIKE 1 and 2 courses, but have created their
own curriculum for their Urban Cycling Skills Course
(UCS) because they found it difficult to find enough
people to commit the time required for the CAN-BIKE 1
and 2 courses. Their UCS courses cover all the Traffic
Theory of a CAN-BIKE 1 course plus the most important
cycling skills and include a road ride. Their Bike Rodeos in
elementary schools are targeted mainly at Grades 2 to 5.
In these, they teach some cycling skills; starting, stopping,
shoulder checking, signaling, and do a short ride on the
roads of a quiet neighbourhood. They can teach as many
as 54 kids in a 90-minute session and will do a maximum
of two sessions per day.
Challenges: Difficult to get up to date information from
CAN-BIKE. The manuals are out of date.
Thunder Bay, Ontario:
Established: 2010
Structure of program: Not-for-profit organization –
EcoSuperior Environmental Programs.
Program coordinator: Yes.
Number of instructors: 15
Courses offered: CAN-BIKE Cycling Freedom for
Women, 55+ Cycling Course, CAN-BIKE 1 and 2, Bike
Rodeos, Instructor Workshops, Adult Learn to Ride,
Discovery Ride, TBay Cycling 101 and Yoga Bike.
Number of courses offered per year: 10+
Cost of courses: The cost of courses is covered by
registration fees. Instructors are paid $20 per hour.
Registration fees are designed to cover these costs,
for example, participants are charged $20 per hour for
one-on-one instruction. If more people are participating,
that cost is divided among the participants. If registration
is low, some courses will be cancelled or run at a loss.
Some courses and bike rodeos are paid for by the schools
or organizations hosting them.
Cost of running program: $20,000 - $30,000 per year.
Funding: $115,000 Ontario Trillium Foundation Grant
from 2010-2013. For 2014, the program will receive over
$20,000 from the City of Thunder Bay.
Successes: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay has seen many
successes in the last three years. The program has
trained over 1000 cyclists and certified 15 CAN-BIKE
Instructors. It has offered a variety of courses to the
public, as well as, bike rodeos to local schools.
Challenges: Low registration in some courses, partly due
to poor weather in spring and early summer. It has been
challenging trying to engage the community in cycling
education and create awareness around the courses
that are offered. There have also been challenges faced
when partnering with low-income organizations and First
Nations group to offer cycling education to youth, due in
part to financial limitations and access to safe bikes and
helmets.
Appendices
53
Sudbury, Ontario:
Established: October 2012
Structure of program: Launched by non-profit
organization, Rainbow Routes Association.
Program coordinator: Yes.
Number of instructors: 4-6
Courses offered: CAN-BIKE 1 (called Streetwise
Cycling) CAN-BIKE 2, Beginner Cycling Skills (hybrid
of Adult Learn to Ride 1 & 2, designed for seniors),
Adult Learn to Ride 1 and 2, Kids Learn to Ride (hybrid
Adult Learn to Ride 1 for children), and Bike Rodeos at
community events.
Number of courses offered per year: 10 in 2013
Cost of courses: Varies based on funding; cost to
participants ranges from $0 - $80.
Cost of running program: The program runs as a
component of the Sudbury Cycles Project. Venues are
typically provided in-kind by the City of Greater Sudbury.
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Funding: Ministry of Health and Long Term Care,
Sudbury & District Health Unit, in-kind contributions by the
City of Greater Sudbury.
Successes: As a single component in the Sudbury
Cycles Project (which includes a Bike Exchange,
classroom presentations for local schools, safe and active
routes to school, etc.), the program has seen overall
success. While still in the early stages of the program,
the delivery of Kids Learn to Ride courses have been
particularly successful.
Challenges: Low registrations for adult and senior
courses, partly due to access to bicycles. Engaging adults
who believe that they already know everything they need
to ride a bike, or that they’re too old to try riding again. In
contrast to their success in teaching children about safe
cycling, it is difficult to convince adults that there is value
to further cycling safety education.
Appendix 2: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay
Course Classification Chart
Course
Classification
Safe Cycling
Course Examples
Kids Festival
School Bike Rodeo
Kids Course
Grade 4 in-school training
Adult and Family Aboriginal Only
Adult and Family Newcomer,
Family Cycling (Chicks and Chicklettes)
Learn to Ride 1
Learn to Ride 2
Intro to Cycling Skills
CAN-Bike 1
CAN-Bike 2
Adult and Family newcomer Course,
Adult and Family Aboriginal Only Course
Adult Learn to Ride
55-Plus Women’s Only
Bike Shop courses
Newcomer Orientation/Tour
Interdisciplinary Course – Art/Yoga+Bike
55-Plus Course
Thunder Bay Discovery Ride
Native Youth Course
Workplace Cycling
Student Orientation LUSU/SUCCI
Tbay Cycling 101 – Getting to know your
city
Commuting in Thunder Bay
Content
Series of exercises to improve bike handling skills
Held off-street, in large open parking lots or paved
areas
Facilitates learning without traffic concerns
Focus on skill building
In-class and on-bike instruction
Teaches signally, steering, right and left turns,
changing gears, braking, avoiding road hazards
Focus on skill building, some on-road
On-bike instruction
How to pedal, balance, start and stop
Grass and Trail riding only
On-bike instruction
Improve riding skills to prepare for on-road riding
Introduction to on-road with focus on trail riding
Classroom and on-bike instruction
Bike fit
Riding posture, basic traffic skills
Some road, some trails
Classroom and on-bike instruction
Teaches proper steering, signaling, braking, gear
changing, bike safety inspections, defensive
cycling techniques
Focus on road riding
Classroom and on-bike instruction
Teaches safety in heavy traffic, roadside repairs,
defensive cycling skills
Multiple choice certification exam, on-road exam
Focus on advanced on-road riding
Appendices
55
Appendix 3: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay
Poster Examples
56
Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Learn cycling skills the
fun and exciting way
Obstacle courses and hands-on training in: Helmet and bike
fitting; Riding in a Straight-line; swerving around objects;
emergency braking; signaling; shoulder checking, and more!
Taught by Certified Cycling Instructors
For more information, visit www.safecyclingthunderbay.com
Appendices
57
Appendix 4: Cycling Canada Waiver Form
WAIVER, RELEASE & INDEMNITY
DATE OF BIRTH
NAME:
AGE:
(YY/MM/DD):
2014 Waiver
/
/
I
understand and agree that my participation in events, programs, races, or activities
organized, operated, conducted and/or sanctioned by the Cycling Canada and/or Provincial Associations and Various Cycling
Canada Clubs and Members registered with Cycling Canada is conditional upon my execution of this document.
1.
I am aware that cycling, and in particular competitive cycling, endurance and BMX racing, involves the possibility of injury or
death.
2.
I accept these risks, and all others arising from these events and programs, even if arising from the negligence, gross
negligence or negligent rescue by those associated in any way with Cycling Canada events and programs I may be
involved in, the venues at which these events and programs takes place or by those organizing, officiating, or participating in
these events and programs throughout the year, including their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, servants,
volunteers and representatives (the “Releasees”).
3.
I understand that all applicable rules for participation must be followed and that SOLE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MY
PERSONAL SAFETY REMAINS WITH ME, including my physical and emotional preparation and fitness to participate in all
events and programs throughout the year.
4.
I undertake and agree to remove myself from participation if I sense or observe any unusual hazard or unsafe condition, or if,
at any time, at any event or program, I feel unable or unfit to safety continue for any reason.
5.
I give, a FULL RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AND ALL CLAIMS that I have, or may have in the future, against
Cycling Canada, and all other Releasees from all liability for any loss damage, injury or expense that I may suffer as a result
of my participation in any part or parts of the events or programs or my presence at any venue at which they may take place,
due to any cause whatsoever including the forms of negligence set forth in paragraph 2 above or from any breach of contract
or statutory duty or other duty of care including any duty of care owed under the relevant Occupier’s Liability Act, on the part of
the Releasees.
6.
I AGREE NOT TO SUE and I further agree TO INDEMNIFY AND SAVE HARMLESS the Releasees from all expenses,
fees, liability or damage award or cost of any type whatsoever arising from my participation in these events or programs.
I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTOOD THIS WAIVER, RELEASE AND INDEMNITY. I am aware that by signing this agreement I
am waiving substantial legal rights (on my behalf and on behalf of my heirs, executors, administrators and next of kin),
including the giving up of my right to sue.
SIGNATURE:
DATE:
PARENTAL CONSENT FOR MINOR PARTICIPANT and INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
I have read and understood the above waiver, release and indemnity, and have discussed the same with the minor person signing
above. I am satisfied the said minor understands the waiver and release and his/her obligations as set out. In consideration of the
participation of my minor child/ward I too agree to waive, release and indemnify the Releasees in the terms set out above.
I am aware that by signing this agreement I am waiving substantial legal rights, which my minor child/ward and I, our respective
heirs, executors, administrators and next of kin may have against the Releasees.
SIGNATURE_
DATE:
________________________________ _______________________________________
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Appendix 5: Safe Cycling Thunder Bay Waiver
CLASS R EGISTRATION F ORM & R ELEASE A ND WAIVER O F L IABILITY
Par$cipant’s Name:___________________________________________ DATE O F B IRTH (Y/M/D): ________________
Course Date: ______________________________________
In considera$on of being allowed to par$cipate in event, programs, or ac$vi$es organized, operated, and conducted on _____________________________________ property, the undersigned acknowledges, appreciates and agrees that:
I, _____________________________________, am taking legal responsibility for my par$cipa$on in this event, program, or ac$vity. I confirm that I am in proper physical, emo$onal, and psychological condi$on and health to par$cipate in this event. I am responsible to myself with equipment and am responsible for its safety and good opera$ng condi$on. I am aware that wearing a C SA, C PSC or Snell approved helmet is required whenever I am riding a bicycle in this event.
I understand that my par$cipa$on in this event may involve risk of injury or damage to property, including but not limited to: abrasions, bruises and cuts to skin and/or flesh, and injuries to bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, joints, nerves, eyes, ears, teeth and internal organs, including concussion, or even death, resul$ng from, for example, falls from bicycles or collisions with other cyclists, bicycles, or other objects or fixtures, and I for myself and behalf of my heirs, assigns, personal representa$ves and next of kin, H EREBY R ELEASE A ND H OLD H ARMLESS The Corpora$on of the City of Thunder Bay, Thunder Bay Police Services Board, EcoSuperior Environmental Programs, Lakehead University and their officers, officials, agents, volunteers and/or employees, other par$cipants, sponsoring agencies, sponsors, adver$sers for all claims for injury, disability, death or loss or damage to person or property that might result from my par$cipa$on at the event.
I understand that I must conform to all instruc$ons of the event instructors and that his/her failure to do so may result in dismissal from the event without compensa$on.
I H AVE R EAD A ND U NDERSTAND T HE A BOVE A ND H AVE B EEN P ROVIDED O R O BAINED S UFFICIENT INFORMATION TO M AKE A N I NFORMED D ECISION A BOUT M Y I NVOLVEMENT. I R ECOGNIZE T HAT BY S IGNING THIS D OCUMENT I A M WAIVING C ERTAIN L EGAL R IGHTS, I NCLUDING T HE R IGHT TO S UE. I S IGN T HIS DOCUMENT VOLUNTARILY A ND W ITHOUT I NDUCEMENT.
______________________________
Par$cipant Signature
___________________________________
Par$cipant Printed Name
________________________
Date
______________________________
Witness Signature
___________________________________
Witness Printed Name
________________________
Date
Emergency Contact: _______________________________________ Phone: ________________________________________
Important Health Informa$on: _______________________________________________________________________________
Personal informa$on on this form is collected under the authority of the Municipal Act and will be used to maintain a record of program registra$on. Ques$ons about this collec$on should be directed to the City of Thunder Bay Ac$ve Transporta$on Coordinator, EcoSuperior Environmental Programs, 562 Red River Road, Thunder Bay, O N P7B 1H3, Telephone: (807) 625-­‐2163 Appendices
59
Appendix 6: CAN-BIKE Course Record Form
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Appendix 7: CAN-BIKE Student Evaluation
Form
CAN-BIKE Student Feedback Form
PLEASE PRINT
Name
Course Location
City/Town
Organization
Prov/Terr
Instructor
Address
Co-Instructor
Start Date
Fee Paid Y N NA
Postal Code
Phone
(
)
Attendance: Complete
E-mail
Key:
Only highlights of student skills and next steps identified.
Not all skills covered in the course marked.
Handling Skills/
Collision Avoidance Techniques
Equipment
Helmet Fit & Check
Bike Fit & Check
Locking your bike
Mount/Start
Dismount
Coast & Balance
Pedal & Steer
Go & Stop
Straight Line Riding
Shoulder Check
Signaling
Scan/Look/Plan Ahead
Escape Routes
Position at Intersections
Destination Positioning
Eye Lead
Pedaling
Gearing
CB2 Results: Written
% On -road
Practice/Next Steps
Lane Choice
Right Turn Only Lane
Lane Changes
Shoulder Check/Signal/Life
Saver SC
Crosswalk/Cross
Cross
Bridge/Underpass
Position Relative to Trucks
Merges/Diverges
Handling Skills
Graduated
Improved
Group Riding Skills
Independent Decision Making
Riding with Kids/Trailers
Position from Curb Riding
past Parked Cars
Narrow/Wide Lane Position
Position within Lane
Stop 2 Way
Stop All Way
T Intersection
Right of Way
Pedestrians
Traffic Signal
Rock Dodge
Slalom
Figure 8
Turning
Instant Turn
Skilled
or Missed
Right Turn
Left Turn Residential
Pedestrian Style Left Turn
Left Turn Arterial
Dedicated Left Turn Lane
On Road Skills
Rules of the Road
Road Signs
Enter Street/Yield
Driveway
Braking Quick
Stop Threshold
Braking
Waiver Signed Y N NA
Course #
CBALR1*
CBALR2*
KCB*
ICS*
CB1*
CBCFfW*
CB2*
CBIWS*
Communication
MVPC/Visibility
Road Hazards
Proficiency in Traffic
Effective Cooperation with
Other Road Users
Risk Assessment
Judgment
Confidence
BusyStreet
Streetcar/RR Track
Instructor Candidate
ALR
Instructor Comments/Next Steps
Instructor Signature
Date
*Course key: CAN-BIKE Adult Learn to Ride 1, CAN-BIKE Adult Learn to Ride 2, Kids CAN-BIKE, Introduction to Cycling Skills, CAN-BIKE 1,
CAN-BIKE Cycling Freedom for Women, CAN-BIKE 2, CAN-BIKE Instructor WorkShop
White Student
Yellow Admin/Instructor
Pink Provincial Cycling Association
Golden Rod Cycling Canada
Appendices
61
Appendix 8: CAN-BIKE Student Course
Evaluation Form
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
Appendix 9: CAN-BIKE Student Feedback Form
Safe Cycling
Safe Cycling
Student Feedback
ThunderBay.com
PLEASE PRINT
NAME:
coursE LocAtioN:
city/towN:
orGANiZAtioN:
ProV/tErr:
iNstructor:
ADDrEss:
co-iNstructor:
stArt DAtE:
COURSE #
CBALR1*
CBALR2*
KCB*
ICS*
20
PostAL coDE:
FEE PAiD:
YES
PHoNE:
EMAiL:
NO
N/A
YES
Only highlights of students skills and next steps identified.
Not all skills covered in the course marked.
Mount/Start
Dismount
Key:
Equipment
Helmet Fit & Check
Bike Fit & Check
Locking your bike
Coast & Balance
CBIWS*
Quick Stop
Threshold Braking
✔ Skilled
P
Practise/Next Steps
Right Turn
Group Riding Skills
Independent Decision Making
Road Signs
Enter Street/Yield
Riding Past Parked Cars
Narrow/Wide Lane Position
Position within Lane
Rock Dodge
Shoulder Check/Signal/
Life Saver Shoulder Check
Slalom
Traffic Signal
Crosswalk/Cross Busy Street
Figure 8
Turning
Scan/Look/Plan Ahead
Cross Streetcar/RR Track
Bridge/Underpass
Instant Turn
Communication
MVPC/Visibility
Road Hazards
Proficiency in Traffic
Effective Cooperation with Other
Road Users
Risk Assessment
Judgment
Right Turn Only Lanes
Lane Changes
T-Intersection
Right of Way
Pedestrians
Position at Intersections
Destination Positioning
Eye Lead
Pedalling
Riding with Kids/Trailers
Lane Choice
Escape Routes
+ Improved
Left Turn Residential
Pedestrlan Style Left Turn
Position from Curb
Stop Two-way
Stop All-Way
Braking
CB2*
MISSED
Rules of the Road
Driveway
Signalling
N/A
Left Turn Arterial
Dedicated Left Turn Lane
On-Road skills
Pedal & Steer
Go & Stop
Straight Line Riding
Shoulder Check
CBCFfW*
NO
AttENDANcE:
COMPLETE
Handling Skills/Collision
Avoidance Techniques
CB1*
wAiVEr siGNED:
Confidence
Position Relative to Trucks
Merges/Diverges
Gearing
CB2 Results: Written
% On-Road
Handling Skills
Graduated
Instructor Candidate
ALR
Instructor Comments/Next Steps:
Instructor Signature
Date
* Couse Key: CAN-BIKE Adult Learn to Ride 1 • CAN-BIKE Adult Learn to Ride 2 • Kids CAN-BIKE • Introduction to Cycling Skills
CAN-BIKE 1 • CAN-BIKE Cycling Freedom for Women • CAN-BIKE 2 • CAN-BIKE Instructor Work Shop
WHITE-Student
YELLOW-Admin/Instructor
PINK-Provincial Cycling Association
GOLDEN ROD-Canadian Cycling Association
TB331
Appendices
63
Appendix 10: Incident Report Form
Incident Report Form
LOCATION OF INCIDENT
DATE OF INCIDENT
HOUR OF INCIDENT
a.m.
p.m.
NAME OF INJURED PERSON
AGE
TELEPHONE NO.
ADDRESS OF INJURED PERSON
NATURE OF INJURIES / DETAILS OF HOW INCIDENT OCCURRED (If additional writing space required, please use back of form)
WEATHER
Clear
Rain
Snow
Fog/Mist
N/A
Wet
Snow
ice
Under Repair
Darkness
Artificial
SURFACE CONDITION
Dry
Other(Specify)
LIGHT CONDITION
Daylight
Dawn
Dusk
Car/bicycle
Pedestrian/Bicycle
TYPE OF INCIDENT
Fall
Other (Specify)
MEDICAL SERVICE OBTAINED
Yes
.-------...
No
NAME OF ATTENDING PHYSICIAN (if any)
FIRST AID ADMINISTERED
NAMES AND ADDRESSES OF WITNESSES
TELEPHONE NO.
i.
2.
3.
NAME OF POLICE OFFICER (if notified)
DIVISION
NAME OF INSTRUCTOR IN ATTENDANCE
BADGE NO.
TELEPHONE NO.
IF INCIDENT INVOLVES A VEHICLE, PLEASE COMPLETE THE FOLLOWING:
LICENCE NO. OF VEHICLE
NAME AND ADDRESS OF DRIVER OF VEHICLE
NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER OF VEHICLE
-
NAME OF INSURANCE COMPANY
POLICY NUMBER
SIGNED
DATE
ONTARIO CYCLING ASSOCIATION/CANADIAN CYCLING ASSOCIATION
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Bike Rodeo Toolkit
NOVEMBER 2009
5.5