For Parents

What Counts as Biking to Work or School?

Riding your bicycle to school and back.
Riding your bike one way and going the other way by some other mode of transportation.
Riding your bicycle to school part way by combining biking with mass transit, driving or any other mode of getting around

What if my school is not participating?

There are two ways you can participate:
1. Register as an individual on the website and ride! You will be entered in a drawing with all other student registrants for a gift certificate at a local bike shop.
2. Become the champion and start a Bike to School program at your school. A school program ideally will include education about safety before the week and encouragement to students and staff to ride during the week.

The Truckee Meadows Bicycle Alliance is here to help! Please contact Melissa Krall at 858-5700, ext. 6227 or mkrall@remsa-cf.com for ideas, information, demonstrations, and supplies.

What Can I Do to Promote Bike to School Week?

Raffles for Encouragement – Give every student who bikes to school a ticket and host a drawing for a prize. Contact Safe Kids Washoe County for prize ideas and possible donations. Be creative and make it fun.
Refreshments - Have the school or the PTA offer free juice or milk and breakfast snacks available to everyone who bikes that day.
Lunch Surprise - Providing something special for lunch for the riders who participate or use the lunch break to announce the upcoming Bike to School day and raffle!
Challenge Letters - Send a letter to another school that you are rivals with and challenge them to a friendly competition. The most riders or most miles win!
Bike Storage and Lock-Up - If you do not already have a safe place to lock up or store bikes, identify a special spot for Bike to School Day or Week. Storage closets, the lunchroom or extra classrooms can make perfect bike storage rooms. Enlist safety patrols or student groups to help run a bike valet parking for the day. Purchasing bike racks can be a profitable long run investment.
Make it Fun and Exciting - Whatever you choose to do to promote Bike to School Day or Week, make it fun and exciting! Remember the more students and staff who bike to school, the better it is for the school.

Bikeability Checklist

How good are the conditions in your community for biking? Use this list here to test how prepared your community is for bicycle riding. It then helps you determine the problems and then it suggests solutions. With this checklist you can be sure that your community is ready for your child and all bicyclists to be on the road safely.

Bike Trains

A bicycle train where a group of children and adult leaders ride together to school. A bicycle train offers a safe, fun way to ride as a group. Basic considerations are outlined below.

Bicycle trains are best suited for older elementary children.
All riders must wear bicycle helmets.
Before starting the program, providing children with practice and training on bicycle handling and rules of the road is recommended.
More adult supervision is needed than for walking. One adult for every three to six children is recommended.

Advantages

Can be loosely structured or highly organized (see "Quick steps").
Can include a meeting point with a parking lot so children and parents who must drive can participate.

Considerations

Requires identifying appropriate routes.
Requires parents to walk with children or use waivers to address liability concerns.
More organized structure requires considerable planning.
Bicycle train participants need to wear helmets.