Thanks to local mountain bike enthusiasts, shops and various grants, schools are rolling out programs to get kids on bike and into area trails...maybe into a few competitions.
Falconer Central Schools and Chautauqua Lake Schools recently obtained fleets of mountain bikes and helmets through two separate grant programs, and are teaching students balance, focus, strength training and bike maintenance.
Chautauqua Lake School has a fleet of traditional mountain bikes and a set of 12 "fat bikes" which allow students to mountain bike in the woods during winter. Students learn to ride these bikes as part of their regular school physical education curriculum.
In addition to the bikes, Chautauqua Lake used the support from the Chautauqua Health Network to facilitate field trips to local trails around the county, and invested in a campus adventure trail system for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, trail running, and snowshoeing.
"One of our county's most important and valuable resources is our vast network of trails and forests. While learning to ride a bike is an important skill, whether for exercise or transportation, we also want our students to enjoy all that our County has to offer within our greenway system of trails," says Rachel Curtin, Principal of Chautauqua Lake Secondary School.
“Through collaboration with the Chautauqua Health Network, the Western New York Mountain Bicycling Association, Chautauqua Rails to Trails, Chautauqua Greenways, Next Level Mountain Biking, and Loud Performance, our students are enjoying the woods and learning to pedal through and find adventure in the challenging and dynamic conditions of mountain biking.”
LOUD Performance Cycle in nearby Bemus Point. Owner Dee Dippler says his shop provides maintenance for the Chautauqua Lake training bikes, and much more. “We have a Wednesday night kids’ series where we put kids into three group levels for different age and ability levels. Parents are welcome to ride, but group leaders allow kids to be dropped off and enjoy some independence and . a snack after the rides.”
This year Falconer obtained 30 bikes and 100 helmets to outfit their student bike program. Similar to CHS’s mission, it’s designed to teach road safety along with all the other health benefits. Mary Plumb, a district administrator who facilitated the grant, says the bikes were obtained through a nonprofit called Outride.
Co-founded in 2012 by Mike Sinyard, Specialized CEO, Outride began investigating how bike riding could become an important part of a comprehensive therapy program for kids with ADHD, a problem that Sinyard faced in his personal life. Outride is advancing the understanding of how riding bikes can help improve the social, emotional, and physical well-being of children.
Taking kids on bikes beyond the school setting, Sean Hricko, an Assembly Operations Leader at the Jamestown Cummins Engine plant, is organizing a regional team though the National Inter Collegiate Cycling Association. “I’d like to use this momentum of schools and introduce fun competition and good trail stewardship as well as a bit of travel to other areas for weekend races."
Visit these websites for more information
https://outridebike.org
https://nationalmtb.org
Or email
Shawn Hricko
Falconer's Mary Plumb
CLC Principal Rachel Curtin
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