Bicycle Olympics: Ten Fun Events to Test Skills

Set up a Bicycle Olympics to celebrate National Bike Month. Plan as a full-scale event at a school, community center, or an informal challenge for a small club or group of neighborhood friends. Designed to test bike skills, if can also be a family night activity or simply use the ideas as a springboard for practicing and improving individual skills.

Supplies needed for a Bicycle Olympics
Chalk
String
Stopwatch
Pencil
Four wastebaskets
Four tennis balls
Old hardcover book
Thirty cans or plastic cups

Ten Bicycle Events

Straight Speedway
Set up a straight speedway by using chalk to draw parallel lines on the pavement approximately 25 giant steps from start to finish. In order to make it perfectly parallel, tie one piece of chalk to either end of a three foot piece of string. Have two people mark the course while holding the string taut between them. Use a timer to see how fast each participant can make it to the finish line without touching either side of the speedway.

Straight and Slow
Use the same course as the Straight Speedway but this time have participants go their slowest. See how long a bike rider can go from start to finish without putting a foot down or touching the side lines of the speedway.

Zig Zag Steering
Set up a zig zag course using the string and chalk method as in the Straight Speedway, but this time changing the direction of the speedway every seven giant steps or so. It is also helpful to make the width at least five feet across, rather than three feet wide. Have the racers take turns staying in the zig zag course without touching the sides or their foot touching the ground.

Around and Around
Really test steering abilities with a spiral course. Tie a piece of chalk to one side of a fifteen feet piece of string and a pencil to the other side. The person with the pencil holds it in the center of the course. Roll the string around the pencil until it is approximately three feet from the pencil to the chalk. Start marking the course, gradually letting more string out until the final circle is made. The rider basically has to ride inside the spiral lines to the center and then stop without touching the chalk lines.

Into the Can
Set up four wastebaskets seven giant steps apart, alternating sides down a straight course. Use more if desired. The bike rider is given four tennis balls and on the word, "Go," has to quickly ride and deposit the balls in the wastebaskets. This tests both speed, balance and accuracy.

No Skids
Mark a starting and braking line twenty-five paces apart. Bikers line up together. On the word, "Go," the riders sprint as fast as they can until they hit the braking line. At that point they try to stop in as short a distance as possible. Skids disqualify a rider. Mark the final stop of each rider to determine who stopped the fastest.

Sprinting
A typical racing event, use the space you have to create an opportunity for racers to show off their lightening speed. It can be a straight course from start to finish, or a ride around an empty parking lot. Be sure to clearly mark the finish line.

Coasting
Using the same course as the No Skids event, instruct bikers to sprint to the second line, in this case the coasting line. At the coasting line, bikers have to stop pedaling and see how long they can coast.

Book Balancing
Use an old, unwanted hardcover book for this event. The idea is to see how long you can ride while balancing a book on your head. Practice balancing the book on your head while walking before trying it while riding a bike.

Straight and Narrow
Test steering with this final event. Set up a narrow course lined by empty cans, or plastic cups. Space the course evenly using the string and chalk technique. Each bike rider has to ride through without knocking over any of the cans or cups.


Keep stats, and create awards for different categories. Include simple healthy refreshments and your Bicycle Olympics is sure to be a hit.