Riding a Spiderman themed bicycle, 5 year old Jacob Dykstra impressively weaved through a course at the Bike Rodeo, May 28.

Hub Staff

Balancing, hand signals and the rules of sharing the road were all putting bicycle knowledge of Saugeen Shores youth to the test at the Optimist Club’s inaugural Bike Rodeo May 28, at École Port Elgin Saugeen Central School (ÉPESC).

The Bike Rodeo had an impressive turn out of volunteers who manned stations; some stations required learning the rules of hand signals, while some measured the participants’ ability around handling corners and knowing what the safest speed should be.

Other volunteers pumped-up tires, adjusted seats, and made sure participants’ helmets were correct before they entered the course. Volunteer Carl Bourassa knows a thing or two about bicycles, as he rides his mountain bike from Port Elgin to work at Bruce Power as often as he can. Carl admits that he put 5,000 kilometers on his bike in 2015.

“We’re making sure the bikes are in good shape,” Bourassa said, May 28. “We do the helmets (inspection), the mechanics on the bikes, and if there are small repairs we can do them and just advise the parents if there's anything more that they need. And if the size is correct, that’s always a big one when kids are growing.”

Eleven year old Madeline Miranda said she was having fun throughout the course, but admitted that some parts were a little tricky. “I think the hand signals stop was a harder one,” Miranda said, at the Bike Rodeo, May 28.

Optimist member and organizer Kevin Larson has experience organizing previous rodeos in Kincardine years ago and was impressed with the volunteer turn-out, after having to reschedule from a rained out event earlier in May, but admitted that he would have liked there to be more riders.

“I think every kid is going to have fun but they’re going to learn skills. We do review hand signals and hopefully get them some awareness of intersection and stop signs and then they do the quizzes,” Larson said.

The quizzes were separated age appropriately with the younger riders learning through pictures while the older attendees had to deliver an age appropriate response.

Mobray’s Canadian Tire in Port Elgin and Martin’s Bike Shop in Southampton provided prizes and tools for the event.

On the left, on her second attempt, Madeline Miranda, age 11, successfully balanced on the board at the Bicycle Rodeo, May 28. On the right, 2 year old Owen was proud to show off his bell. All bicycles are required by law to have one, no matter the rider’s age.

Kaleb Willson learned that taking corners at high speeds needs to be done safely, at the Bicycle Rodeo, May 28.

Many volunteers manned stations and adjusted children’s bikes before they were allowed to enter the course.