Tavistock Optimist Club hosts annual bike rodeo for public-school students

Students navigate the obstacle course set up by Tavistock Optimist Club volunteers during the annual Bike Rodeo. The course challenged riders to demonstrate safe and controlled bicycle-handling skills. Jesse Weicker photo

By Gary West

Students at Tavistock Public School had an opportunity to sharpen their cycling skills and learn important safety lessons during the annual Bike Rodeo hosted by the Tavistock Optimist Club.

The popular event saw students of all ages navigate a bicycle obstacle course set up in the school's parking lot while receiving instruction on safe riding practices from Optimist Club members.

Before taking to the course, students learned about traffic safety, proper hand signals and the importance of wearing a correctly fitted helmet whenever they ride.

Optimist member Kris Zehr helped ensure helmets were properly secured and checked bicycles to make sure they were in safe operating condition, including inspecting brakes and other key safety features.

Throughout the event, volunteers stressed the importance of obeying traffic rules and remaining alert while riding near roads and vehicles.

Students then had the opportunity to put those lessons into practice as they manoeuvred through a course of pylons designed to test their balance, control and bicycle-handling skills.

The annual Bike Rodeo is one of several youth-focused initiatives organized by the Tavistock Optimist Club and is aimed at helping young cyclists build confidence while promoting safe riding habits.

As an added incentive, three new bicycles will be awarded before the end of the school year through a draw for students who participated in this year's event.