South Florida Sun-Sentinel: Bicycle rodeos teach kids safety ropes

Riding a bicycle might be easy, but pedaling on Broward County’s streets sure isn’t — especially if you’re a child. So recreation leaders offer what is called a “bicycle rodeo,” giving children the skills they need to ride safely, said Mark Horowitz, Broward’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator. Click here to find out more! LocalLinks Eleven rodeos, including one in Pembroke Pines, are planned during Broward County Bicycle Week, from March 4 to 11.

The rodeos are among 53 events planned countywide, most of which are free. Activities for adults range from leisurely nature rides to a 55-mile trek from Palm Beach County. The bicycle rodeos, which have been around for about 30 years, are becoming more about safety and less about general skills, Horowitz said.

“The idea that you can balance and steer your bike and you can ride just doesn’t work anymore,” he said. “Traffic has gotten so complex that everyone needs to be more aware of what’s around them.” Rodeo participants meet at a local park and learn to navigate intersections and better control their bikes, and receive proper helmet fitting and other instructions, said John Preston, co-founder of the cycling advocacy group, CycleMobility.

CycleMobility organized the first Broward Bicycle Week in 2003 and formed a partnership in 2005 with the Broward County Parks and Recreation Division to increase staffing and public awareness for the annual event, Preston said. The rodeos often have snacks, giveaways and a “slow race,” where competitors test their balance by getting from Point A to Point B without putting their feet down. Some are organized by cities, others by the county parks system.

“But we asked the cities that already do bike rodeos to go ahead and do it during Bike Week,” he said. Meanwhile, adults may participate in neighborhood rides along Hollywood Beach, through Plantation or before a Fort Lauderdale jazz concert. Or they may take a 55-mile jaunt from Palm Beach County. Riders are scheduled to meet 7:30 a.m. at the Tri-Rail station near Outdoor World in Dania Beach, load their bikes on the train and take the 8:02 a.m. train to the Mangonia Park station.

From there, they would cycle to State Road A1A and work their way south to the original Tri-Rail stop. The free event is designed to help increase awareness of the possibilities of commuting via a combination of Tri-Rail and bicycling, Preston said. “You also get to see part of Palm Beach County that would take a 100-mile round trip to see otherwise,” Preston said. “Plus, it’s a way to remind people that they can use the train.”