Scouts

CiB

So - I've been roped in to do an evening talking to the Scouts about bikes, being the only bicyclist in the village.

I've got an outline plan - discuss different bicycle types, how they differ, the basics mechanically, how to look after a bike, how to mend a puncture, how to fall off gracefully etc. I'm not going to touch on helmets as it's not my job to dissuade the little oiks from wearing them.

I've got roughly a couple of hours to fill. Suggestions invited on topics that could generate healthy discussion, and how to keep it interesting? Ta.

wgwarburton

CiB wrote:

So - I've been roped in to do an evening talking to the Scouts about bikes, being the only bicyclist in the village.

I've got an outline plan - discuss different bicycle types, how they differ, the basics mechanically, how to look after a bike, how to mend a puncture, how to fall off gracefully etc. I'm not going to touch on helmets as it's not my job to dissuade the little oiks from wearing them.

I've got roughly a couple of hours to fill. Suggestions invited on topics that could generate healthy discussion, and how to keep it interesting? Ta.

Might want to talk about touring- how a bike can take you around the county/country/world (mention Mark Beaumont...?). Bring in the NCN, if you think parents might get jumpy about using roads. Camping/YHA/independent hostels.

Cheers,
W.

UndercoverElephant

CiB wrote:

the only bicyclist in the village.

Great, now I have a mental image of you looking just like Matt Lucas in lycra.

Bassjunkieuk

Could always bring in a laptop and start off reading the SCR thread.....shame you only have 2 hours :-)

Also are the kids bringing their own bikes in? If so it might be interesting to make up a little mini obstacle course for them to practice riding skills on with cones to ride round, poles to ride under etc. Of course that's all dependent on equipment/space being available at the place that it's run at.

londonlivvy

Assuming boys are as competitive as men, some sort of competition - either obstacle course, as BJUK suggests, or a change a puncture quickest competition? Even mundane tasks become more interesting if there's an element of competition, I found.

Bassjunkieuk

At the London Skyride the obstacle course they ran there basically consisted of a slalom of cones, about 3 limbo bars that got progressively lower and a little test of low speed/single hand control as you picked a bottle up from one point and dropped it on a box at the other.

Of course you could always mock up a fake road with junction to demonstrate good road craft as well :-)

CiB

Good points - keep em coming. There isn't space for them to bring their bikes, the idea is for them to earn their cycle maintenance badges so it's more to do with me demoing bike maintenance rather than setting up slaloms etc.

Kieran_Burns

Ah... bike maintenance. NOW he says

Lubes / cleaning / adjusting

Brakes / punctures / cables / tyres

Saddle / handlebar adjustment

Essential kit to own, yeah include the helmet - whether or not you agree with it, the PC brigade will insist upon it

Agent57

CiB wrote:

Good points - keep em coming. There isn't space for them to bring their bikes, the idea is for them to earn their cycle maintenance badges so it's more to do with me demoing bike maintenance rather than setting up slaloms etc.

Might be worth bringing in as many wheels and tyre levers as you can find, so they can all actually have a go at taking out & replacing an inner tube. If you've only got one or two wheels for them to have a go on it could take a while (depending on how many Scouts there are).

Other common maintenance tasks would include changing brake pads or adjusting brakes when pads have worn down (or disc pads). It might be worth covering adjustment as well, e.g. how to make sure a saddle is level/in the right position/at the right height - something they might need to change often if they're growing rapidly.

NGale

take a look here: http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/badges/scout-activity-cy.htm For the 10 to 14 age group (Scouts)

http://www.scoutbase.org.uk/library/hqdocs/badges/cub-activity-cy.htm for the 8 to 10 age group (Cubs)

Try and fit your talk around the requirements of the cyclist badge which is no doubt what they are working towards

scoutbase has a wealth of information with regards to how their balanced programme works, so take a look as it will give you an idea of where to go.

Kiblams

CiB wrote:

and how to keep it interesting? Ta.

Make sure you are a mountainbiker or trials rider, then discuss that

Aidy

CiB wrote:

I've got roughly a couple of hours to fill. Suggestions invited on topics that could generate healthy discussion, and how to keep it interesting? Ta.

Discuss how to calculate FCN, the rules of The Game, and how they're obliged to overtake at every opportunity.

The Rookie

If you shared your location you may get offers of help.....

Simon

ride_whenever

strip and rebuild an old SA 3-speed hub?

TBH i'd just show them puncture repairs and then a basic service, so brakes, gears and headsets. Make sure you do v-brakes, cantis, caliper, mech disc and hydro disc. You only really need to do one type of gears though, as the basic principle is the same.

Aidy

Orrr... given as it's you.

Introduce them to SC Stats. They qualify for the badge if they can get into, say, the top 20.

biondino

Make sure you give a good overview on bike safety. If the kids can go home to mum and dad and explain that they learned how to take primary and not undertake lorries and stop at red lights etc. etc., mum and dad will be that much more likely to let them cycle.

I wouldn't give them wheels to change - unless you happen to have several where the wheel is beautifully loose and easy to get off and on. Otherwise it'll be a load of frustrated kids and you trying not to swear as you bark your knuckles and break your levers.

Clever Pun

Aidy wrote:

Orrr... given as it's you.

Introduce them to SC Stats. They qualify for the badge if they can get into, say, the top 20.

excellent a 10-13 year old crushing MonkeyMonsters mileage

Explain all the parts of a bike to them, ask them question later

might be worth bringing a mtb and a road bike in (maybe even a fixed as they're growing in popularity) and explaining the differences

Cafewanda

Clever Pun wrote:

excellent a 10-13 year old crushing MonkeyMonsters mileage

A tad harsh isn't it?

Clever Pun

Cafewanda wrote:

Clever Pun wrote:

excellent a 10-13 year old crushing MonkeyMonsters mileage

A tad harsh isn't it?

Harsh? maybe... fair..certainly

UndercoverElephant

Personally, I'd go with the mending a puncture idea. If you can get enough wheels to try on. Also, if they're anything like the kids I see round here, their bikes will be from Halford's and the chain will come off every time they change gear. The number of Mum's on the walk to school along Porto Prom who I've heard saying, "How many times have I told you not to change gears" as they're trying to get the kid's chain back on is astonishing.

Adjusting a rear mech is relatively easy, once you know how. Maybe print out a take-home sheet for them to go through with their Dads?

il_principe

Offer to organise a race, then take part and cruelly drop them all before disappearing over the horizon never to be seen again...

wgwarburton

Kieran_Burns wrote:

Essential kit to own, yeah include the helmet - whether or not you agree with it, the PC brigade will insist upon it

Let 'em. Make it clear that it's needed to keep nanny happy, and that it's a lot more use off-road for headbutting trees than on-road for headbutting double-deckers...

Cheers,
W.

tarquin_foxglove

UndercoverElephant wrote:

CiB wrote:

the only bicyclist in the village.

Great, now I have a mental image of you looking just like Matt Lucas in lycra.

In his Swiss TT Champion skin suit...

UndercoverElephant

tarquin_foxglove wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

CiB wrote:

the only bicyclist in the village.

Great, now I have a mental image of you looking just like Matt Lucas in lycra.

In his Swiss TT Champion skin suit...

:shock: He's not wearing a helmet!

NGale

tarquin_foxglove wrote:

UndercoverElephant wrote:

CiB wrote:

the only bicyclist in the village.

Great, now I have a mental image of you looking just like Matt Lucas in lycra.

In his Swiss TT Champion skin suit...

I am now quite disturbed :shock: :shock:

Finbar Saunders

CiB wrote:

how to keep it interesting? Ta.

Show them some of your war wounds and scars. It would help if you had some fresh road rash so, depending on how dedicated and committed you are, you may need to go out and get some! Something freshly scabbed over would go down nicely.

oscarbudgie

Remember this is the Scouts - a movement with a not dissimilar repuattion to the Catholic church - therefore best not show them your scars or mention lube, pumping, bonking or your big ring. Or helmets

CiB

Cheers all - that's not bad for a morning's effort; 26 replies, one or two of them close to being usable. The link to the Scouts page was what I was after last night but couldn't find it, so thanks for sticking that up there.

gbsahne001

how to set the bike up properly; saddle height, back and front adjustment etc

Jay dubbleU

When I was in the Scouts in the dim and distant we used to do things called cycle hikes - basically short distance touring and camping - we go done for cheating because one kid used to bring his dads butchers bike and we'd pile all the kit into the front basket

NGale

Jay dubbleU wrote:

When I was in the Scouts in the dim and distant we used to do things called cycle hikes - basically short distance touring and camping - we go done for cheating because one kid used to bring his dads butchers bike and we'd pile all the kit into the front basket

ahhhh so back when God was a boy then