Schools all over County Clare were preparing for National Cycle to School Day taking place on Wednesday 13th of June as part of Bike Week. They organised free bike maintenance and cycle training workshops with An Taisce’s Green-Schools Travel Education officer for Clare, Róisín Ní Gháirbhith.

Record numbers of children cycled to school in Clare that day. It is so obvious to me that children now love cycling just as much as we did 30 years ago. It is more important than ever that we create opportunities for children to cycle and look for more investment in infrastructure and speed reduction in order for them to be able to enjoy cycling as a normal way to get around.

“It’s the most bikes I’ve seen at the school in 30 years” said principal of Ennis National School. “Children were born to cycle and so few do so regularly now that when you create an opportunity for them to do so, they jump at the chance. They really love being shown how to care for their bikes as well and certainly seemed empowered by the ability to adjust their saddle height, fix a puncture etc.

It seems to me that most kids have a bike and pretty good ones at that, but yet they are not really connected to it. I get them to discover the useful information on the tyres, follow the cables to see where they go and what they do. I show them how to adjust their saddle height and the marks on minimum insertion for the seat post. They learn how to use allen keys and spanners and how gears work etc. They love it and it demystifies their bikes and connects them with their bikes. I always say if you take care of your bike, your bike will take care of you. Then I’d cover the essentials of: mounting the bike on the left hand side and why, primary and secondary road riding position, looking over the shoulder, hand signals and cyclists’ rights and responsibilities on the road.

For more information visit An Taisce Green Schools Travel Theme