Ride to Thrive

cycling education

Vision: to provide equitable cycling education to all grade 5 and 6 students, to promote active transportation to school, and to build habits that will continue throughout students’ lives.

Promoting active transportation through Ride To Thrive will have numerous benefits for children’s health, as well as having positive environmental impacts.

The Ride to Thrive program focuses on teaching grade 5 and 6 students in a fair, equitable and accepting environment, that cycling is for everyone. When participating in Ride to Thrive students go through five modules: 

1. Reasons to Ride

2. Rules & Safety

3. Bike Maintenance

4. Bike Rodeo

5. Road Ride

These modules were created with the aim of promoting a fun and positive learning experience without sacrificing safety during the bike rodeo and road ride. At the end of their training, participants will have the skills to ride their bikes in neighborhoods and on two-lane roads, to get around town, socialize with their friends, and get back and forth from school. 

History

In the summer of 2021, London Cycle Link’s first set of cycling instructors were trained, and we ran our first two camps for children in grades 5 and 6, under the name “Ride to Thrive.” See coverage of our first ever Ride To Thrive bike camp here.

Since 2022, Ride to Thrive has been operating in grade 5 and 6 classrooms in the Thames Valley District School Board. Our 5-day program is based on the modules noted above. Students are encouraged to bring their own bikes to school for sessions. However, we also bring a classroom set of bikes to each school, as well as helmets, so that each student is assured a bike to ride for the week. Students at all levels of cycling ability and confidence are supported in our program.

We trained our third group of instructors in April, 2024, and have now worked with hundreds of students in the London area. See recent in-school coverage of Ride to Thrive from May, 2024 here.

Programs

Our main program is the full, 5-day Ride to Thrive full program, offered in grade 5 and 6 classrooms, arranged through school teachers and principals. There is high demand for this program. We give priority to schools in lower income neighbourhoods (those identified as Priority Schools though the Thames Valley District School Board).

We have also run summer camp sessions, and would be interested in doing so again.

We have worked with two high school groups, at Beal (Beal English Language Learners) and Lucas (High Schools Majors program).

Going Forward

Our hope is to eventually provide equitable access to cycling education to all grade 5 and 6 students in the London area. We see great potential for the Ride to Thrive program to increase active transportation in London, and we treat cycling education as an investment in our future.