Email gregg (at) helmtops.com.

Types of organizations that have purchased Helmtops for their activities include:

Safe Routes to School Programs

Medical Centers

Boy Scouts/Girl Scouts

Bicycle Advocacy

Local Trails Programs

While there are today many athletic fundraising events, the PMC is arguably the most successful in terms of the money raised and the percentage of funds it contributes directly to charity.  PMC has grown considerably and consistently from its modest beginnings into an event that draws more than 5,000 cyclists, who hail from 36 states and eight countries.

Doug had a great ride and exceeded his donations goals.  Awesome work Doug and we at Helmtops are excited to support the cause.

1. So first we I remind them that on our busy street we stay on the sidewalk until we get to less trafficky roads.  If you are riding on the road make sure they know to stay on the right side of the road with traffic.

2. When we do get on the road stop signs apply to bicycles!  Remind them to stop.

3. Stop and look before entering a new road and watchout for cars coming out of driveways.

I know my kids love to hear these simple details but hopefully I’ll say it enough that they repeat it back to me before too long.  Finally remember that bicycling is a great way to get children more independence.  Let them lead, tell you where they want to go, manage the ride. Gives them great self-confidence.

Here’s a few highlights from my view.

Jim Oberstar  An amazing individual and having not heard the story before now understand what he has achieved.  Great enthusiasm for the cause and obviously a true beleiver.  Shows me that some people in Congress can get things done.

Many Organizations Met so many people who are  tackling the mission of Safe Routes to School in such interesting ways. Obviously we think Helmtops plays a role in getting more children active – safely and it was interesting to see the numbers of organizations involved.  I think that might have been missed by the casual observer that Safe Routes plays an important role in bringing all these diffent people in different organizations together in one place to connect.

Medical Organizations At Helmtops we’ve recently been contacted by a number of health clinics that have injury prevention programs.  They do bike rodeos and skills programs and love Helmtops.  Strikes me that Health clinics that are a part of every community should also play a bigger role in Safe Routes to School programs.  I did not see as many health officials as I though I would in the conference.

Where was the Bike industry? This one kept irking me a bit.  Here we are at a national conference that supports bicycling and I didn’t see any representation from bike manufacturers, helmet manufacturers, bike apparel, bike shops, bike distributors, etc. Basically where was the bicycle industry? Honestly we are talking about building the next generation of bicyclists and they should be there.

Enjoyed the time in Minneapolis and look forward to next year.

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Registration Day

Registration often takes more time than you think so if you are having numbers of any size than we recommend a registration day. Typically best is anytime the week of the event that works for the people running the registration tables. During registration, along with any forms that need to be signed or filled out, you can remind people what to bring, i.e. bike helmet, water bottle, sun screen. Another advantage to having bike registration before is that any handouts can be offered then. So if there are t-shirts or Helmtops being provided riders can wear them to the event. Of course you’ll want registration during the day of the event but having registered most already the kids will be on their bike that much sooner.

Consider other Attractions

While bicycling is of course the main event we’ve seen the best bike rodeos bring in other entertainment. After all how long is a three year old going to bicycle around until they get tired and need a breather. This doesn’t have to cost your rodeo anything as often local businesses or groups will pitch in and promote themselves to the community. We’ve seen some amazing American Indian dancers, a great clown and a guy who randomly got Simon Says games going. This is all part of what makes a good bike rodeo a great bike rodeo.

Add Some Instruction

Often times we feel this is a bit of a missed opportunity at some rodeos. While the children enjoy going around obstacles courses or just cruising on their new bike it’s the perfect time to teach. Bicycling is like any sport – it’s learned. So make sure you setup some stations that the kids work through that teaches them the “rules of the road”, how to properly put their helmets on and the bike laws of your particular state. Many bike shops attend these events and you might ask them to remind children about hand signals while they are checking tires and seat heights. A recommended document for how to run instructional bike rodeos is “The Organizer’s Guide to Bicycle Rodeos’” and can be found at http://www.bike.cornell.edu/pdfs/Bike_Rodeo_404.2.pd

Ample parking Nearby

Many families bring multiple children and bikes to a rodeo. If ample parking is not available then it starts to affect the quality of the event as people are forced to drive around often far from the event. Then parents and grandparents have to group children and bike together and weave their way through streets to get to the event. We’ve seen drop off zones work if parking is not nearby. If you are having a bike rodeo of any size we suggest you contact the local police to see if they can have police there to direct traffic.

Remind People to Drink Water

Bike Rodeos are usually done in the nice times of year which means it can be downright hot. So if you are hosting a bike rodeo make sure you either have some water stations setup around your area or continue to encourage adults and children to keep drinking water. It’s easy for young ones to get thirsty. Simple coolers under the shade with cups left out work well or even better stations manned by bike rodeo volunteers work well.

Bike Rodeos are gaining in popularity and it’s a great event that can have a huge impact on your community.

email us at gregg (at) helmtops.com to inquire about great group discounts for bike rodeos and to get a sample.

At Helmtops we’re often asked to participate in Bike Rodeos so we’d like to share our top 5 tips.

1.     Registration Day

Registration often takes more time than you think so if you are having numbers of any size than we recommend a registration day.  Typically best is anytime the week of the event that works for the people running the registration tables.  During registration, along with any forms that need to be signed or filled out, you can remind people what to bring, i.e. bike helmet, water bottle, sun screen.  Another advantage to having bike registration before is that any handouts can be offered then.  So if there are t-shirts or Helmtops being provided riders can wear them to the event.  Of course you’ll want registration during the day of the event but having registered most already the kids will be on their bike that much sooner.

2.     Consider other Attractions

While bicycling is of course the main event we’ve seen the best bike rodeos bring in other entertainment.  After all how long is a three year old going to bicycle around until they get tired and need a breather.  This doesn’t have to cost your rodeo anything as often local businesses or groups will pitch in and promote themselves to the community.  We’ve seen some amazing American Indian dancers, a great clown and a guy who randomly got Simon Says games going.  This is all part of what makes a good bike rodeo a great bike rodeo

3.     Add Some Instruction

Often times we feel this is a bit of a missed opportunity at some rodeos.  While the children enjoy going around obstacles courses or just cruising on their new bike it’s the perfect time to teach.  Bicycling is like any sport – it’s learned.  So make sure you setup some stations that the kids work through that teaches them the “rules of the road”, how to properly put their helmets on and the bike laws of your particular state.  Many bike shops attend these events and you might ask them to remind children about hand signals while they are checking tires and seat heights. A recommended document for how to run instructional bike rodeos is “The Organizer’s Guide to Bicycle Rodeos’” and can be found at http://www.bike.cornell.edu/pdfs/Bike_Rodeo_404.2.pdf

4.  Ample parking Nearby

Many families bring multiple children and bikes to a rodeo.  If ample parking is not available then it  starts to affect the quality of the event as people are forced to drive around often far from the event. Then parents and grandparents have to group children and bike together and weave their way through streets to get to the event.  We’ve seen drop off zones work if parking is not nearby. If you are having a bike rodeo of any size we suggest you contact the local police to see if they can have police there to direct traffic.

5.   Remind People to Drink Water

Bike Rodeos are usually done in the nice times of year which means it can be downright hot.  So if you are hosting a bike rodeo make sure you either have some water stations setup around your area or continue to encourage adults and children to keep drinking water.  It’s easy for young ones to get thirsty.  Simple coolers under the shade with cups left out work well or even better stations manned by bike rodeo volunteers work well.

Bike Rodeos are gaining in popularity and it’s a great event that can have a huge impact on your community

First and foremost, a rider must protect their biggest asset “your brain” by wearing a helmet. This is simple to understand but too often ignored.  Whether you are taking a short trip up the driveway or over a mountain side, a helmet is the first safety device for any journey.  So why wear one?  It’s simple, helmets prevent injuries. According to SafeKids Kansas, part of the Department of Health and Environment, helmets prevent 45,000 head injuries annually.  At Helmtops, we strive to help increase that number of preventable injuries year over year.

However, there is more to just strapping a helmet on.  It has to be done correctly.   In fact, we often see many children on a bike wearing a helmet with the straps undone.  This defeats the purpose of wearing a helmet.  Make sure when you or a child puts on a helmet it properly covers the forehead.   After you put the helmet on, look up and you should see the underside of your helmet.  To correctly adjust your chin strap, first clip them together then open your mouth.  When you do this the chin strap should be snug against your jaw.  These are pretty simple things that make a big difference in your safety. For more on this, Helmtops recommends the helmet sizing instructions provided by LIVESTRONG®.com at: http://tinyurl.com/ydberqh

And if just being a safer rider with helmet isn’t inspiration enough, remember it is the law. 34 states have laws that mandate children under the age of 17 must wear a helmet.  If you’re interested, go the website of the Bike Helmet Safety Institute (www.helmets.org) to find your state.  Helmets are like seatbelts for your head and wearing one makes a positive influence on others.  Kids want to look like other kids, and they certainly look to adults as role models. So be safe and make a statement!

Second on our list is to make sure you are seen.  Wear bright clothing and have plenty of reflectors on your bicycle.  If you are riding in the evening or at dusk, a simple blinking light will make a significant difference for drivers on the road.  Just as in any sport using the right equipment makes a big difference.  A note for children under 10 years old, Kidshealth.org recommends they ride on the sidewalk not out of the street.

The third safety tip is to know the rules of the road.   Car drivers will always assume you are going to stay on the same course and at the same speed you are currently on.  However, that’s not always the case.  Make your intentions known to others when you are changing directions or doing something different.   Teach simple hand signals, find them on the web or get your child into a bike safety class at the local bike rodeo.  Learning and using hand signals is a great way to communicate your intentions as well as to get noticed on the road.  Remember you share the road!

Durango School District –

Durango is in the process of building a very strong “Safe Routes To School” program for its Colorado  community. As part of these efforts Safe Routes to School is hosting a series of bike rodeos at several of the elementary schools this Spring.  In search of cool prizes, Linda Herz, Safe Routes to School Coordinator came across Helmtops, “These helmet accessories are a really a great idea for an incentive prize and reminds us all of the importance of safe riding.”

Emily Dickinson Elementary

Emily Dickinson Elementary, part of the Bozeman Montana School District is having a bike rodeo May 12th, 2011.  There will be many activities for the children including an obstacle course ride, bike check-up and basic hand signal training.  In addition, this year bike riders will receive Helmtops as a way to encourage children to stay safe while bicycling.  According to Julie Smith, Health Enhancement for Emily Dickinson Elementary School, “Helmtops represents a great message on bike safety and I think the kids will be excited!”

Manitoba Cycling Association

The Manitoba Cycling Association (MCA) administers a Kids of Mud (KOM) Program, considered the official youth cycling program of the MCA.  KOM is a learn-to-ride and learn-to-race program for kids 17 and younger. Through the help of certified coaches and volunteers, riders will learn the basics of off-road cycling and have fun as they challenge their skill and fitness in a series of races.  The KOM program now includes Helmtops.  ”A cool helmet accessory that promotes riding safety and self expression,” said Moni Robertson who coordinates the kids mountain bike program.

Special pricing available for groups