School to offer two After School Bike Clubs which started in September. The project began with
Bike Easy staff and volunteers building out 15 Specialized hybrid bikes at the Youth
Empowerment Project that were donated through a bike non-profit Outride. These bicycles are
now used to host two bike clubs. The After School Ride Clubs have been an amazing experience
for our organization as well as the participants.
Every Thursday, young adult riders gather for the After School Bike Club at YEP, just doors down
from Bike Easy’s headquarters on Oretha Castle Haley Blvd. On Tuesdays, Bike Easy leads
another After School Bike Club that meets at the Living School out in New Orleans East. Both
clubs are led by staff who are trained League Certified Instructors who are thrilled to participate
in these bike clubs.
The After School Bike Clubs lead young riders on bikes through exercises, drills, and training
related to bikes. Participants in the program learn rules of the road, laws, responsibilities, bike
handling skills, safety tips, maneuvering, as well as basic bike maintenance skills.
The goal of these bike clubs is not simply to educate young bike riders on best practices while
building confidence in riding a bike, but also towards creating a community of young adult
bicyclists in New Orleans, from the East to the West Bank. The bike club teaches youth that
their communities can be accessed and best enjoyed on two wheels. The After School Bike Club
program carries on Bike Easy’s mission of making bicycling “easy, fun, and safe” for everyone.
Bike Easy is committed to offering educations programs, such as the bike clubs, that are geared
towards young adult riders. If you are an educator, we would be happy to hear from you. Bike
Easy wants to get more of bike clubs running as well as help coordinate events with schools and
organizations throughout Orleans Parish. If you would like us to visit your school or
organization, please email us and we can help plan an event.
Also, please visit our website which houses numerous educational resources that include
videos, activity books, as well as guides for safe riding and fitting a helmet properly. The
material is meant to be printed off and used by those involved in the education programs. To
access these materials, click here.
Lastly, Bike Easy would like to thank all our partners as well as members that continue to
educate New Orleanians, both young and old. Each new person on a bike is one more advocate
for safer and more complete streets as well as more another member to a diverse community
of bicyclists. Bike Easy is committed to helping a new generation learn the importance of safe
biking, walking, and driving.
