Pick Up and Hand Off on the Move: Bike Object Relay

Team bike relay at low speed in which riders must take one hand off the bars to pick up a scarf from the top of a cone, carry it and set it on another cone, and finally hand it to a teammate on the move. Students work on one-handed riding, low-speed balance and looking ahead.

How to play

1. Helmet and bike check; five teams of four or five with two bikes per team and a U-shaped course marked with cones (4 min).
2. Free practice riding one-handed at a walking pace, alternating right and left on a straight section (4 min).
3. Round 1: pick up the scarf from a cone without stopping, carry it and place it on another cone 15 m later; each miss means repeating that cone (6 min).
4. Round 2: hand off on the move between two riders from the same team riding side by side 1 m apart, at very low speed, in a marked exchange zone (7 min).
5. Wrap-up: each team discusses where they were looking when picking up the scarf and how they controlled speed with the brake (4 min).

Rules

• Helmets buckled at all times and walking-pace speed throughout the relay.
• During the hand-off, ride side by side and never cut in front.
• If the scarf falls, pick it up with the bike stopped and one foot on the ground.
• Students waiting their turn stay off the course in the team area.

Variations

Adaptations

• Little cycling experience: does round 1 with the dominant hand and no timing, and round 2 walking beside the bike.
• Hearing impairment: start and exchange signals are given with a flag.
• Limited mobility: takes part on an adapted bike or as judge of the exchange zone, validating each hand-off.

Learning goals

• Control the bike with one hand at low speed.
• Coordinate with a moving teammate while keeping balance.
• Look ahead and control speed with the brake.

Equipment for a class of 25

• bikes: 10
• helmets: 10
• cones: 24
• scarves: 20

Teacher tip

The moving hand-off is the riskiest part: mark the exchange zone clearly and do not allow speed. If the schoolyard is small, set up only two courses and rotate teams.

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