// stations.jsx — All station content for the Tyendinaga Bike Rodeo parents guide. // Body copy mirrors the print PDF; questions adapted from the Cornell rodeo // organizer's guide. Each question carries an optional `hint` for the parent — // "where this is going" notes, not answer keys. The kid only sees the question. const STATIONS = [ { id: "bike-check", number: 1, title: "Bike Check", kicker: "2 min · do this first", blurb: "A two-minute once-over to catch the things that fail at the worst moment — a loose seat mid-pedal, a brake that doesn't grab, a tire too flat to roll. If anything fails, the safety check tent can fix it.", sections: [ { heading: "Air", body: "Press your thumb into each tire. Should feel firm, not squishy.", meta: "Easy to dent = needs air.", }, { heading: "Brakes", body: "Push the bike forward at a walk and squeeze the brakes (or pedal backward for coaster brakes).", meta: "It should stop, not just slow.", }, { heading: "Chain", body: "On the gear, not hanging loose, not rusty.", meta: "Dry or squeaky = needs oil.", }, { heading: "Seat & handlebars", body: "Grip the front wheel between your knees and try to twist the bars — they shouldn't move relative to the wheel. Grab the seat and try to twist it — shouldn't move.", }, { heading: "Drop test", body: "Lift the bike an inch off the ground and let it drop.", meta: "Rattles mean something's loose — find a volunteer.", }, ], questions: [ { q: "What happens if screws and bolts get loose? How do they get loose in the first place?", hint: "Where this goes: a loose bolt today is a wobble next week, a broken part next month. They might say 'they fall off' — great. The honest answer is vibration shakes them and rust seizes them." }, { q: "What kind of brakes does your bike have — hand brakes, or do you pedal backward?", hint: "Hand brakes have levers on the bars. Coaster brakes you pedal backwards. Bonus if they walk over and show you which one their bike has." }, { q: "What could happen to your brakes that would make them stop working?", hint: "Cable could fray, pads could wear out, mud or water on the rim. Whatever they say, follow up with 'what would you do if it happened right now?'" }, { q: "What happens if your brakes don't work right when you need them?", hint: "Not trying to scare them — just letting them connect cause and effect. 'Drag my feet' is a fine answer. 'Hit something' is a fine answer too." }, { q: "Why do your handlebars need to be really tight?", hint: "So they turn the wheel, not just the bars. If the bars spin freely and the wheel doesn't, you're going wherever the wheel was already pointed." }, { q: "Where do you adjust your seat? Show me.", hint: "It's the bolt or quick-release lever under the seat. If they don't know — that's exactly the point of asking. Walk over and touch it together." }, { q: "If you grew an inch taller tonight, what would need to change about your bike?", hint: "Seat up, maybe bars up. Helmet probably still fits — heads grow slowly. The big idea: the bike is a tool that has to fit you, not the other way around." }, ], }, { id: "helmet-fit", number: 2, title: "Helmet & Fit", kicker: "3 min · two-finger rule + standover", blurb: "A helmet only works if it's where it should be when you hit the ground. Most kids wear them too far back. Same station handles bike fit — seat height, standover, reach.", sections: [ { heading: "Helmet — level on the head", body: "Set the helmet level on their head — the front edge should sit about two finger-widths above the eyebrows.", meta: "Not tilted back like a baseball cap." }, { heading: "Helmet — side straps", body: "The Y of the side straps should sit just below the ear." }, { heading: "Helmet — chin strap", body: "Buckle the chin strap so you can slide one finger underneath, not two." }, { heading: "Helmet — the real test", body: "Ask them to open their mouth wide. The helmet should pull down a little on the top of their head.", meta: "If it doesn't, the chin strap is too loose." }, { heading: "Bike — standover", body: "Straddle, feet flat. A couple of inches of clearance from the top tube.", meta: "On tiptoes? Bike's too big." }, { heading: "Bike — seat height (beginner)", body: "Feet flat on the ground while seated. They want to stop the bike with their feet, not just the brakes." }, { heading: "Bike — seat height (confident)", body: "Tiptoes down, slight knee bend with the foot on the bottom pedal.", meta: "Need a height change? Ask a volunteer." }, { heading: "Bike — knees & handlebars", body: "Watch them pedal slowly. Knees shouldn't bump the bars." }, { heading: "Bike — brakes", body: "(Skip for coaster brakes.) Can they squeeze both levers comfortably? If not, a volunteer can move them closer. Squeeze the right lever slowly — which wheel locks?", meta: 'Tell them: "right is your back brake."' }, ], questions: [ { q: "Why does a helmet need to sit forward, not tipped back?", hint: "Helmets only protect what's under them. Your forehead lands first in most falls — that's the part that needs covering." }, { q: "What does it feel like when the chin strap is too loose? Too tight?", hint: "Loose = helmet slides off mid-fall. Tight = uncomfortable, they'll undo it themselves. Snug, one finger underneath is the goal." }, { q: "Could a helmet from your older cousin still work for you? How would you tell?", hint: "Check for cracks, check the date inside (most helmets are good for 5 years), try the two-finger test. Hand-me-down helmets are fine if they fit and aren't damaged." }, { q: "Why is a too-big bike harder to control than a too-small one?", hint: "Can't put feet down at a stop, hard to reach the brakes, harder to steer. Too-small feels silly; too-big is genuinely dangerous." }, { q: "If your feet barely touch the ground, what's harder — starting, or stopping?", hint: "Stopping. Beginners need feet flat on the ground when seated. As they get confident, the seat goes up." }, { q: "How would you know your seat needs to come up next year?", hint: "Knees coming up high, knees bumping the bars, bike feeling cramped. Trust the feeling — and ask a parent." }, { q: "Front brake or back brake — which one might send you over the bars?", hint: "Front (usually the right lever). Squeeze it hard alone and the back of the bike lifts. Use both together, and lean back when stopping fast." }, ], }, { id: "starts-stops", number: 3, title: "Starts & Stops", kicker: "5 min · the ten-o'clock pedal", blurb: "Most kids figure these out on their own and end up with sloppy habits — cowboy scoots, skidding stops, foot-dragging. This is the moment to lock in better ones.", sections: [ { heading: "Before you begin", body: "Check what brakes the bike has. Hand-brake levers on the handlebars? If not, pedal backwards — if the bike resists or stops, it's coaster brakes." }, { heading: "The start — say this", body: "\"Stand over the bike with both feet on the ground. Spin the pedals so one is up near the top — about where the 10 would be on a clock. Put that foot on the pedal. Push off the ground with your other foot and stand up on the pedal as you go.\"" }, { heading: "The stop — coaster brakes", body: "\"To stop, push backwards on the pedals — hard. Then put one foot down.\"" }, { heading: "The stop — hand brakes", body: "\"Squeeze both brakes together with both hands — not just one. When the bike stops, put one foot down.\"" }, { heading: "Demo it once, slowly", body: "Pedal to 10 o'clock, foot on, push, stand. Kids pick this up in one or two tries when they see it." }, ], watchFor: [ { heading: "On the start", body: "A smooth roll forward, not a flurry of scoots. A little wobble is fine. Once they're rolling, they bring the second foot up to the other pedal and sit on the seat.", praise: "\"You pushed off the pedal instead of scooting — that's how grown-ups start.\"" }, { heading: "On the stop", body: "Are they using the brake to stop, or dragging their feet like a Flintstones car? Foot goes down after the bike has stopped, not during. On hand brakes: if they're only squeezing the right lever, the bike can lurch forward. Remind them: \"both hands, same time.\"", praise: "Done when: one clean start without scooting, one clean stop without foot-dragging. They'll get a thousand more reps every time they ride." }, ], questions: [ { q: "What's wrong with scooting along with your feet to get going?", hint: "Slow, awkward, doesn't translate to real riding. A pedal push gives you momentum and gets a foot on the pedal early — which is where it needs to be when you're moving." }, { q: "Why do you think we put the pedal at ten o'clock instead of straight down?", hint: "Ten o'clock gives you a full pedal stroke to push down on. Straight down gives you almost no leverage — your foot just sits there." }, { q: "If you squeeze only the front brake hard, what happens to the back of the bike?", hint: "It lifts. The bike pitches forward over the front wheel. Use both brakes together, lean back when stopping fast." }, { q: "Why is dragging your feet to stop a bad idea — even though it feels safer?", hint: "Wears out shoes, doesn't actually stop you faster, and if you hit something hard your foot is the first thing in line. Brakes are what stops a bike." }, { q: "If you had to stop in a hurry, which is faster — feet or brakes?", hint: "Brakes. By a lot. That's the whole point of having them." }, ], }, { id: "scanning", number: 4, title: "Scanning", kicker: "5 min · look without swerving", blurb: "Looking behind for cars without swerving. One of the most useful things your child will learn today — a lot of bike-car crashes start with a swerve when the rider glances back.", sections: [ { heading: "Set up", body: "Stand near the start of the lane where you can see the whole loop. No props needed." }, { heading: "Say this", body: "\"Ride around the lane and try to stay between the lines. When I shout LOOK, glance back at me and tell me how many fingers I'm holding up.\"" }, { heading: "First lap — just ride", body: "Let them go around once without looking back. The goal here is getting comfortable in the lane. Wobbles are fine." }, { heading: "Second lap — the shoulder check", body: "As they ride away from you, hold up one, two, or three fingers and shout LOOK! They glance back, call out the number, and keep riding. Try it once on each straight." }, { heading: "Third lap — scan and signal", body: "If they're nailing it, ask them to scan, then point the way they'd turn. Looking THEN signalling is the real-world order." }, ], questions: [ { q: "Why do you need to look behind you when you're riding?", hint: "Cars. Other bikes. Knowing what's behind you is how you decide if it's safe to change lanes, turn, slow down — basically every interesting decision." }, { q: "What's the sneaky thing your bike does when you turn your head?", hint: "It swerves the same direction you turned. Almost everyone does it. The whole point of practicing scanning is teaching your body to ignore that pull." }, { q: "If you had to choose — would you rather scan, or signal? Why?", hint: "Scan. Looking matters more than signalling. A driver who doesn't know you exist doesn't see your signal anyway." }, { q: "When would you scan without signalling? When would you do both?", hint: "Scan all the time, automatically. Signal when you're actually about to turn or change lanes. The order is scan → signal → move." }, { q: "What if your neck doesn't turn far enough — can you scan with just your eyes?", hint: "Not really. The car that matters is behind you — eyes alone don't get there. Practice turning the head until it feels normal." }, ], }, { id: "rock-dodge", number: 5, title: "Rock Dodge", kicker: "5 min · the quick flick", blurb: "The quick flick around a pothole, rock, or piece of glass — without swerving into traffic. Cyclists need this all the time. The ones who don't have it either ride over the hazard or veer wide into the road.", sections: [ { heading: "Set up", body: "The two sponges close together in the middle are the \"rock.\" The pairs of sponges on either side mark the lane your child has to stay in. Stand off to the side where you can see the whole run." }, { heading: "Say this", body: "\"See those two sponges in the middle? Pretend they're a sharp rock you can't ride over. Ride down the lane at normal speed — not slowly — and dodge the rock at the last second. The trick is a quick flick of the handlebars, not a big swerve.\"" }, { heading: "Trace the path", body: "Run your finger along the diagram — wiggle around the rock, back into the lane. Show them what \"flick\" means before they try it." }, { heading: "The most common mistake", body: "Riding slowly so they have plenty of time to swerve around it. That's not the point — in real life rocks appear when you're already moving. Encourage normal speed and a fast flick.", praise: "\"You flicked around it instead of swerving — that's exactly the move.\"" }, ], questions: [ { q: "What kinds of hazards do you find while you're riding?", hint: "Rocks, glass, sticks, potholes, storm drains, slick paint, puddles hiding holes. Whatever they say — yes. Follow up with 'what about the ones you can't see well?'" }, { q: "Why is swerving wide bad — even if you avoid the rock?", hint: "A wide swerve takes you into the lane where cars are. The rock dents your tire; the car ends your day." }, { q: "If you see a rock from far away, what's better than dodging it?", hint: "Moving around it gently, on purpose — no flick needed. Save the flick for the rocks that surprise you." }, { q: "What's the difference between a flick and a swerve?", hint: "A flick is one quick handlebar tap — the bike body barely moves. A swerve is a big arc that carries the whole bike across the lane." }, { q: "Storm drain in front of you — ride over it, around it, or stop?", hint: "Around it. Storm drain slots can grab a thin tire. If you can't get around safely, slow way down or hop off and walk it over." }, ], }, ]; window.STATIONS = STATIONS;