Bike Rodeo

The Waunakee Police Department has been hosting an annual Bike Rodeo for over 10 years! The Bike Rodeo is designed to promote safe riding habits and skills for younger riders. Participants are typically elementary to Intermediate school age (5-12). Participants will ride their bike through a series of courses that help them to develop skills to avoid typical crashes as well as learning to watch their surroundings for traffic, other riders, road hazards etc.

The event is put on in May as this is in close proximity to summer break from school and the weather is more favorable for biking. We typically see anywhere from 50-100 kids attend, although more are always welcome! All participants are given a checklist and if completed they enter a drawing and win a prize! Prizes bought and paid for by the Waunakee Police Department. Prizes include: Helmets, locks, lights and other bike related items.
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Over the years The Waunakee Police Department has developed a partnership with local healthcare providers to help keep our young riders safe. UW Health and Dean Clinic’s “Crash Helmet” have sent helpers who check kid’s safety equipment for proper fit and wear. Many children who wear a helmet may not be wearing it properly simply due to fit. A poorly fitted helmet can be ineffective in a crash and may even make the rider less safe. Helpers from these organizations are trained in checking the proper fit of bike safety equipment and will adjust it for the kids.

We have also partnered with local bike companies which include Budget Bicycle and Wana Bike who send technicians to the event. Bike crashes can happen for many reasons, and certainly bike maintenance is one of those reasons. Simple things like a loose chain, tire and brake cable or even non-functioning brakes are a major cause of a crash. These crashes can be prevented through simple maintenance. The technicians are trained to identify these problems and offer solutions. Simple fixes may be done on site!

The Waunakee Police Department currently has 2 Bike Patrol Officers trained and certified by the International Police Mountain Bike Association. These officers attend the event to help promote safe riding habits and safety equipment through example. The Bike Rodeo is a great way for officers to interact in a positive way with the youth of our community.

This year's event will take place at the Waunakee Village Center on June 3.  The event will begin at 9:00am