Test Ride, Trade In Bikes at Santa Monica's First Family Bike Fest

Santa Monica's first Family Bike Fest on Dec. 8 will feature a bike swap, bike
skills training, test rides and route planning information as part of a pilot program to encourage more children to walk and bicycle to school.

Bring a child’s bike to the 10 a.m. event at the Santa Monica Civic Center for a safety check by on-site mechanics. If it’s been outgrown, give it a new home through donation to the bike swap. Families who donate a bicycle can browse the bike swap for a trade to bring home.

Cyclists Inciting Change thru Live Exchange, a Los Angeles-based nonprofit,
will offer bike skills training for children on their own bikes and for parents who can learn how to teach bike safety skills to their children. Parents can also test-ride a wide variety of bicycles and accessories that carry kids.

Plus, there will be a bicycle and helmet decoration stations, a photo booth and local food trucks–including ice cream churned by bike.

The free event ends at 2 p.m.

It's part of the Safe Routes to School Pilot Project, hosted by the city in partnership with Active Santa Monica, the Santa Monica-Malibu PTA Council, the Santa Monica Bike Center and CICLE.

Educational workshops, classes and fun events and contests are being offered this school year, along with coordinated enforcement by the Santa Monica Police Department. Officials said the goals is to improve safety at schools, teach children and parents safe walking and bicycling skills, and raise awareness about the benefits of walking and biking to school. Participating schools in the grant-funded program are Lincoln Middle School, John Adams Middle School, Roosevelt Elementary School, and Will Rogers Elementary School.