Family Guide · Kids Race
Berkeley Streets kids skills clinic and kids race: a guide for families
Kids can race Berkeley Streets too. It isn't only a bike race for kids to watch: they can get on a bike, learn some skills, and race themselves.
Everything you need to know
- Kids skills clinic
- 11:00 a.m., free
- Where
- McGee Avenue between Hearst Avenue and Berkeley WayOpen location in Maps
- Ages
- Aimed at kids about 5 to 10
- Kids race check-in
- Before 11:30 a.m., at registration
- Kids race
- 11:45 a.m., about 10 minutes, free
- Need a bike?
- Trek Berkeley brings a limited number of demo bikes
- Helmet
- Required for every rider
- After the race
- Free ice cream from Mr. Dewie's for the racersMr. Dewie's Cashew Creamery
- Parents
- A parent or legal guardian signs the waivers
The short answer
The Berkeley Streets Criterium offers a free kids skills clinic at 11:00 a.m. on McGee Avenue between Hearst Avenue and Berkeley Way in Berkeley, aimed at children about 5 to 10, with a mini race course, a balance test and games; Trek Berkeley provides a limited number of demo bikes. The free kids race starts at 11:45 a.m. and lasts about 10 minutes. Families check in at registration before 11:30 a.m., and racers get free ice cream from Mr. Dewie's.
Your kids race morning
- 11:00 a.m.: kids skills clinicMini race course, balance test, bike skills and games.
- Then
- Before 11:30 a.m.: kids race check-inHead to registration and check in.
- Then
- 11:45 a.m.: kids raceAbout 10 minutes of racing at Berkeley Streets.
- After the finish
- Ice creamFree ice cream from Mr. Dewie's for the racers, and bragging rights for the winners.
Times come from the most recent race information. Check back before race day in case they change.
Before we race, we play
The morning starts with a free kids skills clinic at 11:00 a.m. on McGee Avenue between Hearst Avenue and Berkeley Way. It's aimed at kids about 5 to 10. This isn't serious race training: it's a chance to get on a bike, practice some skills, play some games and have fun before the kids race later in the morning.
- A mini race course.
- A balance test.
- Bike-handling activities.
- Mini-games.
What will kids learn?
Through games and activities, kids work on the basics, such as:
- Balance: getting comfortable controlling the bike at different speeds.
- Looking ahead: looking where they're going instead of down at the front wheel.
- Turning: practicing smooth changes of direction.
- Bike control: starting, stopping, steering and riding around obstacles.
- Confidence: maybe the most important part.
The question isn't who's fastest. It's whether another kid discovers that riding a bike is fun.
Then comes the kids race
At 11:45 a.m., it's time to race: a free kids race of about 10 minutes at the Berkeley Streets Criterium. It isn't about producing the next pro. It's a chance for kids to line up, hear the start, ride the course, hear people cheering, and cross a finish line.
For ten minutes, the course belongs to the kids.
Registration is next to Ohlone Park, by the start/finish.
The most important race-day nutrition
After the kids race, everyone who raced gets free ice cream from Mr. Dewie's Cashew Creamery. The winners also get bragging rights.
Kids race checklist
Required
- A helmet. The Berkeley Streets course rules require ANSI or Snell certified helmets for all riders.
- A parent or legal guardian, to sign the waivers.
Recommended
- Your child's bike, if they have one that fits.
- Comfortable clothes.
- Closed-toe shoes.
- Water.
- Sunscreen.
- Layers for Berkeley weather.
Parents: please stay with your child
Under the Berkeley Omnium's rules, racers under 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present to sign the required waivers, so plan to stay with your child at registration.
Junior registration and waivers →
If that's a problem, contact the Berkeley Omnium before race day.
Is my child ready?
The clinic is aimed at kids about 5 to 10, but age alone doesn't decide readiness, and the organizers haven't published a minimum skill level. Use your judgment, and follow the clinic leaders' instructions on the day. The goal isn't perfect bike handling. It's a safe, positive experience on two wheels.
Keeping little racers safe
Berkeley Streets is an active bike race. Families should:
- Follow the clinic leaders and volunteers.
- Supervise their children.
- Keep kids outside the race course except during the organized clinic and kids race.
- Keep bikes and equipment clear of active race areas.
- Use designated crossings, and wait for a marshal before crossing the course.
- Keep children away from racers warming up or moving quickly through the event area.
During the clinic and kids race, follow the organizers' instructions about where parents and spectators should stand.
Stay and watch the racing
The kids race is one part of Berkeley Streets. Stay and watch junior, collegiate, novice, masters, women's and elite racing. A criterium is great for kids to watch: racers do short laps of a small circuit, so they come past again every couple of minutes.
Where to watch Berkeley Streets →
What are all those racers doing?
- The peloton: the big group of racers riding together.
- An attack: someone tries to ride away from the group.
- A breakaway: one or more racers get ahead and try to stay there.
- A prime: a special prize racers may sprint for during the race.
- The bell: it rings when the racers start their last lap.
- The final sprint: everyone wants to reach the finish line first.
Lunch, coffee and things to do nearby between races:
Maybe this is just the beginning
For some kids, this will simply be a fun Sunday morning, and that's enough. Some will leave wanting to ride again, and there's a path for them if they do: an opportunity, not an expectation.
- Kids skills clinic and kids race
- Keep riding
- Junior cyclingClubs like Berkeley Bike Club Juniors.
- NICA and junior racing
- Collegiate cyclingRacing for a college team.
- And after that
- A lifetime on bikes
Where junior riders in Berkeley learn to ride and race:
How the Omnium supports youth cycling, including local NICA teams:
The Omnium's community impact →
And for later on, racing in college:
Why the Berkeley Omnium does this
Bike racing doesn't grow only by looking after the racers already on the start line. It grows when a child gets on a bike, when a parent discovers a cycling community, when a junior finds a team, and when someone races for the first time.
“The Berkeley Streets Race has always been about more than competition. It's about creating space for the community, where riders of all levels, and all ages, can be part of it.”
More about the kids clinic and kids race, with photos and video:
Questions
Berkeley Streets kids skills clinic and kids race: a guide for families: FAQ
Is the Berkeley Streets kids skills clinic free?
Yes. The kids skills clinic is free.
What time is the kids skills clinic?
11:00 a.m., on race day at the Berkeley Streets Criterium.
Where is the kids skills clinic?
On McGee Avenue between Hearst Avenue and Berkeley Way in Berkeley, next to Ohlone Park.
What ages is the kids clinic for?
It's aimed at children about 5 to 10 years old.
What do kids do at the clinic?
A mini race course, a balance test, bike skills and mini-games.
Does my child need a bike?
Trek Berkeley provides a limited number of demo bikes, so bring your child's bike if they have one that fits. A helmet is required.
What time is the Berkeley Streets kids race?
11:45 a.m.
When should we check in for the kids race?
Before 11:30 a.m., at registration at Hearst Avenue and McGee Avenue.
How much does the kids race cost?
Nothing. The kids race is free.
How long is the kids race?
About 10 minutes.
Do kids race participants get ice cream?
Yes. Everyone who races gets free ice cream from Mr. Dewie's Cashew Creamery.
Mr. Dewie's Cashew Creamery →