This story is part of a series in the Summer 2026 issue
This summer, hit the road with your kids
A popular youth cycling program gets the entire family rolling. Tracey Tong gets in the saddle
If you’re seeking a way to take in the sights and sounds of summer as well as an outdoor sport every family member can take part in, look no further – cycling checks all the boxes.Through its popular Youth Development Program, the Ottawa Bicycle Club has made it possible for kids and their grownups to pursue a sport together, regardless of age and skill level.
Jaime Trick and her husband, both longtime cyclists who have competed in Ironman races, are members of the Ottawa Bicycle Club (OBC) along with their children Everett, 10, and Kate, 8.
OBC members from left, Jaime Trick, Kate Markin, David Markin and Everett Markin at practice. Photo credit Dom Cicconne
“As parents, we imagined one day doing long rides and tours together as a family,” says Trick. The OBC has facilitated this by opening the doors to a range of cycling opportunities available to families with younger children in and around Ottawa and Gatineau.
A club for all ages and stages
The OBC offers recreational and competitive cycling opportunities for riders with the goal of building skills, keeping people active and nurturing a lifelong love of the sport. Membership includes access to free group rides, cycling development camps, free open and women’s time trials, social events, discounts at Ottawa-area bike shops and insurance through Ontario Cycling.
The club has two age streams: adult programs which include group rides for experienced cyclists who want to maintain or improve fitness and individual time trials for riders looking for an extra challenge; and youth programs, which include a development stream for newer riders and a racing stream. The youth programs fulfil one of the club’s objectives to promote youth cycling.
OBC athletes gather to hear the practice plan from Coach Rob. Photo Credit Natalie Zabcic
The OBC currently has more than 200 youth members, who find the club in a variety of ways: because parents like Trick and her husband are avid cyclists, their friends are members, or because they love being active and outdoors.
“Cycling lets them be part of a group that is encouraging and fun without the constant competition or team dynamics that can be hard for some kids to navigate,” says Mary Clarke, a lifelong cyclist and coordinator of the OBC’s Youth Development Program.
Mary Clarke, coordinator of OBC Youth Development Program, Road and Volunteer, left, and her child at a past CHEO ride. Phoro Courtesy Mary Clarke
Trick’s son Everett is currently in his third year in the Youth Development Plus Program (YDP+), while Kate is in the Youth Development Program.
Everett Markin at a Bakkers Trailblazers Trek Twilight MTB Series race last August. Photo Credit Alain Villeneuve
Kate Markin at an Eastern Ontario Cyclocross Series race in Perth last November. Photo Credit Allen Trick
“Both children have developed a strong passion for road cycling and racing, and we spend much of our spring and summer attending events whenever possible,” says Trick.
The family’s spring calendar includes many mixed-terrain events, transitioning into summer racing with criteriums, time trials, and road races throughout Ontario and Quebec. They also dabble in mountain biking and typically participate in several local races.
Come fall, the kids join the OBC cyclocross program and the entire family competes in a local cyclocross race series through late November – eight consecutive weeks of racing held on the outskirts of Ottawa. “We spend entire Sundays together at these events,” says Trick.
A family affair
One of the reasons Clarke’s family joined OBC is because its youth program allowed all three of their children to bike with a group at the same time and place every week.
“Cycling is our favourite family activity and the training they did through OBC has given them great confidence and skill so we can do bike trips all together,” says Clarke.
OBC cyclists practice riding in pace line at the Experimental Farm with parent and coach volunteers riding alongside. Photo Credit Natalie Zabcic
From left, Maurice Lefebvre, Everett Markin and Cameron Hall sit at Champlain Lookout at an OBC practice last year. Photo Credit Bruce Lefebvre
Cyclist Sarah Vlasblom needed something her daughters Olive, 12 and Rose, 9, could do together and that would get them out and active. Cycling is a lifelong, important and valuable skill, she says.
“I wanted to… ensure they know how to safely ride on the road and navigate traffic, how to cycle among other cyclists and enjoy the outdoors.”
Sarah Vlasblom, left, with daughters Rose, 9 (centre) and Olive, 12 at CN Cycle for CHEO. Photo Courtesy Sarah Vlasblom
What sport teaches kids
With her daughters in their second year with the club, Vlasblom has witnessed how cycling has benefitted their strength, grit, determination and stamina in sport. Herself a first-year parent rider with OBC, “we spend a lot more time on bikes together,” she says. “I’m really proud of how far they’ve come in their abilities with the coaching and direction of the OBC coaches. They are challenged mentally and physically and finding their place in the sport as girls. [It] has made riding together much more enjoyable.”
The sport has given Trick’s children an athletic outlet that is not only physically demanding, but also connected to the natural world.
“The ability to hop on a bike, explore new roads, discover beautiful destinations, or disappear onto a forest trail is a unique gift that few sports can offer,” Trick says, adding that through cycling, Everett and Kate have learned patience, resilience, and confidence while learning to manage anxiety, navigate challenges, test their limits, and replace negative thinking with a more positive and determined mindset.
“Cycling has taught them that difficult experiences can be transformed into meaningful accomplishments – and that overcoming challenges often brings the greatest sense of exhilaration and pride,” Trick says.
Kate Declerck says cycling teaches her eight-year-old son Émile, in his 3rd year with the Youth Development Program, about sportsmanship.
“There are elements of competition which are about individual performance, but this year in the OBC program, Émile is learning more about how to ride as a [member of a] team – to take turns leading the pack to break the wind for the others behind you, and rotate.”
Kate Declerck and her son Émile cycled 200 kilometres on the P’tit train du Nord in the Laurentians in summer 2025. Photo Credit Susan Declerck
Being an endurance sport, cycling also teaches resilience, DeClerck says. “As much as Émile loves cycling, there are also plenty of tough moments out on longer rides when he’ll start to feel tired and need to push on anyway. Cyclists come to expect times of struggle and build their resilience and inner voice of encouragement. I know that this practice will serve him well in many aspects of life.”
The bonds bikes build
Cycling offers benefits for parents, too. “As a single parent, I simply don’t have space in my schedule to hit the gym,” says Declerck. “I thought it would be great to bike with him at OBC rather than to take him to a lesson where all I do is sit on the sidelines,” says Declerck, who bought her first road bike last year so that she could accompany her son up the hills.
“We’ve seen each other fall, we’ve encouraged each other up hills, we’ve learned together how to diagnose mechanical problems, how to fix flat tires,” says Declerck. “It’s pretty sweet to be able to show Émile that as an adult I am still learning, pushing my limits, trying new things. I hope this will help him adopt a growth mindset too.”
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Group rides and cycling tours
The OBC offers a calendar of volunteer-led weekly group rides and weekend getaway cycling tours, including road, gravel and women’s-only rides during the cycling season and Zwift virtual rides in the winter. The OBC’s largest event is the Rideau Lakes Cycle Tour, where cyclists of all abilities ride through countryside between Ottawa and Kingston.
How technology has changed the sport
Technology has provided more options for cycling.
“There are also many different kinds of bikes now including recumbent bikes, high-end tandem bikes, and cargo bikes that allow people with different needs to be out,” says Mary Clarke.
E-assist provides a bit more range for people or help with the hills. Safety technology has also come a long way with tools like radar to help cyclists deal with traffic and helmets with technology to help protect against concussions.
Some cyclists prefer indoor bike setups like Zwift and Peloton, which eliminate road safety and weather considerations, says Clarke. “There are even bike races on Zwift now that people can participate in and we have group OBC rides on Zwift over the winter,” she says.
While it is possible to participate in cycling without investing in fancy gear – “cycling is about riding a bike,” says Clarke; “older bikes are available used in Ottawa and just need a good tune and maybe a couple of replacement parts” – those who want to invest in the hobby can do so. Gear heads can spend money on stats, gathered through cycling computers and pedals. “There is no limit on what you can spend on cycling,” adds Clarke. “Technology is part of the fun for many cyclists in Ottawa who are motivated by new innovations and their statistics that help them set and meet personal goals.”
“Through our children’s involvement in OBC, we have become better cyclists ourselves. We have learned the sport together, developed new skills, and continually challenged our comfort zones as a family. Taking up the sport together has strengthened our family bond and created opportunities to support one another.” - Jaime Trick
Learn more ottawabicycleclub.ca/