The Green Read and Ride Bike

Combine Movement Breaks, STEM, and Sustainability Education into any K-12 classroom in an engaging, interactive, innovative way.

“My students are loving these bikes and I am too.  They are a great motivator for my struggling readers and my behavior kids.  – Jenifer Singleton, Resource Teacher – Campbell Elementary”
Purchase OnlineSet Up Your Bike

Watch These Videos! They will Inspire you.

You Are a Power Plant

In 2016, the first Green Read and Ride Program was installed in a rural Michigan classroom. Since then, schools and districts around the country have purchased one or more bikes for their classrooms, STEM programs, and Occupational Therapy programs.

If your students need more movement in their day, these bikes will provide it without necessarily taking away any instructional time.

They are also great for kids who need a way to get some energy out, without needing to leave the room. They can just get on this bike, make some watts for awhile, and then get back to work.

This follow up article written 6 months after installation of the Michigan program says the results are weighing positive for teachers and children.

“The most pleasant surprise has been how many students have commented on their sense of achievement,” says Steve Churchill, a fifth-grade teacher. “Students really seem to understand the benefits of mental and physical fitness.”

 

GRID TIED ELECTRICITY

Plugs into any normal wall outlet up to 15 feet away.  You help power the building!

Most kids can generate 15-30 watts while they read for up to 15 minutes.

For movement breaks and getting energy out, kids can make up to 100 watts for a short time

COMES WITH A WATT METER AND READER RACK

While you read, you can track watts created and watt hours accumulated, giving you many opportunities to teach the value of energy.

View This Watt-Tracking Tutorial

FITS FOUR FEET TALL & UP

The Ecocharger comes with a multi speed kid-size bicycle with an easy adjust seat. Exact bike models vary based on need and availability.

SIMPLE TO ASSEMBLE

Comes in a kit with minimal tools needed.  A video tutorial takes you through each step.

Check Out the Setup Page

COMES WITH LESSON PLANS

A standards-based simple lesson plan is included for each of grades 1-5. Each lesson is easily adapted to other grade levels.

Download Lesson Plans From the Setup Page

HEAVY DUTY

The stand and generator are made to withstand a lot of use, and the bike is easily repaired by any local bike shop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can adults use the bike?
Yes, the bike pictured has an easily adjustable seat, so people 4 feet and up can use it. However, it is not meant to be a workout bike, since it is optimally sized for people between 5 and 6 feet tall.
What is minimum age you would recommend using it?

My 5 year old can use it, but it more depends on the maturity level of the child. They need to be able to understand they should sit, not stand on the seat, and start out pedaling slowly, then speed up.

How much supervision is required?

For an event, you should always have someone on hand to help each person on and off the bike and remind them to start slowly and then speed up. In a situation where someone is repeatedly using it (like a classroom), it’s fine for people to use it independently once they have proven they know how to operate it safely. The main risks occur when people either stand up while pedaling or attempt to start by pedaling really fast.

Can they see the numbers as they are riding it?

Yes. A watt meter can show current watts being put back into the grid. The meter can also be adjusted to show watt hours accumulated.

How does the grid work? – Is this something that we can understand fairly easily – power going back into the grid over time, we would like to say we have powered the grid by so much each day.
The grid is simply the electrical system in your building that is also connected to the power lines outside your building. The bike sends electricity back into the building, or Grid, through a normal wall outlet. I often describe it as a stream going into a river. The bike is sending a trickle of electricity back into the building where it is used for other purposes like powering the lights. The watt meter will show you how many watt hours you have accumulated over time.
Do you think this would work for a fair attraction?
This has worked well in the past as a very fun, interactive attraction that gives people an introduction to human power and how it can be used to make electricity. You should expect children and adults to want to spend 30 seconds to a minute or more finding out how many watts they can generate.
What kind of contest would you suggest – how high can you make it go, how much power you can put in in one minute, etc.

For an event where people will be walking by, I would suggest a contest where there are prizes for getting past a certain number on the meter, based on age. For example, young kids who get past 75 watts get some sort of prize, and adults who get past 100 watts get a prize. This is relatively easy to achieve, so use discretion on numbers. I would avoid letting older kids and adults attempt to set a record for watts generated, because although the bike is stable, it’s not meant to be used at very high speeds repeatedly. It has a safety shut off , if it goes too fast or the user is generating more than 300 watts. The best option is to give people a prize based on how long they can keep the watts being generated above a certain level. This encourages them to settle into a rhythm.

This article shows a few different ways you can use it.

How is the stability?

This is meant for schools, so it’s designed for children in elementary school through high school. If a child cannot sit on the seat and touch both pedals through a full revolution, they are too small. An adult above 250 pounds is too large. It is stable, however people should be supervised and instructed to sit on the seat and start by pedaling slowly until they get the hang of it.

Join the PDX Gym

The Green Microgym-Belmont is a separately owned licensee in the heart of SouthEast PDX on the corner of 34th and Belmont. Contact them only for gym membership inquiries. Go to their website.

Contact Us

For all equipment, Eco-Fitness lifestyle, and business questions, call The Green Microgym founder Adam at 503-933-2230 or email him at adam (at) thegreenmicrogym.com