2022 Outride Summit - The Impact of Cycling on Teen Brain Development and Mobility

2022 Outride Summit - The Impact of Cycling on Teen Brain Development and Mobility 
It‘s the 10^th year that Outride (formerly The Specialized Foundation) has launched a school pilot program to study how cycling affects the brain activity of children and adolescents, and how this ultimately affects attention concentration and academic performance. Since then, Outride and its partners have made amazing progress, with more than 50000 students participating in Outride’s school and community programs each year.

The results of this work were shared at the 2022 Outride Summit, which brought together a range of leaders and incredible talent from across industries and underscored what Outride has always believed: cycling can light up For teenage brains, the benefits are far-reaching; Cycling can help teenagers develop social skills and help them overcome mental health crises they may face now and in the future.



Mike Sinyard, the co-founder of Outride, shares why he started the initiative in 2012 and how continued advances in research and technology have proven in 2012 and how continued advances in research and technology have proven the incredible benefits of cycling for the physical and mental health of young children, inspiring him to continue supporting Outride, to help promote youth and children, inspiring him to continue supporting Outride, to help promote youth and children’s cycling, so that more people can see this benefit and benefit from it. The key message is this: this is not specific to one particular sport of cycling. It’s about the power that all bikes have to light up the brains of teens and kids - no matter what bike they’re riding.



Dr. Allan Reiss, Stanford University, presents a groundbreaking study focused on assessing brain activity in teenage children while cycling outdoors.

Dr. Reiss summarized the current research on the brain benefits of cycling and other physical activities in children and adolescents, noting that sports like cycling are unique in their combination of "spatial orientation, navigation, body awareness, memory, motor control, balance and coordination, and executive function.", which are important for improving and maintaining brain health in adolescents and children." Both cycling and other physical activity help "increase your ability to make new (brain) cells and improve your ability to make connections between those cells," Dr. Reiss said.



Dr. Ryan McKinney, a middle school physical education teacher, described research at his school that found that “ kids who went out for a bike ride before math and reading classes learned more, performed better, and paid better attention.” Sean Wilson of Loma Linda University found that psychosocial well-being was generally higher among students participating in the “ Ride for Mindfulness” school cycling program, and the results were especially pronounced for female students.



Olympian Christopher Blevins (Christopher Blevins) said at the summit as a representative: "Bicycles have been my foundation since I was very young, and I think this is the greatest gift in my life." The panelists shared their cycling journey and why they chose Outride, hoping to inspire and increase the riding opportunities of the next generation through their actions.

Below is a summary of key research findings that emerged throughout the summit:
1. Cycling and other physical activity have incredible benefits not only for the body but also for the brain. Even a short trip can help brain development in young children and teens.

2. A school bike program not only benefits students’ health but also contributes to academic success and helps increase social skills to remain active outside of school.

3. Community cycling organizations that focus on youth and children are an important part of creating a larger community cycling ecosystem. These organizations help foster a sense of belonging, self-esteem, and self-confidence in young children and adolescents.

4. Female role models and coaches are critical to the success of young girls, making girls feel seen. When focusing on increasing girls' participation in cycling, especially from low-income and marginalized communities, it is important for girls to be active listeners, to trust them, and to be responsive to their needs later in their psychological development. important.

5. Building trust and support for teenagers and children should be the core of promoting youth and children's cycling. It is not just the bicycle itself that needs attention. Of course, the safety of the equipment is a necessary condition. It is more necessary for parents to build trust and support for their children, which is crucial to the character-building of teenagers and children.



Established ten years ago, the Outride Summit program has created a space for researchers and practitioners to share relevant data, research results, and the results of some great projects being carried out across the country and worldwide.

Through the summit, we saw that bicycles not only develop the brains of adolescents and children but also provide the power to change their personalities and growth trajectories. The Outride Summit hopes to promote cycling sports among teenagers and children worldwide through these studies so that more generations can benefit from it.