Time to get into gear.

It is time for children to get their bicycles and helmets ready to take part in a series of fun mountain biking events.

The Tokio Youth Mountain Bike Series is gearing up again, taking place on November 15, 22 and 29, and January 10, 17, 24 and 31, 2015, at 4pm at the Arboretum.

The event is sponsored by Tokio Millennium Re partnered with Bicycle Works, and is sanctioned by the Bermuda Bicycle Association. It is not affected by the Arboretum’s closure to clean up after Hurricane Gonzalo.

Ed Jordan, Head of Bermuda for Tokio Millennium Re, said that the Company wanted to encourage a healthy and active lifestyle especially among the Island’s young people and the emphasis was on having fun rather being competitive.

Jordan said: “This is the ninth time we have organised this event and I hope that after every one we have been successful in encouraging some people to take up cycling either as a sport or for recreation.”

Tokio Millennium Re sponsors Bermudian athletes Tyler Butterfield, Jessica Lewis and Tyrone Smith and every year organises a triathlon which is open to experienced and new participants.

“We very much believe in promoting a healthy lifestyle through our involvement in sport and our support of Bermudian athletes,” Jordan said.

The events, all staged at the Arboretum, are open to primary school children aged from four to eleven. They can use any type of bike — even those with training wheels or push bikes with no pedals. However, every child must wear a helmet and closed toe, athletic shoes.

“These events are meant to be fun and moms, dads, grandparents and siblings can all come along and cheer on the riders as they go around the Arboretum course,” Jordan said.

At each event there will also be the Cuppa van, serving up free hot chocolates and lattes.

And at every event there will be draw prizes and every child who takes part will get a goody bag when registering for the first time. At the end of the seven-race series one child’s name will be drawn as the grand prize winner to take home a brand new bicycle from Bicycle Works.

The series starts on November 15 and will conclude on January 31. Sign up forms are available at www.tokiomillennium.com, Bicycle Works and www.bermudabicycle.com.

For more information on the event, visit www.tokiomillennium.com or visit them on Facebook on www.facebook.com/TokioYouthMountainBikeSeries.

All the events start at 4pm at the Arboretum.