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Bicycle polo is the cycling version of the ancient game of polo
which is played on ponies. It is believed to have been invented by
British soldiers serving in colonial India who wanted to improve their
polo skills. Bicycle polo has even featured as a demonstration sport in
the Olympics in London in 1908. It is played to this day in many
countries around the world, such as Argentina, India, Britain and the
United States, and there is also an International Bicycle Polo
Championships held every year with the USA and Canada both having won
twice.
Although a US Bicycle Polo standard field is similar to a football
field, i.e. 100 yards by 60 yards, bicycle polo can be played anywhere
that you have room. “Hard court” bicycle polo has grown in popularity in
recent years, and can be played on tennis courts, urban street hockey
rinks, or anywhere with sufficient room. When you are choosing where to
play, bear in mind that grass is softer than concrete, and playing
bicycle polo often involves a fall or two!
The equipment is also very simple: all you need is a bicycle, a polo
stick or “mallet”, a helmet (that meets the correct safety standards)
and a ball. The object of the game is simply to score more goals than
the opposition. There are 4 players in each team and the game is usually
split up into 4 quarters, known as “chukkars” of 10 minutes each with 2
minutes between each chukkar and a 10 minute break at half time. If you
would like to know more, or get involved in a game of bicycle polo,
check out your local bicycle clubs, colleges, schools, recreation
centers, or look for a local pick-up game.
Bicycle polo bikes do not need to be expensive or fancy. You have to
carry a mallet during the whole game, so you need a bike that is going
to easily controlled with one hand. This is partly why most bicycle polo
bikes are fixed gear. A fixed gear bike is easier to control, especially
at low speeds, which is important when you have tight maneuvering to do
during a game. The frame itself should ideally be steel, as steel has
good riding characteristics for bicycle polo as it absorbs impact well,
and is robust and hard wearing. Handlebars come in a variety of shapes
and sizes, but should be simple and relatively narrow so that they can
be easily controlled with one hand, allowing you to make tight turns and
turning circles in a game situation where other bikes are all around
you. The positioning of the handlebars is also important. The bars
should be low enough to allow you to position yourself to allow a swing
of the mallet while still remaining upright on the bicycle.
And the mallet itself need not be a specialist piece of equipment.
Players have been known to play with hockey sticks and croquet mallets,
but a fairly standard design is emerging in urban bicycle polo matches.
A ski pole inserted into a short industrial strength piece of piping
seems to be a popular and durable choice.
 Pick
up matches for bike polo are becoming more common. The demand for
bicycle polo seems to be riding the wave of the increase in popularity
of fixed and single speed riding. And the occurrence of bicycle polo
tournaments is also on the rise, with inter-city tournaments pitting
teams from all over the country against one another, and providing a
great opportunity to see how the game is played in other towns, and to
pick new tricks and skills. The average bicycle polo game maybe a little
more difficult to find than, say a football game, but with the internet
at your disposal, the information is out there. And when you get to a
game, you will invariably find a warm welcome, and a fun and unique
social and sporting occasion. Try it!
Bike
Polo Association
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