The Game Basics
Two teams of three players play in an enclosed rectangular area. Goals are placed at each long end of the rectangle. The City of Madison & Parks Department have graciously given Mad Bike Polo a dedicated Bike Polo court, that looks a lot like a roller hockey court, on top of the water pump station at Reynolds Park.
At the beginning of the game, the ball is placed in the middle of the court the players wait behind their own goals. Following a countdown, both teams charge the ball in what is termed the "joust".
A player may hit the ball in two ways: a "shot" or a "shuffle". A shot is made with either end of the mallet head whereas a shuffle is made with the side. In order to score a goal, a player must hit the ball into the opposing team's goal with a shot; if the player uses a shuffle, the goal does not count and play continues.
Following a goal, the scoring team returns to their own half of the court. After the scoring team returns to their half, the scored-on team may cross the half line and resume play.
The game continues until a team reaches either a limit of five goals or a predetermined length of time, usually 12 or 15 minutes.
A player who "dabs", (touches a horizontal surface with their foot), must suspend play until "tapping in" (riding to a designated point on the court and touching it with the mallet). It is also common to have to say "foot down" or "dab" to let other players know you are out of play, but not required. You should avoid affecting play of the game at all cost after a foot down occurs.
The amount of contact in a particular game may vary but is generally restricted to "mallet to mallet", "body to body".
The North American Bike Polo Association has created an official set of rules for North America, which has been influential to standardizing rules world-wide.
At the beginning of the game, the ball is placed in the middle of the court the players wait behind their own goals. Following a countdown, both teams charge the ball in what is termed the "joust".
A player may hit the ball in two ways: a "shot" or a "shuffle". A shot is made with either end of the mallet head whereas a shuffle is made with the side. In order to score a goal, a player must hit the ball into the opposing team's goal with a shot; if the player uses a shuffle, the goal does not count and play continues.
Following a goal, the scoring team returns to their own half of the court. After the scoring team returns to their half, the scored-on team may cross the half line and resume play.
The game continues until a team reaches either a limit of five goals or a predetermined length of time, usually 12 or 15 minutes.
A player who "dabs", (touches a horizontal surface with their foot), must suspend play until "tapping in" (riding to a designated point on the court and touching it with the mallet). It is also common to have to say "foot down" or "dab" to let other players know you are out of play, but not required. You should avoid affecting play of the game at all cost after a foot down occurs.
The amount of contact in a particular game may vary but is generally restricted to "mallet to mallet", "body to body".
The North American Bike Polo Association has created an official set of rules for North America, which has been influential to standardizing rules world-wide.
Mallet/Ball
Early days of Hardcourt Bike Polo players handmade their mallets in the spirit of the DIY ethic. Companies such as Fixcraft, Ben's Cycles and others, make mallets specifically for bike polo. Typical mallets are constructed using heads made from UHMW, and aluminium shafts similar to ski poles.The ball used in bike polo is typically made from PVC and resembles a Street Hockey ball. Fixcraft produced the first official bike polo ball, and continues to design better versions.
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Bike
Low gear ratio single-speed bikes have advantages for quick acceleration and control on a small court. Although any bike is acceptable for the game, eventually most players customize their bikes especially for bike polo and their playing needs. Most riders prefer a short wheelbase for tight turning and a smaller "5-hole" as well as a medium to long stem for better turning. Front brake or dual brake setups are the most popular.
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Court
Players commonly play on courts such as tennis courts, street hockey rinks, basketball courts, or football courts. These are often customized using boards to keep the ball from rolling out of the court or getting stuck in the corners. Madison is one of the few cities that supports the growing Bike Polo crowd and cycling infrastructure. In doing so, they have provided us with a dedicated court that resides above the Water Pump station at Reynolds Park.
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Watch Mike Rowe Play Polo
