Thursday, August 2, 2018
Learn to Ride with FABB!
FABB is holding adult ( 18+) learn to ride classes on August 11th and September 8th at the Fairfax County Government Center. These two hour class will be taught by League of American Bicyclists-certified instructors, and are a great chance to learn to ride in a safe and secure environment. Participants will learn the basics of riding, including balance and how to control the bike with brakes. Don't miss out on this great opportunity!
Help us spread the word by sharing this blog post with anyone you know that may be interested.
Register and find more information here.
Labels: bikefairfax, learn to bike, learn to ride
Thursday, April 20, 2017
Summer Bike Workshops and Classes in Reston
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| Certified instructors training riders. Photo courtesy of Bike Arlington |
We have good news for people interested in improving their bicycling skills or just learning how to bike. There will be a series of workshops and classes taught this summer at the Reston Community Center by FABB member and certified cycling instructor Kelley Westenhoff.
And, yes, we realize that most FABB members probably are experienced enough to not need classes. But, we bet that you may know someone or some kids who would like to learn to bike. Or perhaps you have a friend or neighbor who has seen the new Bike Share stations around the county, has started thinking about trying bicycling commuting, and would appreciate some advice on being a more confident, comfortable, and safe rider. If so, please help spread the word and let people know that registration opens for Reston residents on May 1, 2017, and for non-residents the following week on May 8, 2017.
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| Bike classes in Reston Photo courtesy of Reston Bike Ed, http://restonbikeed.com |
For riders 18 years and older, RCC will offer three Confident Cycling Classes to improve cycling abilities for controlling your bike, avoiding crashes, and gaining advance bike handling maneuvers to get you out of dangerous situations. Students will ride on the road to learn about lane control, driver communication and effective road behavior. Participants must be able to ride a bike without assistance and provide their own bicycle and helmet. They should dress comfortably and bring a water bottle. Each class will be a 3-hour session at RCC Hunters Woods from 1:00pm to 4:00pm on the following Sundays:
- Fundamentals - Sunday, 16 July 2017
- Crash Avoidance - Sunday, 30 July 2017.
- Confident Road Cycling - Sunday, 13 August 2017.
You can sign up for individual workshops or for all three. The cost for each workshop is $45 for Reston residents and $68 for non-residents. Please go to the RCC website for details on registration.
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| Photo courtesy of RCC. |
There also will be a Learn to Bike class for children (6-14 years old) and one for adults (15 years and older). These classes are for people who have never learned to ride a bike or need to relearn the basics. The certified instructors use a technique that is intuitive and will take students through a progressive curriculum that covers balance skills, basic steering skills, and basic braking skills and has a very high success rate. These classes will also be taught at RCC Hunters Woods.
The cost for each 3-hour class is $65 for Reston residents and $98 for non-residents. The registration fee includes the rental of a bike and a Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC)-approved helmet. If a student would like to bring their own helmet, it must be CPSC-approved. Students will be contacted two weeks in advance of the class to ensure that the proper size bicycle is provided. The classes will be held as follows:
- Learn to Bike for Youth - Saturday, 1 July 2017, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.
- Learn to Bike for Adults - Saturday, 22 July 2017, from 1:00 – 4:00 pm.
The RCC website has details on registration for these classes. For more information check out page 24 of the Adobe file (page 46 in the guide) of the RCC 2017 Summer Program Guide.
Labels: bike classes, learn to ride, RCC, reston
Thursday, September 24, 2015
DC second grade students receive bike safety education
All second graders in DC public schools now have the opportunity to learn to ride a bike. Starting this year physical education teachers will hold four 50-minute lessons on bike safely. District DOT and private donors purchased 1,000 bikes to be used in the classes.From the Washington Post article All D.C. public school students will learn to ride a bike in second grade:
The unit also reflects efforts across the country to make physical education classes more accessible and useful, with less focus on competitive sports and more attention to healthy lifestyles and fitness habits.
“This a lifelong skill,” said Miriam Kenyon, director of health and physical education for D.C. Public Schools. “It’s a way students can get to school and it’s also a way they can exercise with their family. It promotes independence, and it’s a good way to get around.”
The school system will ensure that programs of walking, bicycling and bus safety education shall be established and maintained for students in the elementary schools. Such programs shall be conducted in accordance with Virginia Department of Education curriculums and guidelines. Staff members will provide general safety information to school communities and respond to requests for specific information and advice when practicable.
These programs have not been established and almost no elementary kids receive bicycle safety education. According to the Post article referenced above, "Fairfax County offers optional lessons for older elementary students." There may be one or two schools that offer some bike safety instructions. The lessons should not be optional according to FCPS policy. All elementary students should have the opportunity to learn about safe bicycling skills. Why not ask your School Board member why FCPS does not follow their own policy on bike education.Labels: bicycle education, dc, dc public schools, fairfax county public schools, learn to ride
Sunday, April 28, 2013
Learning to ride a bike
Uneasy riders: Adults trying to get steady on 2 wheels is the title of a front page article in today's Washington Post (with a different online title). Many adults never learned to ride a bike. Now that cycling has become more popular, many of those adults are signing up for "learn to ride" classes. This spring WABA is holding 14 very popular adult-only Learn to Ride classes in DC, Arlington, and Alexandria. Similar classes are also offered at local REI stores.The technique used involves removing the pedals and lowering the seat so that students can gradually learn to balance and steer the bike. Once balance is learned, one and then both pedals are replaced. It takes a surprisingly short amount of time for adults to learn this skill that can be used throughout their lives.
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| Photo: Washington Post |
“It’s the best part of my job,” Hoagland said.
Anthony Mansell, 25, a climate change activist who lives near U Street in Northwest Washington, grew up in a rural part of Wales where he never learned to ride.
“It’s such an oddly good feeling,” he said, beaming, as he pedaled slowly by. “It’s not been fun to dread the day someone says ‘Let’s go on a bike ride.’ ”
Mansell plans to sign up for Capital Bikeshare, which allows users to check out bicycles from stations around the region. Several students mentioned the wildly popular program (it passed 4 million rides earlier this week), as well as other spokes of the bicycle boom that has enveloped Washington in the past decade. The District has gone from three miles of dedicated bike lanes in 2001 to 56 miles today. The percentage of workers commuting by bike has tripled in that time.
Labels: learn to ride, rei, waba
Sunday, August 22, 2010
WABA's Learn to Ride class
The class is a great deal. For $10 students receive a rental bike from Bike and Roll, a helmet, three hours of instruction, and 1 year introductory WABA membership. We met at the Old Post Office Pavilion location where people signed in and received a helmet and bike. We then walked the bikes to the Ellipse where there is a large parking area.
The parking lot has a slight slope which helps the budding cyclists learn the first step in the process, coasting. Pedals were removed from the bikes, seats were lowered, and students walked the bikes to build up a little speed and tried coasting. Once they could coast for 50 feet and were confident on the bike, pedals were put back on. They learned about putting the pedals in the power position and began to learn how to pedal the bike and stay upright, ie they learned how to ride.
There is nothing quite like the smile on a person's face when they first learn to ride a bike. It takes a lot of courage to learn as an adult, but it's a skill they can use for the rest of their lives. If you know an adult who wants to learn to ride, tell them about WABA's Learn to Ride class.
Labels: L2R, learn to ride, waba
