Learning to ride is a life skill you can do at any age

On Friday, June 14th at The Bud Harris Cycling Track, riders of all ages took the first steps and pedal strokes, towards learning to ride a bike at our first Learn 2 Ride event. With the help of CitiParks, POGOH bike share, and our expert team of League Cycling Instructors, we provided learning opportunities for toddlers through adults. Here’s a recap and check out the incredible photos by photographer Dani Dawn on our Flickr page.

The Balance First Approach

The event featured a Kids & Balance Bike Area for toddlers through 5-year-olds to practice striding or pedaling with our fleet of balance and kids’ pedal bikes. 5 to 12-year-olds attended a group class with hands-on instruction and adults took a group class focused on first-time learners. Students brought their own bikes or used our loaner bikes or bike share bikes courtesy of POGOH. Inspired by the League of American Bicyclists’ new Learn to Ride curriculum, our group classes utilized a “balance first” approach. With this approach, training wheels and pedals are removed, so that riders can first learn to balance before they progress to pedaling. See the video below to see the “balance first” approach in action.

Test Drive a POGOH on The Track

Our Learn 2 Ride event also allowed attendees to try bikes from POGOH’s fleet on The Bud Harris Cycling Track. Known to many bike racers as “The Oval”, we took over this banked half-mile track to have some low-speed fun and gave riders plenty of space to get into their groove. Stop by our next Learn 2 Ride events (Friday, July 19th or August 16th) to try out a POGOH bike, or e-bike, or just practice riding your own bike on the track.

Preregistered Group Classes are Sold Out, but Walk-Up Opportunities are Available!

Although group classes for the next two Learn 2 Ride events are now sold out, there are still plenty of walk-up opportunities for attendees of all ages to practice bike riding on the track. If you’ve signed up for a class and can no longer attend, please notify education@bikepgh.org and we can give your spot to someone else!

Continuing Education

Would you like private learn-to-ride instruction? Fill out this form to be matched with a private instructor. Note: private instructors charge an hourly rate for lessons.

Are you an adult or parent of a teen who is ready to take the next step as a rider? Register for one of our free Confident City Cycling Classes and learn how to ride your bike anywhere in town! More info on our blog!

Thank You!

Thanks again to CitiParks for letting us use the amazing Bud Harris Cycling Track, POGOH for their support of these events, and our staff of Bike People outreach associates and League Cycling Instructors: Seth, Laura, Dawna, Robin, Tobias, Lucy, and Brother Lloyd for making this event possible. Also, a big shoutout to Cannondale for providing us with seven children’s bikes for our educational programming! Lastly, thank you to our BikePGH members like you for making free education like this possible!