Want to feel more comfortable riding a bike?

This is the skill session you’ve been looking for! These instructional GIFs are perfect for new and seasoned riders alike to build skills and confidence, especially when it comes to riding on the street.

Our confident cycling skills challenge was created by Karen Brooks who is certified through BICP and PMBIA to teach mountain bike skills, and through the League of American Bicyclists to teach safe riding on the street. Karen helped to develop Bike Pittsburgh’s City Cycling curriculum and enjoys helping people discover biking for transportation and fun.

Bookmark this blog, grab your bike, and practice these 10 skills to become a more confident city cyclist!

Let’s get Started!

1. Starting

It’s important to feel comfortable riding with traffic, especially during those busy times of the day. Starting and stopping is a great place to begin learning the basics of city cycling. Boost your confidence by learning how to start and stop safely and quickly.

To Practice: start by standing out of the saddle. Then, put your dominant foot on the pedal at the 2 ‘o clock power position, while holding down the brake levers. (Tip: Never start with your front pedal in a down position. This will throw you off-balance.) Observe traffic to make sure it’s safe to start. Once the coast is clear, let go of your brakes and push down on your pedal with your weight to launch yourself forward. Ease back into the saddle and continue to pedal.

2. Stopping

Being able to stop quickly and safely is an essential skill, no matter where you find yourself riding. If a critter jumps out onto the trail or another road use suddenly pulls out in front of you, you’ll want to be able to stop suddenly in a short distance. Luckily, you can learn (or refresh!) this skill with a bit of practice on a flat stretch of pavement.

To Practice: Engage both brakes evenly and gradually to stop smoothly. Never abruptly pull on the brakes – this can cause you to lose your balance while stopping. When you come to a complete stop,  turn the handlebars a little bit away from the side you want to step down on. The bike will lean to that side so you can look where you are stepping down. Return your pedals to the power position, with your dominant pedal at 2 o’ clock.

3. Scanning (Looking back for traffic)

Scanning is the act of looking over your shoulder to check for overtaking traffic or to see that you are clear before changing your road position or speed. This is a skill that you’ll need so that you can keep your bicycle moving in a straight line while you are looking back.

To Practice: start biking at a controlled pace, take a deep breath, exhale and relax before turning your head. You can do this while coasting and keeping your weight on the saddle. Remember to separate your head movement from your hands so that you continue to move forward in a straight line (think “heavy feet, light hands”). Practice looking over each shoulder until it becomes second nature and you are able to maintain a straight line of travel while looking back.

4. Signaling

A large part of being predictable in your actions on the road is letting others know what you plan to do before you do it, and hand signals are an essential communication tool. After scanning, you should always signal to motorists that you plan to change your position. You can do this by outstretching your arm in the direction that you are planning to turn. Be sure to stop signaling well before entering an intersection or changing lanes. At this point, it is more important for you to have both hands on your handlebars for maximum control and maneuverability.

To Practice: bike at a controlled pace, and scan over your shoulder. First, try briefly dropping one hand to your side and continue biking in a straight line. Once you can comfortably ride with one hand on the bars, progress to lifting your arm and pretend like you’re signaling. Practice this with both of your arms until you can confidently signal while maintaining your balance.

5. Climbing Hills

No matter where you’re biking in Pittsburgh, you’re bound to encounter a hill, or two… a or dozen! And while hills can present a bit of a challenge, they can also be rather fulfilling when you’re thoroughly prepared for the climb. The most effective way to climb a hill comfortably is to pace yourself. You don’t want to tire yourself out in the middle of the hill by starting at too fast of a pace.

To Practice: Before you start climbing the hill, get a good pace going and shift into a comfortable gear. Start climbing slowly to get into a rhythm, and then consider lifting the pace. Depending on your bike’s gearing, the steepness of the hill, and personal preference, you can either stay seated or stand up out of the saddle. Standing up out of the saddle will give you a bit more speed, but you don’t want to tire out too early. When in doubt, feel it out!

Note: Listen to your body – there’s no shame in stopping to walk if you feel like you’ve reached your limit. Simply pull off to the side of the road, dismount, and walk up the remainder of the hill. Keep practicing, and you’ll get it next time!

6. Descending Hills

Just like climbing, riding downhill can be a bit intimidating, regardless of your level of experience. The key is to start slowly, and build your confidence with the smaller hills before taking on the steeper descents. Before you know it, you’ll be looking forward to those downward slopes!

To Practice: Start with your arms slightly bent and your fingers lightly resting on the brakes. Keep your pedals at a slight angle to brace your feet against the hill, and keep your chin above the middle of your handlebars so that your weight is centered between the front and rear wheels. To slow down, pull both brakes slowly and evenly. Last thing: loosen up a little! By relaxing your elbows and shoulders, you’ll be able to maintain better control over your bike.

7. Curb Hops

The ability to curb hop can be wonderful if you find yourself in a pinch where you’ve run out of flat ground. It also gives you extra style points when you’re out and about! Take time to practice lifting your front wheel off the ground – we recommend starting small and working your way up to larger curbs.

To Practice: When you’re approximately 1 foot from the curb, push down on your handlebars, allowing your front wheel to spring up. Lift up your front wheel and then set it on top of the curb. To keep your rear tire from hitting the curb, shift your weight forward as you climb. Keep practicing until you’re able to time it just right and your front wheel no longer rolls up the curb.

8. Drop Offs

Whether you’re biking on a trail with bumps and grooves or need to descend from the sidewalk  to the street, knowing how to drop off smoothly and safely is a great skill to master. With the right technique and a bit of practice, you’ll get the hang of curb drops in no time! Start with tiny drops and build your way up in height until you feel comfortable and confident.

To Practice: Approach the curb while coasting at a medium speed, keeping your pedals level and your elbows and knees slightly bent. Keep your chin up and look ahead to where you want to go. As you ride off the curb, use your elbows and knees to help smooth out the ride. Practice dropping off the curb at different speeds – the slower you go, the harder it becomes.

9. Bike Body Separation

Bike body separation will help you improve your overall balance and be more comfortable and confident on your bike. It’s especially useful while mountain biking, biking and low speeds, avoiding things on the road like rocks and branches, etc.

To Practice: start by standing out of the saddle, and coast in a neutral position with your pedals level and your knees slightly bent. Slowly straighten one arm and then the other, moving side-to-side like your arms are windshield wipers. When done correctly, you’ll feel the bike saddle tap the inside of each leg. straighten one arm and then the other, and touch your saddle to the inside of each leg. Lean your bike to turn around obstacles like rocks, and continue looking in the direction you want to go.

10. Turning / Cornering Confidently

Knowing how to smoothly turn and corner obstacles will help you safely navigate traffic and confidently ride with a group. It can also help you ride a bit faster, as there’s less need to suddenly stop or slow down excessively when you’re able to safely maneuver your bike.

To Practice: As you approach a turn, control your speed, keeping an eye out for any obstacles. Then, lift up the pedal that’s closest to the corner/direction you’re headed and lean into the turn slightly (no need to exaggerate this movement). Look up and through the turn, focusing on where you want to go. Imagine that you’re steering with your eyes, chin, belly button, and hips to follow through with the turn. Confidence is key, so start slowly before picking up the pace!