everybodyBIKE Classes

Bicycling is even more fun when you’ve brushed up on a few traffic safety skills. Take advantage of the many free everybodyBIKE educational materials, classes and events that give you and your family the tips that make everyday cycling a comfortable and practical way to get around. No matter what your age or ability level, everybodyBIKE skills-building can help bicycling become part of your transportation portfolio.

Get details below about bicycle education programs for adults and children:

First Gearis a two-part course designed for adults.

Kid's Eye View: A Class for Parents: How to Teach Your Child to Bike

Parent – Child Bicycle Class Dads and Moms learn with their daughers and sons in a fun and active class. Great for parents, or Big Brothers/Sisters, and children ages 8-12, or for clubs and groups such as CampFire or Boy and Girl Scouts.

Share the Road Presentation for Groups

Bike Buddies customized assistance

Classes for children:

Sprocket Hero Bicycle Safety Presentations for Children

Bicycle Skills Courses for groups of children

First Gear

First Gear is a two-part class that gives the essentials for beginning or refreshing your familiarity with cycling. First Gear builds on familiar traffic safety skills and shows how to apply the same rules to make cycling comfortable for daily transportation trips around town.

First Gear, Part One: Shows how the familiar traffic rules apply to bicycling. Presented in an interactive format, participants learn about intersections, trail etiquette, and when the bike lane is the right place to ride – and when it isn’t. A group practice session gives everyone a chance to try out their bikes in the parking lot. Participants receive bonus materials including a Whatcom Bicycle Map. Start with Part One if you haven’t been cycling lately. Part One is offered every month – check the events calendar for dates.

First Gear, Part Two: This class begins with a review quiz on traffic skills covered in Part One, then introduces a few of the mechanical functions on your bike. Learn what kinds of adjustments are easy for brakes or gears, and what kinds of wear to watch out for. This class features the favorite: how to repair a flat tire. A group practice ride gives everyone a chance to practice signaling, stopping, and turning during a short neighborhood ride. Start with Part Two if you’re more interested in basic maintenance (and watch the League of American Bicyclists “Enjoy the Ride” video for a review of traffic skills). Part Two is offered about four times a year - check the events calendar for dates.

Group Bike Ride: Practice your new cycling skills in a group for some fun and positive reinforcement. Led by an everybodyBIKE instructor, you’ll ride with up to 10 other First Gear “graduates” on a short 2 to 4 mile road route in downtown Bellingham, demonstrating how to be a courteous, visible, and predictable cyclist. The Group Bike Ride is scheduled twice a year (subject to minimum enrollment).

Bring a bike to all the classes. If you need to borrow a bike, contact everybodyBIKE at least one week prior to the class to make arrangements. If you have questions, call 671-BIKE.

Kids's Eye View, A Course for Parents: How to Teach Your Child to Bike

Children love to bicycle and they need some pointers to stay safe. Kid's Eye View helps parents know how to model and teach the key traffic rules that will keep young cyclists safe and happy. Traffic rules have changed over the years: many of today’s parents were taught bicycle rules that were different when they were children: Kid's Eye View is a useful refresher. Read through What parents should know about teaching kids to bike (PDF) for additional tips to get your child off to a happy cycling start.

Parent-Child Bicycle Class

A class designed for parents and children ages 8-12 to have fun learning on-the-road bicycle safety together. The class includes an indoor session to learn about laws and safe cycling principles, and an outdoor session to practice safety maneuvers and a short bike ride. Includes basic mechanics such as fixing a flat tire and a visit to the HUB Community Bike Shop.

Share the Road Presentations

Whether we’re walking, driving, or cycling, we can all share the road safely by following basic courtesies. In some traffic situations, it isn’t clear exactly what “sharing the road” means. This presentation, based on outreach by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, can help clear up the confusion. Topics include how drivers can safely interact with cyclists, how to keep crossing pedestrians safe, and how traffic laws apply to cyclists. This Share the Road information sheet offers a quick review for drivers.

Bike Buddies

If the times and dates of First Gear classes don’t fit your schedule, arrange for customized instruction from a “Bike Buddy”. Bike Buddies are everybodyBIKE instructors who can give you one-on-one assistance at a time and place that works for you. A Bike Buddy can help you choose your route, check your bike for safety, or ride along with you to address questions specific to your commute. Call 671-BIKE.

Sprocket Hero: Bike Safety Presentations for Children's Groups

Need an engaging speaker for a kids' club or school group? Invite a Certified Cycling Instructor to make a short presentation about bicycle safety tips. Or invite Sprocket Hero to thrill youngsters with a special appearance. Presentations are up to one-hour long and your group will learn how to check a bike for safe functioning, how to prevent crashes, and what protective equipment can help reduce injuries in a fall.

Bicycle Skills Courses for Children

Every year, elementary schools and community groups throughout Whatcom County partner with everybodyBIKE to host host fun and instructive bicycle skills courses. Children enjoy active learning and they build cycling skills with a series of stations on a protected course. Each station teaches a different bike safety technique, prioritized to address the hazards most often encountered by children. Children learn the importance of stopping and looking before riding out of driveways; they learn the meaning of traffic signs and signals; and much more. Schools or groups wishing to host a Skills Course should contact everybodyBIKE in advance to find out about scheduling, staffing and volunteer support. EverybodyBIKE provides an instructor, course equipment, loaned bikes and helmets. These skills courses are best for larger groups of children (100 or so) aged 6 to 12 and for events lasting at least two hours.

Who are the everybodyBIKE Instructors?

Classes are taught by members of the everybodyBIKE Teaching Team. Lead instructors are certified by the League of American Bicyclists to teach bike riding skills and safety. First Gear is based on the League's nationally-recognized Smart Cycling course. League Cycling Instructors (LCI) for everybodyBIKE Teaching Team include cyclists with years of experience in daily bike commuting, professional teaching, transportation planning, and bicycling with young children.