REI: Introduction to Road Cycling Class

[pfunkallstar]

I haven’t taken the REI class, but you could probably pick up a lot of what they teach by going on a few group rides – maybe pick a slower pace group so you can ask questions. It sounds like you have the right attitude, i.e. “hills and traffic are dangerous things.” That is just natural. The next step is converting that sense of danger into one that is moderated by an ounce or two of “feeling of control” then you’ll be golden.

[elcee]

@pfunkallstar 25474 wrote:

I haven’t taken the REI class, but you could probably pick up a lot of what they teach by going on a few group rides – maybe pick a slower pace group so you can ask questions. …

+1 on the group rides. You might check out Potomac Pedalers‘ “C” level rides – there are usually a few seasoned cyclists on every ride, but at the same time they’re not so competitive as to blow through every stop sign. Talk to the ride leader about what you’d like to learn and you’ll get more than enough advice.

[DaveK]

I can’t believe I’m the first to say this – it sounds like WABA’s Confident City Cycling classes are just the thing for you. They will take you riding on different roads with different traffic conditions to help you get more accustomed to riding in traffic. Check it out here – http://www.waba.org/education/adult.php

[KLizotte]

@DaveK 25503 wrote:

I can’t believe I’m the first to say this – it sounds like WABA’s Confident City Cycling classes are just the thing for you. They will take you riding on different roads with different traffic conditions to help you get more accustomed to riding in traffic. Check it out here – http://www.waba.org/education/adult.php

Unfortunately (or strangely), their calendar doesn’t show a single class for the next three months. Not sure if that is a programming blip or if they have suspended them due to the heat.

[zanna_leigh]

@acl 25471 wrote:

Is anyone familiar with this? http://www.rei.com/class/122/session/52676 I’m wondering just how “beginning cyclist” it’s oriented towards. I’m not really a beginner– I ride about 100 miles a week– but I’m entirely self-taught, so there are probably things I don’t know or tips I could use to feel more comfortable and I just bought my first road bike and am not quite sure how to ride it yet (it’s at the bike shop getting a tune-up right now; hopefully when it will actually shift properly I can make some progress with it). Traffic still scares me, and riding down hills *terrifies* me. (riding down hills in traffic- oh, joy) I’m wondering if I would find a class like this helpful.

I’m not familiar with the REI class but there are some other options you have that would be just as helpful (and not as pricey). FIRST, BikeArlington hosts informative and interactive sessions every Tuesday night on pretty much everything you need to know about biking in Arlington, or elsewhere. We cover 3 main topics: bike safety in traffic; equipment, clothing & gear (including how to fix a flat and maintain your bike); and route selection to get around by bike. So we basically cover the same skills that REI teaches with a focus on “the proper techniques for ‘sharing the road’, riding etiquette/traffic law, and basic bike maintenance”.

We welcome questions and aren’t glued to any specific topic so if you have questions about gears/cadence especially going up/down hills, we would be happy to answer them. The sessions this month are being held at the Arlington Central Library from 7pm – 830pm. Tonight’s discussion is on safety and riding in traffic! You can check our website for a detailed schedule. I should also mention we always have refreshments and a door prize – so you can join us for the free food and prizes if nothing else :p

BUT I’d also like to point out that as DaveK mentioned:

@DaveK 25503 wrote:

it sounds like WABA’s Confident City Cycling classes are just the thing for you. They will take you riding on different roads with different traffic conditions to help you get more accustomed to riding in traffic. Check it out here – http://www.waba.org/education/adult.php

We partner with WABA to hold these CCC classes in Arlington – these are on-bike instructional classes that cover “simple bike handling skills and using trails, to learning avoidance maneuvers and riding with traffic.” So if you want to supplement what you learned at a TWT, the CCC class is the way to go.

And in response to KLizotte: @KLizotte 25520 wrote:

Unfortunately (or strangely), their calendar doesn’t show a single class for the next three months. Not sure if that is a programming blip or if they have suspended them due to the heat.

They are still working on scheduling their classes for the fall. I don’t think they’ll have any classes in August due to the summer holiday. But you should expect to see the classes for the fall scheduled soon.

Good luck!

[KelOnWheels]

@DaveK 25503 wrote:

I can’t believe I’m the first to say this – it sounds like WABA’s Confident City Cycling classes are just the thing for you. They will take you riding on different roads with different traffic conditions to help you get more accustomed to riding in traffic. Check it out here – http://www.waba.org/education/adult.php

Seconded (or is that thirded?) Really excellent class, I plan to take it again in the fall

[Amalitza]

Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep my eye out for the fall WABA classes.

[consularrider]

The Arlington Adult Education people have the LAB 101 course taught by Allen Muchnick at the Career Center. Unfortunately, the last one for the summer was last week and there probably isn’t anything until September. I think he also did this in conjunction with Alexandria, but I’m not sure of the dates or places.

[acc]

I’d go ahead and take the REI class. It will give you insight and strategies for coping with traffic right now when you ‘re most likely to ride. God knows I’m a slow learner but I’ve taken three rounds of bike safety classes over two years. Each time I go I learn something new or come up with a better idea about how to move through intersections or up hills. Any money you invest in instruction is worth it in terms of information you get out of it.

And I’m still learning how to move through my gears efficiently. I am embarrassed to admit this but for the first year I had my road bike I stayed in the second ring (I had three at the time) 95% of the time just because I did not have the confidence to shift. Only the fun and games of the group ride out at Wakefield Park broke me of the habit.

The Potomac Pedalers group rides taught me an encyclopedia about bike etiquette. And they were nice about. Definitely give them a try.

Look at bike safety classes as a yearly physical with your primary care physician. It doesn’t hurt and is worth saving your hide.

Enjoy your bike, enjoy the ride.
ann

[Amalitza]

WOOHOO! I can ride a properly tuned road bike! Not well, yet, true, but I can ride it. I can start and stop. Without falling over! I can shift! (the front, even) I can brake! I can go around (moderate) curves! I can dodge joggers with (well-behaved) dogs and little girls learning to roller blade. I can ride over rough pavement and (wet and slippery, even) wooden bridges. I can go up and down (gentle) slopes. I can even ride in the drops. All without falling over!

Can I also take a drink of water without falling over? that is unknown, as I wasn’t quite brave enough to try that.:p

[KelOnWheels]

You rock!!!

[consularrider]

@consularrider 25558 wrote:

The Arlington Adult Education people have the LAB 101 course taught by Allen Muchnick at the Career Center. Unfortunately, the last one for the summer was last week and there probably isn’t anything until September. I think he also did this in conjunction with Alexandria, but I’m not sure of the dates or places.

I just got an email from Arlington Adult Ed. Registration is now open for the fall classes. Allen is teaching the course in September and October. There are also several basic bike mechanic courses.

[DaveK]

WABA also announced a Confident City Cycling class coming up this Saturday 7/28 – https://salsa.democracyinaction.org/o/451/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=75496

[KLizotte]

@acl 25955 wrote:

WOOHOO! I can ride a properly tuned road bike! Not well, yet, true, but I can ride it. I can start and stop. Without falling over! I can shift! (the front, even) I can brake! I can go around (moderate) curves! I can dodge joggers with (well-behaved) dogs and little girls learning to roller blade. I can ride over rough pavement and (wet and slippery, even) wooden bridges. I can go up and down (gentle) slopes. I can even ride in the drops. All without falling over!

Can I also take a drink of water without falling over? that is unknown, as I wasn’t quite brave enough to try that.:p

Congrats on your new found skills. Not to scare you or anything, but be very, very careful on wooden bridges/boardwalks. They are deceptively slippery, even when they look dry. And if they are covered by trees (a.k.a. get little sun) they develop a slimely surface that is extremely slippery. Unfortunately the boardwalks cause lots of wipeouts so if you do go down, you want to do so while riding slowly. I had a bad splat over the weekend on a boardwalk partly because I forgot how slippery they can be and don’t wish to see anyone else get hurt. Just take them slow and easy and you’ll be fine; ignore the people who whizz by you. The boardwalk troll will get them eventually unfortunately.

[Amalitza]

thanks, I’ll see what my weekend’s like, I may sign up for Saturday.

KLizotte, yes, me and the boardwalk troll go way back. He introduced himself to me about 3 or 4 years ago. The cumulative effects of a number of stupid things on my part made me easy prey. Luckily, I survived with no damage to the bike and only superficial damage (minor scrapes and bruised) to me. But… it was a section that spans a pretty deep ravine, with “guardrails” (i use that term very loosely) consisting of posts with two chains strung between them, at about 3’ and 1-1/2’ high. So I found myself separated from my bike, lying on my side on the bridge, looking over the edge with absolutely nothing between me and empty space 20ft or so above the bottom of the ravine. And since it was raining heavily, the trail was uncharacteristically deserted; I was wondering, even if I could have survived the fall, how long it would have taken for someone to find me down there. It was a bit sobering. I have been careful with those things ever since. Especially the ones hovering over empty space.

Heal quickly.

[Author]

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