Action 2: Adult Bike Classes
Let’s make it easy for adults to become comfortable on bicycles by offering comprehensive bike skills classes.
Molly Hajjar (center), BWT bike instructor, and two students at a learn-to-ride for adults in 2019. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
About This Action
Comprehensive adult bicycle classes should be available throughout the warmer seasons at low-to-no cost, making it possible for people at any stage of life to receive quality bike education. One in four adults (27%) in and around Ithaca indicated that they were insecure about their bicycling skills in a recent survey, and women, college students, and people of color are disproportionately affected by this barrier to bicycling. The need for bicycling education for mature teens, adults, and seniors is clear.
Bike Walk Tompkins served dozens of people, primarily women, through pilot bike skills programs for adults in 2018 and 2019. BWT began segmenting classes into three different skill levels: learn-to-ride, bicycle handling, and street skills, following inspiration from programs such as Bike New York and Uptown & Boogie. Curricula for these three levels of bicycling skills should be developed further so that both instructors and students can track their progress and this resource can be shared with other upstate NY communities. When capacity has been built up, we will offer adult bike classes in partnership with colleges, workplaces, and community centers. Bike Walk Tompkins will do the heavy lifting to broaden the reach of this valuable service, especially at a time when it’s most relevant to the individual (e.g. street riding classes during orientation or onboarding) or in a more relevant format (e.g. learn-to-ride with adaptive bikes at seniors’ centers) .
Molly (right) with a student during a individual bike class held on a parking lot near her house in the Southside neighborhood of Ithaca. (Photo: Bike Walk Tompkins)
Increasing Equity
Both the 2018 and the 2020 Ithaca Bicycle Use and Attitudes Survey revealed that women were disproportionately more likely to self-report insecurity about bicycling skills as a barrier to biking more in and around Ithaca. The 2020 Survey also revealed that people of color were more likely to report the same insecurity. This may explain why women, many of whom were also people of color, have been the primary attendees of the pilot classes. Building up capacity to deliver adult bike education will address the gender and racial disparities found in this barrier to bicycling.
As Part of COVID-19 Response and Recovery
The COVID-19 pandemic has sparked an interest in bicycling nationally and locally both as a transportation option and as a safe outdoor recreation activity. Over 50% of people in and around have expressed that COVID-19 has increased their interest in bicycling. As a response, Bike Walk Tompkins restructured its 2020 bike education plans to offer individual bike skills classes, with safeguards in place such as mask wearing and social distancing. Individual classes have been a hit and instructors have supported over 15 adults in June and July at all bicycling skills levels, from learn-to-ride to street riding.
“The Bike Skills Lesson was extraordinarily useful for me. Now I know that I can use a 2-wheeler with a little more practice, and that I really enjoyed the recumbent bike. I’ve already scheduled a rental of a recumbent for next week. Thanks so much!”
Making it Happen
Adult bike classes have been a recurring and growing offering from Bike Walk Tompkins since 2018. Volunteers are often needed at these classes to support instructors to meet the needs of attendees.
Are you an adult or mature teen that wants to learn how to ride a bike or ride safely on the road? Check out our current list of classes on our website and sign up.
Are you interested in volunteering at a bike skills class and supporting people learning to ride? Contact us to inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Are you part of an organization or social group that would benefit from a bike class tailored to your group’s specific needs? Reach out to us via email with more details.
All Education Actions
