Tag: adult bike class

Bicycle training: schools and workplaces

Did you know that you can book People on Bicycles to run customised training at your school, workplace or for your community group?

We have also been working with the Department of Transport’s Your Move program, which takes behaviour change in your organisation, school or workplace to the next level.

Your Move is a free and personalised program providing information and support to encourage individuals, workplaces, schools and communities to walk, cycle and use public transport more often.  Workplaces and schools can sign up to the program via the website and once registered they have access to handy tools, information and support to help them motivate their staff, students and visitors to choose active and sustainable travel options by replacing some car trips with walking, cycling and public transport.

Registered organisations are then encouraged to share their stories of change with the online Your Move community to earn reward points which then can spend in the Your Move ‘shop.’ This shop is stocked with items that encourages schools and workplaces to take up active modes of travel more often.

People on Bicycle training sessions are part of this shop, so if you’re planning for change within your tribe, you can use Your Move Reward Points and we’ll help you!

Upcoming workshop: All about bike commute

Have you contemplated riding your bicycle to work? Sometimes trying something new seems like an insurmountable challenge. That’s why we thought we make it as easy as possible and offer you a series of workshop to get you into the right frame of mind.

Partnering with social enterprise Befriend we’re pleased to launch our Commuter Series, which you can directly book online. Pick the topic that you’re keen to learn more about or choose all of them, it’s entirely up to you.

The sessions will cover the following content:

Session 1: Road Rules & Safe Rides – Sat 15 October
This session will cover road safety and how to handle your bike (such as mounting, dismounting, breaking, gears and helmet use). We’ll also practice bike balance, riding with one hand, looking over the shoulder and overtaking.

Session 2: Commuting Kick-Start – Sat 22 October
Think about your needs in regards to your bike: which type would suit you best, and will it need much storage capacity? This session will cover trip planning; assess your skills and fitness; and strategies for shortening rides. We will also revise using gears and why they are key to riding longer routes.

Session 3: Bike Checks & Fixes – Sat 29 October
Learn about key safety requirements of your bike (such as breaks, seat position, chain, and tires). You’ll be taught some DIY quick fixes on the road (replacing the chain, fixing a flat) and what issues require urgent mechanical attention.

Session 4: Commuting Test Ride – Sat 5 November
Combining all the knowledge we’ve learnt from the past three session, we’ll do a medium length test ride, and if possible pick one of your chosen riding routes!

Sally and Vera in 2015.

Sally’s Saturday morning rides

I’m 62, and I work as a family mediator, a job I’ve done for the last 35 or so years. I work part-time, in the interests of keeping my sanity. My hobbies include cycling (obviously!), reading and playing games on the computer (mostly fantasy role-playing games).

Before enrolling in the cycling course in 2009, I wasn’t exercising much. I used to swim regularly when I was pregnant, and I used to walk regularly, but I wasn’t doing either of those as much as I felt I ought to – possibly because of too many games on the computer. So I saw the Back on Your Bike course run by City of Stirling and signed up. I was VERY nervous when I first got back on a bike after after, oh, probably 20 or so years. I was very wobbly and no confidence at all. But Joanne, the coach and City of Stirling Officer, was extremely patient with me and the rest of the other course participants and it wasn’t all that long before I learned to use gears and steer the bike without worrying TOO much about falling off.

The thing that made a huge difference to me, though, was that after the intensive skills development part of the course finished there were several weeks of lower-key skills development combined with social rides. If that hadn’t happened, I don’t think I’d still be riding today.

Back in 2009, my mother who lived in Dunsborough was quite unwell, and her condition deteriorated during 2010. She died in mid-2011. I went from occasional trips down to Dunsborough to monthly trips then to fortnightly ones, which made it difficult to keep up with regular riding. When I was not going down to Dunsborough quite so often, I rode with the group run by Jen Faint, I think it was Sundays?  Maybe Saturdays. However, she stopped organising those rides. By the time everything was sorted out with Mum’s estate and I was feeling up to riding again, there wasn’t a regular Saturday group and the Friday and Sunday groups were riding too far and too fast for me. So I thought, “Well, if I RUN a Saturday group, I’ll HAVE to get up and ride on Saturday mornings.” So I started organising a Saturday group.

There was one week where nobody turned up, but after that there was usually at least one other person. I started getting ladies from the Learning to Ride and Back on Your Bike courses because the Saturday rides were shorter and more gently paced than the Sunday or Friday rides.

I’m currently trying to get myself into cycling regularly more than once a week, but it’s sometimes hard to get motivated when it’s early in the morning and I’d rather sleep in.  As well, I’ve had bad doses of flu during each of the last three winters, which means a slow return to cycling even on Saturdays.

I’ve done some short bike rides around home – these days, I’d probably hop on my bike to get to the ATM or the post box rather than drive down. I did try riding to the local markets once, but I buy too much there!  Because I live on the top of a hill, and everywhere means going downhill but then returning uphill (and I’m not good on hills!) I don’t ride as much locally as I could. I’ve been considering buying an electric bike, though, and I think that’s likely to happen eventually. At that point I’ll probably do more local riding, and maybe cycle to and from the train station when I commute to work rather than driving there.

Through organising the Saturday rides I’ve made friendships  and joined a book club. I’m considerably fitter than I used to be. I organised a ride and high tea for my 60th birthday, which was lovely. I know a lot of wonderful paths around Perth, and I know there are a lot more I haven’t yet discovered. I know a lot of nice cafes to have coffee or breakfast at too, and I take my son out for brunch every couple of months. EVENTUALLY, I’ll go back to Dunsborough just to ride the cycle path between Busselton and Dunsborough. I’m considering – though not yet planning – a Bike to Barge cruise in Europe for 2018 or so.

November courses open for enrolment

November is unarguably the best time in Perth to learn how to ride a bike, get back into it and join a riding group to keep practicing. The wind is losing its cool nip, temperatures are climbing into the comfortable 20 degrees Celsius – not too warm, not too cold – and then there are the vast blue Perth skies. True, there’s always a blue sky spanning across this city, but there is no better place than marveling at it from the seat of a saddle.

Because November is simply perfect we’ve just scheduled another set of adult riding courses that will enable you to learn, practice and perfect your riding skills. There is no better way to actually ride a bike than knowing exactly how to avoid the most common hiccups and safely navigate through curly situations. Many people use shared paths across town to enjoy Spring, which makes paths a busy place to be, which can be challenging for those who have never ridden, or those who need a refresher of how to handle the bike.

If you like people watching this is good fun there is more out to see. Although not a native to WA, Jacarandas are now in full blossom and Applecross is a particularly great neighbourhood if you’re keen to have a look at the sea of purple flowers. Not sure how to get there? Join Jillian’s five week social ride and learn the best tricks and trips for planning your own journey around town.

New adult learn how to ride courses

People on Bicycles is pleased to offer a fresh set of adult rider classes. Learn how to ride caters for absolute novices, who are keen to acquire the skills of riding a bicycle. There are many reasons why some people never learned as a child – from parents being overprotective, a neighbourhood that wasn’t overly cycle friendly or bicycles that were just too expensive for families to buy.

At the end of the three-week course most participants will be able to balance on the bike, ride a short stretch and master wide turns, which is a great start and a good basis to continue to build on

Many participants are motivated to learn to ride as it is a fun activity and good way to get fit, but are afraid of getting hurt and sustaining injuries that will put a stop to any further exercise. The focus of the course is on safety and how to avoid any mishaps so that participants know exactly how to get on and off the bike, balance and use the brakes, which will keep them safe during the class and whenever they head out on their own.

Those who learned to ride a bike when they were little, but haven’t set their bum on a seat for a while will find the Back on Your Bike class extremely useful. The reason why many adults don’t ride a bicycle is because they worry about what might happen and getting into a situation they feel they can’t control. Learning how to ride safely is key to building people’s confidence and with a few tips and tricks it is easy to make a ride as safe as possible.

For those keen to practice their newly learned or re-freshed skill, but are too shy to go out on their own can join the Share the Ride: social ride which guides them on Perth’s shared paths network through the city, discover some of the hidden treasures of the town and really continue to build their skills and confidence. The rides are guided by experienced accredited cycle coach who provides useful recommendations for each rider to improve event further.

Check out the upcoming courses for more information and future dates.

Sian’s discovery of joy, health and happiness

How many new skills have you been acquiring lately? If you’ve grown out of your twenties, maybe even thirties, answering this question may be not so easy, particularly when it comes to skills that can be physically challenging. if not mastered as a child, Learning how to ride a bicycle as an adult is definitely a task left unaccomplished by many. Not so for Sian, who is telling her story of how she fell in love with a new hobby.

 

“I’m a middle-aged woman of questionable social standing, often talkative, who prefers dogs to cats, reads science-fiction, and thinks the TV program Justified was significantly under-rated.”

“Two years ago I decided to get “a bit” serious about losing some weight and getting fitter. Swimming isn’t always easy to organise. I’d grown bored with walking (so slow!), and the cost of attending a gym was getting a little prohibitive. I had friends who cycled, so I thought ‘why not?’ and stumbling upon a cycle course organised through the City of Stirling. Having never been on a bicycle before, the prospect of learning to ride was certainly daunting, however, I opted for taking the ‘nothing ventured, nothing gained’ perspective.”

“My first cycling lesson was in early 2013 on a Saturday morning in the Stirling Council car park. I was terrified. And very intrigued when virtually the first thing the instructor did was to take the pedals off all the bikes. This turned out to be one of the most practical and safe ways to assist complete novices with the process of learning how to balance on the bike. I also have a distinct memory of suffering the most excruciatingly sore bottom and hamstrings for two days afterwards. By the end of the three week course I had earned both pedals back, could hop on and off, ride in a straight-ish line and turn very, very, very wide corners. Oh, and stop. Stopping by choice is a critical skill.”

“If support had ceased there, I doubt I’d be riding today. Thankfully, the City of Stirling ran a 10 week social ride which basically helped the small group of recent ‘intense course’ graduates to continue practicing those raw, new skills in the safety of understanding company and under the ever patient guidance of an instructor. These 10 weeks were pivotal for so many reasons, but let me list four: ongoing contact with other women who were at a similar point on their learning-to-cycle journey, regular time to meet just for the purpose of practicing newly acquired skill, an enthusiast yet empathetic mentor to guide the group and keep us distracted from our fears, and repetition of the basics, including safety considerations, without pressure to improve or compete. I simply cannot thank each of the women who participated enough, just for being there. We began the course with some of us wondering if we would ever be able to cycle 10 kilometers. We finished the course knowing that 15 kilometers was totally within our grasp, though we might need a coffee at the end.”

“At the conclusion of the 10 week course I purchased my first ever bike. Her name is Rosie, and she is a supremely sturdy beast of the hybrid variety, with wide tyres and straight handlebars. Rosie and I attached ourselves to a regular Saturday riding group, the Wheelie Wonderful Women, a truly great bunch of women, and occasionally would sneak in a mid-week ride on our own.”

“The amazing thing was how little I knew of Perth. This city has beautiful secrets one may never discover without a bicycle.”

“Time passed. My rides were getting longer and more frequent. I  joined another fabulous Sunday riding group. I was having fun. Then a small number of group members announced plans for a trip to New Zealand to ride the Alps 2 Ocean cycle trail, which is eight days of riding some of the most scenic places on the New Zealand South Island. We trooped over in early December of 2014 and had the most spectacular time. There were several instances where I judiciously chose to dismount and walk and there were many, many more instances where I needed to stop and catch my breath (they have real hills over there). Nonetheless, it was glorious. I was having even more fun. Who knew cycling could be all that?”

“Back in Perth, Rosie was no longer everything I wanted in a bicycle. I had reached the point where the optimal number of bikes to own is N+1 (where N is the number of bikes you have right now). Besides, the sales were on. So, in 2015, I purchased my second bicycle; her name is Maxine. She is a carbon composite, flat-bar road bike with disc brakes and together we have yet more fun.”

“I still ride Rosie as she is safe in the wet, can trundle off-road and haul luggage, but there is something very pleasing about a bike like Maxine whose sole purpose is to just go.”

“An average week for me right now would involve 2–5 separate rides. At least one of those will be a social ride with social group, at least one will be over 30 kilometers and the extras often arise from commuting between home and work, which is ‘only’ 11.6 kilometers one way. If I can’t make a social ride I just pick a route and trundle off alone – there is no better stress relief than a decent bicycle ride.”

“Joining the social riding group and learning to cycle has changed my life in so many good ways. I’m certainly fitter, healthier and a little lighter. I’ve met amazing, inspiring women who are a delight to spend time with. I’ve explored places that would otherwise have remained unknown or inaccessible to me. Friends who used to cycle have ventured back on their bikes, and they are most impressed to discover that there is always a good coffee at the end of a ride.”

“One of the more curious run-on effects of becoming a fun-oriented cyclist was chatting with a friend who has been a cycling commuter for more than a decade. She realised that she hadn’t cycled for fun in years, it was simply a means to get from place to place. Now she has re-discovered riding for pleasure by taking a trip once a week along the coast or river and wonders why she deprived herself all this time.”

“There’s always something new to try once you have a bike. And in my experience, people interested in cycling are, for the most part, incredibly supportive and helpful. Who wouldn’t want to be part of that?”

If Sian’s story has inspired you to learn how to ride, get back on your bike or join a social ride, check out our upcoming classes.

Launch of bicycle classes

Have you never learned how to ride a bicycle? Or has it been a very, very long time since you’ve been on a bike and it all seems a little too scary?

Learning how to handle a bicycle safely can be extremely daunting – particularly when you’re not a little child anymore and the thought of falling seems less than appealing. Finding adult classes that have no prerequisites and cater for the absolute novice can be equally frustrating.

From experience we know that people capable of riding a bicycle have forgotten how challenging learning these set of skills can be. And really, is hoping to remember how to ride a bike really the only thing you want to count on when it’s been a while?

For a few years we have been teaching – particularly women – how to master the skill of safely riding a bicycle. The classes have helped hundreds of participants to rediscover the joy of riding a bicycle.

We teach without judgement, just facts, useful tips and a whole heap of fun. No question is too little and the speed of how you learn is up to you – metaphorically and literally.

Sounds like the right thing for you? Check out our upcoming courses to find out where and when we’ll be running the next set of classes.