Beginner Bike Skills

Having trouble balancing, starting, or stopping on your bike?

Beginner Bike Skills is a StreetWise course, for people who have not yet learned to ride a bike or lack the basic handling skills or confidence to cycle for urban transportation. This small group 2-hour course occurs completely off-road, in a safe and comfortable environment for new riders. Under the guidance of our experienced instructors, participants will practice fundamental bike handling skills such as balance, braking, steering, and pedaling. 

Beginner Bike Skills course includes:

  • 2 hours of instruction led by certified instructors
  • Basic bike fitting and safety checks, as well as progressive activities to build fundamental skills and confidence.
  • 1:5 instructor-to-participant ratio to ensure lots of 1 on 1 attention and personalized feedback
  • Up to 10 participants 
  • If you have one, please bring your own working bicycle and helmet to the course. Alternatively, we will have bikes and helmets on-site that you can use for the duration of the course. 

Registration for Spring AND Summer classes at the Trout Lake Community Centre is now open! Please proceed to the Vancouver Parks Board Website to register.

Trout Lake Spring dates:

  • Saturday, May 6th: 11am - 1pm OR 2pm - 4pm
  • Thursday, May 18th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Saturday, June 3rd: 11am - 1pm
  • Saturday, June 10th: 11am - 1pm  OR 2pm - 4pm
  • Saturday, June 17th: 11am - 1pm
  • Saturday, June 24th: 11am - 1pm
  • Thursday, June 29th: 5pm - 7pm

Trout Lake Summer dates:

  • Thursday, July 6th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Saturday, July 8th: 11am - 1pm
  • Thursday, July 13th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Thursday, July 20th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Thursday, July 27th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Saturday, July 29th: 11am - 1pm
  • Thursday, August 10th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Saturday, August 19th: 2pm - 4pm
  • Thursday, August 24th: 5pm - 7pm
  • Saturday, September 2nd: 11am - 1pm

Registration for Summer classes (all ages!) at Steveston Community Centre is now open! Please proceed to the City of Richmond Activities Webpage to register (choose Steveston as your location, and search Beginner Bike Skills)

Steveston Summer Dates:

  • Sunday, July 9th: 11am - 1pm
  • Sunday, July 16th: 11am - 1pm
  • Sunday, July 23rd: 11am - 1pm
  • Sunday, August 13th: 11am - 1pm
  • Sunday, August 20th: 11am - 1pm
  • Sunday, August 27th: 11am - 1pm

 

FAQs

Where are lessons held? 

Vancouver: The lessons will take place next to Trout Lake Community Centre, on the Trout Lake close field (link to google maps location here) 

Richmond: The lessons will take place behind the Steveston Community Centre, on the paved area behind the building next to the pool.

Do I need a bike?

If you have your own bike and helmet, please bring them to the lesson. If you don't own a bike or can’t transport it to the lesson location, we will have a fleet of 15 bikes and helmets that participants will be able to use for the duration of the lesson. 

How can I get my bike to the lesson spot?

You can bring your bike inside a personal vehicle, on a vehicle's bike rack, on a bus bike rack, or Skytrain car. If it's your first time using a bus bike rack or bringing a bike on transit - check out TransLink's helpful tips beforehand. All Metro Vancouver buses are able to take 2 bikes on their front racks. 

How can I get to Trout Lake Community Centre?

Trout Lake Community Centre is located in the southwest corner of Trout Lake Park (3360 Victoria Drive). You can find transit options either via Google Maps or through Moovit. There is free parking available outside the Community Centre (located near Victoria and 15th). Nearby cycling routes can be found here.

How can I get to the Steveston Community Centre?

Steveston Community Centre is located next to Steveston Community Park (4111 Moncton Street.) You can find transit options either via Google Maps or through Moovit. There is parking available to the east of the Community Centre. Nearby cycling routes can be found here. 

Do you offer other lessons for more advanced skills?

Yes, we are pleased to be running other programs at Trout Lake Community Centre and the Steveston Community Centre this Summer - Intermediate Bike Skills Practice and Basic Bike Maintenance. If you're looking for a course to increase your confidence in cycling from the comfort of your own home, you can take StreetWise Cycling Online. We will also be running webinars on a range of topics, starting in April 2023. You can find dates and recordings of the webinars here. 

If you have any more questions, please contact streetwise@bikehub.ca