BikeLoud has two programs to help new or anxious riders get comfortable with bicycling.
Bike Buddy Program
We'll pair you with an experienced Bike Loud volunteer who can meet you once or several times. Your personal Bike Buddy will answer bicycle-related questions, and ride around with you to help you gain confidence. Try your commute or daily errands together. This is free. If interested, please fill out the form below.
Certified Bicycling Traffic Instructor
Schedule a bicycling instructor to meet you for free. Our instructor is certified by the League of American Bicyclists to teach a 9 hour class. He'll informally teach as much of the curriculum as you'd like, for however long you'd like. Topics include:
- Parking lot drills to get comfortable balancing, turning, and shifting gears.
- Clothing/gear you may need.
- Tips for locking a bicycle.
- Choosing a bicycle style and size that meets your needs and fits you comfortably.
- Basic bike maintenance. Ensuring your bike is safe enough to ride.
- Learning to get groceries, haul kids, and commute to work.
- How to find a route in Portland to get places by bike.
- Laws and best practices while riding.
- How to feel comfortable riding amongst cars.
- Riding around town together.
- Advanced topics for experienced cyclists that will change the way you bike (pros+cons of traffic lanes and bike lanes, theory of slow traffic "releasing" faster traffic, door zone hazards, and more)
Discussion portions can be done over the phone, via Zoom, or in-person. If doing bicycle skills, a pre-requisite is being able to balance on a bike and arriving with your own bike (or a Biketown rental). It's okay if you're wobbly on a bike, as we can practice balancing. Meeting locations will be within Portland, Oregon, at pre-discussed safe public locations, with appropriate bicycling/transit access. If interested, fill out the form below. Then our instructor will call to learn your needs and set up this session.