Cycle training

shropshire bikeability teamCycle Shrewsbury offers national standard Bikeability cycle training courses.

What is Bikeability?

Bikeability is the Cycling Proficiency Test for the 21st century, designed to give you the skills and confidence to ride your bike on the road. Fear of traffic is one of the main reasons why people don't cycle. Bikeability sets out to give you the skills to cycle on all types of routes.

There are three levels aimed at different skill levels:

Level 1

The level 1 course:

  • takes place away from the road, normally in a school playground
  • takes between 2 and 4 hours of instruction.
  • is usually offered as the first session of a level 2 course but can be arranged separately.

The course covers:

  • how to check your bike.
  • riding control skills like braking, steering, balancing, looking behind.
  • signalling whilst keeping control.

Level 2

The level 2 course:

  • takes place on the road.
  • takes between 8 and 10 hours of instruction.
  • is offered as a joint course with level 1.
  • is aimed at school year 6 but open to school year 5 and above.

The course covers:

  • keeping your bike roadworthy
  • starting and stopping safely
  • signalling and looking behind
  • overtaking parked or slow moving vehicles
  • turning left and right from minor and major roads

Level 3

The level 3 course:

  • takes place on the road.
  • takes between 2 and 4 hours of instruction
  • involves one-to-one tuition
  • is offered to anyone from school year 7 up to adults.

The course covers:

  • using roundabouts assertively
  • negotiating traffic lights
  • dealing with busy roads
  • filtering and lanes

Visit the Bikeability website for more information.


What courses are available in Shrewsbury?

Cycle Shrewsbury provides cycle training to both adults and children.

tri-cycling-feb-2011-road-skills.jpgCycle training for children and families

Bikeability level 1 and 2 was offered to all year 6 pupils in Shrewsbury between March 2009 and March 2011, as part of the Cycle Shrewsbury campaign. Bikeability level 1 and 2 will continue to be available to year 6 pupils and Bikeability level 3 will be available to secondary school pupils following March 2011, but we are not currently sure how much funding will be available. 

Individual cycle training is also available to children who missed cycle training in primary school.

Details of courses for children outside of school hours will be added to this site when they become available.

adult_cycle_trainingCycle training for adults

Whether you are a complete beginner, or have not been on a bike for a while and are nervous in traffic, one-to-one cycle training is available anywhere in Shropshire and it's free for the first 2 hours. Time and place are decided to suit the trainer and trainee; and all previous trainees have rated the training as excellent.

To book a place on any of the training please email cycle.shrewsbury@shropshire.gov.uk  or phone 01743 255435.

Maintenance courses

We will be running a series of basic bike maintenance courses in 2012.

Learn how to repair a puncture, adjust brakes and get your bike ready for spring!

Email cycle.shrewsbury@shropshire.gov.uk  or call 01743 253008 to book your FREE place on one of our 2 hour sessions on the following days:

  • Wednesday 8 February 2012 (this course is now full)
  • Wednesday 21 March 2012
  • Wednesday 18 April 2012

The courses will take place from 10.30am-12.30pm at Radbrook Community Centre, Calverton Way, Radbrook Green, Shrewsbury, and will be followed by an optional social bike ride. You will need to bring your bike.

There are 8 free places available for each course, these will be offered on a first come first served basis.

Learn to lead a social ride

We're offering a free course on 24 March at The Lantern in Shrewsbury. Find out more.

Private cycle training

The CTC have a number of trained cycle instructors available for private cycle training. Details of cycle trainers in the West Midlands are listed on the CTC website.

Gateway Outdoors, based in Bayston Hill, offers mountain bike skills training.

What's on

05/02/2012

Women on wheels social ride

08/02/2012

Basic bike maintenance course

26/02/2012

Free use of Sports Village cycle track

04/03/2012

Women on wheels social ride

21/03/2012

Basic bike maintenance course

 
 


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