At the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, we are proud to hold Urban Riding Basics classes throughout the year in order to further our mission of making biking fun and safe for everyone. Our mantra for these classes is “ride nice” and our staff does a great job delivering all the information you need to feel safe while taking on the city streets. The BCGP team is excited to share a recap of our Urban Riding Basics class held last month at The Free Library of South Philadelphia.

Last month, we were happy to meet three-year-old, Julie and her mom at the Urban Riding Basics Class. Julie’s mother came to the class interested in learning the rules of the road and general safety tips for biking around the city. She was also eager to learn about the latest advancements in bicycle infrastructure in her neighborhood, such as the new protected bike lane on South Street.

Because of the small class size and our setting at a public library, the class took the format of a conversation instead of the usual ‘instructor standing at the front of the classroom’ approach. This allowed the participants to share their stories and ask their questions away without judgment. By the end of the class, as Julie’s mom hopped on her bike to leave, she mentioned feeling “much more knowledgeable and ready to ride.”

We are glad to help the attendees of our classes build their confidence on the road. Through education and advocacy for expanded bike infrastructure, we hope to see more people “biking nice” all around.

To learn more and sign up for a free class or ride, please click the button below! In an effort to make these events more welcoming for anyone who wants to ride safely whether for fun, health, or commuting, we have bilingual classes in English and Spanish.

This blog was written by Andrea Gonzalez, Bilingual Community Liaison at the Bicycle Coalition Of Greater Philadelphia.

The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia is a non­profit advocacy and education organization working as part of the Better Bike Share Partnership to support bike share and biking education.