What should I expect?

• Parent participation is essential. You will be actively involved with your child as he or she practices pedaling. As the class wraps up, our coaches will give you clear recommendations, based on your child’s performance, to continue advancing your child’s skills in the future. Each class is limited to 15 participants to ensure our coaches can provide each student with individualized attention.

Is this class the right fit for my child?

• This class is suitable for future bike riders between the ages of 5-13 years old who are motivated to leave their training wheels off for good! Participants over the age of 13 should consider attending an Adult Learn to Ride class.

What should I bring?

• • A bike that fits your child. If a bike is too small, your child will not be able to lift up their feet in order to balance and will not have enough space to extend their legs while pedaling. If a bike is too big, your child will not be able to prevent falls as easily, hold the bike upright and will tire quickly. If you’re unsure about the fit, your local bike shop can help!
• • A helmet that fits your child. Helmets 3 years or older will no longer respond in a collision and should be discarded. Helmets that are cracked or have absorbed an impact, from a fall or misuse, will no longer protect your child in a collision and should be discarded.
• • Water, water, water
• • A light snack
• • Closed-toe shoes
• • Sun protection
• • Weather appropriate clothes your child will be comfortable moving around in. We recommend lots of layers! Please be aware that loose clothing, like dresses or skirts, may get caught in the wheels and the hem of baggy or large tops may catch under the front of the seat.

Can I sign up a child younger than 5 years old?

• No. Most children younger than 5 are not able to balance well enough to master this process. The repetitive movements also fatigue children younger than 5 much faster. We invite you to join us when your child is older. We want to make sure this lesson is suited to an appropriate ability level and is an enjoyable, not frustrating, experience.

Should I sign up for more than one session?

• No. Even if your child does not master riding during the initial session, our coaches will show you exactly how to continue practicing at home. There is high demand for these classes so we ask that you leave slots open for other families to participate in future classes.

There’s a date listed for a class but I can’t sign up through your website.

• Sometimes, the community partner hosting our class for a specific date and location handles registration for that day. Please contact the hosting organization, listed with the event date, directly. They will help you register and collect any payment.

How early should I arrive?

• 20-30 minutes before the class’ official start time is best. A coach will greet your family and work with your child one-on-one to inflate the bike tires, adjust the seat height, check the brakes, remove the pedals and adjust their helmet. If you come about 20 minutes early, we can get everyone squared away so the coaches have the full two hours to practice with your child.

Do I need to bring tools?

• No, our coaches are equipped to remove pedals and if necessary, training wheels. We ask that you arrive 20 minutes before the official start time, though, so coaches can begin this process. We want your child to have as much time practicing with us as possible!

What do I do about my child’s training wheels?

• If your child’s bike has training wheels, please feel free to remove these ahead of time. Otherwise, our coaches will have tools to remove training wheels before the start of the class.

Can I bring my registered child’s siblings?

• Yes, your entire family is invited to support your child on this big day! Please remember, though, parents are expected to participate. Your child will succeed easier if you are able to focus on him or her. Siblings not registered for the course are not allowed on the course or practice area.

Should I bring elbow or knee pads?

• This is entirely at your discretion but we typically advise parents not to put elbow or knee pads on their children. The first thing our coaches cover is to prevent falling by simply dropping your feet. However, if you or your child feels safer with them on, please go ahead.

What about weather cancellations?

• Your child’s safety is our main concern. Our coaches or hosting community partners will decide if any inclement weather presents a safety hazard. You will be notified ahead of time, by phone or email, if a class is postponed. Classes typically continue in sprinkles or light flurries but if conditions are unsafe or the pavement is slick, we will not hold the class. Some classes may have a rain date but most do not. If your class is cancelled, it will be rescheduled.

I’m on the wait list. What happens now?

• Thank you for your patience as we try to accommodate the demand for these classes. You will be notified immediately, if a slot becomes available for your child. Slots open as registered participants cancel so this may be last minute. If we are unable to get you into the class, our coaches will do their best to get you into an upcoming class.

What if I can no longer attend the class I registered for?

• If you registered through a community partner, please contact them to cancel your reservation. If you registered through Avenues in Motion, please contact Omeed Rahin at ORahin@avenuesinmotion.org or (973) 267-7600 to cancel your reservation. We appreciate you cancelling as early as possible so we can invite another family to fill the open spot. Once you’ve cancelled, please feel free to re-register for another class that better fits your schedule.

This class sounds awesome! How can I help?

• It’s the coolest moment when a child takes off on his or her bike for the first time. We invite volunteers, ages 16 and older, to come and be a part of that experience. Volunteers may assist with checking in families, inflating bike tires, making sure bikes are in safe, working order and cheering participants on throughout the class. Our coaches are happy to have you on board for one or more sessions and will train you in all that you need to know. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Melissa McCutcheon at mmccutcheon@avenuesinmotion.org or (973) 267-7600.

Adult Learn to Ride FAQs

What should I expect?

• The class moves at your own individualized pace. Our coaches will remove your pedals to get you rolling confidently and safely on two wheels using the intuitive “balance first” method. You’ll have your toes on the ground, always able to catch yourself, until you’ve mastered maintaining your balance while coasting. After you feel comfortable completing laps around our oval shaped course, we will put your pedals back on and provide you with one-on-one support to introduce pedaling, starting and stopping. No skinned knees or bruises here! Your coach will help you practice these techniques and give you recommendations on how to best continue practicing moving forward. Each class is limited to 15 participants to ensure our coaches can provide each student with individualized attention.

Is this class right for me?

• • You are 14 years or older • You have never been on a bike before • You have tried to learn how to ride before but it didn’t work out • You learned to ride a long time ago and want a refresher on basics like balancing, pedaling and steering

What should I bring?

• • A bike. You don’t need a top of the line, high performance bike. However, you do need a bike that functions safely (the brakes work, the wheels spin freely) and fits you. If a bike is too small, you’ll end up uncomfortably hunched over the handlebars and won’t have space to freely move your legs to pedal. If a bike is too big, it’s difficult to control and exhausting to hold upright. If you’re unsure about the fit, your local bike shop can help!
• • Water, water, water
• • Closed-toe shoes
• • Sun protection
• • Weather appropriate clothes you feel comfortable moving around in. We recommend lots of layers!

Should I sign up for more than one session?

• No. Even if you don’t completely master riding during the initial session, our coaches will show you exactly how to continue practicing at home.

Can I register with friends?

• Sure! As long as there is space in the class, we’re happy to accommodate groups. If your friends are also looking to learn, please make sure that everyone registers individually and brings a bike. If your friends already know how to ride and are just coming to cheer you on, they’re welcome to just tag along the day of. Please don’t register friends who already know how to ride a bike.

What if I don’t have any high-tech bike gear?

• Come just as you are! We’re all about bike riding being fun and accessible for everyone. As long as you feel comfortable in your clothes and are able to move around freely, you’re good to go. Sweatpants, yoga pants, leggings, jeans, shorts, whatever suits your style. We do ask that all participants wear close-toed shoes but any sort of sneaker does the trick.

What about weather-related cancellations?

• Your safety is our main concern. Our coaches or hosting community partners will decide if any inclement weather presents safety hazards. You will be notified ahead of time, by phone with a follow up email, if a class is postponed. Classes typically continue in sprinkles or light flurries but if conditions are unsafe or the pavement is slick, we will not hold the class. Some classes may have a rain date but most do not. If your class is cancelled, it will be rescheduled.

I’m on the wait list. What happens now?

• Thank you for your patience as we try to accommodate the demand for these classes. You will be notified immediately, if a slot becomes available. Slots open as registered participants cancel so this may be last minute. If we are unable to get you into the class, our coaches will do their best to get you into an upcoming class.

What if I can no longer attend the class I registered for?

• If you registered through a community partner, please contact them to cancel your reservation. If you registered through Avenues in Motion, please contact Omeed Rahin at ORahin@avenuesinmotion.org or (973) 267-7600 to cancel your reservation. We appreciate you cancelling as early as possible so we can invite someone on the wait list to fill the open spot. Once you’ve canceled, please feel free to re-resister for another class that better fits your schedule.

This class sounds awesome! How can I help?

• It’s the coolest moment when suddenly, it clicks, and someone takes off across the parking lot on their bike. We invite volunteers, ages 16 and older, to come and be a part of this experience. Volunteers may assist with inflating bike tires, making sure bikes are in safe working order and encouraging students throughout the class. Our coaches are happy to have you on board for one or more sessions and will train you in all that you need to know. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact Melissa McCutcheon at mmccutcheon@avenuesinmotion.org or (973) 267-7600.