Course Catalog
The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition provides free classes, bike skills trainings, and workshops. Please visit our calendar to see what’s coming up and register for a class!
Most of our classes can be taught in Spanish or English. We offer closed captioning for virtual classes by request. ASL interpretation is also available by request for in-person classes.
Contact education@sdbikecoalition.org if you’d like to know more about accessibility options.
Full List of Course Offerings
Smart Cycling
In Person and Virtual
This two part course will get 
you comfortable on the road and ready to commute or make those short trips to the store, library, or park. This course includes: Session 1 – a three hour classroom lecture; and Session 2 – a six hour road riding lesson. You will learn the following: proper bike & helmet fit, safety tips for riding in traffic, techniques for navigating hazardous roads, emergency maneuvers, using public transit with a bike, your legal rights and responsibilities. You will also receive instruction in basic bicycle adjustments. Children under 18 are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult.
Session 1 of this two part class is a three hour interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom. A League of American Bicyclists Certified instructor will take you through an interactive presentation about the rules of the road, statistics, safety, where to ride and more.
(Note: You will need to register later for a Road Session Part II to complete the full Smart Cycling certification.)
City Cycling
Virtual or In Person
Not comfortable riding on the road? Get ready for your commute or recreational rides as we cover general bike safety, legal rights and responsibilities, and emergency maneuver skills.
A League of American Bicyclists Certified instructor will lead you through an interactive slide show, covering everything from traffic safety to basic bike maintenance tips. We will teach you what to wear, how to transport gear and where to ride. Questions welcome!
The 2 hour interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom by request.
The in-person class is taught monthly in Encinitas, CA.
City Cycling for Ebikers
We offer City Cycling specifically for ebikers! New and experiences riders welcome!
The curriculum is similar to that of City Cycling (see above) with an extra focus on ebike classes, where to ride, throttle use and pedal assistance settings. This class includes a lecture, handling skills practice, and road riding.
Bicycle Friendly Driver Course
Virtual Class
Motorists and cyclists have the same rights on the road, but we often feel like very different beings when we are navigating the streets. Riding two abreast, exiting bike lanes, passing traffic…many of these maneuvers are legal, but do you know where and when?
Our Bicycle Friendly Driver Class follows the League of American Bicyclists’ curriculum. Learn the road rules as they apply to both cars and bicycles in this 1.5 hours class. We’ll teach you how to drive legally and respectfully as you share roadways with people on bikes.
This information is valuable to motorists and cyclists alike. Learn to be a bike friendly driver with our online class offering.
This 1.5 hour interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom.
All About Ebikes
New to Electric Bikes? We love them and want to make sure you understand how and where to ride them so that you get excited about ebikes too!
This is a great class for people who are considering buying an electric bike, or unfamiliar with electric bikes.
We offer this class by request. An ebike safety assembly is available for free to all schools in San Diego County through the SANDAG iCommute program.
Bike Safety in Schools
We offer a variety of courses for youth through the iCommute programs detailed below. For free classes through the iCommute Program simply register your school by clicking the link below.
Bike Safety School Assemblies
Virtual or In Person
Elementary Safety Assemblies are a great way to get information about walking and biking safely to students from Kindergarten through 6th grade. This interactive 40 minute presentation covers the basics of walking and biking to school in a fun and exciting format. We cover helmet fit, bike rules, street crossing tips, driver communication, sidewalk riding, and more! This event can handle up to 250 students per assembly.
We also offer an ebike safety version of this program!
Group Rides :
The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition will plan and facilitate a group ride with youth in your neighborhood. We’ll create a route that highlights safe routes to school and share safer riding tips with the young bike riders.
Traffic Safety Modules for Kids
Video and Quiz
We offer a virtual presentation that can be completed at home or in school. Lessons include rules of the road, signs and symbols, helmets and safety, and riding skills. Each module includes a video and quiz and can be completed in under 10 minutes. Adult supervision/assistance is advised for students younger than 10.
Bike Rodeos
In Person Class
A Bicycle Rodeo is a bicycle skills event, taught on a playground or parking lot, which provides an opportunity for people of all ages to practice and develop skills that will help them become better bicyclists and avoid typical crashes.
The class is focused around the importance of seeing, being seen and remaining under control at all times when riding a bicycle. This is achieved through a series of bicycle handling drills and simulation of traffic situations. Bicycle skills stations give riders an opportunity to practice a variety of specific bike handling skills and procedures for operating a bike legally and more safely on the street.
Interested in improving your riding skills? Contact education@sdbikecoalition.org
Biking with Kids
Virtual Class
As a parent, mentor, or ride leader, it’s your responsibility to set an excellent example for young riders. We know that riding with kids, especially in a city setting, can be intimidating, even if you’re a skilled rider. Protect your young riders by learning how and where to properly ride with them.
Join us for a 1-hour class all about how to ride with kids. Gain confidence in your skills by learning the rules of the road, how to be most visible and how to ride predictably. This class includes information on best practices, route mapping and bike skills you can practice at home.
This 1.5 hour interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom.
Bike Education for Employers
For employers we work with iCommute to offer educational events and workshops.
Bike Tune Up Class
Virtual or In Person
The San Diego County Bicycle Coalition will provide an online or in person session with employees to review bike safety and how to keep bikes running smoothly. A quick participant pre-survey will be given to help determine the focus of the session. Then, participants attend a virtual session with a League Certified Instructor to walk through the basic mechanics of their bike followed by Q&A. After the session, a safety video and an assessment checklist will be given to participants as additional tools to diagnose their bike if further adjustments are needed.
This interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom (or another video conference system of your choice).
Group Rides
If you would like an introduction to road riding, riding in a group or just a nice morning out with some fun bicyclists, this is a ride for you. The rides are typically 4-5 miles, mostly flat on separated facilities and lightly traveled roads. We do it at a pace that encourages talking and interaction. We talk a lot, stop a lot, while having fun and getting information about riding in various situations. No one is ever left behind.
Bike Commuter 101
Virtual or In Person
This 45-minute interactive presentation, hosted by the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, covers essential skills for potential or experienced bike commuters. Your employees will learn how to ride to work safely and legally, route planning strategies, basic bike maintenance, and some valuable tips to make bike commuting more comfortable and fun. All skill levels welcome!
This interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom (or another video conference system of your choice).
Bike Commuter 202
Virtual or In Person
This 45-minute interactive presentation, hosted by the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition, continues beyond the 101 class with a range of skills and information to help employees become more confident bike commuters. Participants will learn about defensive maneuvers and riding skills, how to carry gear on their bikes, tips for bike fitting, and how to choose the right bike for their riding style or conditions including ebike options.
This interactive virtual class is taught on Zoom (or another video conference system of your choice).
Health and Wellness Classes
We offer more than just bike safety classes!
Check out our events page to find upcoming bike themed classes that support your mental and physical health, self-confidence and more!
- Bike Yoga
- Bike Fitting and Comfort
- Basic Bike Maintenance
- Painting and Crafting with bike parts
- Biking with Pets
- Adaptive and Inclusive Cycling
Learn to Ride Lessons
We work with some amazing League of American Bicyclist Certified Instructors (LCIs) in San Diego County.
If you’re interested in some in-person bike riding lessons, please reach out to an instructor in your area. Click on the button, search by zip code and scroll down to see the list of LCIs near you!
The SDCBC offers Learn to Ride Workshops. These are intensive group workshops for youth or adults. In 2 hours you’ll learn to maneuver your bike, balance, brake, scan for traffic and everything you need to keep practicing at home.
All of our programs are funded by grants that we receive. Many of these grants have very specific program goals and areas where the programming needs to be completed. As a result we are not able to provide an equal amount of programming across the county.
If you’re interested in seeing us engage with your community, please reach out and help us connect to funders in your area!
To learn more about our classes and workshops, contact us at education@sdbikecoalition.org
