St. Louis – May/June workshop

Do you feel safe & confident cycling in traffic? (Yes? That’s wonderful!) If not, join us, and you will!

May 31 & June 2

Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling (classroom session) 6:30 – 9:30 PM Thursday, May 31, at the Center on Vandeventer in the Central West End

Train Your Bike (bike handling session) 8 – 11 AM on Saturday, June 2, on the parking lot of the Church of Latter Day Saints in the Central West End

Tour of St. Louis will begin after lunch (1 – 4:30 PM) on Saturday, June 2 (completion of other two sessions is required to take this one)

Use this form to sign up for the May/June workshop

You can go anywhere by bike! We’ll show you how.

Experience cycling empowerment to act as a a confident, equal road user. You will learn strategies for safe, stress-free integrated cycling and come away with the tools to read and problem-solve any new traffic situation or road configuration.

The William Kerr Foundation is sponsoring Part 1 of CyclingSavvy at no charge for all adults. Parts 2 and 3 will be limited to 10 participants. As part of its efforts to promote the new Gateway Bike Plan, Great Rivers Greenway is providing scholarship funding for these participants.

Part 1: Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling

Learn the truth and techniques of traffic cycling. Through guided discussion with videos and animations, this classroom-based session familiarizes students with bicycle-specific laws, traffic dynamics and problem-solving strategies. Students discover that bicycle drivers are equal road users, with the right, ability and responsibility to control their space on public roadways.

Sponsored by the William Kerr Foundation, this session is free to all who are of driving age, but registration is required.

Part 2: Train Your Bike

This session is conducted in a parking lot. It consists of a set of progressive drills designed to increase students’ control and comfort handling their bikes in various situations. Drills include:

1. Starting, stopping  & balance
2. Understanding gearing
3. Slow balance drill (Snail Race)
4. Acceleration drill (drag race)
5. Straight-line riding
6. Turning: Cone weave
7. Turning: Follow the leader
8. Turning: Rock dodge
9. Turning: High-speed cornering
10. Turning: Snap turn
11. Quick stop

In three short fun hours, you will learn to command your bike with precision and confidence.

As part of its kickoff of the Gateway Bike Plan, Great Rivers Greenway is matching the registration fee for all participants. A $30 value, this session is available as a stand-alone class for $15.

Part 3: Tour of St. Louis*

*To participate in the Tour of St. Louis, students must have completed both “Truth & Techniques of Traffic Cycling” and “Train Your Bike” (the classroom and parking lot sessions). The Tour of St. Louis is about 10 miles long, and will proceed at a pace of 10-12 miles/hour.

Saturday, June 2, 1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. (After “Train Your Bike,” participants will bike as a group to lunch at St. Louis Bread Company, and begin the Tour of St. Louis after lunch. At the end of the Tour, participants will bike as a group back to the parking lot of the Church of Latter Day Saints)

This session is an experiential tour of St. Louis roads. The course includes some of the most intimidating road features (including intersections, interchanges and merges) a cyclist might find in his or her travels. Students travel as a group, stopping to survey and discuss each exercise location. After observing the feature, discussing the traffic dynamics and the best strategy for safe and easy passage, the students ride through individually and regroup at a nearby location.

This session is designed to give you the confidence and skills to handle any situation you might encounter while riding your bicycle in the metro St. Louis area.

Great Rivers Greenway is matching the registration fee for all participants. Students who have taken the classroom and parking lot sessions may register for the Tour of St. Louis for $15.

Registration available here.