If you or someone you know doesn't know how to ride a bicycle...we can help!
June 2011 graduation at Spy Pond
The Bicycle Riding School teaches those of all ages to ride bicycles, including adults who never learned as children. If you can already ride, we can help you understand how to ride more safely in traffic. You can get an idea of what it means to people from the letters and press coverage we've gotten.
We organize group and individual lessons.
All classes meet at 14 William Street, near Davis Square, in Somerville, Massachusetts, unless otherwise indicated.
The two teachers at the school are Susan McLucas and Pata Suyemoto. Susan has been teaching riding since the mid-80's. Pata has taught with us since 2007 and teaches our road riding and long-distance riding lessons.
We organize group and individual lessons.
All classes meet at 14 William Street, near Davis Square, in Somerville, Massachusetts, unless otherwise indicated.
The two teachers at the school are Susan McLucas and Pata Suyemoto. Susan has been teaching riding since the mid-80's. Pata has taught with us since 2007 and teaches our road riding and long-distance riding lessons.
Upcoming Classes
May 2012 graduation
ADULT BEGINNERS' CLASSES:
* Sunday class: May 19, 26, June 2 and 9
4pm-5:30 (last class will be longer)
* Week-end intensive: May 25, 26, June 1 and 2
10am-11:30 (last class will be longer)
* Thursday evening class: June 6, 13, 20 and 27
6pm-7:30 (last class will be longer and may start earlier)
* Saturday class (mostly): June 8, 15, Sun, 6/16 and 22
10am-11:30 (last class will be longer)
* Very intensive July 3 session: July 3, 2 & 5, July 4, 9 & noon
and July 5, 10 & 2 (if needed)
* Very intensive July 4 session: July 4, 4pm, July 5, 8am &
noon, July 6, 9am & noon (if needed)
(These very intensive sessions are built around out-of-towners.
If others join us, we'll put the out-of-towners' needs first.
When they're ready to go to the path, we'll go, even if the local
person has to wait a bit or isn't quite ready.)
* Early birds' week-end intensive: July 13, 14,20 and 21
8am-9:30 (last class will be longer)
* Week-end intensive: July 27, 28 & August 3 and 4
4pm-5:30 (last class will be longer)
Call the Bicycle Riding School and sign up today!
Pricing: Group lessons cost $30-$10 a lesson, depending on what you can afford.
Individual daytime lessons cost $60-$25 a lesson, your discretion. Evening individual lessons are $60-$40.
All lessons are an hour and a half, except graduation classes, which are about two and a half hours.
* Sunday class: May 19, 26, June 2 and 9
4pm-5:30 (last class will be longer)
* Week-end intensive: May 25, 26, June 1 and 2
10am-11:30 (last class will be longer)
* Thursday evening class: June 6, 13, 20 and 27
6pm-7:30 (last class will be longer and may start earlier)
* Saturday class (mostly): June 8, 15, Sun, 6/16 and 22
10am-11:30 (last class will be longer)
* Very intensive July 3 session: July 3, 2 & 5, July 4, 9 & noon
and July 5, 10 & 2 (if needed)
* Very intensive July 4 session: July 4, 4pm, July 5, 8am &
noon, July 6, 9am & noon (if needed)
(These very intensive sessions are built around out-of-towners.
If others join us, we'll put the out-of-towners' needs first.
When they're ready to go to the path, we'll go, even if the local
person has to wait a bit or isn't quite ready.)
* Early birds' week-end intensive: July 13, 14,20 and 21
8am-9:30 (last class will be longer)
* Week-end intensive: July 27, 28 & August 3 and 4
4pm-5:30 (last class will be longer)
Call the Bicycle Riding School and sign up today!
Pricing: Group lessons cost $30-$10 a lesson, depending on what you can afford.
Individual daytime lessons cost $60-$25 a lesson, your discretion. Evening individual lessons are $60-$40.
All lessons are an hour and a half, except graduation classes, which are about two and a half hours.
Two brothers who just learned to ride say good-bye to their training wheels in Susan's shop.
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We teach plenty of kids too, usually individually, but sometimes in small groups. (If anyone has extra elbow and knee pads they don't use anymore, we could use a few more, for kids or grown-ups.) |
What's a class like?
Classes have up to 6 people in them, usually adults, and consist of 4 classes. At the first class we choose bikes for people and walk them over to the Powderhouse School yard, about a ten-minute walk from the bike school. We take the pedals off and people get their balance by rolling down the gentle hill. When they have their balance, usually some time during that first class or the second one, we put the pedals on and they learn to pedal. Everyone goes at their own pace. If people are really struggling, we offer the option of switching to private lessons. By the third class, we usually go to the bike path, Linear Park, which connects to the Minuteman Bike Path. Often some people come in, in between classes, to get ready for the bike path on the third class. The fourth class is graduation day. We go farther on the path, usually to Spy Pond but sometimes to Alewife, where we have a picnic and enjoy the fact that everyone learned to ride. Diplomas are given out and pictures are taken. The last class usually lasts about two and a half hours.
We have helmets, knee and elbow pads, gloves and a time-tested method which allows most people to learn without ever falling at all. We have more than 20 bicycles, so that people can find something that fits them. All our bikes have padded pedals, so that, when they hit you in the legs, they won't hurt. We also sell padded pedals (for $30.)
We have helmets, knee and elbow pads, gloves and a time-tested method which allows most people to learn without ever falling at all. We have more than 20 bicycles, so that people can find something that fits them. All our bikes have padded pedals, so that, when they hit you in the legs, they won't hurt. We also sell padded pedals (for $30.)
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You will start out on a bicycle that might seem too small for you. You will be able to reach the ground flat-footed, while sitting on the seat. If you start to fall, you will simply put your foot down and catch yourself. We will start out really slow. If you're not going fast, any problem that comes up will be much more manageable. |
Classes and Lessons
June 2010 Cambridge Center class
Beginners:
For people who never learned to ride as children, or who are still children, and for people who can barely ride…
Susan McLucas is the teacher for the group classes for beginners. She and Pata Suyemoto both give individual lessons for beginners.
If you have questions or to register for beginners' classes or lessons, contact Susan at (617) 776-6524 or SusanBMcL @ gmail.com.
Street Riding:
For people who already ride a bike, but are nervous riding on roads, we also teach negotiating traffic to individuals and small group classes.
Pata Suyemoto does most of the street riding teaching. She is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) with the League of American Bicyclists. Pata, is back from her cross-country trip. She rode 3,800 miles out to Washington. See her blog http://www.thepolkadotjournal.blogspot.com for a report on her last few months. She is now available to do road riding lessons and will happily help people get comfortable in traffic.
To sign up for the Street Riding class, or with questions, contact Pata at kotoridesigns @ gmail.com or (617) 549-3087.
Out-of-town?
If you're out of town and want to learn to ride, try our Teach Yourself/Other Teachers page first and see if anyone teaches beginners close to you. If not, come to Boston; we'll send you a list of places to stay. Lots of people have made the trip and they're always delighted. With a couple of lessons each day, in three or four days, you'll probably be up and running.
Alternatively, try to find some other people in your area that also want to learn to ride and see about bringing Susan to your town. Contact Susan for more details, SusanBMcL @ gmail.com or (617) 776-6524. She'd love to travel to warm places and teach people to ride there. We can work out logistics like bikes and the place and she can bring the pads and helmets.
For people who never learned to ride as children, or who are still children, and for people who can barely ride…
Susan McLucas is the teacher for the group classes for beginners. She and Pata Suyemoto both give individual lessons for beginners.
If you have questions or to register for beginners' classes or lessons, contact Susan at (617) 776-6524 or SusanBMcL @ gmail.com.
Street Riding:
For people who already ride a bike, but are nervous riding on roads, we also teach negotiating traffic to individuals and small group classes.
Pata Suyemoto does most of the street riding teaching. She is a League Cycling Instructor (LCI) with the League of American Bicyclists. Pata, is back from her cross-country trip. She rode 3,800 miles out to Washington. See her blog http://www.thepolkadotjournal.blogspot.com for a report on her last few months. She is now available to do road riding lessons and will happily help people get comfortable in traffic.
To sign up for the Street Riding class, or with questions, contact Pata at kotoridesigns @ gmail.com or (617) 549-3087.
Out-of-town?
If you're out of town and want to learn to ride, try our Teach Yourself/Other Teachers page first and see if anyone teaches beginners close to you. If not, come to Boston; we'll send you a list of places to stay. Lots of people have made the trip and they're always delighted. With a couple of lessons each day, in three or four days, you'll probably be up and running.
Alternatively, try to find some other people in your area that also want to learn to ride and see about bringing Susan to your town. Contact Susan for more details, SusanBMcL @ gmail.com or (617) 776-6524. She'd love to travel to warm places and teach people to ride there. We can work out logistics like bikes and the place and she can bring the pads and helmets.
In the last 25 years, we have taught about 2,500 people with only a handful people who weren't able to make it work. Virtually everyone who puts their mind to it, and gives it the time it needs, can learn to ride a bicycle. One of our students has only one leg and did very well. Our oldest students are in their 80's, our youngest was three.
"It was so amazingly liberating to be biking along the path with the wind in my face. Now I know why so many people bike - because it's fun! Thank you so much for offering this class and for nuturing such a warm and encouraging atmosphere!"
Read more Student Stories.
"It was so amazingly liberating to be biking along the path with the wind in my face. Now I know why so many people bike - because it's fun! Thank you so much for offering this class and for nuturing such a warm and encouraging atmosphere!"
Read more Student Stories.
April 2012 graduation at Spy Pond
Everyone has their own reasons for not riding sooner in life (except our very young students), but everyone is glad to get past whatever it was that had been holding them back from riding.
If you don't ride a bike, why wait? If a friend of yours doesn't ride, you can get them a gift certificate or just have them call us.
The school is located at 14 William St., Somerville, MA 02144.
VIEW MAP HERE
It's the 4th left off College Ave. coming from Davis Sq.
(or the 3rd right coming from Powderhouse Sq.).
Come to the side door of the house, near the big red barn.
If you don't ride a bike, why wait? If a friend of yours doesn't ride, you can get them a gift certificate or just have them call us.
The school is located at 14 William St., Somerville, MA 02144.
VIEW MAP HERE
It's the 4th left off College Ave. coming from Davis Sq.
(or the 3rd right coming from Powderhouse Sq.).
Come to the side door of the house, near the big red barn.
