Rides and Classes

photo of a crowd of bicycle riders walking their bikes at an event
photo of a bike rider learning at a bicycle class

New to Biking?

Ready to start your biking journey? Join BikeArlington’s five-week Beginner Biking Program! We’ll guide you with weekly emails packed with beginner-friendly tips, safety instructions, and resources to help you build confidence and hit the road in Arlington. Whether you’re new to biking or just getting back on two wheels, we’re here to support your journey to safe and enjoyable riding.

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Rides and Classes

Arlington County and the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) offer adult bicycle education classes to help you develop skills and confidence as a rider. Take a basic Adult Learn to Ride class or a more advanced class in which you’ll gain valuable knowledge on such topics as emergency braking, avoiding roadway hazards, proper hand signaling, scanning before turning or merging, and different ways to safely make a lefthand turn based on your comfort interacting with cars. Gaining this valuable knowledge, which goes beyond the basics of knowing how to ride, will increase your safety and confidence as you incorporate bicycling into your daily routine and use your bicycle for transportation.

Types of Classes:

Learn to Ride

This class is designed for adults who never learned to ride a bicycle or who have tried before but feel like they need more instruction. Certified instructors employ a special technique for teaching balance, steering, starting, stopping, and pedaling with the goal of having you ride on two wheels by the end of the class. It’s fun and intuitive. Many people who come to this class saying they are skeptical they will learn to ride a bike are happily riding with two pedals by the time class ends.

Basic Skills Clinic

The Basic Skills Clinic is designed to give you more opportunities to sharpen your riding skills. If you’ve completed the Learn to Ride class and want more practice or are simply looking to improve your skills and knowledge in specific areas, this class is for you. Certified instructors will lead drills, including starting, stopping, turning, weaving, and gradual braking. Students should be able to balance and ride with two pedals.

Confident City Cycling

This is a great class for riders of all skill levels. Certified instructors will help you learn to deal with traffic, communicate effectively with other roadway users, and master the transition from road to trail and back again. You’ll also work on bike handling maneuvers and ride along local bike trails or bike lanes on a group ride. Students should know how to ride a bike, be able to ride for at least 30 minutes, and be comfortable starting and stopping on a bike.