Bicycle Workshops

Separated Bike Lane

The City of Cambridge is proud to offer bicycle education workshops throughout the year, free to those who work or live in Cambridge.  All 2020 classes will be held via Zoom unless otherwise noted. To register for classes, please click the link below. For any questions, email aphilson@cambridgema.gov or call 617-349-6012.  All classes are paid for by the City of Cambridge and every participant receives one free helmet each year.  We have not yet finalized a way to distribute helmets this year. Please stay tuned for updates.

 

Upcoming Bike Workshop Schedule

  • December 10 6:00-7:30PM Winter Biking Clinic

    Join us for a workshop on all things winter biking: from gear, how to winterize your bicycle, and winter maintenance tips to considerations and techniques for riding in inclement weather conditions. This workshop will be interactive, so feel free to come with questions and/or your favorite winter biking gear!

  • December 15 9:30-10:30AM Healthy Aging and Bicycling Coffee+Tea Hour

    Hosted by Cambridge's Community Development Department and MassBike, this virtual meet up is intended to offer a time to get to know other older adults in the area who are interested in bicycling as well as a platform for older adults to ask questions and share knowledge with each other around bicycling from gear to favorite places to ride. Adi Philson, Cambridge's Mobility Education Coordinator, and Galen Mook, MassBike's Executive Director, will moderate the meeting and be available to provide expert advice. Whether you're a weekend warrior or a beginner looking to start riding for the first time, bring your coffee, tea, or other preferred morning beverage and get ready to talk bikes!

 

Past Bike Workshops

 

For more information about workshops, email aphilson@cambridgema.gov. 

Click here to join the mailing list for future bike workshops. 

Class Descriptions

Bicycle Maintenance Basics

This workshop covers the following topics:

  • The anatomy of the bike
  • Removing wheels
  • Fixing flats
  • Chain Maintenance
  • Pre-Ride check
  • Seat height
  • Portable tool kit
  • Keeping your bike healthy with preventative bike maintenance

Beyond Maintenance Basics

This workshop covers the following topics:

  • Basic repair tools
  • Thoroughly cleaning and lubricating your bike
  • Removing both wheels
  • Completely changing a flat tire
  • Pinpointing squeaks and rattles
  • Removing pedals
  • Adjusting front and rear brakes + derailleurs,
  • Dealing with a broken spoke

Winter Biking Basics

This workshop covers the following topics:

  • Benefits of biking, including better personal health, saved money, environmental benefits, and others
  • Staying at a comfortable temperature no matter what the weather is like
  • Route planning
  • Locking
  • Multi-modal commuting
  • Staying dry and clean
  • Using safety equipment, including helmet, lights, and reflective gear
  • Rules of the Road and staying safe while biking

On-Bike Refresher Course

The Basics of Better Biking class is a three hour class designed for adults who want to get back into bicycling, improve cycling skills, learn to ride more effectively and safely in traffic, and/or participate in a large-scale benefit ride. This three-hour weekend session provides guided instruction with simple practice drills in a parking lot, easy-paced riding on local roadways for short distances, and group-discussion breaks along the way. Topics covered include bike and helmet fitting, starting and stopping your bike in traffic, shifting gears, scanning and yielding, choosing the correct lane position in the road, handling intersections, and more.

Some notes about the class:

  • A bicycle in good working order and a helmet are required.
  • Preregistration is required.
  • This class is intended for participants 18 and older, unless otherwise noted.

Riding with Families

  • Options for biking with children, such as front seats, rear seats, front cargo bikes, bike trailers
  • How is biking with kids different than biking solo?
  • How can I bike with my children when there are no routes with bike infrastructure?
  • How young is too young for children to be with parents while biking?
  • What does the law say for children?
  • How is buying bikes for children different from buying bikes for adults?
  • How do I appropriately fit a child to a bicycle?
  • How do I teach children the rules of the road?
  • What is the Safe Routes to School program? 

Rules of the Road

This workshop covers the following topics:

  • Bike safety statistics
  • Rules of the road
  • Bike-specific laws and legislation
  • Car-specific laws and legislation
  • General safety tips
  • Current legislative efforts
  • Motivation for obeying traffic laws

Urban Cycling Basics

This workshop covers the following topics:

  • Finding the right kind of bike
  • Route planning
  • Safety equipment, including lights and a helmet
  • Locking properly
  • Transporting small loads or children by bike
  • Multi-modal commuting
  • Rules of the road and safety tips.

For More Information

For more information about bicycle workshops or bicycle education in Cambridge, please contact Adi Philson, aphilson@cambridgema.gov, 617/349-6012.

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