Middle School Bike Skills
Menlo Park, with its flat terrain and a near-perfect climate are perfect for biking almost year-round. Sponsored by the City of Menlo Park Safe Routes to School Program, the Middle School Bike Skills Class ensures students acquire the street navigation and bike handling skills needed to safely and confidently ride to school and beyond. Classes are taught by League of American Bicyclists League Cycling Instructors (LCI) through Wheel Kids Bicycle Club, Inc.
Although this is not a ‘learn how to ride bike class’, this course WILL help you gain valuable skills and confidence to safely ride your bike to school and beyond. Participants rider skill level should be Skill Level 4/5 or higher to participate in this class – meaning they should already know how to start independently & safely stop using their brakes, ride in a straight line for at least 50 feet, and ride one handed for a short distance. Each student must have one parent/guardian attend to observe and participate in the entire class. Everyone (student AND parent/guardian) must bring a Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)-compliant HELMET and a WELL OPERATING BIKE that is safe to ride.
The half-day class runs from 8:30am – 1pm, is open to children entering 6th – 8th grade in the fall and is held on Sunday mornings. The course begins with classroom-style discussion, then moves to skills practice on a protected black-top area, then finishes with a bike ride around the neighborhood, putting those newly learned skills to practice.
The class covers:
- basic traffic laws
- busy intersections
- the most common types of bike crashes and how to avoid them
- how to position yourself on the road
- how to let drivers know your intentions
- proper hand signals for cyclists
- basic bike & helmet fitting
8:15 – 8:30: Arrival and check-in
8:30 – Class starts!
8:30 – 9:15: Classroom discussion
9:15 – 9:30: Learn ABC quick check, get ready to ride bikes
9:30 – 9:45: Break
9:45 – 10:30: Blacktop skills – hand signals, power starts, how to stop
10:30 – 10:45: Break
10:45 – 12:30: On street ride – practicing recently learned skills
12:30 – 1:00: Debrief, Q&A time
2020 Summer Schedule:
Sunday: June 14 & July 26
Cost*: $110/student (accompanying parent included)
Eligibility: rising 6th – 8th graders
Location: Arrillaga Recreation Center, (see map below)
Equipment
Both parent & student are required to attend the complete class and MUST bring the following items with them to class:
- Each student and corresponding parent/guardian MUST have a fully functioning bike and properly fitting CPSC-compliant HELMET to participate in this class – we are all going to ride!
(Note: a fully functioning bike means: properly inflated tires [recently checked], working brakes, lubed chain, functioning gears) - A healthy snack for child and parent – we will have 2 snack breaks to refuel!
- A full water bottle – you get thirsty riding around in the sun
- Sunscreen applied prior to arrival at class
- Sunglasses and cycling gloves, if you would like
Transfers
Changing to a class after you’ve registered is possible if space is available. Changing to a class that’s full will result in your name being placed on the waitlist in the order it was received – if space does not open in this case, no refund or credit will be provided.
Refunds
Written request (via email is acceptable) must be received fourteen or more days prior to the registered session for a refund, less a 20% administrative fee. If written request is received less than 14 days prior to the registered session, no refund will be made. Refunds will not be granted for absences, dismissal, or voluntary withdrawal from the class.
In case of weather-related or insufficient enrollment cancellation by Wheel Kids, a full refund will be provided.
If for some reason you need to cancel, please email: msbs@wheelkids.com and include the following information:
- Date and location of class
- Name of student registered for class
Questions
Have questions about Middle School Bike Skills?
Contact: Wheel Kids at: msbs@wheelkids.com or Menlo Park Safe Routes to School staff at: SafeRoutestoSchool@menlopark.



