Here’s some information about the lessons.  Contact me to book or to discuss:

Contact Form or 07952 314768

I will talk to you individually prior to arranging to start lessons.

Area covered

Southampton & Eastleigh

Cost

£25 per hour one-to-one
£130 for a set of 6 hours
Lessons are usually 2 hours long, shorter by arrangement.
Group lessons by arrangement.
There is no subsidised price through the local council at present.

Bicycle

Make sure your bicycle is roadworthy beforehand by having it checked by a cycle repairer.   If you do not have access to a bicycle, ask me about borrowing one for the lesson.  Here is an internet list of cycle shops in Southampton

Come prepared for the lesson

Wear normal clothing for moderate physical activity outdoors. Make sure there is nothing loose that could get caught in the mechanism.  Check the forecast and be prepared for a change in the weather! Preferably eat and drink water beforehand and consider bringing water with you.

Helmets

There are good reasons for and against helmet wearing so you need to inform yourself and make your own decision.  A well-fitting helmet may reduce injury in the event of a blow to the head – which is very unlikely during beginner and bike control lessons.  If you or your child feels more comfortable wearing a helmet, by all means do do.   I can advise you about this.  Meanwhile, here’s an article from Cycling UK which helps you weigh up the pros and cons of helmet wearing. 

What to expect

Before your lesson we’ll discuss your starting point and what you want to achieve. I welcome all ages and abilities – beginners, returners or people wanting to update their skills.  It can be daunting to come for lessons, especially if something has been holding you back.  I aim to positively reassure you so you feel excited and empowered.

In a traffic-free space, we begin with a simple bike check, and then go through all the skills you need to confidently control your bike.  With beginners we start with handling the bike, then balancing before adding pedaling and the finer control skills.

Only when you are confident in these, do we move to quiet roads where we cover the essentials of riding on roads and negotiating simple junctions. We use the guidelines of the Bikeability programme, the key principles of which are:

• Observation (awareness of surroundings, anticipation, avoidance of hazards)
• Positioning (deciding the most suitable position to ride on the road or path)
• Communication (let other road users know you are competent, courteous and alert)
• Priorities (knowing the rules of the road – who goes first)

If you choose to, we can go on to more advanced work on busier roads and more complicated junctions when you are ready.

Content

I broadly follow the content of the Bikeability programme which is taught mainly in schools).
Level 1 – How to control a bike – in a traffic-free space
Level 2 – Essential know-how for cycling on roads – starting on quiet roads
Level 3 – Advanced road riding, busier roads and more complex junctions

Tuition Time

The amount of coaching you need varies from person to person. As a guide, for people who can already ride well, around 6 hours may be sufficient to cover Level 1 and Level 2.  A complete beginner will need time to learn to balance on the bike and then develop the finer control skills, before moving on to roads probably after a period of practice.

Place

We agree a suitable place in the Southampton area when you book.

After tuition

Look forward to invigorating, sustainable and liberating travel for all manner of journeys – from a nip to the shops to a day out or even a cycling holiday! You may find you love cycling so much that you take up a special interest, such as racing, off-roading or even stunt riding. Happy cycling!