Classes & Resources

Savvy Bike Bicycle Classes

Western Wheelers recommends Savvy Bike for core road bike skills training. At this time, we do not offer discounts to members for these classes, but we do still encourage you to take some of them! The clinics we specifically recommend are:

Bike Skills 101 — Fundamental Bike Handling Skills. This is the clinic teaching the old dogs new tricks and the newbies the fundamentals. You’ll learn about balance and weight distribution and how that affects your ability to ride your bike safely and confidently. You will learn skills like riding with no hands, emergency stops, and how to look behind you while holding your line, how to steer, and counter-steer. After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.
Bike Skills 201 — Climbing + Descending Skills. This is a continuation of what you’ve learned in Bike Skills 101. What goes up must come down, right? In this 4-hour clinic, we’ll teach you how to climb like a pro: seated climbs, standing climbs, short climbs, steep climbs, extended climbs. And then, we’ll teach you how to come back down again, focusing on a fast straight descent, and then a technical switchback-type descent. Prerequisite: Bike Skills 101.
Bike Skills 301 — Pacelines + Group Riding. This is also a continuation of what you’ve learned in Bike Skills 101. Whether you are a recreational rider, a randonneur, or a racer, these group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, and farther. This is for every A, B, C, D and E rider in the Club. You will learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills. Prerequisite: Bike Skills 101.

In addition to the above clinics, other Savvy Bike clinics that might be relevant among the many others offered include:

Bike Skills 100 — Urban Riding Skills
Bike Skills 102 — Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills
Bike Skills 002 — Basic Bike Maintenance

Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition offers Bicycle Classes

"Our bicycle classes exist to empower people to become more safe and confident riders"

SVBC offers an extensive Education Series—Monthly classes, Webinars and an Adult Education Series:

Biking Basics: One-hour biking workshops – for people who want a quick review of bicycle safety in a classroom setting
Smart Cycling Part 1- Classroom: Comprehensive four-hour workshops to prepare you to bike safely on the road – for people who want to get into the details and learn how to choose a bike, how to ride safely, basic safety checks, and commuting tips. Classroom setting.
Smart Cycling Part 2- On-bike: On-bike workshops where you can practice biking on the street in small groups and with instructors – for people who want hands-on experience practicing skills. Prerequisite: Smart Cycling Part 2- Classroom
Bike maintenance workshops – for people who want to know how to change a tire, fix a flat, and basic maintenance

SVBC Bicycle Classes >

Coaching, Training & Maintenance

Western Wheelers Bicycle Club offers this list for reference only. Coaching services vary, and information may not be current. Contact the companies directly for more information.

Resources

The ACTC Bike Driving Academy offers riders a comprehensive series of 12 classes divided into three 4-class modules. Sessions run twice a year beginning in February and July. Classes include:

Riding skills - dodging, quick stops/starts, slalom, climbing, descending and drafting.
Basic bike maintenance, changing a flat and understanding gears.
Cycling topics – how to choose the “right” bike, nutrition, riding in the rain, riding at night, commuting, clothing and gear, riding in a group and more.
Training for longer distances with more elevation. Rides increase from 10 miles to a metric century. Every class includes a ride accompanied by experienced staff (weather permitting).
Mastering the Road (Class #4) a visual supported instructor presentation about riding more safely on the road. This class is a prerequisite for riders who already ride 20 miles comfortably and want to begin their session after the fundamental, shorter rides. Questions? Email >

March 2024 - Thanks to San Mateo County's new Sheriff Christina Corpus and Captain Matthew Fox, the Sheriff's Office now has a new cycling safety brochure that better represents the Vehicle Code and good practice.

Sheriff Corpus and Captain Fox have also made it possible for San Mateo County BPAC Chair Elaine Salinger and local participant Steve Lubin to make "Roll Call Meeting" presentations to Sheriff Deputies, raising patrol officer's awareness of bicycle issues.

On August 15, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill (AB) 1946 into law. This course, developed with the assistance of key cycling organizations (e.g. LAB, CALBIKE, CABO), government agencies (e.g. CalTrans, CARB, California State Parks), and medical representatives (e.g. Stanford Health Care, UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital), is designed to provide information about E-Bike riding, what to consider when purchasing an E-Bike, basic skills and maneuvers, rules of the road, and other safety tips.

Bikes & Bricks
Taught by mini-figures and inspired by bricks, this BIKING EDUCATIONAL VIDEO is an endearing and entertaining way to learn about Biking Basics, Staying Safe, Riding in Groups, Stuff you Need, and Riding all Year Long. For three riding levels: Basic Riding, Riding Independently, Experienced Riding, plus a Bonus Basic Bike Maintenance Guide at the end. For all ages, ~32 min long

League of American Bicyclists Learning Center & Education Videos

Basic Bike Check
Bike Lanes
Intersection Positioning
Scanning
Share the Trail
Shifting Gears
Signaling
Traffic Laws and Cycling
and more...

Bicycling Street Smarts: Riding Confidently, Legally, and Safely, by John S. Allen

As a cyclist on the roadway, you have the same rights and responsibilities of a vehicle driver and are responsible for complying with the California Vehicle Code (CVC).

California Vehicle Code on Bicycles

League of American Bicyclists Smart Cycling Quick Guide (sample, preview version)

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