Austin's best bicycle traffic and roadway bicycle safety class.

Private Group seminars - done on your schedule
We can arrange teach any group you organize at the location and on the schedule of your choosing, provided we can all find agreeable times. Be aware that each class still involves on-bike time so daylight hours are preferable. This does not rule out classes after dark, but students must be equipped and willing to ride at night. Class location should allow for bikes to be ridden away from the location and for the instructor to reach the class by bike. Group size is open ended, but larger classes may run slightly over 3 hours to give adequate time for questions. Contact us directly if you'd like to set up a class, or network with others seeking to form a class.

Price: $120 (tax included)
This price gets your group all three classes. This price is split among group members however they wish. This is not a per student price. It covers all the students.

Cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, or Discover accepted. Some restrictions apply.

Special price for Easy Street "+" upgrade buyers: Participation by anyone who purchased a new "+" upgrade bike (CT+, EZ-1+, EZ-Sport+, etc.) from Easy Street Recumbents reduces the class price by $20. If your group includes one such person, only $100 need be split among students. If your group includes 6 such people, the class is free (barring possible travel fees - see below).

Location: Classes are typically taught at Easy Street Recumbents in central Austin. Email us, or call for directions at (512) 453-0438. Let it ring.
Classes can be held at other locations, but an additional fee for the the instructor's travel time may apply. top

We offer two class curricula, Road One and Urban Cycling, based on the students' needs and interests:

Road One

This is an omnibus class for the novice cyclist with an interest in recreational riding. The class has 9 hours of material, including 3 hours of class time, 3 hours of hands on training, and 3 hours of time on the bike. The class concludes with a written test. Successful completion of a Road One class gives the graduate a nationally recognized certification stating that they know the fundamentals of riding in traffic, which can carry some weight should one have to deal with a judge over one's right to bicycle in traffic.

Topics in Road One include:

• How the parts of the bike should work
• Troubleshooting basic mechanical problems
• How to fit one's self to the bike
• How to fix a flat tire
• Basic and advanced handling skills
• How to equip the bike for roadway use
• Principles of cycling in traffic
• Roadway hazards and trail etiquette

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Urban Cycling

Our signature class is for the average rider who has some experience with their bike and who wants to begin their progress toward being a traffic ace. The class is focussed on city riding, from small streets and big streets. The class contains 9 hours of material, mostly in the classroom but with 3 30-minute practice rides spread through the class so students can try to observe class concepts in actual traffic.

Topics in Urban Cycling include:

• Principles of cycling in traffic (the same overview as one gets in Road One)
• Managing traffic stress
• Safely managing pursuing traffic using lane position and communication
• Identifying "controllers" on the streetscape
• Preventing and avoiding attacks
• Managing cross traffic at intersections
• Managing opposing traffic in bottlenecks and left turns
• Subtle safety considerations for sidewalks, parking lots, etc.

Urban Cycling aims to help the experienced rider make the best use of their experiences in traffic so as to sharpen their control of their surroundings. The beginning of the class covers basic principles which should be understood so that one knows what the expected norms are, but most of the class is about developing techniques for one's own self-training in traffic, based on one's needs and the equipment that one has.Top

Essays and Comments

If you have an interest in our subject and would like to read some of the stuff that we have, have a look at these pages:

• Traffic Laws review index - a list of bike traffic laws and commentaries on them, for your review
• Bicycle Methodology index - a list of views on how to best operate your bike in traffic, for your edutainment
• Safety Equipment - an essay on types of bicycle safety equipment and how to use it
• Bike choices for urban cycling - an essay on types of bikes and their relative strengths in urban traffic
• "Commuter Challenge" - a short story for those of you who think all this safety stuff is too goodie-two-shoes

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