Steady Pedal Academy · In-Person Facilitator Guide

Overview

What this program delivers

By the end, the learner can independently mount, balance, pedal, steer, and stop a bicycle, and can demonstrate core cycling safety — feeling more confident and comfortable than when they started.

Learning objectives

Name key parts and controls
Fit a helmet & run a pre-ride check
Glide/balance with feet up 5+ sec
Start, pedal, and steer under control
Brake smoothly & stop with a foot down
Scan, signal, and read a path

Outcomes

Rides independently, unassisted
Understands and applies safety habits
Recovers from a wobble calmly

Success looks like

Confidence & comfort measurably rise
Positive feedback on clarity & pace
Learner completes the skills checklist
Learner wants to ride again

Delivery model

How we run it — hands-on and blended

Format

In-person, one-to-one guided practice (small groups of 2–3 also work with staggered drills). You spot, encourage, and give immediate feedback.
Blended pre-work: ask the learner to skim the self-guided site's "Your Bike" and "Safety" modules and watch one short video before session 1.
3–5 sessions, 45–60 min, spaced 2–4 days apart so skills and confidence consolidate.
Take-home: the printable Participant Handout and the self-guided site for between-session review.

The core method: balance before pedals

Rather than pushing a wobbling beginner, you convert the bike into a balance bike: remove the pedals and lower the saddle so both feet reach the ground. The learner masters balance — the hard part — with the safety of feet down before pedaling is added. It's faster and far less frightening.

Golden rule: a solid 5-second glide is the gate to reattaching pedals. Resist the urge to rush this — everything downstream gets easier when balance is genuinely secure.

Before you start

Bike setup, site setup & spotting

Bike setup

Remove both pedals with a 15 mm pedal wrench/Allen key. Right pedal loosens counter-clockwise; left pedal is reverse-threaded (loosens clockwise).
Lower the saddle so the learner sits with both feet flat and knees slightly bent.
Check tires are firm and both brakes bite (ABC check) before the learner arrives.
Have the pedals, wrench, and a floor pump on hand for the Module 3 transition.

Site setup

Large, flat, smooth, traffic-free paving — empty car park or sports court.
Mark a start line and place 2 cones ~30 feet (10 m) apart for later drills.
A very gentle downslope (if available) helps first pedal starts.
Avoid grass (too slow to glide) and any gradient, gravel, or crowds.

How to spot safely

Support from the learner's shoulders or back, or lightly hold the back of the saddle — never the handlebars (they need to feel the steering).
Jog alongside at their hip; keep your own footing clear.
Let go gradually and tell them after, not before — brief moments of unaided glide build belief.
Always let the learner control their own braking and foot-down.

Equipment checklist

Correctly-sized bike · well-fitting helmet · pedal wrench/Allen keys · floor pump · 2–4 cones · water · the Participant Handout · optional gloves and hi-vis. Do a full ABC + helmet fit check at the start of every session.

Session-by-session playbook

Run of show

Each session opens with the safety gate, teaches one focus, and ends on a repeatable win. Timings are a guide — the learner's pace rules. Repeat a session whenever the exit check isn't met.

1

Setup & balance

45–60 min

Focus · Modules 0–2

Welcome & safety gate (10 min): helmet fit (Eyes–Ears–Mouth), ABC Quick Check, quick parts tour on the actual bike.
Set up the balance bike: pedals off, saddle low, feet flat.
Sit & walk (10 min): learner walks the bike, feeling it balance underneath them.
Scoot (10 min): longer strides, brief coasting between pushes.
Glide (15 min): build speed, lift feet, coast. Eyes up.

Coach cues & spotting

"Eyes to the horizon — your balance follows your eyes." · "Let it roll." · "Your feet are always right there."

Spot lightly at the shoulders for the first few glides, then fade support without announcing it. Celebrate the first feet-up moment out loud.

Exit check: learner glides 5+ seconds, feet up, roughly straight, eyes forward. If not, repeat next session — do not add pedals.

2

Pedal power

45–60 min

Focus · Module 3 (+ recap 2)

Safety gate + glide recap (10 min): confirm the 5-second glide is still solid.
Reattach pedals (left is reverse-threaded), raise saddle a touch.
Power-pedal start (20 min): pedal to 2 o'clock, press & push off, second foot up.
Pedal straight (15 min): ride to a far target; steady, purposeful strokes.

Coach cues & spotting

"Big first press on the power pedal." · "A little speed makes it easier." · "Feel for the pedal — eyes stay forward."

Steady the learner from behind on the first two or three starts, then release. Watch for slow pedaling — encourage a touch more speed for stability.

Exit check: learner starts unaided and pedals a straight line, both feet on the pedals within a few feet (a meter or two).

3

Steer & stop

45–60 min

Focus · Modules 4–5

Safety gate + warm-up loop (10 min).
Braking first (15 min): identify levers, practice slow even squeezes, "brake → level pedals → foot down."
Steering (10 min): straight lines, then gentle wide curves, looking through the turn.
Figure-eight (15 min): loop the two cones both directions.

Coach cues & spotting

"Squeeze, don't grab." · "Look where you want to go, not at what you want to miss." · "Keep light pressure on the pedals through the turn."

Teach controlled stopping before asking for more speed. Demonstrate the foot-down yourself first. Stand at a cone as the stop target.

Exit check: smooth stop within ~6 feet (2 m) with a confident foot-down; controlled curves both directions.

4

Put it together

45–60 min

Focus · Modules 2–5

Safety gate (5 min).
Full sequence (30 min): start → ride a loop → turn → controlled stop, repeated until smooth and relaxed.
Raise the saddle to a proper riding height once starts and stops are reliable.
Confidence lap: a longer continuous ride to consolidate.

Coach cues & spotting

"You're riding a bike — look at you go." · "Relax your shoulders." · "Trust the speed."

Fade your involvement to observation. Let the learner self-correct wobbles. Name the moment they realize they no longer need you.

Exit check: learner rides a full loop independently — start, ride, turn, stop — confidently and unassisted.

5

Real world (optional)

45–60 min

Focus · Module 6

Safety gate + skills warm-up (10 min).
Shoulder checks (10 min): glance back while holding a straight line.
Signaling (10 min): arm out to turn, hand back to bar, hold the line.
Guided path ride (20 min): a quiet shared path — you ride behind, coaching positioning and hazard scanning.

Coach cues & spotting

"Scan, then signal, then move." · "Ride a predictable line." · "Look for the gap, plan early."

Choose the calmest possible route. Debrief hazards afterward. Reinforce gradual progression: distance → light traffic → junctions, never all at once.

Exit check: learner scans, signals, and holds a line on a real path, choosing safe routes independently.

Non-negotiable

Safety protocol

Every session, before rolling

Helmet fit — Eyes (1–2 fingers above brow), Ears ("V" under each ear), Mouth (snug when open).
ABC Quick Check — Air (firm tires), Brakes (both bite), Chain (on & moving); then Quick (wheels tight, no rattle).
Clothing — closed-toe flat shoes, nothing loose near the chain, bright colors.
Space — confirm still flat, dry, and traffic-free before starting.

Stop the session if…

The learner is fatigued, shaky, or losing focus — tiredness causes falls.
The surface becomes wet, or the area gets busy.
Any equipment issue appears (soft tire, spongy brake, loose part).
The learner's fear spikes — pause, reset, and end on an easy win rather than pushing.

Troubleshooting

Common mistakes & corrections

Balance & gliding

What you'll see

Coach the fix

Eyes locked on the front wheel

Give a target 15–30 feet (5–10 m) ahead; balance follows the eyes.

Stiff, locked arms

Cue soft elbows; have them shake out hands mid-glide.

Too slow to balance

Encourage harder scoots before lifting feet.

Pedaling & starting

What you'll see

Coach the fix

Looking down for the pedal

"Feel for it" — foot finds the pedal, eyes forward.

Wobble from slow pedaling

Ask for a bit more speed and purpose.

Can't launch on the flat

Strong power-pedal press; use a gentle downslope.

Steering & turning

What you'll see

Coach the fix

Jerky oversteering

Gentler inputs; a little speed smooths the line.

Drifting toward hazards

"Look at the gap, not the obstacle."

Wobble mid-turn

Light pedal pressure through the curve.

Braking & stopping

What you'll see

Coach the fix

Hard front-brake grab

Lead with even/rear; front applied gently.

Forgets the foot-down

Rehearse "brake → level pedals → foot down."

Panic stops

Brake earlier and softer; give more room.

Confidence coaching

Name the fear

Normalize nerves out loud; the feet-down safety net is why they can relax.

Celebrate micro-wins

Call out every glide and start. Confidence compounds.

Learner sets the pace

Offer the next step; never push. Autonomy beats pressure.

Measuring success

Assessment & sign-off

How we measure it

Confidence 1–10: capture a self-rating at the start of session 1 and end of the final session; look for upward movement.
Clarity & pace check: one quick question after each session ("Was the pace right? Anything unclear?").
Skills checklist: the learner signs off each skill on their handout — they confirm, not just you.
Behavioral outcome: independent mount, balance, pedal, steer, and stop — plus wanting to ride again.

Skills sign-off (facilitator copy)

Skill	Met?
Helmet fit & ABC check	▢
5-second glide, feet up	▢
Unaided start & straight pedal	▢
Turns both directions	▢
Controlled stop + foot down	▢
Scan & signal (if Session 5)	▢
Confidence rating rose	▢

The thinking behind it

Why this works for adult learners

Relevance & autonomy

Every drill maps to the learner's real goal — "riding on my own." They set the pace throughout.

Build on experience

Balance from walking, braking logic from driving — name what they know and transfer it.

Scaffolded, small wins

One micro-skill at a time; each success lowers fear and earns the next step.

Psychological safety

Private, judgment-free, feet-down-until-ready. Falling is reframed as normal and low-stakes.

Approach and drills reflect guidance from REI and cycling educators for teaching adult beginners with a balance-first, pedals-off progression.