NO. We have a fleet of high quality, ultra lightweight childrens’ bikes from our partners at Woom that we use for teaching. During the first session of most Learn to Ride programs and camps, we will fit your child to an appropriate bike to use during the program. That said, it always our goal to transition the student back to their own bike successfully, so we will begin to transition to their bike as confidence and skills develop. Many of our students will need a new/larger bike after learning, and we will advise you on the appropriate size to purchase- you can order Woom bikes directly through us, check out our handpicked recommendations here, or source yourself . So please don’t rush out to buy something before starting Learn to Ride- but do bring his or her bike along to the first session if you need help removing pedals and training wheels etc so your child can practice between lessons.

Helmet (we do have spares just in case!)

Water Bottle – important as bike lessons are hard work!

No, not necessary. We learn to glide and balance first, which minimizes dramatic crashes (though everyone falls when learning to ride- it happen!). Knee and elbow pads tend to add more frustration and discomfort.

This is important – as the wrong clothing can be a hindrance, frustration and even a danger when learning to ride. Students should wear closed toes sneakers (laces tied tightly!) and long socks or long pants/leggings. Socks or pants protect sensitive shins which tend to get bumped frequently by pedals. Anything overly baggy (large basketball shorts for boys, skirts for girls) can be a danger and a discomfort. We suggest bringing a warmer layers depending on the season that can be easily removed for managing changing temperatures. Remember, it often feels cooler on a bike than when stationary. 

You sure can leave! Parents are welcome to stay during weekly classes but asked to keep a bit of distance to allow student and instructor to develop a rapport. Please use encouraging words to cheer your child on as they learn and practice- the development of confidence is key to success and we practice positive reinforcement and clear, firm expectations for each student. Some children will try to give up more easily or frustrate faster if they think Mom or Dad is going to “give in”… so let us handle it and maybe take some time for a walk, emails, phone, younger siblings etc. Your child will be SO excited to show you their progress at the end of the lesson! It can be confusing to students if technique/terminology is different, so we will give parents some tips for coaching cues to use when practicing between lessons to reinforce and stay consistent. We’ll also suggest some “homework” for your child to work on – getting practice in between sessions is a huge help! Please do not allow your child to ride with training wheels between lessons – see this article for why we feel so strongly about it.

Kids love riding in the rain! That said, there are days where weather conditions are not safe for lessons and we will cancel in that case. We typically do not cancel for expected weather in advance as Maryland can be sunny/stormy/sunny again all in the course of an hour! 

We use areas that are closed entirely to vehicular traffic for classes and camps. We maintain Red Cross First Aid and CPR certification and have a fully-stocked first aid kit available at all times. We maintain exhaustive Safety and Emergency plans for each location where we operate and staff receive extensive training. PedalPower Kids maintains appropriate levels of liability insurance for the nature of the business.