Free women's bike riding skills clinics coming to South Boston, Roxbury

Women interested in learning how to ride a bike, or those who already cycle but want to sharpen their skills, will have an opportunity to do so in South Boston and Roxbury this month.  The Boston Transportation Department is hosting classes geared to teaching basic bike riding skills to beginners, as well as more advanced street skills clinics to those who already know the fundamentals of bike riding.  The neighborhood clinics are free of charge and all City of Boston residents are encouraged to attend.

Pre-registration for the South Boston and Roxbury clinics is required at www.boston.gov/women-bike.  Clinics are held outside and will be cancelled in the event of severe weather.  The schedule for the clinics is as follows.

• Saturday, September 16, 12PM-2PM, Intro to Street Riding, BCYF Condon Community Center, 200 D Street, South Boston
• Saturday, September 30, 10AM-12PM, Beginner/Basic Skills, Boston Water and Sewer Commission, 980 Harrison Avenue, Roxbury
• Saturday, September 30, 12PM-2PM, Intro to Street Riding, Boston Water and Sewer Commission, 980 Harrison Avenue, Roxbury

A Beginner/Basic Skills clinic scheduled for Saturday, September 16, 10AM-12PM, at the BCYF Condon Community Center in South Boston is already full.

“Over the next two years the City of Boston will be adding another 70 bike share stations, expanding our already significant program to new neighborhoods in the City and increasing bike share opportunities in neighborhoods with existing programs,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh.  “Taking this major expansion into consideration, now is a perfect time for more of our residents to learn to bike ride safely and confidently.  The clinics are free and we offer bike share membership at a discounted rate to low-income Boston residents.  This ensures that all residents have access to a bike, whether they choose to ride for health, recreation or transportation purposes.”

“In keeping with Go Boston 2030, the City of Boston’s long term, comprehensive transportation plan, BTD and our partner agencies are working to provide a variety of safe, equitable and reliable options for residents and others to move around Boston,” said Gina N.  Fiandaca, Commissioner of the Boston Transportation Department.  “In addition to offering off-street bike riding options, such as the East Boston Greenway that extends the entire length of the neighborhood from Maverick Square to Orient Heights, we continue to improve our bicycle infrastructure both Downtown and in the City’s neighborhoods.”

To participate in the clinics, pre-registration is required on the program website at www.boston.gov/women-bike .  Space is limited and early registration is strongly encouraged.  Registrants are asked to bring their own bikes and helmets, or may request to borrow equipment from BTD through the registration process.

Beginner/Basic Skills clinics are intended for those who never learned to ride or need to brush up on basic skills.  Street Skills clinics are intended for those who have basic skills, such as, starting, stopping and turning, but want to build their confidence to ride on Boston’s streets.  People attending a preceding Basic Skills Clinic are not required to register separately for the Intro to Street Riding Clinics.  Clinics are open to all residents of Boston who identify as women.

The clinics are supported in part by Let’s Get Healthy, Boston!, a partnership of the Boston Public Health Commission and the Boston Alliance for Community Health to make it easier for residents to make healthy choices in physical activity.  This three year initiative is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Partnerships to Improve Community Health grant, and is working to reduce the prevalence of obesity, tobacco use and exposure, heart disease, stroke and diabetes.

About Go Boston 2030: Go Boston 2030 is the City of Boston’s long term mobility plan.  It envisions a city in a region where all residents have better and more equitable travel choices, where efficient transportation networks foster economic opportunity, and where steps have been taken to prepare for climate change.  Whether traveling by transit, on foot, on a bike, or by car, people will be able to access all parts of Boston safely and reliably.  A list of projects and policies have been developed that are being implemented as early action projects in the near term, and a set of long-term projects and policies are intended to be implemented over the next 15 years.