Costa Mesa class to teach the nuts and bolts of bike safety

Costa Mesa city officials were looking to create a comprehensive bicycle safety education program in 2023 when they collaborated with the L.A. area nonprofit Walk ‘n Rollers to develop a program for schools and the greater biking community.

Working together under a $150,000 professional services agreement, the team created a roughly one-year pilot program that would bring bike safety classes to students in about 20 school campuses and offer workshops where adults and kids could sharpen their bike skills and know-how and get free helmets, equipment and more.

Those offerings, which have already reached thousands, will continue throughout the 2024-25 school year in accordance with the City Council-approved contract. But a crucial third component of the plan — the one that will effectively extend the temporary pilot into an ongoing city program — is just beginning to take shape.

A Smart Cycling Class Saturday at Costa Mesa’s Balearic Community Center will teach the intricacies of bike safety and inform participants how to become a certified cycling instructor.

(Courtesy of the city of Costa Mesa)

A Smart Cycling Class, being held this Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the city’s Balearic Community Center, is designed to help those interested in bicycling learn the intricacies of bike safety and about possibly becoming certified cycling instructors through the League of American Bicyclists.

Brett Atencio Thomas, Costa Mesa’s active transportation coordinator, said while anyone of any skill level is welcome to attend the free class, the idea is to take the city’s bike education program from something led by an outside nonprofit to a curriculum run by the city and residents.

“This is basically a train-the-trainers program,” Thomas said Wednesday. “We don’t want to say at the end of the school year, we’re done. We want to walk away with something where we can keep going.”

Participants of the daylong course will be brought up to speed on the rules of the road, sharpen their on-bike skills, enjoy a group ride and learn more about the rise in use of electronic bicycles.

Students may also complete an optional on-site exam that will allow them to then enroll in one of a series of seminars held by the League of American Bicyclists to become certified League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) capable of participating in future school-based programs and community workshops in Costa Mesa.

A May 2024 kids bike skills workshop is part of the city of Costa Mesa’s partnership with the nonprofit Walk ‘n Rollers.

(City of Costa Mesa)

Once certified, instructors can even come back and help lead future Smart Cycling Classes held by the city, Thomas said.

“This leads in the direction of getting people trained in the ability to train other people to ride bicycles,” he added. “We want LCIs here in the community to keep this program going.”

Balearic Community Center is located at 1975 Balearic Drive, in Costa Mesa. To learn more, visit walkmorebikemore.org/costa-mesa.