The Montgomery County Department of Transportation (MCDOT) will offer low-cost adult bike classes in April, May and June. The classes will include nine Learn to Ride and one Basic Skills class. MCDOT also will offer four free, walk-up e-scooter classes following select bike classes.  

Advance registration is required to participate in the bicycle classes, with a cost of $10 for Montgomery County residents. There is no charge for Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) or Capital Bikeshare For All members. However, registration is still required.   

Bicycles and helmets will be provided at no charge for the adult Learn to Ride class participants and can be rented from WABA on site, if needed, for the Basic Skills class participants.  

“Our adult bike and scooter classes provide residents with the skills and confidence they need to ride safely—whether for commuting, running errands or simply enjoying the outdoors,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “Riding a bike is a fun and healthy activity and when bikes are used for local trips in place of cars, they can help reduce congestion and lower our carbon footprint."  

Participants in the Learn to Ride bicycle classes will learn how to start and stop, balance, glide, pedal and steer a bike. Each student will progress at their own pace. Students in the Basic Skills class should be able to ride a bicycle and will continue to practice basic biking skills. The classes will be led by experienced WABA instructors.  

The classes are open to residents 18 and over, are limited to 25 people and fill up quickly.  

Online registration for April classes is now open on the WABA website under the Classes tab. Registration for May classes will open at 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 2, and June class registration will open at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 2.  

Adult Learn to Ride Bike class schedule:  

• Sunday, April 13 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Upper County Community Recreation Center, 8201 Emory Grove Rd., Gaithersburg. *Free e-scooter class to follow. 

• Saturday, April 19 10 a.m.-1 p.m. White Oak Community Recreation Center, 1700 April Lane, Silver Spring. 

• Sunday, April 27 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Wheaton Ice Arena (back parking lot), 11717 Orebaugh Dr., Wheaton. *Free scooter class to follow.  

• Saturday, May 3 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Germantown Community Recreation Center, 18905 Kings View Rd., Germantown. 

• Saturday, May 17 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Margaret Schweinhaut Sr. Center, 1000 Forest Glen Rd., Silver Spring.  

• Sunday, May 18 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Farm Women’s Market, Lot 24, 4601 Leland St., Bethesda.  

• Saturday, June 7 9 a.m.-noon. Davis Construction at the Twinbrook Metro Center I, 12530 Parklawn Dr., Rockville. 

• Saturday, June 14 9 a.m.-noon. Montgomery College (parking lot 13), 850 Hungerford Dr., Rockville. *Free e-scooter class to follow.  

• Sunday, June 22 9 a.m.-noon. Marilyn J. Praisner Community Recreation Center 14906 Columbia Pike, Burtonsville. 

Adult Basic Skills Bike Class schedule:  

• Saturday, May 24 10 a.m.-noon. Westfield Montgomery Mall (former Sears parking lot), 7101 Democracy Blvd., Bethesda. *Free scooter class to follow.  

Rain dates for all adult bike and e-scooter classes will be held two weeks after the original class date and time, except for the June 22 class (that rain date will be June 29).  

The two-hour adult e-scooter classes are being offered on a drop-in basis immediately following the bike classes on April 13, April 27, May 24 and June 14. E-scooter classes do not require pre-registration. Anyone 18 or over with a valid driver’s license or ID can join. E-scooters and helmets are provided.  

“We continue to see strong demand for adult bike classes,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “In response, we’ve expanded our offerings, adding more classes at additional locations. Since 2021, more than 800 residents have participated in these trainings, and interest keeps growing. At the same time, we're expanding our protected bike lane network in Silver Spring and North Bethesda and moving forward with projects in Wheaton and across the County." 

To register for the bike classes, visit waba.org/classes. For more information, and to view any future inclement weather cancellations, visit MCDOT’s website here or call 240-777-8380.  

For information on MCDOT programs and services, visit montgomerycountymd.gov/mcdot, follow @MCDOTNow on X, Bluesky, Facebook, Instagram and subscribe to MCDOT’s “Go Montgomery!” newsletter.      

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