Smart Cycling is the name of the League of American Bicyclists’ bike education program and is the name of the foundation course for the League’s education program. The Smart Cycling Complete class, which encompasses the Basics, Intermediate, and Advanced in-class portions of the curriculum as well as the on-road portion is the prerequisite class to becoming an LCI.
The Smart Cycling curriculum teaches bicyclists to ride their bikes like vehicles and promote a set of rules and concepts that help bicyclists ride more effectively and safely as they gain experience and build confidence.
We recommended the Smart Cycling Complete class for adults, as well as youth over 14 years of age. The curriculum is fast-paced, though long (nine hours), and contains a blend of classroom education, on-bike parking lot drills, and road riding. The on-bike portion can be adapted for virtually any style or type of bicycle.
This course can be easily broken into separate, smaller courses in two ways:
- You can separate it into a classroom education portion and an on-bike portion
- You can separate it by skills (Beginner, Intermediate, Advanced), with each section having both a classroom and an on-bike portion.
THE LCI SEMINAR
This is an intense 3-day seminar and will require about 3 hours of preparation prior to the course. The LCI training seminar focuses on teaching and demonstration techniques used with future students both on the road and in the classroom. The seminar emphasis is on how to teach bicycle safety and skills so as to provide increased comfort and confidence for new and returning bicyclists and youth.
The seminar does not emphasize the content or specific details of the cycling course curricula. It is primarily about teaching, and each candidate will have opportunities during the seminar to practice facilitating parts of the Smart Cycling curriculum, both in the classroom and in the parking lot. The seminar is normally one evening and two full days. Generally, 1/3 of the time is on-bike, so students should be prepared to ride.
All candidates must attend the entire seminar.
Candidates must successfully complete the Smart Cycling Class before attending the LCI Seminar.
For more national information: https://www.bikeleague.org/content/find-take-class