CTSB - Cycling Training Standards Board » Selecting Training Areas

Selecting Training Areas

This section outlines how to select appropriate training areas and to use alternative environments and training aids.

Summary

Instructors must make sure that clients cycle far enough away from parked vehicles or other property that may become damaged
Cycle around the site noting matters such as the overall speed of traffic, usability of junctions
On the day of training note any serious changes affecting the site
If hazards are encountered it may be appropriate for the instructor and client to dismount and wheel their bikes to a quieter site

Level 1

Level 1 must be trained away from traffic. Suitable spaces may be hard to find in urban areas and may require the instructor and the client to travel in order to reach a site. When selecting a training area for beginners the following points must be considered:

The area must be a wide, open space, well-surfaced and free from obstructions, such as a playground or empty car park
Providing it is large enough and adequately lit, training could take place indoors
Access to toilets, refreshments and a seating area may be desirable

Level 2

This client group may be trained on a variety of lightly-trafficked roads when the instructor is satisfied that the clients have sufficient control skills to contend with traffic. The whole training session can be carried out over a compact geographical area.

The training course organiser or the instructor may select the roads to be used. Alternatively, the client may help make the selection. The latter option is preferred for adults as the training is more likely to be relevant to the client and their cycling aspirations.

If the instructor selects the training area:

Choose quiet, lightly-trafficked roads
Devise a circuit or course that includes straight stretches, junctions, and with the potential to practice a range of basic manoeuvres
Ensure that there are a variety of junctions and traffic levels
Where they exist, instructors should have good knowledge of local cycle routes and networks, especially close to popular destinations such as schools, leisure facilities, business districts, stations etc.
Include specific features such as shared use paths that Level 2 cyclists will be likely to use
Identify speed humps, traffic calming, kerbs and cycle gates that may have to be cycled over and practice riding over them, or selecting which ones are not ridable
If the chosen training area does not include any changes of terrain it may be possible to go somewhere that does before completing Level 2 and ensure the client uses a selection of gears appropriately
Although in some locations it is possible to cycle mainly on the flat; if the client wishes to progress further it is unlikely that they will always be able to avoid hills

Level 3

This client group must be trained in a more technically demanding range of traffic conditions. The training session may need to cover a wider geographical area. The training course organiser or the instructor may select the roads to be used. Alternatively, the client may make the selection. The latter option is preferred as the training is more likely to be relevant to the client and their cycling aspirations. For example, training may be an opportunity to rehearse a client's route to work or other trip that they intend to cycle.

If the instructor selects the training area:

Select a route with a variety of road conditions. If the client has sufficient skill this must include busier roads and more complex junctions, hills, etc
Be sure that the roads selected are suitable for the client's level of ability but gradually increase the difficulty of the road features untill you are sure that the client is competent to deal with them
Try to ride specific routes (e.g. a commute to the client's workplace) both ways. A simple left turn on the way to work may become a difficult right turn on the return trip

It is also time at Level 3 to introduce bigger hills (depending on the area), which the client would previously have walked and set them as a challenge. Although in some locations it is possible to cycle mainly on the flat, it is not likely that they can avoid all hills or bridges.

Use of alternative environments

Some training organisers like to have a classroom or similar environment as a base for training. This is most common for group training, in particular teenage training based at schools or clients training based on community facilities. With bad weather the instructor may also need an alternative classroom based session. Some instructors do not use any formal situations at all and it is not a requirement for these standards.

There are also an increasing number of computer aids which can introduce some fun and entertainment into training, and are very useful in attracting the attention of less motivated individuals. In particular, the introduction of a hazard perception test into the car driving test has led to a number of organisations developing computer based tools for learner drivers; some of these can cross over into cycle training.

The main benefit of the classroom environment is however to have a quiet location and use of aids such as whiteboards and desks to facilitate the theoretical side of training. There is a psychology that gives the classroom a more formal status for some people, however bear in mind that is a turn off for others. Always explore the attitude of clients before suggesting a classroom session to work out if it is appropriate.

Safety and security

You must understand the rules and operating guidance for any building or classroom you use in line with the owners' instructions - it is now standard practice to identify exits and facilities before every session in pubic buildings and cycle training should be no different. The scheme organiser should have booked the location and equipment and supplied the instructor with any relevant information.

If you use electrical equipment such as projectors and computers as training aids recognise that this is a public environment and that such equipment should be regularly serviced and protected. If you use hired or borrowed equipment make sure you know whether your insurance covers damage to the equipment.

Consider the following:

If you are training inside what is happening to the bikes'
Do you have permission from the owners to bring the bikes inside?
Have you got enough locks or a secure space?

If you are training a group,ensure everyone is in and out of the building at the required times, especially if you are the sole users. Locking someone in because they went to the toilet is not good practice!

Training

Classrooms should be used as a structured support for practical training. Cycle training is an interactive physical activity and cannot be taught theoretically.

Classrooms are appropriate for two main purposes:

Delivering a specific piece of required knowledge
Checking understanding without the distraction of clients having to propel/balance/control a bike at the same time

A classroom environment is therefore useful for teaching:

How the lesson today will be structured
How a bike works
The Highway Code
An initial description of manoeuvres
Question and answer sessions after training
What next
Supplementary information to make cycling more enjoyable/interesting/practical

Use of training aids

Instructors should consider the venues they will be using and the impact of the venue selection on the quality of training. Unlike many forms of training, a formal classroom setting, gymnasium, workshop or office is unlikely to form the mainstay of training so requirements of good practice relating to these environments are less appropriate. However, good discipline in location selection and some well constructed training aids can contribute to the effectiveness of training.