An idea created out of inspiration from a kid’s ski school program in Wyoming, KidCycle Club Founder and Owner Emi Kubota said that she noticed an opportunity to combine childcare with incremental instructional lessons to teach kids how to ride bikes.

A former ski instructor, Kubota started planning her new business, KidCycle Club, in the spring of 2020. She was seeking an additional avenue to help teach kids a new skill that can help them and their families have fun outdoors. 

“I knew that children often respond much better to a third party when learning certain new skills,” Kubota said. “An experienced teacher or coach has the experience and understands how to break down the steps to learning, and it can be a much smoother process. Kids see these other adults as experts, and the kids listen to them well.”

One of Kubota’s challenges was that she was nervous at first about teaching new coaches to provide a similar experience for her guests. “I have seen all of my coaches become better coaches,” she said. “We are all able to work together, streamline our processes, and get more training, allowing our coaches to become even better coaches. It’s another fantastic experience for me; I love watching that happen, and it’s making the experiences that the kids are having even more positive.”

Kubota offers parent/child classes for children up to five years of age. “Both the parents and the child have to listen to the teacher,” she said. “Some children do better without the parent right there, and some children need the additional support offered by the parent. We also educate the parent on the safest and most encouraging ways that they can support their child and their child’s confidence while kids are learning to ride. Sometimes removing training wheels can be traumatic for children because they create a feeling of safety, but the class equips parents with ways they can be supportive.”

KidCycle Club offers bike rentals for their classes, and Kubota said that it is important that kids use bikes that are the right size and style from the beginning of their learning. Kids aged one to three can use a mini four-wheeled strider bike with hand brakes. Older kids need to have a bike with hand brakes and seats that are the right height for their feet to touch the ground. 

“It’s better and easier to start off with repetition of good habits,” Kubota said. “Breaking old habits like backpedaling or dragging feet to stop can be challenging.. It’s also important to increase the fun to work ratio. When it gets tipped in the right direction, like with a child riding down a small ramp for the first time, they are hooked.”

KidCycle classes include lessons ranging from getting used to the feeling of riding, to getting comfortable with the mechanics, practicing on straight and flat greenway paths, and even learning to mountain bike. In her after school, parent’s day out, and summer camp programs, Kubota and her team of coaches provide a full range of biking activities that are less instruction-based, with a small student-to-coach ratio providing a childcare component for parents.

Age ranges of children are from one year old up to 12 years old and Kubota said some older kids are learning to ride for the first time. She is also able to accommodate some special needs and offer extra support for those children.

“We love to bring new people into the sport at whatever age and stage they are at,” Kubota said. “There is a place for all people of all levels of ability in every sport, and we are trying to make sure that everyone feels included here.

“We are combining childcare with a fun activity in fun places, and we are getting lots of great feedback,” Kubota said. “Parents said that they are seeing their kids blossom and gain more confidence, and many kids are returning for more programs because it’s been such a good experience for them. We are also building our team to provide more camp opportunities – there will be summer camp opportunities at several of Asheville Parks & Recreation locations as well as Dupont State Forest and the Grandfather Ranger District, and transportation for kids and their bikes may be available if needed.”

Emi Kubota is the Founder and Owner of KidCycle Club. Learn more at KidCycle Club.com.