Free cycling courses for adults in Espoo from spring to autumn 2023 - come along, no bike required!
Helsinki Region Cyclists (Hepo) in collaboration with the City of Espoo is organising basic cycling skills training for adult residents of Espoo from spring to autumn 2023. By teaching cycling skills, sustainable mobility for city residents is also promoted.
The courses are free for participants, and you don't need your own bike to participate. The instruction is provided in easy Finnish and English, and whenever possible, other common languages are used.
The cycling courses start with learning balance and gradually progress to more advanced exercises. The goal is for your skills and confidence to grow throughout the course, enabling you to cycle independently in urban environments. Alongside the skills, your self-assurance and courage will also increase.
In Finland, cycling is perceived as a basic skill that everyone knows. However, the reality does not match this perception.
"On our courses, we have roughly two types of students. There are those who tried cycling as children but may have developed a fear of falling, for example. On the other hand, some of our students come from countries where there is no cycling culture or where cycling is only associated with men or the wealthy," says Taina Renkonen, coordinator of Helsinki Region Cyclists.
"The City of Espoo wants to offer support to residents in learning cycling skills. Cycling is a sustainable and healthy mode of transportation. Acquiring this skill also enhances the possibilities for independent mobility for residents who speak languages other than Finnish. We also aim to support residents' cycling opportunities after the courses," says Mari Päätalo, Development Manager at the City of Espoo.
The project has received funding through the Sustainable Cities Climate Impact Challenge organised by the European Union’s communities EIT Digital and EIT Climate-KIC. The challenge supports the transition to cleaner, greener and smarter mobility. The implementation of the project is funded by the international logistics company FedEx.