It is never too late to start CYCLING

 "But cycling is dangerous!": a lot of people have said to me first thing, as I told them that I was setting up business as a bike guide here in Nice. Well yes, cycling can be dangerous.

Especially if you do not know, how to behave when you move around in traffic on a bike. You are neither a pedestrian, on a scooter, nor driving a car.

You are a cyclist and need to take your precautions.

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Once you get accustomed to being a cyclist - you will find your self moving around with joy more than with a feeling of being in a scene from a scary movie.

​To help more people overcome fear of cycling in Nice, Lifesparkz Bike Tours now set up cycling classes starting on 19. November 2016.
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Cycling classes

In the winter weekends, Lifesparkz Bike Tours is doing a serie of events focusing on various themes and cycling techniques for people, who would like to become more confident when going on a city-/leisure bike in Nice. Everybody can join the events, yet during the classes we will go on some routes, which are a bit physical challenging.

Overcome the challenges of hitting the hilly roads of Nice. We build the level of difficulty of the routes from event to event. For the first event, we will go on a flat route. For the next events, we will work more on techniques for going uphill and downhill. In that way, you will end up getting experience for your everyday commutes in and around Nice.

In every event, we practise how to behave in traffic. In one of the events, we devote ourself to cycling behavior: traffic rules, cars, unwritten rules, dogs!, hand-signs, use of senses and so on. 

Which bike is good for me?
How to dress for cycling?
Can you go cycling if it is raining?
How do I pick a route?
How will I get up that hill - or down again?
Do I have to stop for a red light?

No question is too basic for our cycling classes.

Tina Baltzer, owner of Lifesparkz Bike Tours, has been cycling since she could walk. She has used her bicycle for everyday commutes in sunny, snowing, windy and a lot of rainy days for 30-something years in one of the biggest cycling cities: Copenhagen. Now she is commuting in Nice on her bike for everyday living and knows that you need to adopt a certain cycling logic, when you go on a bike in Nice.

When?
Saturday 19. November 2016: Cycling basics. We practise going on a flat route with little traffic - but a lot of pedestrians... We go in a group to visit the Cagnes-sur-Mer festival Fête de la Châtaigne

Sunday 27. November 2016: Techniques for going uphill and downhill. If you do cycling for a training activity: What do you need to think about for short rides, where you can go intense? Or for long rides, where you need your endurance? We climb and descend some of the hilly roads going east-bound from Nice towards Mont Boron and Villefranche-sur-Mer.

Saturday 10. December 2016: Prepare for a cycling trip. Meeting point in central Nice. We go to Lifesparkz Bike Tours' office ​in Villefranche-sur-mer where Tina will do a presentation of practicalities when going for a ride. E.g. how to plan your route. What kind of clothes to wear depending on the time of day, season, weather conditions, what kind of cycling you are doing. How much water/energy drinks/snacks do you bring. Which measurements can you make to prepare for the unpreparable.
After the talking, we do the cycling - to go around Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, which offers a bit of everything from the last classes plus some nice views. We return to Nice in a group via the Moyenne Corniche or Basse Corniche depending on the level of the participants.

Saturday 17. December 2016: Yoga and cycling. This sunday, we focus on mental energy, breathing, core-training and flexibility in cooperation with Prana Yoga Nice. We start the event by a yoga session for cyclists guided by experienced yoga instructor Muriel Giraud, who is a fan of cycling. We have a break after the yoga, where we can get a refreshment at a local restaurant. In the afternoon we head off for a delightful tour on the bike, where we can enjoy the Christmas decorations around town by bike in a relaxed way. Because now you are a better cyclist than before you started at Lifesparkz Bike Tour Cycling Classes :-)

If the participants are interested in going to a bikeshop and get a presentation of what to think of when buying a new or used bike, Lifesparkz Bike Tours is happy to organize an event with this focus. Please contact us, if you would like to participate in such an event, so we can keep you posted.

Please follow Lifesparkz Bike Tours events calender and Facebook page for the detailed announcements and booking of events. If you want to subscribe to one or more of the events now, book here. Each event will include minimum 2-2,5 hours cycling - 1,5-2 hours will be active cycling time/ 30-45 minutes will be theory, instructions or other activities.

Note that participants must provide their own bikes and it is mandatory to wear a bikehelmet. Lifesparkz Bike Tours is happy to help you, if you need to rent a bike in a bike rental shop. The first session will be flat road, and you can go on a vélo bleu. For the other sessions, it is better to have  lighter bike, with a good gearing in order to climb hills.

Depending on the participants, the events will be done in either English, French or Scandinavian.

Prices
Full Cycling Class serie (4 cycling events) // 48 €  = 12 € per class
Half Cycling Class serie (2 cycling events of your choice)
// 30 € = 15 € per class
One cycling event // 20 €
The yoga session is not included and will be paid directly to Prana Yoga Nice // 10 €
Food and beverages are not included.

Please read Lifesparkz Bike Tours Terms.

Looking forward to biking with you!

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