Pedaling Minds

Pedaling Minds is on a mission to help everyone learn to ride a bike with control and confidence. The Pedaling Minds approach focuses on developing skills that help kids and even adults overcome all manner of challenges, both on and off a bike. This type of professional help is not often available in underserved areas which is why all donations raised will be used to provide scholarships and equipment for kids whose families lack the means to pay for their young riders.

Testimonials

"Dear Coach Mike,
Thank you! The effort, skill, and passion you put in to Pedaling Minds has truly made a lifelong difference for our family. Seein gthe joy and pride on Rowans face while he is riding his bike is priceless! Thank you for all that you do."- Rowan, Kevin, and Morgan

"My daughter went from being convinced she can't ride a bike to riding her bike to and from camp each day and having the confidence to ride well on her own. " Belinda- mother of two participants

"I came her asking you all for bike riding lesson info for a stubborn 6-year old, and I just want to update that after an amazing private lesson with Mike of Pedaling Minds, we have another rider!!! I think she'll head back for spring or summer clinics with him, which he'll be posting soon! But...Yay! This is amazing. She literally would not get on her bike and even try and he took her from there to here."

I signed my daughter, Beatrice, up for biking with Pedaling Minds and Mike Friedman so she could have a fun, summer activity. How many people get to learn biking skills from a retired professional cyclist who was also in the Olympics? Her experience and the content went far beyond my hopes. Mike treats every student in his classes with respect. He has an unusual ability to engage and connect with people, and he uses that ability to help cyclists grow. Because of Mike's years biking and analyzing the skills necessary to bike safely, he is in a unique position to develop a curriculum and practice drills to teach both basic skills and more advanced, necessary skills. And he does this in a way that even a young child can learn! At age 5, Beatrice learned basics like checking helmet fit, pedaling standing up, and looking behind herself, but she also learned more advanced skills like stopping one-handed and steering one-handed while signaling! The most remarkable thing, though, is how what Mike teaches goes so far beyond riding a bike. Beatrice continues to apply what she had learned from Mike to other challenges. When frustrated, she reminded herself of the "3 Ps" Mike talks about - patience, practice, and perseverance. - Amanda Seyle Jones  (parent), January 2018

"I can't say enough good things about Pedaling Minds. My 6.5-year-old son did the Pedaling Minds camp with Mike two times last summer and went from being able to bike a few flat miles to being able to go on long bike rides (8+ miles), bike one-handed, maneuver around obstacles, and use a gear bike. He is now a better bike rider than I am. What is so special is that he takes bike safety so seriously. He stops at every intersection and looks in every direction thinking of every hazard that could happen. If he notices that I haven't looked in every direction, he tells me it's better to be safe than sorry. My son can't wait to do Pedaling Minds camp this summer." - Alexis Karnauskas (parent), January 2018
"Just after turning 6 years old, Bella went to one of Meatball's camps. She immediately took to Mike and his staff and by noon on the 1st day she was pedaling with no training wheels! We went back for a second camp where she learned more difficult skills like riding one hand to signal and riding over bumpy, slightly raised surfaces. We know that we will be back in the summer when her little brother is almost 5 so he can also learn how to ride a bike safely from Meatball and his crew. They really are the best. The kids love them and I trust them completely." - Heather Lofquist (parent), January 2018

From the Pedaling Minds Facebook reviews section
"Mike has a deep understanding of the mechanics of bicycling. He devoted his time to helping our daughter prepare for a lifetime on the pedals by teaching her the mechanics of what she is doing on the bike. He gave her a better sense of mechanics than most adult bicyclists I know! Perfect for future scientists and engineers! He also has an innate ability to relate to children on various levels - peer, mentor, sensei!" - Amanda Mahaffey (parent), October 2018

"Mike was great with my kiddo in her solo lesson. She had lots of anxiety about riding, but he helped her with skills and her confidence shot up! I was amazed with the progress they made in one hour! She's now looking forward to doing camp with him and firming up her biking skills." - Rachel Silver Baring-Gould (parent), June 2018