The Bike Instructor Certification Program (BICP) offers professional training and certification for Police Officers who patrol on bikes by providing standardized on-the-bike skills training worldwide. The BICP training is built on proven, successful methods nearly two decades in development and aims to establish a standard for mountain bike skills instructor training. The BICP is the sole source provider for this training.
This is the foundation for training bike patrol departments; BICP provides the tools necessary to teach on-the-bike skills to bike patrol officers.
BICP courses are offered year-round all over the world, but primarily in the USA. The BICP program is designed to train the trainer on how to teach mountain bike skills geared to the bike patrol officer.
It is our goal to teach you to become a stronger and more confident bike patrol officer instructor trainer while growing a community for safe bike patrol officers.
A 4-day course that certifies an individual to teach intermediate bike skills. Skills covered include body position, braking, shifting, climbing, descending, bike/body separation, wheel lifts, and much more.
Length: 4-day course, plus approximately 30 hours of online prework.
Cost: $1000 USD.
A $65 BICP Patrol Cyclist annual membership will be added to your purchase.
Time: Each day will run 8 am – 6 pm.
The BICP Patrol Cyclist Instructor Trainer course was developed for Police departments with bike patrol divisions to train and develop some key individuals to become bike patrol skills trainers.
Although this course is not to be taken as a personal skills training event, participants will end up honing their skills on the bike and gaining additional knowledge about bikes– participants should already have a solid understanding of mountain biking.
The Patrol Cyclist Instructor Trainer course will provide direction and build your confidence to train and test your bike skills. The Patrol Cyclist Instructor Trainer will have the ability to teach and correct basic and advanced mountain bike skills.
Mountain bike skills training is complex and demanding. Although some departments/agencies will provide some form of job-specific training for bike patrol officers, they are generally unable to provide the comprehensive training required to perform your job in a safe, competent manner.
There are many aspects to teaching: planning and preparation, risk management, proper interaction with students, managing a group, and being fully confident in your own understanding and demonstration of the fundamental elements. We will provide you with a strong foundation for moving forward as a well-equipped, knowledgeable instructor. This course will make you think about situations you don’t want to think about yet need to be ready for.
Patrol Prerequisites:
- 100+ hours of Patrol experience.
- Current First Aid and CPR certification.
- Five or more years of biking experience.
- A personable individual with good communication skills and a desire to help others.
You will be tested on the following:
- Fundamental Elements
- Skill Description
- Demonstrations
- Group Management
- Error Detection and Corrections
- Progressions
- Communication
- Leadership & Professional Conduct
This course will teach Level 1 Foundational skills before diving deeper into skills analysis.
In Level 2 Intermediate skills, topics include stability and biomechanics, teaching strategy, teaching plans, and measuring tools, i.e. scorecards. The Level 2 skills portion of the course takes you through 24 different skills and provides instructional information on terminology, goal setting, proper demonstrations, teaching points, progressions, and more.
Each move is broken down into basic steps, including follow-through and safety notes. Much of this course focuses on observation and how to detect and correct errors. Each BICP Patrol Cyclist Instructor Trainer will be tested on this ability during their practical evaluation.
In order to pass the course and be a certified Patrol Cyclist Instructor Trainer, participants must demonstrate an understanding of the material, perform a suitable teaching simulation, and pass a written test.
The BICP uses the Minimum Ride Standard when testing for Certification.
The BICP Certification courses are skills teaching courses, not skills learning courses.
Therefore, the participants attending the in-person certification course should be well-versed in the skills mentioned below and must be able to perform them at or above the BICP Ride Standard. The successful demonstration of these skills during the course is a prerequisite for certification. It is, therefore, mandatory for the participants to be proficient in these skills before attending the course. It is mandatory to demonstrate these skills successfully to achieve certification during the course.
Being able to perform the skill = Proficient at the skill.
Being able to teach the skill = Mastering the skill.
Please contact the BICP for information on a skills prep course if you need help meeting these ride standards.
BICP INTERMEDIATE SKILLS DEMONSTRATIONS
Trackstand – Perform a Trackstand for 15 seconds or longer – with two different wheel/pedal combinations. A total of 30 seconds.
Front Wheel Lift – Perform a Front Wheel Lift over a 4-inch (10 cm) high feature.
Rear Wheel Lift – Perform a Front Wheel Lift and then a Rear Wheel Lift over a 4-inch (10 cm) high feature.
Level Lift – Perform a Level Lift over a 4-inch (10 cm) high feature, landing both wheels at the same time.
¼ Punch Front Wheel Lift – Perform a ¼ Punch Wheel lift up/over a 4-inch (10 cm) high feature, adding unweighting of the rear wheel.
Manual Front Wheel Lift – Perform a Manual Front Wheel Lift over a feature. Minimum of 5 ft (1.5 m).
Advanced Braking – Perform an Emergency Braking Stop at running speed, in the correct order demonstrating all the body movements in order.
Steep Descending – Descending an Intermediate (Black Trail) for 30 ft (9 m) or longer (Technical Trail) demonstrating proper use of the Ten Fundamentals.
Basic Berm Cornering – To maintain a consistent speed while riding perpendicular to the terrain.
Intermediate Cornering – Maintain balance and control while leaning the bike through a 180-degree corner, at a high speed – in both directions.
NorthShore Dismount – Safely jump off the bike, off an elevated feature 12 inches high.
Basic Drops – To perform a Basic Drop off and elevated feature 18 inches high.
Introduction to Bunny Hop – To perform a Bunny Hop over a row of cones on the ground.
Basic Pumping – To accelerate and carry momentum using proper technique.