Beginner Pathway.
Photo: Alberta VelodromeOur Beginner Pathway follows the same proven, standardized structure the best Canadian velodromes use. Each level is a short coached session that builds directly on the last, so safety and skill grow together.
Complete all four and you are certified for beginner Structured Training and Open Track drop-in. Track Builders is open to you the whole way through, so you can practise between levels. Finishing the pathway is not a commitment to racing — most riders use it to ride confidently in a group.
When you pass Level 4, we get in touch about joining Beginner Structured Training. There is nothing to chase.
Before you start
Who it's for
What you need to be able to do
Try the Track first?
An AVA Access Card
The four levels
Each level is a 90-minute coached session, capped at 16 riders. Take them in order, at your own pace.
Level 1
Introduction
Fixed-gear mechanics, starting and stopping at the rail, riding the Côte d'Azur and holding the black line. Level 2 is usually scheduled right after.
- Duration
- 90 minutes
- Prerequisite
- None
- You leave with
- How the bike behaves and how the track works
Level 2
Banking Basics
Entering and exiting the track, riding the blue line up on the banking, shoulder checks, and basic speed management. From here, Track Builders is open to you any time you want more laps.
- Duration
- 90 minutes
- Prerequisite
- Level 1
- You leave with
- Riding the banking on your own
Level 3
Paceline Skills
Following a wheel at close range, exchanging leads, and modulating speed without brakes. Level 4 is usually scheduled right after.
- Duration
- 90 minutes
- Prerequisite
- Level 2
- You leave with
- The basics of riding in a group
Level 4
Certification
Close-proximity riding, complex exchanges, emergency maneuvers, and mock racing, with your coach assessing you against a set rubric throughout. Don't pass first time? Repeat the level; most riders do a few Track Builders sessions in between.
- Duration
- 90 minutes · assessed
- Prerequisite
- Level 3
- You leave with
- Certified for Beginner Structured Training and Open Track drop-in
How you move through the levels
Your coach signs you off at the end of each level. Most riders move straight on to the next one: Levels 1 and 2 are usually scheduled back-to-back, and Levels 3 and 4 the same way, so a pair of levels fits in one visit.
Level 4 is the assessed session. Your coach works from a set rubric and is watching for the things that keep a bunch safe: holding a line, checking before you move, changing smoothly at speed. Not everyone is ready on the day, and that happens often. If you don't pass, you're welcome to repeat the level, and we suggest a few Track Builders sessions in between to build the skills and fitness to clear it when you're ready.
There's no clock on the pathway and certification doesn't expire. Take a week or a season between levels. Track Builders is open to you the whole way through, so you can put each new skill into practice before the next one. Coming back after a long time away? A few Track Builders sessions, or retaking Levels 3 and 4, is the best way to feel comfortable again.
What's included and what to bring
The first-time visitor guide walks through what a first visit looks like, and Safety & etiquette covers the handful of rules every rider follows. Your coach goes over all of it before you ride.
A track bike and helmet
Your own bike, if you have one
What to wear
After Level 4
Certification is the start, not the finish. Here is where riders go next.
Structured Training
A coached block of Beginner Structured Training is the best bridge between being cleared to ride and being ready to. We contact you about joining once you're certified.
Open Track
Weekday mornings or weekends, at your own pace, alongside riders from every club in the city.
Racing
When you want to pin on a number, Thursday track league is where most riders start.
Schedule & pricing
Each level is $30 plus GST. Levels 1 and 2 are usually scheduled back-to-back, Levels 3 and 4 the same way, on a mix of weekend and weekday-evening dates. Each session is 90 minutes and capped at 16 riders, so the popular dates fill.
Register for any level in our rider portal. The next dates for each level are listed below, and everything else that is on this month is on What's On.
Already registered and can't find your booking? Log in to your account to see everything you're booked into.