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LCI Spotlight: Michael Potoczny
The League certifies hundreds of League Cycling Instructors every year and there are thousands of LCIs across the country leading bike education efforts in their communities. In our LCI spotlight series, we share the stories of League Cycling Instructors doing what they do daily: educating, mentoring, and empowering. You don’t have to be an extraordinary athlete or overachieving student to be a stellar LCI, all you need is the conviction that life is better for everyone when more people ride bikes.
Meet Michael Potoczny, an LCI who brings his expertise as an expert BMX rider and bike park builder to his cycling education work. Michael has taught over 300 people to ride for the first time through Learn to Ride classes at The Wheel Mill Bike Park (now closed) and has since used his know-how to help BikePGH and Ruach Bike Club develop their education programs to keep young people stoked about riding bikes. Currently, Michael works as a private instructor while pursuing his dream of creating a new bike park in Pittsburgh, known as TBA Bike Park.
In his spare time, Michael channels his creativity into building ramps and features through Ramp Union, bringing bike joy to local spots across Pittsburgh and inspiring others to embrace the thrill of riding. Michael’s nominator says, “He encourages riders of all ages and levels to learn new skills. Whether it’s pedaling for the first time or riding expert features, Michael breaks down complex concepts and gives riders the tools for success.”
Know an inspiring LCI we should feature next? Nominate a stellar bike educator here!
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Tell us a little about yourself and why you enjoy teaching bike education.
Bikes have always been a part of my life. I’ve been riding bikes since I was three, raced BMX since the age of six, and have been competing in bike riding for 30 years. If you enjoy something long enough, you tend to want to end up sharing it. I’ve always liked teaching in general and always enjoyed school. I first found myself teaching at a local skatepark, helping out at a summer camp when I was fifteen. In 2012, I helped found the Wheel Mill Bike Park. I ran summer camps and Learn to Ride programs until we closed our doors earlier this year. Doing a lot of teaching like that is very rewarding, but it can be a tough job at times.
Now that the Wheel Mill is closed, what local initiatives are you involved with these days?
I’m the education director of Ruach Bicycle Club. Ruach Bicycle Club is a youth-focused STEM program where we teach STEM through bike-related education. This club came to The Wheel Mill and needed educators, and now it’s really starting to grow into its own. In 2025, we have hopes to race in USA BMX League and NICA League. I also currently build pump tracks and dirt jump parks in the Pittsburgh region under the name Ramp Union. Keep a look out! We’ll have a small pump track and jump park opening in spring and another pump track in the middle of summer. I’m also currently developing a new indoor bike park. It is quite an endeavor. Follow along with the process at @tbabikepark!
What first motivated you to become an LCI?
As a longtime bike educator, I seek out certification programs to learn a range of subject matters, curriculums, etc, to develop a bigger variety of tools in my toolbelt. I’m a PMBIA-certified instructor and before I became an LCI, I was mostly teaching mountain biking and BMX. So when the opportunity came up to work with BikePGH, I had the skills but not the certification to teach road cycling. Honestly, the road insurance that comes with LCI certification was a big factor!
Did you know? 💡
One of the most important benefits afforded by being an LCI is access to liability insurance for your teaching practice. This is both a huge asset for LCIs as well as a benefit to your partners, and even your students. All LCIs have access to insurance requirements through the LCI Handbook, located in the LCI Portal.
If you are part of a community that is underrepresented in cycling (such as adaptive cyclists, BIPOC, or LGBTQ+ communities), tell us about your experience and how it shapes your approach to cycling education.
Nothing has ever really stopped me from riding, personally. I was lucky enough to get a lot of support growing up — my dad was a professional motocross racer so he had tons of tools and was always helping my brother and me build jumps for bikes and dirt bikes. Not everyone gets that support. Realizing the importance of this support has helped me develop my approach to education. I think that’s why it’s important to bring people in and welcome them to the bike scene with open arms and minds.
When I’m teaching, I make sure to meet people where they are, where their fears lie, understand the communities they’re from, and be thoughtful and intentional to see where someone might have missed a skill or experience, and then help break down that barrier. I’m always trying to be sensitive to people’s needs — like, we would shut down the park for a judgment-free zone and clear the space to make sure women and nonbinary people have a comfortable space to practice. We’d encourage newbies to come early mornings when there’s less activity going on, so it was less daunting. Educating educators on this sensitivity is a skill in and of itself. I’ve hired 15-20 instructors and have seen that soft skills for educating are huge — like, you can understand the functionality of teaching a wheel lift but struggle to meet people where they are.
What is your best piece of advice for an LCI who wants to teach a class but isn’t sure how to get started?
Shadow a bunch of people! Until you teach a couple of times, it can be rough. Learn from diverse people — go to a mountain biking class, a BMX class, road class. Learn from someone on a single speed, on a hardtail — you’ll learn a lot of different vocabulary and techniques. You’ll witness different struggle points and different ways to convey information. It’s all about building out your own personal toolbox — I might have three different ways to teach a tight turn for three different folks, depending on their learning style.
What is your favorite thing about being on a bike?
I was recently injured and got back on my bike for a short commute; it struck me how my body just loves moving this way. It felt like a better fluid motion than walking. It just feels so natural, enjoying the ride down the block. Also, I love the versatility. Bikes can do anything, there’s so many ways to ride. I get to use all these skills to take my bike over a log, over a huge jump, or down a hill.
What has been your greatest reward in teaching bike education?
I think of all the summer camps where I’ve worked with kids who don’t play traditional sports and discovered a new passion in biking. I’ve probably heard a hundred parents say, little Quentin found his passion and biking is all he wants to do now! Even if they only stick with the sport for a few years, I feel honored that I helped them learn those skills, make new friends, and facilitate a positive experience. I have such a passion for biking and seeing that grow in someone else is incredible.
Give us an interesting or funny fact about you.
I might love bike riding the most, but I was also the captain of my High School tennis team.
What are your favorite places to ride in Pittsburgh?
Road bike wise, all the River Trails! Three rivers converge in Pittsburgh so there are rivers everywhere, and a highway of trails along them. Road riding here can be a challenge because it’s super hilly but once you’re good with climbs, you’ll love Pittsburgh.
What is your favorite memory from being on a bike?
I almost have too many memories to pick from, which is a good problem to have. My friends and partners host a lot of events and it’s always so cool to see how bike riding brings all these people together, traveling from all over the world to join in. Those kinds of events are my favorite memories — it’s like Christmas day when all your friends come and get to hang out and ride bikes!
Do you have any events coming up?
We have a youth-based event each year called Next Generation Jam. It’s all about having fun and supporting the next generation of bike riders. We’ll have mentors there, professional riders, we’ll even have brands there to scout kids which is cool. We’ve been doing it for ten years and this year we’re doing it in three different locations: Cleveland, New York City, and Boulder! Since our one facility closed, we hope to do another one in Pittsburgh in 2026. We’ll keep on rolling!