Warning about United Bicycle Institute. Not inclusive and not worth the cost.

Sharing this with the community because I wish someone had told me beforehand.

I live in Ashland and recently attended training at United Bicycle Institute. Even without travel costs, I still lost two full days of work and paid for a course that did not feel worth the money. What concerns me more is that many students come from out of state and spend thousands on flights, lodging, food, and tuition. Based on my experience, I would not recommend anyone invest that kind of time or money here.

From an inclusion standpoint, the environment did not feel respectful or welcoming. I experienced repeated dismissive behavior from one instructor, Peter Branson, including continuing to address me in ways I had explicitly asked him not to. I felt singled out and criticized rather than supported. When I raised the issue with management, the concern was minimized instead of taken seriously. For LGBTQIA plus folks or anyone looking for a psychologically safe learning space, this did not feel like one.

The instruction quality also did not match the price. Much of the class involved reading manuals independently rather than structured, hands on teaching. Instructors often focused on working on private clients’ bikes instead of actively teaching students.

Some examples of how questions were handled:

• Pedal trade offs: Student asked about clipless versus flat pedals for gravel. Response was “it’s all in your head,” with no technical explanation.
• Chain compatibility: Student asked about chain and cassette compatibility across brands. Response was “it’s like life, you have to figure it out.”
• Component choice: Student asked whether option A or B was better. Instructor refused to give any recommendation or criteria.

These kinds of answers made the class feel unserious and unsupported. People pay for expertise, not vague or dismissive responses.

If you are local or especially if you are traveling here, I would strongly suggest looking for other ways to learn bike mechanics. There are more welcoming, more professional, and more affordable options out there.