Cycle University, Seattle

Anyone can be a student at Cycle University, but only the best of the best can win a teaching position there. Before they even start, each certified coach must have spent at least a year teaching, raced for four years at the highest of levels, and mastered at least one racing discipline, such as mountain, cyclocross, or road racing.

All this experience puts the trainers in a good position to lead the school's private cycling sessions. It also qualifies them to lead the group lessons, which consist of both indoor sessions for building endurance and outdoor road classes for improving cornering, braking, and climbing technique. Back at Cycle University's bike shop, the staff sells new gear and makes repairs so that riders don't have to piece together a new bike from rocks and rubber cement.