*photos were taken on my phone! sorry about the not-so-great quality!

CYKLfemmes went out on the road about 3 weeks ago and Rebecca (one of the awesome CYKLfemmes members) rode her all-terrain bike with regular pedals! I was so proud of her and how she was able to keep up a great pace by just pushin’ it out!!

With a little conversation about pedal efficiency and how I could teach her how to clip in and clip out, she was convinced to go out and buy some clipless pedals. So, about 2 weeks ago we switched them up! I showed her how easy it is to switch her pedals and how to put her clipless pedals on! I also showed her how to loosen off the tension on the pedal, so she can unclip and clip-in with relative ease.

We also headed up to the park and went over the basics of clipping in and out of her pedals, and how to safely come to a stop! It may seem really basic to some people, but clipping in and out takes a little practice and building up your confidence is key to riding safe out there on the roads.

If you’re one of the many women who want to be clipped in while they ride, but aren’t sure if they’re ready to do so, my advice to you and is to seek out a friend who can help you with it. Or email me and I would be MORE then happy to take an hour and show you the ropes of clipping in and out.

Think about how much faster you’d be if you could use the whole pedal stroke (down, back, up and around) and how much energy you’d save. Those longer rides would be more enjoyable for sure!

Rocket Girl 2010