A Little Secret to Make Everyday Riding Better

When I rediscovered my love of bike riding in graduate school, I really got into riding around for fun. I loved grooving down neighborhood streets and along trails. Although when it came to hills, many times I found my foot sliding off the pedal. I also noticed that many casual riders were passing me, and it wasn't because their bike was so much better than mine. There seemed to be some kind of contraption on their pedal that appeared to be making all the difference. Since I was curious to learn more, it looked like I needed to do some investigating to find out.

Talking to some of my lycra-wearing cyclist friends, they instantly started talking about the benefits of using shoes and clips - special gear designed to keep feet attached to the pedals. It would make riding easier, faster, they said. (Mountain bike riders can also enjoy this feature with equipment designed with their riding style and technique in mind, too.) But I wanted to focus on riding comfortably on a daily basis. I didn't want to have to invest in special shoes and pedals just to ride my bike. Wouldn't that make riding to the grocery store and doing my errand running a little less convenient? And those special pedals - wouldn't that make casual riding no longer an option?

Shoes, clips, etc. Perhaps a little bit of an overkill for the casual rider.

I kept searching. It wasn't too long before I found an answer - and gear that I still use over 7 years later. Pedal cages are a simple, inexpensive, effective attachments that can keep your foot attached to the pedal and allows you to wear whatever kind of foot gear you want. I found a few options at my local bike store, tried them out and these babies are still looking good after thousands of miles.

Pedal cages. The key to everyday riding.

They have made my riding better and faster. It's not quite as speedy as fancy shoes and clips, but since most of my riding - at least for now - isn't training for any Olympic events, I'm okay with that. They take a bit to get used to, but they make a huge difference during the ride.