Clipped In Races

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After School Youth Cycling Program

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About Grip Academy

The Grip Academy is an after school youth cycling program utilizing the martial arts style of teaching to break down complex movements into deliberate progression. This initiative aims to enhance bike handling skills across diverse proficiency levels while also incorporating essential elements such as traffic safety, bike maintenance and technology, first-aid, stewardship, and fitness. These engaging activities are designed to be inclusive, transcending age, gender, and economic backgrounds.

Grip Academy will serve kids in 8th grade and under of all skill levels. The program will feature spring, summer, and fall sessions, with the pilot session launching in Fall of 2024 and serving White and Yellow grip levels. Classes will be held outdoors at Lew Howard Park (7150 Baldwin Dam Rd) in Folsom.

Grip Levels

Grip Academy redefines the process of learning to ride a bike by breaking down complex movements into deliberate progression, rewarded with colored grips inspired by the martial arts belt system. Below is an overview of each Grip Level to help you determine where your child is in the learn-to-ride process.

  • White Grips

    Your child has never ridden a bike, rides a balance bike, uses training wheels, or is just learning to pedal. Goals include learning how to properly fit a helmet and identify basic bike components, riding confidently with pedals, and mastering turning and stopping while avoiding collision with others or objects.

  • Yellow Grips

    Your child is pedaling comfortably on pavement. Their feet always stay on the pedals while moving, they pedal without looking down, and can stand up on pedals for a few rotations. Goals include riding comfortably on dirt, braking and shifting, controlled skids, pedaling through a slalom course of cones, and introducing basic traffic safety.

  • Orange Grips

    Your child is pedaling confidently on both pavement and dirt. They are beginning to understand gear shifting and braking skills, can pedal standing up indefinitely, and can safely navigate a stop sign or stop light intersection. Goals include moving the bike independently from the body, developing airborne skills such as wheel lifts and basic drops, riding closely with other people, improving body position, and performing basic bike maintenance.

  • Green Grips

    Pedaling, balance, turning, gear shifting, and braking are second nature for your child. They can navigate small climbs and downhill descents. Their skills have expanded beyond bike handling to include paved and dirt trail etiquette, pumping up their own tires, and performing a bike safety check. Goals include navigating steep uphill and downhill terrain, maintaining appropriate body position in different riding scenarios, learning in-depth bike maintenance and traffic safety, and introducing first aid/wilderness skills.

  • Blue Grips

    Coming Spring 2025. Join our email list to stay in the loop!

  • Purple Grip

    Coming Spring 2025. Join our email list to stay in the loop!

  • Brown Grips

    Coming soon. Join our email list to stay in the loop!

  • Red Grips

    Coming soon. Join our email list to stay in the loop!

  • Black Grips

    Coming soon. Join our email list to stay in the loop!

    Advanced riders who begin to lead rides and coach lower grip level classes, are competent in all aspects of bicycle maintenance, learn wilderness and navigation skills, competes and volunteers at special events, and knows his/her abilities and is comfortable riding black and some double black trails.

Program Impact

Grip Academy aims to impact kids age 14 and under in our community by engaging them in the sport of cycling to boost physical and mental health, cultivate personal responsibility, and give them a place to belong.

  • Physical Health

    Empowering kids to engage in a lifelong, healthy activity and an alternative (or compliment) to traditional sports.

  • Mental Health

    Teaching problem solving and creating opportunities for achievement, leadership, and belonging. The program meets participants where’re they’re at in their ability, surrounding them with others at the same level where all can grow together in a positive environment.

  • Personal Responsibility

    Giving kids the tools to navigate their community with confidence,  situational awareness, bike repair skills, and knowledge of traffic safety

  • Community

    Providing a space that nurtures connection through activity, uplifting others, and promoting responsible utilization of community resources.

Upcoming Races
  • 03 Sep

    678 Jr High MTB

    8-week MTB ride club for Junior High

  • 21 Sep

    SacCX Race 1

    Eight-race cyclocross series in the Sacramento area

  • 26 Sep

    Folsom Grom Race 3

    Thursday night MTB race series for 5th grade & under

  • 03 Oct

    Folsom Grom Race 4

    Thursday night MTB race series for 5th grade & under

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