Testimonials

Picture
"Vie Cycle's mission to empower and build confidence in women really resonated with me. I attended the Basic Maintenance & Beyond session at Cycleast in Austin, and definitely recommend it to anyone looking to learn basics and practice hands-on. The class was enjoyable, I learnt a lot, and it sparked a desire in me to learn more and do more. I feel a more self sufficient about taking care of my bike that I did before. 
Sylvie really knows her stuff, is passionate about mechanics and cycling culture, and it really shows in her teaching. The course was well designed and structured but Sylvie was also adaptable to cater to the learning goals of everyone in the class."
-Nikita, August 2018
Picture
"Vie Cycle equipped me to build my bike competence. With a walk-before-you-run (or whatever the bike-equivalent) mentality, I progressed gradually as a cyclist through Vie Cycle's workshops in Summer 2018. In the Bike Maintenance class, Sylvie created a space for participants to learn more about basic bike repair and connect with other cyclists in the community. I had a productive, positive experience, so I signed up for the Art of Bike Touring course as well. The workshop was fun and engaging, and gave me the confidence to go on my first self-contained camping tour. Flash-forward 6-months, I applied to the Greg Siple Award to expand on bicycle travel and was selected as a finalist. Sylvie is a great go-to for any bike-related matter and I recommend her workshops to anyone looking to learn about the key tools for cycling and building community."
- Briana, August 2018
Picture

​"I took Sylvie's Basic Bike Maintenance class in Austin, TX over the summer in preparation for my first solo bike tour. The class helped me prepare in so many ways. Sylvie broke down the steps of bike maintenance to make it accessible, teaching me skills that I needed to be prepared on the road. Possibly more importantly though, the atmosphere of the class helped me feel more confident and empowered as a capable woman cyclist. Sylvie is a great teacher and role model for anyone seeking to pursue what they love and feel confident in what they do. Would definitely recommend taking a Vie Cycle class!"
​-Elizabeth, July 2018
Picture

​"I love biking but lacked the knowledge of bike mechanics. My bike had been feeling unsafe and I could not figure out why and Sylvie immediately knew what needed to be adjusted. Not only was she extremely knowledgeable, but she also guided me through the process and made sure I was hands-on as well. I can’t imagine how much I would learn during a full workshop with her when I learned so much in just five minutes!"
​-Norma, February 2018
Bridget testimonial for vie cycle llc women's bike maintenance course

"I was much more comfortable in a women's only course. It felt like a community building event [that was] supportive, ego-less and focused, as it was a minority group for a minority group.
I have a lot more confidence and awareness of the road rules and my rights and I feel empowered. Women on bikes is a thing! And we are a group, a strong group. (And wearing a skirt while cycling is not only OK but recommended!)"
-Bridget, May 2017
Catarina testimonial for vie cycle llc women's bike maintenance course


"Being in a room with other [people] that looked like me helped me feel comfortable making mistakes or asking silly questions. We'd laugh together and there just felt like a sense of friendship in the air.
It makes me so happy to see someone I met at the workshops when I'm [out] riding and wave 'hi!' It's almost like a rolling alumni club."
​-Catarina, May 2017
Micheline testimonial for vie cycle llc women's bike maintenance course

​"I learnt so much!  How to carry out a safety check, how to adjust, tighten and change brake and gear cables, plus lots more I'm sure! I feel much more confident when carrying out general maintenance on my bike (eg. oiling chain, tightening cables), and now I know whether my brakes are working adequately!
It was such a safe feeling environment where it was ok to not know anything and ask questions."
​-Micheline, May 2017

Reviews from participants evaluations

"[My favorite part of the workshop was] getting hands on [to] replace a tire. Also generally, getting to just puzzle through what's up with a dysfunctional bike and physically toy around to fix it was so rad. It was really awesome and the vibe was very mellow and laid back which helped me come out of my shell and fully participate." -Sylvie, April 2019

"I was curious about my bike and wanted to feel more knowledgeable to be independent, but I didn't feel comfortable in the spaces I was in to seek out info or ask questions. I felt very comfortable in the learning environment created at the workshop. We were split into groups and encouraged to work together which was helpful for me because I'm not good at that type of thing when out of my comfort zone. It helped me understand that we were all there with different levels of skill/knowledge but we shared the common goal of wanting to learn more. I was so proud to have gone out on the road that very next week and led my friend on a workout ride around a neighborhood loop. Just one workshop gave me the opportunity to unhesitantly ask my questions about the funny noises or feelings on my bike and leave with the comfort of knowing that my bike was safe plus the knowledge to keep myself and others safe, too." -Dana, March 2019

"Sylvie is an INCREDIBLE teacher!! She knows her stuff and is so approachable and knowledgeable. Her diagrams were useful and easy to follow, and I could tell how passionate she is about helping womxn bike confidently. Keep doing what you’re doing!" -September 2018

"I learned how to be more autonomous on my bike, but also made friends and felt like part of a community along the way. I can fix both disc and rim brakes now! I’ve even taught a few friends how to adjust their own brakes. It’s great to know that when something doesn’t feel right on my bike, I don’t have to rely on getting to the nearest bike shop to get it fixed — most of the time I can do it myself!" - Kristie, August 2018

"I learned about installing a chain, how to tighten brakes ad how to do a safety check on my bike. I liked working in groups to fix things after [seeing] a demo. Thank you for offering a workshop for women only. It made a huge difference learning from another woman." -August 2018

"I understand much more about my bike! And I'm more confident about longer rides. I loved the way that we were taught and the inclusive environment <3 It was easy to learn because of them." -August 2018

​"[The] teaching style is so very thoughtful. I'm a hands-on learner so the doing was key. This class is so special. I hope all my women+ friends will attend!" - August 2018

"It was great to realize other people also had the same questions and even that I new a bit more going in than I realized. I appreciated that Sylvie explained everything in detail and there was a lot of space to ask questions, especially the questions that feel too "dumb" to ask in bike shops. I feel so much more empowered to work on my bike now!" - June 2018

"I wish my bike had more issues to work on, but also not really. I am more comfortable doing both routine and more technical maintenance and knowing what is wrong if I do need to take my bike in [to a shop]. I have been able to help a friend diagnose and fix bike problems that we covered in class." - July 2018