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For Episode II of our "Good People In Cycling" series, we visit Jack The Bike Man in West Palm Beach, Florida. He's a most unique individual with an inspirational story for us all. What started as a simple mechanical fix morphed into something that has changed his life and those of countless others.
We've had an amazing response to this series. In the first few days after Episode I debuted, over 5,000 people watched it online. We received a number of emails with suggestions for people to profile. We've got a list now and will do our best to get to them all. In the meantime, keep the suggestions coming and spend some time with Jack.
Jonathan
Good People In Cycling, Episode II - Jack The Bike Man from Road Holland on Vimeo.
The email hit my inbox like a load of bricks.
"I'd like you to consider joining us tomorrow for my 9:30am spin class, as our guest."
So said Blake Stouffer of Velocity Cycling Studio (www.vcyclingstudio.com) in West Palm Beach. I'd reached out to his company earlier in the week to see if they ever actually went riding on the road. As 2 wheel kind of people with perhaps some of the same clientele, I felt like we needed to get to know one another.
But actually participating in a class? It just seemed against the code for me. I've got nothing against spin bikes but I've always seen them as warm-up tools or substitutes for regular riding when the weather is not cooperating. I live in Florida where the weather cooperates 95% of the time. Why would I want to ride indoors when I don't have to?
Blake seemed like a nice guy during our email exchanges and because I didn't want to seem like a flake, I took him up on the offer.
While there's not a huge amount to tell about the experience that can fill up a blog post (I went, I met Blake, I rode), I did make some observations:
- I really like what Blake is doing at Velocity. The atmosphere there is inviting and the multiple plasma screens showcasing vintage European stage races appeals to me. Something about it was very un-gym like and the environment was less "disco" than I assumed.
- If spinning is any indication of prowess on the road, there are a lot of powerful riders out there. Roadies beware.
- I REALLY enjoyed not wearing a helmet for once while pedaling. I'm pro-helmet but it sure is comfortable without one.
- The music was loud...very loud.
I don't know if I'll become a regular at the expense of my road rides, but I'm definitely coming back for more. As one who rides solo most of the time, it was nice to have some ass-kicking encouragement during the session.
Incidentally, I didn't need to wear my full kit but I certainly was the best dressed spinner there. Guess we still have some work to do.
Jonathan
Growing up in Virginia, we have always had a special affection for the Blue Ridge Mountains and since taking up cycling, the Blue Ridge Parkway has become one of our favorite places to ride. The parkway stretches 469 miles along the Blue Ridge in Virginia and North Carolina and was built to connect Shenandoah National Park to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Today we received notice from our friends at Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine that the Parkway may become closed to cyclists -- a newly released draft management plan calls for the Parkway to be actively managed as a traditional, self-contained, scenic recreational DRIVING experience.
It may be a stretch to say this draft plan would ban the use of the parkway for cyclists, but having a management plan focused exclusively on "driving" limits future improvements for bicycle access.
Public input is being sought by December 16th and we hope you will read what Blue Ridge Outdoors magazine has to say on this matter and join its call to action (http://tinyurl.com/6n4tvjw). The National Park Service needs to hear from everyone on this, not just us folk who grew up exploring the Blue Ridge with our families and friends.
Richard
The 2011 Philly Bike Expo was simply a blast. If you missed it for reasons of inclement weather or distant geography, never fear, we're bringing you the highlights in six minutes and nine seconds.
Bilenky Cycle Works outdid themselves in assembling a top-shelf assortment of frame builders, artisan clothiers, bag makers, and cycling advocacy groups. Being around such a friendly group of people all weekend long once again reminded us how many great people are involved in cycling.
To all of our customers in the Northeast who braved the cold and snow to come meet us in person, thanks so much! And to all those who took home Road Holland gear, thanks to you as well!
Jonathan
Highlights from the 2011 Philly Bike Expo from Road Holland on Vimeo.
While so much of the world may see cyclists as neon spandex clad ants that take up too much of the road, the reality is that there are so many wonderful people involved in our sport.
To highlight them, Road Holland is kicking off a film series entitled "Good People In Cycling." In each episode we'll take a look at people who are doing extraordinary but often unsung work to help others.
Episode I features Craig Dodson of the Richmond Cycling Corp from Richmond, VA. Craig founded RCC as a way to give back all that he got out of cycling to kids who might otherwise never get on two wheels. In the process, he's changing lives.
Jonathan
Good People In Cycling, Episode I - Craig Dodson from Road Holland on Vimeo.
Over the weekend Richard and I participated in the Central Virginia Boys and Girls' Club Challenge. We had a tent where we sold shirts at the event and also fielded a team of about 20 riders.
Nothing about this ride was "epic" though. While there were some hills to put some hurt on your legs, the ride was not competitive, routes were of varying lengths, and riders of varying levels were out there. But the scenery was spectacular - the Shenandoah Valley can't be beat - and the people were the ones we like to hang with the most whether on or off the bike. At the end of the ride, we drank some beer, listened to some music, and dined on delicious Southern Que. It was pure camaraderie.
We make Serious and Stylish Cycling Clothes. But we don't take ourselves too seriously. We know we're being compared to some other brand out there. It doesn't bother us. So let them have their Gentlemen's Rides and E'tapes and we'll take our Camaraderie Ride on this side of the pond.
And besides, we like women.
Jonathan
Early Fall is spectacular riding time all around Virginia. The temps drop into the 70s during the day and the leaves begin to change color. To kick off a glorious riding season, we're participating in 2 great events the weekend of September 16.
The first is on Friday evening at The Richmond Bicycling Studio. A new venture from Richmond Cycling Corps, the Studio is Richmond's new boutique-style outfitter that assists clients, with careful selection of all things cycling. But what makes the Studio and its parent organization unique are the ways they give back to the community. For the last few years, RCC has been putting inner city youths on bikes and on the road to success in life. It offers equipment, coaching, and is turning out some very talented riders.
In honor of the new studio, Road Holland will be there showcasing our complete line of stylish cycling jerseys. And a portion of all sales from the evening will go toward RCC's community programs. If you happen to be in town, stop on by for an exceptional evening of cycling, craft beer, provisions, and all around good times. The event is free but requires an RSVP available here: http://richmondbicyclestudio.eventbrite.com/.
The second event is the Central Virginia Boys and Girls Club Challenge on Sunday, September 18 in Charlottesville, VA. The B&G Club offers an array of programs to help children in need. Some of us have volunteered at this organization and we're proud to sponsor its main fundraising event of the year. At least 20 riders will be on Team Road as we pedal around the beautiful Shenandoah Valley.
Virginia has always been for lovers...and it's for bike lovers too.
Jonathan
August 11th marks the one year anniversary of our first sale (quite fitting in that it was a Royal Orange Utrecht to a Dutch expat named Pim). We like to tell it like it is and we're not sugarcoating things when we say that the year since has been stellar. Some of the highlights include our Winston-Salem based Cyclocross Team, working with Pedal Power, Cycle NC, and our partnership with the Blue Ridge Virginia Chapter of the National MS Society. But the best highlights have been seeing riders in our gear.
The year since has also had its share of challenges. We won't soon forget a box of Milky White Montfoorts that arrived on our doorstep a bit too soggy for sale. And a factory that seemed promising in Pennsylvania which turned out to be an expensive and logistically challenging false start. But, we've since found an incredibly talented team of pattern makers, sample makers, and sewers in Miami. We've not looked back and production is humming along in the good old USA.
Having both come from service-based business where the end product is usually some words on paper or a screen, creating and selling a product has been a study in contrast. It has also been more rewarding than we could have ever imagined.
Year #2 - we're ready. Bring it on. And thank you for all of your support.
Jonathan and Richard
Once again, we are reminded that we still have a lot of work to do. We were overwhelmed with all of the entrants in our Summer 2011 Cycling Makeover Contest. The best (or worst depending upon which way you look at it...) photos are posted above.
Phil Yates, our sartorially challenged champion, hailed all the way from Auckland, New Zealand. Here's how Phil describes his entry:
"A lovely silky silver number with yummy fluro and pastel highlights. The label say's 'Made in Italy,' and those Italians know a thing or two about style but maybe not with this disaster."
An honorable mention went to Lynne Nelson of Apple Valley, MN. As if flames on her jersey were not enough, Lynne completed her look with camouflaged arm warmers.
Outfits like these make me think cycling has got a lot bigger problems than doping.
Thanks for playing everyone! We'll do it again soon.
Jonathan
Let's face it...we've all been there. Maybe it was that shop team kit that you bought when you got your first real bike. Or perhaps it was that on-clearance jersey with the cereal box characters. We understand that you've made some pretty horrendous choices in the past when it comes to your cycling gear. We have too. After all, it takes the dark to be able to see the light.
But we want to help and celebrate how you can move on to better rides ahead.
Send us a pic of you in your worst cycling garb ever. It could be a terribly mismatched kit, some poor fitting gear, a ridiculously loud jersey, or anything similar. We will be posting the best photos for our amusement and will then announce a winner on July 19, 2011 - just in time for us to ship you a jersey for your weekend ride. It's that simple. So start sending your entries to makeover@roadholland.com.
Jonathan
If you have ordered one of our jerseys, you'll see a small tag in the neck that says "Made In China." Those 3 words sure do turn a lot of people off these days. For many, the phrase is short hand for "cheaply made goods using low wage labor." With some products, I'm sure there is an element of truth to that. However, for us, nothing could have been further from it.
As a small company, producing in China was more expensive for us. We're not a Nike or Under Armour and don't get the kind of discounts one does when producing 10,000 units at a clip. We paid up-charges for smaller production runs, extra transportation costs, and additional duties.
So why did we do it? Because the quality was excellent. We make performance gear and our customers hold our products to a very high standard. When climbing a mountain or making a fast descent, our customers really don't care where their jerseys were made. They want them to perform.
We couldn't find the level of quality we needed stateside when producing our first run. Maybe we were not looking in the right places. However, factories that could sew stretch fabric and the kind of pocket and subtle details we have in place were not available on every street corner.
And while we made a decision to work in China, we kept looking for domestic production capacity in the meantime. We're happy to announce that we found it and the quality of our garments will be better than ever. The next round of production available in May and June will come directly from our facility in Miami, Florida. We're working with some talented people and it's our pleasure to show you some of them in the video that follows.
We're not saying we will never produce in China again. We'll produce where we think it's best in terms of quality and value for a given item. But for now, we'll revel in the glow of American production. Orange and red, white, and blue. That's a good combination.
Jonathan
New Styles Coming Soon from Road Holland on Vimeo.
Watts are the holy grail for some cyclists...but do we really know what that term "watt" means? After participating in Pedal Power 2011, I have a better idea of how much power I'm pushing out on those long weekend rides.
Pedal Power (www.pedalpwr.com) is a Richmond, Virginia non-profit organization dedicated to advancing energy sustainability as a lifestyle. Its mission is "to promote a more self-sustaining lifestyle by demonstrating simple steps we can all take in reducing our energy use and impact on the environment." Ethan Seltzer, a local cycling friend of mine, started Pedal Power in 2009 as a way to educate our community on self-sustaining activities to reduce our carbon footprint.
Each year Ethan and his crew host an event where teams compete to generate the most watts on trainers. He then harnesses that energy via some cool technology. Yes, there's a competition to generate the most power but that's just half the story. The other half is that Ethan then shows us what that energy can do. This year, he invited PF Chang's to use it to cook a meal after the event. Over 20 teams participated at Endorphin Fitness, one of our favorite local bike shops in the area. I'm pleased to report that team Road Holland took a respectable 3rd place podium finish.
This kind of novel way of riding is just our style and we were glad to be a sponsor along with some other fine organizations from around the Richmond area.
Although we used most of the energy to cook, according to Ethan we generated 4,000 watts. That kind of power translates into the following real-world scenarios:
- Power a central AC system for 1.1 hours.
- Keep an oven, at 350°F, for two hours (toaster oven is a better option for small meals).
- Run an electric clothes dryer for 54 minutes (air dry your clothes!).
- Power a standard desktop computer with 19" screen for 19 hours.
I'm floored by how much energy it takes to do some very basic things. Good thing our RH jerseys don't need to go in the dryer!
Richard
Just saying "wool" creates phantom itches among many. And rightfully so. If you have a few years on you, wool that actually feels good next to your skin is a relatively new occurrence. After all, we grew up on scratchy wool turtlenecks and have visions of bike racers with long sideburns sweating up the Alps in their ill-fitting kits.
So when we chose a wool-oriented material for our initial product line, many people thought we were crazy. But we knew better.
Many companies make all wool gear but we find a lot of it too heavy for our cycling pursuits. Therefore, we settled upon a wool and polyester blend (39% / 61% respectively to be exact). Adding polyester to the mix gives the material a soft "hand" and performance capabilities that wool alone cannot match.
Although you can't tell from looking at it because the material is so thin, the inside of the jersey is wool and the outside is poly. "Plating" the fabric gives the wearer the best of both worlds warmth or cooling properties next to the skin with superior wicking ability next to the open air.
The wool we use is also different. For starters, it is Australian Merino with a micron count of 19.5. The smaller the count, the softer and silkier it is. Amazingly, that softness also comes with standout durability. Even after much abuse, the material retains its soft hand, brilliant color, and "new" like look.
Try it. You'll like it. No. You'll love it.
Jonathan Schneider
As we mentioned in a previous post, we never thought we'd sponsor a team...Until we met the guys who now make up Team Road Holland.
This past weekend we had a chance to see them in action in a cyclo cross race in Winston-Salem, NC. Wow - these guys know how to ride. And they're a fun bunch as well.
We made this short film to help you get to know them. Merry Crossmas!
Jonathan
Meet The Road Holland Cyclocross Team - December 19, 2010 from Road Holland on Vimeo.
As a new brand, many people have suggested that we partner with a charitable organization to help get the word out and align ourselves with a greater good. Good advice and we agree. But we're about riding and partnering with just any charitable organization would not make sense. We need the right partner. Today, I am excited to announce we have found one - Virginia's Blue Ridge Chapter of the National MS Society.
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society is a tremendous asset to the riding community with its hosting of MS-150 rides throughout the country. If you do not know about MS-150 rides, you should. They are 2 day events (75 miles each day) open to riders of all levels. As the slogan goes, "100 rides. 1 Destination. A World Free of MS."
MS 150 rides are so phenomenal on so many different levels. Above all, they raise money for a worthy cause - plain and simple. In a world full of new illnesses and social problems, it's often easy to forget something as familiar as multiple sclerosis. The society works to find a cure and helps those who have the disease.
Yet, for many cyclists, an MS 150 ride is also the first foray into serious distance riding. Participants train for the rides and join teams. In the process, they learn what they are capable of as cyclists. Everyone can remember crossing the finish line of his or her first MS 150 - the feeling of accomplishment is exhilarating. Sure, there are tougher rides out there. But an MS 150 is often a proving ground for bigger things to come and fosters connections that last well beyond the ride.
From now until the Blue Ridge Chapter's event, The Tour de Vine in Charlottesville from June 11 - 12, 2011, we have a special promo code for use in our online store - BIKEMS. You get 10% off and the chapter gets 20% of the sale.
As they say at the MS Society, "Keep moving."
Jonathan
Internally, we've always said Road Holland is "about the ride not the race." Most of us who ride do not race, have never raced, and will not race.
So when a group of middle-aged men (and we mean that with no disrespect because we're middle aged ourselves!) approached us about sponsoring a cyclocross team, we were a bit hesitant. It seemed to go against the very reason we started the company.
But then we thought about it some more, talked to them some more, and realized these guys are exactly the reason why we started our company.
Ed McKee, Austin "Tim" Temple, Chris Verwoerdt, and Kent Nastasi are all husbands and fathers who hail from Winston-Salem, North Carolina. They all have successful careers 2 financiers, 1 dentist, and a doctor. Between work and family, they have little time to spare. But with that precious time, they are participating in this season's North Carolina Cyclocross Series in the 45+ Masters Division.
Participating in the series is no picnic. There is no team bus to take them to and from the races which are dotted across the state. It's early morning drives and caffeine fueled turns at the wheel back home. There's no media coverage and no spectators except for diehard fans and family.
But it's pure fun. And as Tim likes to say, "a great excuse to have a beer after the race with friends." Or as Chris eloquently puts it, "there's nothing like the weekly humiliation of cyclocross racing to punish one's self for sins committed since the last ride."
We salute you Team Road Holland. And win, lose, or draw, you're now going to look better than any team out there.
Jonathan
If you've already ordered one of our jerseys, you'll see a simple statement on the garment tag that says what we're all about: "We were born out of a simple need to make cyclists look good again."
With that goal in mind, we're announcing our Road Holland Cycling Makeover contest.
Send us a picture (or several) of you in your worst cycling kit ever. Don't be ashamed - we've all made cycling fashion mistakes. Was it a loud print that looked good in the store but made you look like you were trick or treating when you wore it on your ride? Or was it a bit too tight jersey that highlighted that beer gut that prompted you to take up cycling in the first place. We don't care. What's done is done and we want to help you move on to better rides ahead.
We will be posting the best photos for our ammusement and will then announce a winner on October 19th - just in time for us to ship you a jersey for your weekend ride. It's that simple. So start sending your entries to richard@roadholland.com.
Richard
Most non-cyclists do not understand that competitive cycling is a team sport. Road Holland is not about competitive cycling but the process of getting this brand from idea to reality was a team effort as well. From great referral sources (Jen, Howard) to beta testers (Matt, Julie, Nancy) to people who helped spread the word (Richard, Bradley, Phil) I could not have done this alone.
Some of the other key team players helped us with a recent photo shoot. A lot of cycling brands get blasted for using models in their shoots rather than real cyclists. We're not at the stage where we can use models nor do we want to but we can't help having rider friends who look like models. Amy, Amanda, and Larry are some of the fittest people we know. They can ride and do any other sport they want to with excellence.
Our resident photographer John Chuter (www.johnchuterphotography.com) managed to corral them long enough to pull off some great shots. John spends a lot time photographing kids so this was a welcome change of pace for him. Or at least he thought it would be. In this video, we can't help but notice a look of exasperation on his face as he tries to get his "models" to listen.
Enjoy.
Jonathan
Road Holland Photo Shoot - September 2010 from Road Holland on Vimeo.
I've just returned from Interbike in Las Vegas. While we were not able to exhibit this year, I spent plenty time on the floor of the show and wanted to share some thoughts about what I saw.
We'll start with clothes as that is Road Holland's focus. I was very disappointed to say the least. Without naming names, I feel like there was absolutely no progression of the clothing toward what real riders want and need. Most of the big players continue to show the same race-tight crazy designs. The women's options are still overflowing with flowers. A few changes to fabric here and there but for the most part, all of it was a do-over of 2009 with a change to the graphics. And 2009 was a do-over from 2008 which was a do-over from 2007 and so on.
There were a couple of exceptions. Showers Pass (www.showerspass.com), a Portland-based company specializing in outerwear debuted its absolutely astonishing Elite Pro Jacket. The material is dreamy and the vent detailing is simple but effective. I picked up one for myself. Best of all, the staff working the booth were friendly, knowledgeable, and fun to talk to for a while. No attitude or snobbery which was much appreciated. Hats off to them.
I was also intrigued by a couple of lifestyle brands but I am not sure they will have appeal much beyond major urban areas such as New York City and San Francisco.
So bottom line, I still think Road Holland makes the coolest and styling clothes on the market. But hey, I am biased.
On the bike front, there were more e-bikes (electronically powered, assisted, etc.) than I could keep track of. I am not sure what to make of this category but imagine it will grow either by the manufacturers pushing it on the consumers or by some major change to our commuting habits in the future. I am encouraged as I feel it will open up cycling to new segments. In a similar but unrelated vein, Shimano's Di2 (electric shifting) seemed to be on a lot of road bikes. I've yet to ride it but am interested.
I appreciated two interesting new hardware products. One was from Nuvinci (http://www.fallbrooktech.com/08_Bicycle_home.aspwhich) which makes a "continuously variable transmission" for bicycles. It's not for my bikes but I could see its benefits for a lot of riders. I can't describe the feeling of pedaling with it but I enjoyed it.
The other product was from Axle Release (http://www.axlerelease.com/). The company sells an inexpensive quick release conversion kit for bikes with solid hubs and threaded axles. It can also be used on training wheels which could be a huge convenience for a lot of parents.
The rest of the show for me was a mix of novelty and practicality. I loved the GoPro and Contour HD Video Camera booths. I would have bought both products but only GoPro was selling. I can't wait to put mine on my bike and see what happens. That is fun. The new take on iBike's power meter system is great. It combines a piece of dedicated hardware with an iPhone and app to provide the ultimate biking computer. The graphics are much more pleasing than the Garmin I use now (FYI - have not seen the new Garmin yet to be fair). The lower end unit - sans power meter - is worth the price just as an excellent holder for your iPhone.
Road Holland also sourced an excellent supplier for high-end stainless steel orange bar plug caps with our logo etched in them. In a month or so, we're going to begin giving away 2 pairs every month to randomly selected Facebook friends, Twitter followers, and mailing list members.
Our supplier for our new cycling caps also made it to the show and we were able to see a prototype. Look for these in about 6 weeks the end product will have some slightly different colored accents but the design will be similar.
Next year the show moves from Las Vegas to Anaheim, California. It will also be in August. There is a lot of grumbling about the location and the earlier date. If we think it's right for us, we'll be there.
Jonathan
I am not sure of the statistics, but I am pretty sure that most people who regularly participate in organized bike rides and races have rarely, if ever, volunteered at those types of events. If this describes you, you are missing out. Read on
This past weekend, at the 12th Annual Shenandoah Mountain 100, the Road Holland crew helped man the 75 mile SAG stop with about 15 other dedicated volunteers. It's a sold out event in the unforgiving Blue Ridge Mountains 100 miles of single track and fire roads with more than 12,000 feet of climbing. Everyone starts in the pre-dawn chill and many cross the finish line 15 or more hours later in the pitch black night. It's tough.
Our SAG stop was at the summit of a fierce climb, 2 hours past the last stop, and just beyond being "close" to the finish. At that point in the race, we expected to see some carnage. We did. But unlike what the riders may have been feeling then, we experienced pure joy.
I'll never forget the feeling of standing at mile 74, ringing a cowbell, and yelling myself hoarse that the worst of the climb was over. I'll remember the bloodied arms and legs and the glazed looks. And even though he was not decked out in yellow and black gear, my friend, a race participant and cancer survivor, was the very personification of living strong.
When riders got to our station, our job was to make sure they didn't have to do anything. We took their bikes, cleaned the chains, filled their water bottles, helped them put lights on, and got them food. All they had to do was sit and recover a bit before pressing on to the finish. For many talking was even difficult we just let them be.
We didn't ask for thanks but we received it by the bucketful. And sometimes a simple "thank you" can make everything right. We cursed the chillier than usual night before and our forgetting some key supplies. We grumbled at the 5:30am wake up call earlier that morning. But a few words from a 50sh mud splattered woman made that a distant memory. "Thank you for being here," she said. "Hearing your voice is so much nicer than hearing the voices in my head right now".
I've done enough rides to know that the volunteers are key to an enjoyable experience. So next time you hit a SAG, put a little bit of panache into that thank you. It's a long day for them as well. They're not riding but they are sure are tough riders.
Richard
A lot of people have asked me about the images on our home page – who did them, are they original, how can they get them, etc.? I take the curiosity as a complement and am glad to share the details.
The illustrations are custom pieces by an incredibly talented artist named Jode Thomspon (www.jodethompson.com). Jode lives in the Candadian Rockies and specializes in the “vintage” style of illustration that you see on our site. We are glad to be on her list of impressive clients.
When thinking about the look for our site, I knew that I wanted something that was classic but still somewhat modern – much like the clothes we make. As an avid skier, I have always been fond of the posters that many of the resorts used as advertisements in the 50s and 60s.
Something about these posters captures the pure joy, fun, and glamour of skiing that is so often missed by today’s edgy but generic photography.
After thumbing through more than a 1,000 portfolios, I came across Jode’s and thought I had found a winner. I called her out-of-the-blue and after 2 minutes on the phone, I knew she could make my idea a reality.
We call the images “Country Ride” and “Market” and plan to offer them for sale in a bit.
Jonathan
"I love bicycle travel because it reminds me that the world is mine to discover, and enjoy, and explore." I couldn't have said it better myself. And fortunately I do not have to. This line comes from the first in a series of short videos from the Adventure Cycling Association:
When you're a kid, a bike is your first ticket to freedom. Call me a romantic, but I still like to imagine that the bicycle is the child's method of choice to explore, get into trouble, and race home for dinner while the sun quickly sets.
Somewhere along the way though, biking gets deadly serious. Sure, there are the utilitarian and cruiser crowds. But roadies, like myself, tend to mock these people with their billowing t-shirts and plastic shopping bags dangling from handlebars.
For roadies, the bikes get expensive and all about performance. The clothes morph into the equivalent of a Stormtrooper kit with severe designs and menacing graphics. Walk into any bike store and the "discovery" factor is severely lacking. It's all about suffering and shaving grams off the weight of the obscure parts.
It's time to take back the road. Discover. Enjoy. Explore.
Jonathan
Today's ride reminded me of why I started this business in the first place. Sometimes a ride with good conversation is better than a ride with a good heart rate or pace. Let me explain.
This past week was busy and left no time for riding. I didn't have much time this morning either as my wife had an appointment and told me to be back home at 9:30am sharp. I planned to do a speed-oriented ride as I wanted to make good use of the little time I had. I would alternate between a brisk cruising pace and flat out sprints to get my heart in its training zone. Since I hadn't been on the bike in a while and had just switched saddles, I pedaled easily for the first three miles just trying to get comfortable and waving to all the early morning walkers and joggers on the nearby sidewalks.
At three miles in, I started the intervals. During the sprint portion of the third set, I rapidly started bearing down on an obviously slower and less intense rider than myself. He was a big guy and riding a mountain bike. No helmet, regular shorts, tennis shoes, and a sweat soaked polo. I flew past him and yelled "Good morning!" and gave a wave. I am not sure if he acknowledged me or not, but I didn't think much about it as I was focused on the remaining 15 seconds of my sprint.
Once into the rest, I took a sip from my bottle and glanced at my Garmin to see my progress - six miles. As I was putting my bottle back in its cage, I sensed another rider coming up behind me and moved over to the right in the bike lane to let him pass. To my surprise, it was the guy I had just passed myself.
"Hey - I just wanted to see if I could keep up with you," he said. "I am going to duck in behind you and just hang if you don't mind."
Now I am no time trialist but I knew that this guy wouldn't be able to keep up with me during my sprints. He was huffing and puffing just to get behind me on my cool down. It was at that point that I needed to make a decision. Continue my ride as planned or bag it and see what happens.
I chose the latter. And 15 miles later I had a new friend - Mitch. It turns out he even lives in my neighborhood. We talked about his work (mechanical engineering), Road Holland, and his kids going off to college. I learned that he is trying to get into better shape and rides and runs daily. Our max speed was 15mph. My heart never went back up into my training zone.
The road is always there. Opportunities for new friends and new experiences are fewer and far between. It doesn't matter to us how you ride. We just want you on two wheels, and, in one of our jerseys.
Jonathan
