Most often the transition to a new phase is joyful: riding with clipless pedals for the first time, riding off-road or on the road for the first time, doing a first group ride, a first race. The milestones of becoming a new, more experienced version of the rider you were before can be plentiful.
But what about when the trajectory flips and you have to part with the rider you once were? The most common way this is portrayed in the world of cycling is with famous pro cyclists who decide to retire and move on from the sport. Often, these events involve a media blitz, heartfelt interviews, perhaps a swanky retirement party, and finally, an emotional farewell at the rider's final race. Thibaut Pinot's final Tour de France last year sticks out in my mind as perhaps the quintessential example.
I remember exactly where I was when I first had to say goodbye to the rider I thought I was. It was 2013, and I was racing the third stage of the Tour de Beauce in Canada. By the standards of the World Tour, the Tour de Beauce is a tiny UCI stage race that, unless you've raced it, you've likely never heard of. But for me, it was the highest-level race I had competed in since I started bike racing in 2007, and my first UCI stage race. I fancied myself a climber at the time, and Stage 3 was the race's only summit finish.
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Denne historien er fra Fall 2024-utgaven av Bicycling US.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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ONE MAN'S OBSESSIVE CRUSADE TO Take Down Zwift Cheats
Indoor cycling and virtual racing are booming, and so are the ranks of digital dopers abusing the platforms.
WHAT I LEARNED WHEN LOST IT ON A MOUNTAIN BIKE
A lifelong roadie tries singletrack for the first time. It did not go as planned.
THE UNLIKELY HERO WHO RECOVERED OVER 200 STOLEN BIKES IN ONE AMERICAN CITY
It was a sunny day in the summer of 2022. There were some things I had to move into the house, so I left the garage door open. I was gone less than 15 minutes.
YOU CAN BE MORE THAN JUST A CYCLIST
I'VE ALWAYS HAD A LOVE FOR SPORTS, starting with the usual team ones such as football and baseball. But that faded in favor of more individual pursuits. Watching my dad roll down the driveway to go for a ride, I wanted to do the same. The bike was my first taste of freedom, a freedom to do it my way.
THE RIGHT SADDLE CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE
UP UNTIL RECENTLY, I WAS, AT BEST, A TWICEa-month cyclist.
HOW TO SAY GOODBYE TO THE RIDER YOU USED TO BE
CYCLISTS OF ALL LEVELS GO THROUGH various phases or eras over the years they spend in the saddle. For the vast majority of riders (myself included), these things happen privately, without fanfare.
BIKES MAKE THE WORLD A MORE INCLUSIVE PLACE
LIFE'S A BEAUTIFUL PUZZLE THAT COMES in all sorts of shapes, colors, and sizes.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD CYCLING SCENE, ANYWAY?
I'VE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF INVOLVING myself in a few populous and dramatically different cycling communities.
CHOOSE GEAR THAT INSPIRES YOU TO HAVE FUN E
EVEN THOUGH I TEST LOADS OF CYCLING gear for a living, sometimes I get locked in on particular items and find it difficult to enjoy competing products, even if those products have obvious advantages.
WHY YOU DESERVE A CUSTOM BIKE
Custom. The word evokes passionate opinions about what constitutes a custom-made bike and who gets to ride one. There's this idea that they're wildly expensive pieces of functional art meant only for the fittest, fastest riders.
