The bike is a marvel of human engineering. A way to transport people in an energy efficient manner, quickly and under their own power. Gears! What can you say about gears! OMG... incredible gears, affording us the ability to shift and find the right gearing to make it up a steep hill, or to go faster when you have a tailwind. And let's not forget the wheels... round hoops that roll along the surface, tensioned ingeniously by spokes. Simply develop the balance to stay upright, pedal, and you're leveraging the benefits of one of the most incredible inventions of mankind EVER... The Bike.
As you can tell, I'm a huge fan of the Bike. I started riding one as a kid around my neighborhood with my friends. It was a black framed Huffy. Loved that bike...it gave us the freedom and independence to get around without relying on our parents. We'd race them around the neighborhood, jump over stuff, and just have a great time. Great memories... every kid should grow up riding a bike.
Who'd a thunk that adults ride bikes too?! So, when I was around 18 years old, after not riding since I was a kid, I heard about this thing called a Triathlon. There was one in Baltimore, called the U.S.T.S. Bud Light Triathlon. My mom's cousin had done it the year prior, and it sounded awesome. I wanted to try a Tri one day, but I needed a bike. I used my summer job money (I had a little landscaping gig.) to buy a Raleigh Technium, 10-speed signature Scott Tinley version. It was an aluminum framed, light blue bike with downtube shifters, platform pedals and drop bars. I picked it up from my LBS (local bike shop) for a couple hundred bucks.
My first ride was with my aunt and uncle, Jan and Rick. They were recreational touring cyclists, and lived in a remote area in the northern suburbs of Baltimore County, near the PA line. They invited me on a 30 mile ride through the rolling countryside on a hot , humid summer day. I wore my heavy plastic Bell helmet, running shorts (which were short back in the 80's!... LOL!), and my running shoes. We rode the 30 miles or so over the windy country roads, through Maryland horse country. It was awesome, and I was hooked! Thanks Jan and Rick... that experience set the course for the rest of my life, defining my passion, and my career. I fell in love with the Bike again, but this time, as a grown up!
I remember loving everything about the cycling experience. The open road, being outside in nature, the thrill of a fast descent and the challenge of steep climb. When I rode with other people, I enjoyed the community, competition (half wheeling, anyone?) and the friendships that I developed. The Bike culture was great too... like being in a club of like minded people. We talked bikes, we rode bikes, we lived bikes. Legs shaved? Half tan arms and legs? YOU... are one of my people, people of the Bike. Oh, and let's not forget about the fitness! All of sudden, after several weeks of steady riding, I felt like a freakin' superman, with fast developing 'cut' legs, and a newly discovered 6-pack! My drug... the Bike.
Alright, you get the picture. I've loved the Bike for a long time. I can honestly say that I've probably ridden at least 5 hours a week, or close to 100 miles a week each week (on avg.) for the past 32 yrs. When I was racing as a 'pro' in my 20's, I remember logging lots of 250+ mile weeks, with a couple 300-500 mile weeks in prep for an IRONMAN. Wow... 20+ hours/week on the bike.
I've loved the bike so much, I've coached people on riding bikes for 30+ years, teaching them how to ride faster in preparation for their events. I've spread the gospel of the Bike through my Spinervals video series, sold throughout the world. I even owned and operated two Bike shops, including one in Maryland and one in Virginia, back in the last 1990's / early 2000's. What better way to promote the Bike than to showcase and sell them. And then, I joined a large fitness company (you know who that is, right? LOL), and helped develop and manage an INDOOR cycling program, and their OUTDOOR Cycling program, advocating for the Bike to their hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. Again, all of this points to the fact that I love the Bike.
Nowadays, I still invest in the Bike. My garage looks like a bike shop, with about 15 various makes and models adorning my racks, from fat bikes to skinny tires. And that's after a recent 'purge' of many sets of wheels and bikes after moving into a new home, LOL. And I don't ride as much for performance, logging big miles and doing lots of intervals...it's mainly for fitness, enjoyment and longevity. Oh yes, my poor knees appreciate the bike, after logging many miles running and racing triathlons through the years. And whereas my bike of choice used to be my Tri or Road bike, these days you'll find me on my gravel and mountain bike, riding the dirt or our incredible LOOP Trail, here in Tucson.
Ah, ode to the Bike. A marvelous machine that serves to transport you places, build friendships and community with other Bike'rs, and boost your overall fitness, health and wellbeing. What other 'thing' offers so many benefits? I was so lucky to have discovered the Bike 30+ years ago for myself, and have been blessed with the opportunity to introduce many people to the Bike ever since.
Why do you love the Bike? What's your story? Please share in the comment section below.
Gotta go, time to Bike.
- Coach Troy
I'm now available to coach a few athletes who want to improve their cycling performance. if you're interested in becoming an athlete on my team, please email me at coachtroyj@gmail.com
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| Just me... on my Bike. |
As you can tell, I'm a huge fan of the Bike. I started riding one as a kid around my neighborhood with my friends. It was a black framed Huffy. Loved that bike...it gave us the freedom and independence to get around without relying on our parents. We'd race them around the neighborhood, jump over stuff, and just have a great time. Great memories... every kid should grow up riding a bike.
Who'd a thunk that adults ride bikes too?! So, when I was around 18 years old, after not riding since I was a kid, I heard about this thing called a Triathlon. There was one in Baltimore, called the U.S.T.S. Bud Light Triathlon. My mom's cousin had done it the year prior, and it sounded awesome. I wanted to try a Tri one day, but I needed a bike. I used my summer job money (I had a little landscaping gig.) to buy a Raleigh Technium, 10-speed signature Scott Tinley version. It was an aluminum framed, light blue bike with downtube shifters, platform pedals and drop bars. I picked it up from my LBS (local bike shop) for a couple hundred bucks.
My first ride was with my aunt and uncle, Jan and Rick. They were recreational touring cyclists, and lived in a remote area in the northern suburbs of Baltimore County, near the PA line. They invited me on a 30 mile ride through the rolling countryside on a hot , humid summer day. I wore my heavy plastic Bell helmet, running shorts (which were short back in the 80's!... LOL!), and my running shoes. We rode the 30 miles or so over the windy country roads, through Maryland horse country. It was awesome, and I was hooked! Thanks Jan and Rick... that experience set the course for the rest of my life, defining my passion, and my career. I fell in love with the Bike again, but this time, as a grown up!
I remember loving everything about the cycling experience. The open road, being outside in nature, the thrill of a fast descent and the challenge of steep climb. When I rode with other people, I enjoyed the community, competition (half wheeling, anyone?) and the friendships that I developed. The Bike culture was great too... like being in a club of like minded people. We talked bikes, we rode bikes, we lived bikes. Legs shaved? Half tan arms and legs? YOU... are one of my people, people of the Bike. Oh, and let's not forget about the fitness! All of sudden, after several weeks of steady riding, I felt like a freakin' superman, with fast developing 'cut' legs, and a newly discovered 6-pack! My drug... the Bike.
Alright, you get the picture. I've loved the Bike for a long time. I can honestly say that I've probably ridden at least 5 hours a week, or close to 100 miles a week each week (on avg.) for the past 32 yrs. When I was racing as a 'pro' in my 20's, I remember logging lots of 250+ mile weeks, with a couple 300-500 mile weeks in prep for an IRONMAN. Wow... 20+ hours/week on the bike.
I've loved the bike so much, I've coached people on riding bikes for 30+ years, teaching them how to ride faster in preparation for their events. I've spread the gospel of the Bike through my Spinervals video series, sold throughout the world. I even owned and operated two Bike shops, including one in Maryland and one in Virginia, back in the last 1990's / early 2000's. What better way to promote the Bike than to showcase and sell them. And then, I joined a large fitness company (you know who that is, right? LOL), and helped develop and manage an INDOOR cycling program, and their OUTDOOR Cycling program, advocating for the Bike to their hundreds of thousands of members nationwide. Again, all of this points to the fact that I love the Bike.
Nowadays, I still invest in the Bike. My garage looks like a bike shop, with about 15 various makes and models adorning my racks, from fat bikes to skinny tires. And that's after a recent 'purge' of many sets of wheels and bikes after moving into a new home, LOL. And I don't ride as much for performance, logging big miles and doing lots of intervals...it's mainly for fitness, enjoyment and longevity. Oh yes, my poor knees appreciate the bike, after logging many miles running and racing triathlons through the years. And whereas my bike of choice used to be my Tri or Road bike, these days you'll find me on my gravel and mountain bike, riding the dirt or our incredible LOOP Trail, here in Tucson.
Ah, ode to the Bike. A marvelous machine that serves to transport you places, build friendships and community with other Bike'rs, and boost your overall fitness, health and wellbeing. What other 'thing' offers so many benefits? I was so lucky to have discovered the Bike 30+ years ago for myself, and have been blessed with the opportunity to introduce many people to the Bike ever since.
Why do you love the Bike? What's your story? Please share in the comment section below.
Gotta go, time to Bike.
- Coach Troy
I'm now available to coach a few athletes who want to improve their cycling performance. if you're interested in becoming an athlete on my team, please email me at coachtroyj@gmail.com
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