Blogs by Professional Cyclists - Professional Cycling Unplugged™

Due to a series of unfortunate events which have left me sans bicycle for nearly a week, I’ve missed out on a good bit of training. With all the rain the past few days, I didn’t feel so bad about not riding. Today, however, was gorgeous, and I hate missing opportunities to ride on days like this. I still don’t have my road bike (or any other suitable bike to train on), and I was feeling pensive and unmotivated in light of some recent news, but I hopped on my clunker townie and rode down the Poudre river bike path.

My cruise was a simple out and back that didn’t last more than an hour. But how fulfilling it was! Never mind speeding around big money criterium races and climbing over mountain passes. I was just rolling along with my thoughts to keep my company, sun on my face, breeze at my back, gazing at the river, listening to birds, and riding as slow as I pleased. I had the urge to throw my phone into the trees, jump in the water, and then write a poem about it while lying on the riverbank. I enjoyed the simple pleasure of riding a bicycle. I think everyone could benefit from a ride like that now and then.

-Sheldon

(2 votes, average: 3.50 out of 5)

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Posted under NON-BIKE

What club? The Phil Collins club! Yep, been raining here for like 10 years. Well, not really, but you would think so from how green it is! It’s crazy I tell you! I’ve never seen weather like this, but it’s definitely really nice to go out on rides and be surrounded by lush greenery everywhere. Exposed rock faces are the only non-green thing I see when I cast my gaze over the expanse of idyllic front range foothills.

Club Phil- Uber Green

Just yesterday I suited up in my totally awesome Bissell kit made by Giordana (the best clothing maker ever, in case you didn’t know) for a five hour solo bro ride in the mountains. I knew it was going to rain so I was sure to pack a rain jacket and some warm gloves. Sure enough, I was winding through a mini canyon lined with overgrowing foliage next to a bubbling creek and it started to rain pretty good. I’ve decided by now that I’m a complete wimp when it comes to training in anything but sunny, non windy, mid-70’s temperature weather. However, I can’t say I’m really bothered by this excessive rain. It’s not so cold, I’m dressed well, and there’s just something nice and peaceful about it. Later on as I cruised by a high mountain meadow, the storm clouds gave way to fluffy white ones through which the suns rays shone, Bambi pranced among the trees bordering said meadow, Chirpy the chirpy bird sang songs of glee in an aspen tree, and a little bunny ran alongside me leaving a trail of mini rainbows and sparkles. So yeah, it’s pretty awesome up here in Club Phil. Let me know if you, Uber Fan of my Uber Blog, want to come visit sometime. I’ll make sure you’re on the VIP list. Just don’t wear anything green, unless you want to be completely invisible.

What else have I been doing other than being totally self-absorbed and updating my Facebook page eighteen times a day? I decided a needed a much better town bike so I went to the Fort Collins bike Co-op, started by one of my friends, and built a sweet bike from an old beat up Univega frame. 700c, cantilever brakes, single speed, rack and fenders, sweep back bars, and old school bell. “What?” you ask, “You just went over there and built a bike for yourself for free?” Nay, dear reader, one must commit their precious time as a volunteer to achieve a bicycle. That is how the Bike Co-op works, sort of. If you want to learn all about it go to http://fcbikecoop.org.

Uber RAD

To change the subject completely, I’ve been slowly picking away at a monstrous, 25 lb. bag of Lundberg organic sushi rice I bought from the Fort Collins Food Co-op back in April. It was a hella deal that I couldn’t pass up. “I won’t have to buy any carbs at the grocery store for a year!” I thought when I bought it. Well so far it’s worked out pretty well.

Thanks Mom!

Apart from being the lifeblood of my people, rice is nutritious, gluten free (Hey! I’m jumping on that bandwagon too!), and pretty much 100% whole grain carbs to fuel those long mountain rides. It can also be eaten in a variety of ways. My mom gave me her old, super awesome rice cooker (comprete with engrish phrases decorating the outside). It’s totally easy to use and cooks perfect rice every time. 

-Sheldon

(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Posted under ROAD BIKE

KONICHIWA!

Loyal fans, my apologies for disappearing for awhile from TWT. I’m sure you’re all dying to know where I’ve been since I last updated. From Tucson I went to California for three weeks and did some racing, went back to Fort Collins where it snowed a bunch, raced the Tour of the Battenkill in upstate New York (a great, super tough one-day classic style race, let’s hope it grows!), raced Tour of the Gila, then rested up at home and watched collegiate nationals in my hometown.

It was SO COOL to have a big race in Fort Collins. I can also say with a bit of pride that for the first time I volunteered as a course marshall. I’m pretty much a lazy, self-absorbed road cyclist all the time so it felt good to go out and help with something. Imagine that! I got up early, got my orange vest, and stood at a corner during the road race and told drivers that cycling is the coolest sport in the world and they are idiots for not thinking so. I’ve done hundreds of races and seen countless course volunteers standing out on the road, sometimes in extreme weather, and I’ve thought to myself before, “Man, I’d never want to do that” but at the same time acknowledge that the race needs those volunteers and I’m always thankful for them. Next time there’s a race in your area, think about helping out. It’s easy!

I really wish I could have raced since the the road course went on all my favorite training roads and climbs. The crit the next day was only a few blocks from where I live in Old Town Fort Collins. My heart rate was through the roof as I watched the final laps of the race, imagining myself out there in front of the home crowd.

CRITERIUM!!!!!!!!!!

Right now I’m out in Grand Rapids, Michigan, staying at the house of our team sponsor Bob Hughes of the Advantage Benefits Group.

Downtown Grand Rapids

Bob is of course a huge cycling fan and has a big personality. All of us on Bissell are grateful for his support! He generously offers riders on the team a place to stay at his very comfortable house. I’ve been pretty spoiled here for the last two weeks! Not a bad way to visit Michigan for the first time in my life.

Sponsor Bob

Staying with me at Bob’s is Tim Farnham. We have been doing some Michigan races and offering extra firepower for the Bissell/ABG elite cycling team. There is also a cool Wednesday night series at a local race track on a rolling, curvy, 1.8 mile loop. This past weekend a few of us drove out to race the last two days of the Quad Cities criteriums. So, I’ve checked off my first ever races in three states- Michigan, Iowa, and Illinois. That leaves Alaska, Hawaii, North Dakota, and a few more on the list….

Racing in Alaska…why not?

Tomorrow I’m off to Tulsa, Oklahoma (will be the first time racing in that state, too!) to race the Tulsa Tough criteriums and then I head back home. Summertime in Colorado is the best and I’m anticipating some good long rides in the mountains followed up by evening back porch barbeque’s and chill out time with friends. I’ll let you know how it goes….

In the meantime, as Grand Rapids native Brent Bookwalter would say, ”chunk up tha deuce!” 

-Sheldon

(6 votes, average: 3.33 out of 5)

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Posted under ROAD BIKE

I have migrated south to Tucson for a few weeks of sun and warmth. I’d like to consider myself pretty hardy when it comes to dealing with weather, but that cold spell we had in Colorado back in December was just too much for me! Everyone has their breaking point and I know exactly when mine occurred: I was on a five and a half hour ride when my bottles froze so I couldn’t drink…

…I was at one point riding up a 12% hill on solid ice with my rear wheel spinning out (while seated!), and violent gusts of wind were blowing me off the road! So I says “That’s it! I love you Colorado, but I must leave for awhile so I can train without fear of having to get my toes amputated, jeez!” I packed up my Gremlin with the juicer, zero pairs of riding tights, my coffee mill, and a French press, among other things, and did the old drive down 25 and across the desert to the Old Pueblo.

                    My wheels

I think my fitness somehow doubled in just the first four days down here! It only took a few rides with “The Chad” while mashing “The Chad Ring” before I started feeling the power coming back to my legs. Most of those rides consisted of being half-wheeled and then staring cross-eyed at “The Chad’s” rear hub before being ridden off the wheel and cracking. But a bike racer will never get stronger unless they suffer like crazy, so suffer like crazy I’ve been doing. Tucson is also home of the infamous “Shootout” group ride during which Ludicrous Speed is reached for the first 45 minutes….

                                                              ”My God, they’ve gone to Plaid!”

After that we chill for a bit and then a smaller group turns off to do a long hard climb for some extra miles. It’s good to have a group ride with some solid riders to build that winter base.

                                                                         He’s there too.

Now some riders like to brag about their watts and such. Even though I’m sure you are all just absolutely dying to know, I can’t tell you my top-secret power numbers otherwise I would have to kill you (yes, they are THAT HIGH). However I CAN promise that by the first hard ride at training camp, I will be throwing down at 2.2 lbs/kg…. HOLY COW! 2.2! Now that’s just RIDICULOUS! Cutting out the onion rings have already made a huge difference! I think my team will be more than pleased if I show up to camp with those kinds of numbers.

                                                                        Ridin’ @ 2.2 baby!

Going some place nice to ride for awhile is also good so I can focus entirely on quality training. But what does a pro cyclist do when not on the road sweating out the off-season fatness? I fill my free time with a variety of activities like drinking wheatgrass juice, trying to read “Notes From Underground”, sitting at the cafe in a pensive mood sipping espressos while deleting exclamation points from my blog drafts, pondering the Manelbrot Set whilst staring at the ceiling, or having an impromptu dance party in the apartment living room. If anyone down here wants to get their dance-on to some Daft Punk and Girl Talk, hit me up!

Gracias por el reading,

Sheldon

(8 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Posted under ROAD BIKE

It’s that time of the pre-season when things start getting serious! More time in the saddle and harder training also means waking up before noon and staying in at night. Gone are the days of refueling after my rides with pizza and ice cream. I also figured it was time to cut back on the late night onion rings after I noticed that my butt would keep shaking after riding over bumps in the road. I guess it would help if I weighed myself on an actual scale instead of just standing in front of the mirror and flexing my huge quads to make sure they still look ripped. Not even those years in Belgium taught me to jump with glee onto the scale each morning, but I’m getting better with each season. I suppose I still have a lot to learn in the way of being a disciplined pro cyclist!

Now I’m juicing wheatgrass in the morning…

…and enjoying a nice, healthy salad for dinner. 

No, that’s not the ONLY thing I eat. Rest assured I get plenty of healthy carbs and lean protein on top of the fruits and veggies. Once I get in that groove of training hard and eating healthy, it’s addicting! By training camp in a few weeks time, I will also be saying goodbye to my kankles and hello to some veins. I really don’t want to embarrass my team sponsors in the photos!

December (uugh)…                                     …January (yeah!)

So I say with a small tear in my eye: “Farewell, onion rings (and bacon, cheeseburgers, bacon-cheeseburgers, ice cream, beer….maybe). We shall meet again someday!

“A” onion ring?

Bedankt voor het reading, and stay tuned for another goodbye.

-Sheldon

(5 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

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Posted under NON-BIKE, ROAD BIKE