In case you hadn't heard, May has been National Bike Month. Its been great to see so many organizations, promoters and citizens get in on the festivities and awareness campaigns. I spent more than a few days this month doing activities that promote not just bike racing but cycling in general. I was at the UTA Bike Bonanza promoting the Tour de Park City. I put together a bike rodeo for kids at a neighborhood bike fair. I've been racing a lot and I had the awesome experience of giving my 4 year old daughter her first real bike for her birthday.
During these activities I've seen all kinds of different people. Bicycles don't discriminate. Naturally, the more one rides a bike, the better shape they'll be in. But you can be of almost any shape and size, from any background or socioeconomic status and be able to get on a bike and ride. Whether its a $15,000 limited edition Colnago or a $100 Wal Mart special, bicycles are a great form of transportation and above all for me at least, a heckuva lot of fun!
My fun increased this month with my daughter's 16 inch wheel Trek Mystic purchased at The Bike Shoppe. She's been on a decent little trike for the past 2 years but her big girl bike was long overdo. We waited for her birthday this month to get her the 2 wheeler. What was so interesting about her reaction wasn't so much that she was jumping for joy when she opened the big package, but it was what she did when she took her first pedals on the new ride. It took all of 10 feet for her to get a hang of the bigger bike. Once she got some momentum the look on her face was one of shear pleasure and freedom. The wind was suddenly much faster as it blew across her face. She quickly realized she could go more places much faster. We immediately took 2 laps around the block. The girl started planning all the adventures she could go on with the new bike. She wanted to go the library, the toy store and to daddy's races. She has been in heaven with her new pink bike.
My daughter's experience took me back to my first days on a bike as a kid. Bicycles are life changing. Freedom, exercise, adventure. All on 2 wheels. I'm a firm believer that the world would be a better, cleaner and happier place if humans rode more. I'm impressed that even here in ultra conservative Utah, we have plenty of opportunities to commute. The buses and trains are equipped to haul bikes. There are many trails and bike lanes and I regularly see cyclists out and about. Wouldn't it be great of we had bicycle traffic jams!
With so much cycling going on this month, there's been a lot of racing as well. I've been going over and over that Bear Lake finish in my head for the last 2 weeks. I built myself up for that race and to have it fall apart in the last 1k was really frustrating. I know I can do better. So I've hit a few weekly crits with some decent results and will tackle the Sugarhouse Criterium in Salt Lake City tomorrow. I haven't done this event before but I'm excited for the challenge.
I hope more of us can take advantage of all the opportunities we have on bikes. Think back to your childhood and the experiences you may have had like my daughter's. Whether you're a seasoned racer or bicycle newbie, the next time you throw your leg over a bike, try to get that feeling back. You're on a bike, what can be better than that?
Since its Friday, we have a quick little video today. I've been pushing Mercury Wheels, because, well, I sell them. We're new to Utah so I've been spreading the word. They're awesome wheels. But don't take my word for it. Pro teams Kenda/5 Hour Energy and Veloshine as well as elite team MRI Monster Media all ride Mercury's. They're the real deal at a great price. The video below is just a little highlight of the wheels.
Enjoy and happy riding!!
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