Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, all of us…by Bike Ambassador Juliet Byerly

All of us have something in common.  Millions of Americans experience this, yet somehow, such a deep stigma exists as a culture, we generally avoid talking about it.  On May 31st, Naomi Osaka withdrew from the French Open revealing she had been experiencing “bouts of depression.”  Then this summer, at the Tokyo Olympics, Simone Biles withdrew from the Vault and Uneven Bars finals to focus on her mental health.  

They had the world’s spotlight shining on them. 

They had trained for years for this moment.

Millions of fans waited to watch them compete and see them hoist a trophy or a gold medal once again.

Instead, they used that spotlight to say something few world-famous athletes have ever dared to say out loud: I need to step away from this competition and focus on my mental health. Yes, all of us struggle with mental health issues but most of us are afraid to say it out loud.

2020 was a really bad year for most of us regarding mental health.  2021 isn’t shaping up to be that much better.  So, what happens when the thing I’ve always used to “focus on my mental health” - riding bikes - is the last thing I want to do right now?  I’m going to use this space to go ahead and unpack this for a minute.  

I got my first road bike in 1979.  It was a Huffy Contestant and it was way too big for me.  I didn’t care and I made it work.  I didn’t exactly have the most mentally stable home when I was a child.  As a matter of fact, it was dysfunctional.  There was a lot of love, but you probably could open the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) on a random page and you could find something that would apply to any member of my family.    I quickly learned I could use my bike to escape.  So, escape I did. I rode that thing everywhere in Los Angeles where I was born and raised.  That continued when I moved to Boulder, Colorado for college.  Ever since then, bikes have been an important part of my life – mostly casually for transportation, but also to escape a bad marriage, bad jobs, breakups, you name it.  So then in 2020, the coronavirus pandemic struck and our world was turned upside down.  Naturally, a whole heck of a lot of us got out there on our bikes.  So did I.  As a matter of fact, after my cat died, then I weathered a devastating breakup, and some other awful things happened to me during the lock down, I decided enough is enough and it was time for me to make my mental health my number one priority.  So, I went to my job as paralegal at a fancy Cherry Creek law firm, walked straight into my boss’s office and quit my job.  Focusing on my mental health was going to be my new job. I rode my bike every weekday for 2 months.  As a result, I had never felt better in my life.  I started a new job that I absolutely love that literally fell into my lap in December 2020, but since sometime in September of this year, I just stopped riding my bike.  I just couldn’t do it and I was beating myself up because of it. Why??? What was going on with me?

I can think of a million reasons that I could discuss here ad nausem and none of them really matter.  For a while, I felt guilty about every single one of them.  I felt guilty about neglecting my bikes, not getting all the miles in, FOMO, missed my riding partner/ex boyfriend, et cetera, et cetera.  Here’s where I landed:  I needed to give myself a break.  It’s not a competition!  My bikes got me through the really difficult times, and they will be there for me again when I’m ready.  Mental health is such a mysterious and fragile thing and I’m finally figuring out how to observe and honor it.  For now, I’m taking a break from riding AND IT’S PERFECTLY OK.  I feel much better after I gave myself permission to not worry about it.  I know that one day soon, I’m going to look over at Stella and Sidra (my bikes) and say “let’s go” and it’s going to feel amazing.

Most of us can’t just quit our jobs to ride bikes or do whatever it is that makes us happy.  I was fortunate to be able to do that.  The point is that we have got to listen to ourselves and normalize taking care of our mental health and talking about it.  Whatever that means for each of us as individuals, do whatever it takes to make it happen.  Set up your life to accommodate that, and if you don’t know how, ask for help. If you don’t know where to start, hit me up.  I would be happy to get you started. Until then, enjoy the ride 😊

Time on a Bike, with Friends, Raising Money for Causes by Bike Ambassador Mel Levin

 In last year’s blog, I wrote of how the pandemic isolation and subsequent cancellation of events allowed me to find joy in simply riding a bike, rather than “training.”

This year, I’m happy to say that event riding is B A C K, and I love to do events that are fundraisers for illnesses/institutions I care about. I’ve already done the MS ride, just last weekend, and last year’s lessons were applied to my choice to ride the shorter (34 mile) ride rather than the longer (78 mile) ride because of thunderstorms expected to be in the area before my projected finish time.

The older I get, the more important it is to listen to my body, to give it recovery when needed, and to avoid dangerous conditions like riding in a thunderstorm! Less visibility to automobile drivers! Slicker roads! In years past, I’d have felt compelled to ride the ride I signed up for, but last year’s reminder of the joy in riding a bike, allowed me to step back, to nurse my sore foot (sore from a recent distance trail run), and to ride with my OUTspokin’ teammates. All of them had either initially chosen the shorter ride or stepped down from the 78 to the 34, following my lead of “safety first.” The day couldn’t have been more perfect, and I later learned from a friend of the 20-minute downpour and wet last ten miles. A good decision, a safe decision, had been made. Additionally, I was able to ride a strong pace I was proud of...a strong 34-miler was better than a crappy 78 on that particular day.

On the upcoming Courage Classic, held out of Copper Mountain, I am the team captain for RadioActive, a team of Pediatric Radiology docs and friends/colleagues. The ride has always been a two-day event benefitting Children’s Hospital Colorado, canceled last year due to COVID and shortened to one day only for 2021. I aim to ride the 78-miler over three mountain passes and a mountain that day (the same route as the famed Copper Triangle). I also aim to change my plan if weather is bad, to be an inspiring team captain for my friends and colleagues, and to enjoy the day, whatever happens.

Time on a bike, with friends, raising money for causes I care about, that’s where you’ll find me as long as I’m fit and able.

The Importance of Events and Organized Rides by Bike Ambassador Erin

Are you still of the mindset that bike events, races, and organized rides are just for “hard-core” weekend warriors or elite athletes? While there are plenty of events geared toward these types of cyclists, there are a ton of great events for the average biker - or total newbie - to participate in as well. 

The biggest reason I’m an advocate of signing up for an event is that it creates a sense of urgency and purpose for your training. By registering for an event, you are essentially committing to weekly rides and workouts in order to prepare for the race. This can be particularly helpful if you are new to cycling or tend to get discouraged easily. Knowing you have an event or organized ride can help you stick to your training program despite bad weather, setbacks, busy schedules, or waning motivation. 

I believe these types of events also help break down boundaries and build confidence. Most events are held to raise money for a charity or greater cause and this can help unite people of different backgrounds for a common cause. Charity events bring together riders of various abilities as well and you can always learn something from more experienced cyclists. Further, you will build confidence by setting a goal and achieving it.

There’s no better feeling than crossing the finish line of a century ride or multi-day event for the first time. 

If you still aren’t convinced, consider that they are just plain fun! From bragging rights to cool swag bags to post-race celebrations, organized cycling events offer something for everyone. Grab a friend or two and find a local race in your area. And you’ll have a built-in training partner if you register for an event together. There are so many great ones in Colorado that you won’t have a hard time finding one that works for you.

I like to pick a couple of rides each season to make sure I’m putting in the training miles. This year, I’m doing the FoCo Fondo gravel ride in July, which will be a totally new experience for me since I am new to gravel riding. Several of my fellow Bike Ambassadors will be joining me on this one so it’s sure to be a blast! Two years ago, I did the Venus de Miles ride with a couple of friends and I’m planning to do it again this year at the end of August. Venus de Miles is Colorado’s original and largest all women’s bike ride and benefits Greenhouse Scholars, an education nonprofit that cultivates extraordinary leaders to change low-income families and communities. Great ride for a great cause! Who wants to join me?

“Parks for the People” Rally by Bike Ambassador Melissa Colonno

This year, one of my goals as a Bike Ambassador has been to get more involved in local bike advocacy. I was thrilled to take part in Denver Streets Partnership’s “Advocacy Academy” this spring and learn about different ways I can advocate for better bike infrastructure in my community. As part of my work in this role, I helped organize a “Parks for the People” event in Denver’s City Park in April.

Denver, like many cities across the world, closed several streets to vehicle traffic during the COVID pandemic in order to make more room for people to recreate safely while still distancing themselves from others. In early 2021, Denver reconsidered the role of these streets in our city and parks, and whether or not the closures to cars should be made permanent. Many parks in the city remain closed to vehicle traffic, but the Denver Parks and Recreation Department decided to reopen most of City Park’s roads to cars.

The April “Parks for the People” rally was a family-friendly event celebrating the use of the park by people walking and rolling. The goal was to bring attention to the safety issues of having vehicles in the park, and also to advocate for a car-free route through the park for transportation and recreation. As part of the event, I had the opportunity to lead a group ride through the park. It was my first time leading a ride, and the experience was one I will never forget. So much enthusiasm! 

Participating in the rally was a very educational experience for me, especially because I am newer to advocacy work. More specifically, in this instance I learned a great deal about opposing viewpoints. I firmly believe in the value of car-free spaces, but I now understand better the ways in which decisions like these might have unintended consequences. Change is hard, and Denver is a city where many chose to be or are forced to be car dependent.

Nevertheless, my work in transportation advocacy is bolstered by the support and enthusiasm of the Bike Ambassador group. I look forward to continuing to work to improve the safety and bikeability of Denver’s streets!

Best Advice I Ever Received: Bike Ambassador Blog Post

Best Advice I Ever Received  - by Bike Ambassador Jen Lorenz

I was recently asked about the best advice I received as a new rider. I received a ton of good advice as a new rider ranging from do not wear underwear with your bike shorts to getting a proper bike fit. I now share both pieces of advice with any new rider I meet.  This post reminds me to heed my own advice.

Last summer I purchased a new road bike. I thought I could directly transfer my measurements from my old road bike to my new road bike.  The bikes are completely different brands with completely different geometry.   

After the initial shine and awe of riding a new bike wore off, I started dreading riding my fancy new road bike. I could not figure out what it was about my new bike that I did not like. It was obviously different from my tried-and-true old bike. My old bike was familiar. It was like a limb, and we fit together perfectly.  I convinced myself that riding my new bike would involve an adjustment period. I still needed to get to know my new bike and bond with my new bike- I just needed to give it a chance.

Fast forward 6 months, and I was considering selling my new bike. We were not bonding.  Every ride felt slow and sluggish. When I got off my new bike my knees and back hurt and I felt old.  I do not like things that make me feel old. But, that was the key. As I complained to my husband about how my knees hurt and my back ached, inspiration struck- or, maybe common sense finally kicked in.  If I felt slow and sluggish and my knees hurt, maybe my seat was too low.  My husband is no bike fit expert, but he is pretty smart.  His unaided eye immediately recognized that my seat was in fact too low. If the seat was too low, it was likely other things were off, too. A quick trip to my local bike shop and sage bike fit expert could remedy my problems and save my relationship with my new bike.  Like I had been told years ago - A good bike fit is essential for every single bike in the quiver. My favorite bike fitters are at C3 in Golden - https://c3bikeshop.com

C3 Bike Shop Address:

16035 Table Mountain Parkway

Golden, CO 80403

C3 Phone Number

720-598-5950