Op-Ed

My friend Thatch, who I played in a band with back when people played in bands, used to say, "Thou shall not play mid-tempo. You may play fast, or you may play slow, but…

My first pair of cycling shoes were some budget Shimano road shoes. They were not good, but it was the '90s, and I didn't know any better. Once I started paying a little…

I look at my bike and the voice says, "Nah. That's not what you need. What's the point?" I hear the voice, its pre-defeated tone, and shake my head. I know from experience…

Even people who know me well, ostensibly friends, who seek out my advice as an "expert" in my field, make a regular practice of ignoring what I've told them, so don't bat an…

If there have been times in my life when I've been fit and fast, then it was mainly by accident. I have never subscribed to a real training program, and I lack the discipline…

Bike wash. How often do you wash? I know those that never wash and those that wash after every ride. I think both those extremes are, well … extreme. I am in the camp…

A spontaneous bike ride is a nice thing. Get a wild hair, grab your bike, head out the door. It's amazing how few of my rides are spontaneous. Is that because being an adult…

The fitter I get, the grosser I tend to be, and the greater my tolerance for being gross becomes. Before I go further, let me suggest that our modern standards for hygiene…

As four-letter words go, "work" is one that can make people grimace without ever being considered rude. It's a funny space to occupy—a word with largely negative connotations…

I'm not sure I ever learned anything from watching pro cycling, at least nothing I could apply to my own riding. The race tactics the pros employ to put pressure on their…