Trace Bikes Blog

Check out my @constantcontact newsletter archive

2010-04-16T12:51:00.000-05:00

Check out my @constantcontact newsletter archive

Lots to catch up on!

2010-02-05T10:28:00.004-06:00

Wow, I have been terrible at keeping up with this blogging thing! It's not that I forget about it, I haven't, it's not that I don't have anything to say....we all know I have A LOT to say...lol, I guess I'm just a really good procrastinator.

Anyways, that being said, there is a lot going on in the Trace Bikes world these days. We're gearing up for Spring, which of course takes too long to get here. We have two different teams this year, we have a Team Trace Bikes and we now have a Trace Bikes Race Team. Isn't that exciting! We have a great group of guys (and gals) who have planned out almost their entire season already. They're really going to be busy, some in mountain bike races, Cat 5 races, iron man competitions, etc.!

Hmmm, let me see..what else do we have going? We'll be recruiting riders for this years Jack & Back soon. The ride is the first weekend in October, so go ahead and mark your calendars now. It is going to be an exciting year for the Jack & Back, I can feel it. Every year there is always something to look forward to, the ride, the weather, the awesome volunteers, the music, the food and all of the great company you have while riding. All of this while helping out a super-amazing charity. This is a win-win for everyone involved!

The Friends of Warner Parks ride will be coming up soon and then don't forget about Wounded Warrior Ride in early Fall. I need to get the pictures from last years' ride posted, that was a truly wonderful and humbling event to be a part of. Wow....a must ride for EVERY cyclist.

Scott is leading MTB rides at Montgomery Bell Park every other Sunday, although the weather has not been very cooperative in quite a while. But, never fear, sunshine and drier weather will return soon.

We have trainer night at the store right now, this happens every Thursday night. Be prepared with your trainer in hand and ready to spin by 6:30pm, and don't forget to bring a towel and plenty of your energy drink/water...this isn't an easy night. Last night was almost a full hour of climbing. I thought about just sleeping on the couch after-wards, the steps were daunting with tired legs!

Saturday morning rides are still leaving at 8am, bundle up and join us. It might be cold outside, but we're still having a great time on our bikes!

I guess that's it for now....keep riding and beware of the new rumple strips on Hwy 100, these might be great for drivers, but can be scary for those of us on bikes.

Use Your Strengths

2009-05-15T13:17:00.006-05:00

This week has been a peculiar week for me. I feel very fortunate in my life to have 4 beautiful, healthy, thriving kids, a wonderful husband and positively super job and the list goes on and on. My life isn't perfect, by no sense of the imagination (I'd like to meet someone who does have the perfect life), but in reality I have it pretty darn good. I get the opportunity to meet new people everyday and on the best of days I get to spend at least a few minutes getting to know them a little better. As a matter of fact, you may be one of those people that I got to spend time with, on the bike or in the shop. Each person I meet leaves some sort of an impact on me, at times I have to sit back and really think or reflect about it.

Now, what makes this week different for me is that I came in contact with 3 people in 3 days who have been affected by breast cancer. For me that is an astounding number. The first is a friend, who lost one of her dear friends this week to breast cancer. This lady was a cyclist, a wife and most of all a mother of two young children. The next is an acquaintance from my kids' school, whose sister was diagnosed with breast cancer a few weeks ago and just started chemo this week. Again, she is a mother of young children. The last is a dear friend of mine who thankfully found out this morning that she did not have breast cancer, after a very long few days of waiting for test results to come back. Once again she is a mother of a young child and a fellow cyclist. So I have spent time each day reflecting on these people and what they have been through and what they will continue to endure in the future ahead. My heart and my prayers go out to each family as they deal with their own struggles. But what else can I do to help, I'm only one person? Ahhh, I'm one person with a voice who can beg and plead for everyone else to use their voice and their strength to help.

What I ask is that you use your strength as a cyclist to help a good cause, support a charity that speaks to your heart. I personally have two, Breast Cancer Awareness and Research and the MS Society. I can't do much, but I can sign up for that charity ride and pay my $35 entrance fee, I can ask a friend to join me on that ride, now that's $70 going toward a charity. I know that my $35 when combined with 500 more people paying $35, can and will make a difference. I sit here asking you to do the same, sign up to ride, pay your fee, maybe even do some fundraising and then go out and have fun on your ride. You may choose a ride to prevent child abuse, to help end hunger, to help fight cancer, whatever your cause, just sign up and ride.

See, I told you it was really simple, no complicated training formulas here. Just you and your bike making a difference, one pedal stroke at a time.

Here are a few websites with good info:

www.komen.org
www.nationalmssociety.org
www.bcrfcure.org
www.teamintraining.org

Come Out and Support the MS Society

2009-04-06T10:58:00.003-05:00

Here is a great chance to have a good breakfast, support a good cause and have some wonderful fellowship with your friends, all before 10am! Get up and out to the Farmer's Family Restaurant for a MS Walk Fundraiser Breakfast on Saturday, April 11, 2009 and have breakfast with the MS Society and MS Walk participants, from 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. Just $6.99 per person, all you can eat buffet, proceeds to benefit the Nashville MS Walk. Restaurant is located at 100 Suzanne Dr. in Dickson, TN. Call 615-446-7775 for further details.

Ask for Lisa Rose when you get there, Lisa lives with the effects of MS on a daily basis, is a super involved volunteer with Walk MS and Bike MS, she is a volunteer on both committee's, is completing another walk this year and although she has run SAG for the Jack and Back for years, has now signed up to ride in her FIRST Jack & Back this year. Shake her hand, congratulate her on her achievements and thank her for her tireless efforts!

Spring Has Sprung

2009-03-20T11:13:00.002-05:00

Spring is officially here and not a day too soon! If you haven't started riding yet, get your bike out of winter storage and get moving. It is time to shake off those winter blahs and get in the sunshine once again.

With the beginning of our ride season starting again, let me remind everyone to ride SAFE, ride defensive, ride as though the driver coming up behind you , beside you, toward you does NOT see you. I've said it before and I'll say it again, most drivers are unaware of the 3ft law in TN or they don't care about it. While bike laws are up for discussion and debate all the time, I am reminded of one of the most important pieces of advice I have ever been given, "You can only control yourself". Put it on a post card and tape it to the top tube of your bike, plaster it to your helmet, whatever you need to do to remind yourself who is in control. No matter what laws are passed, what roads we are given the freedom to ride, you can not control the person in the car on the road with you. I encourage you to get involved on a local level or go even further with it, find out what you can do to make your area a safe place for cyclist to ride. As cyclist we are to follow the same laws as a vehicle, this includes stop lights and stop signs, yes you may have to unclip. Just consider it practice and a good time to stretch your legs.

Now that I have that out of my system, let me also encourage everyone to come out and join us for one of our group rides. Just check out our Event Calendar for ride specifics.

I also need to apologize, I had said I was going to get a women's team together for 3 State 3 Mountain this year and as luck would have it, my oldest niece is getting married that day. So I chose to see my beautiful niece marry the man of her deams on May 2nd instead of climbing miles of hills. Yes, I know, what was I thinking. :-)

I hope you ALL have a wonderful, challenging and rewarding ride season and I hope to see you on the road or in the store soon!

Spring will be here soon. Right?

2009-01-22T13:12:00.002-06:00

Here we are almost the end of January and of what has been a terribly wet and cold winter. If you are like us at Trace Bikes, we are not-so-patiently waiting on Spring to arrive. So while we wait what can we do to prepare for the upcoming riding season? Believe it or not there are lots of things you can do to pass the next few weeks by.

(1) Check out some of the upcoming organized rides and begin to plan your ride calendar. Trace Bikes will be organizing training groups for a few different rides this year, like 3 State 3 Mountain, Jack & Back and more. For a new twist this year I'll be getting a group of women to train for 3 State 3 Mountain, they offer a metric course and a full century. Training for this ride will begin in March, check our website for more info in the upcoming weeks. Jack & Back training will start in early June, but don't wait until then to get on your bike.

(2) Now is the perfect time to get your bike tuned up without the long wait that comes with Spring. Bring your bike by and let one of our mechanics check it out, you'll be happy you did when the warmer days get here.

(3) Get in the gym for a spin class, hit the pavement for a walk/run or on your trainer and get started on your base/core training. Get those muscles moving and start shedding those extra winter pounds that can slow you down.

(4) Check out your riding gear, does anything need to be replaced? Now is a great time to find good deals on cycling apparel like jackets and jerseys.

Now, get up, get out and get riding!

Jack & Back Update

2008-12-09T08:11:00.003-06:00

Yes, I'm VERY late in updating everyone on the Jack & Back. I can give all sorts of excuses, but I'll spare you and just try to update you now - 2 months later. Almost everyone I profiled for the Jack & Back was able to complete the ride. We had one unable to complete the ride due to a knee injury. It was a tough decision to make after training for months building up to the ride, but it was definitely the best decision. Bev, blew us all away! I knew she could complete the ride, but wow, she really put a lot into it. She rode her best average ever on day 2 of the ride! I wish I could put into words how exhilarating it is complete such a challenge, something you thought was so daunting in the beginning and then prove to yourself you CAN and DID do it (with flying colors)! You start with a hard 20 mile ride in the beginning, thinking you'll never be able to ride 150 miles, then you reach a point where you wouldn't think of riding anything under 20 miles. I mean, that becomes just warm up ride. You look forward to the days you have time to ride 30 - 40 - 50 miles. You look for days you can leave work a little early and get in a ride. You dread time change in the fall, because of the precious daylight you lose. The weather man becomes your best friend when he/she says it's going to be sunny and 60 degrees! You can now call yourself a true cyclist. No, we're not elite athletes, we're your neighbor, your aunt, your uncle, your mom, your dad, sister, brother, etc, etc.....we're cyclist and we love to ride.

Ride Safe

2008-09-15T05:00:00.006-05:00

I have to say that we have been blessed, over the last 2+ years since Trace Bikes opened only three of our riders have been involved in a accident. Even more thankfully neither accident involved a car. A little scratched up and bruised, two cracked helmets, one cracked rib, one pair of bib shorts torn and one broken shifter, but everyone was able to walk away. Unfortunately I can't say the same thing for a gentleman I heard about riding in Leiper's Fork a few weeks ago. As I understand it, a truck turned into his path, the cyclist of course hitting the truck, but the worst was the truck did not stop, he actually drug this gentleman until someone in a car was able to catch up to him and make him stop. The driver of the truck was unaware of the cyclist, had no idea that he had just killed someone. My heart goes out to everyone involved, as I am sure the driver did not set out with those intentions when he left his house that morning. All of this to say, please, please, please be aware of your surroundings when you are out there on the road. Think of it as "defensive riding". We all know that by law motorist are supposed to give cyclist 3ft when passing, we all also know that as cyclist we have no control of the auto coming up behind us, passing us and sometimes giving us the universal "hello".

There a few things you can do to help protect yourself; (1) Be aware of the traffic around you. (2) Assume that the auto that just passed you, may not have seen you especially if you are approaching a turn or an intersection. (3) If you are riding side by side with someone, move to a single file line as soon as you hear a car. By law you don't have to do this, but "Bubba" and/or "Bubba's" girlfriend does not care what the law says. The speed limit may be 35, but the driver may be going 50 - 60. (4) If you are using a mirror to watch the traffic behind you, do not let that replace you physically turning to look before you move into the traffic lane. (5) Wear a helmet! I am always surprised at how many people who ask, "Do I have to wear a helmet?". No, you don't have to wear a helmet, but imagine your head is a watermelon, now imagine that watermelon hitting the asphalt with the force of a 150 - 200 lb vine driving it to the ground. I think you get my point. (6) If you do wreck, please replace your helmet before your next ride. You may not see the damage to your helmet, but the integrity of the material has been compromised and may not protect you the next time. (7) If you are passing a parked car, beware of the door opening. Again the person in the car may not know you are there. (8) As a cyclist you are bound to the same rules of the road as a motorist, this means stop signs, traffic lights, etc. If the light is red, you need to stop too. I know this interrupts the ride, but I'd rather be a little slower getting home, than not getting home at all.

Now, go ride, be defensive and ride safe, there are more rides ahead of you, don't let a careless mistake take that way from you, your family or your riding buddies!

Jack & Back Progress

2008-09-02T06:48:00.008-05:00

I can not tell you how impressed I am at every one's progress during their training for the Jack & Back! I have seen an impressive amount of miles and dedication come from each of the women I have been riding with. At this point I think I will be the one at the back of the pack, they have been riding much more than me. :-) I will try to get an update of their averages, etc., I hope they are as proud of their accomplishment as we are. We only have a few more weeks to go before the big ride, some of the women have a couple of big rides planned before then, the HOW100 and the Sunrise Century.

Jack & Back 2008 Training

2008-07-30T17:05:00.000-05:00

Meet a few of the women who are training for the MS Society Bike to Jack & Back 150 with Team Trace Bikes and who have agreed to let me monitor their progress along the way.

I have asked each one of my volunteers to fill out a short questionnaire, here are a few of their answers.

Name: Rebecca H.
Bike Make, Model, Yr & Size: Trek Madone 5.1 WSD 2008 52cm
How long have you been cycling? April, 2003 (5 years)
Do you do anything else such as swim, run, weight training, etc.?Yes, Golf, Tae-Bo & Softball
What motivated you to start cycling?I have always had a bike - since my first powder-blue, banana seat Schwinn, to my BMX dirt bike, to the obligatory Mtn bike in college and my first Trek road bike in 2003. I decided to start "cycling" because my brother had ridden for years and worked in a shop, and this really cute guy I met was also a cyclist. So I bought a bike from my brother and married the cute guy!
Why did you sign up for the Jack & Back?It's a rite of passage, I think, and the time had come! Also it seems the Jack & Back is the cycling event that non-cyclist are most familiar with, so it will garner me some street "cred" with some of my co-workers!
Do you have any goals for the J&B?(1) Finish (2) Not finish last (3) Not obsess about my avg speed
What is your avg ride like now? Not less than 17-20 miles, generally between 25-35 miles with a few 40-50 mile rides. Usually 14.5 mph, with a 16 mph all-time high. I try to ride no less than 2 times a week, ideally 3-4 times a week.
What is your longest distance ever ridden and when? 62.1 miles, 2007 3 State 3 Mountain Challenge, Chattanooga, TN - it was shockingly "easy" for that long of a ride!
Do you like to ride in a group or alone? Both. I get claustrophobic and uncomfortable in a pack, especially if I'm in the back of a big group. I also have difficulty maintaining a constant speed, so I'm often hanging out in no man's land - OTB of the fast group and just ahead of a slower group! I am finding that riding in a group does in fact increase my speed overall, but I also like being solitary and getting lost in my head while I ride.

Name: Cindy B.
Bike Make, Model, Yr & Size: 2007 Trek 1000 WSD, 57cm
How long have you been cycling: One year
Do you do anything else such as swim, run, weight training, etc.? No, but I should.
What motivated you to start cycling? A friend had been cycling for a couple of years and started talking to me about it. I had always loved riding a bike so it sounded like fun to me.
Why did you sign up for the J&B? I am a very "event oriented" person. To have a goal like the Jack & Back, motivates me to ride and train.
Do you have any goals for your cycling or for the J&B? I just want to get stronger; be able to get up those hills and still have breath at the top!
What is your avg ride like now? 20+ miles, 13-14 mph, 2x a week
What do you think your avg will be for the J&B? Day 1 13 Day 2 13
What has been your longest distance ever ridden and when? Jack & Back 150, October 2007
Do you like to ride in a group or alone? A group.

Name: Bev F.
Bike Make, Model, Yr & Size: 2007 Trek 1600 WSD
How long have you been cycling? Since 03/2008 on a road bike w/clipless pedals
Do you do anything else such as swim, run, weight training, etc.? Last winter I was going to the YMCA 3-4 times wk to do weights and cardio workouts like the elliptical, stationary bike, treadmill. Now I am cycling 4 times a week.
What motivated you to start cycling? I have always loved cycling, since I got my first bike at the age of 6. It's a great way to see new places, explore new roads and you can see, smell and hear so much more than when you are driving. I figured it would also get me in better shape.
Why did you sign up for the J&B? It's a win-win situation, it will keep me motivated through the hot summer to keep riding and setting new goals for my cycling and it's a good cause.
Do you have any specific goals for your cycling or for the J&B? I want to increase my avg sped to 15 mph this year and be able to ride longer distances - as for the Jack & Back, my hope (goal) is to finish!
What is your avg ride like now? 13-23 miles, 13.7 avg, 4 times a wk
What do you think your avg will be for the J&B? Day 1 14 mph Day 2 13 mph
What has been longest distance distance ever ridden? 40 miles, 3 weekends ago
What are your thoughts about participating in the J&B in general, any fears, anything you are particularly excited about? I am very excited - I have set a goal for myself and have 3 months to make sure I am in shape to accomplish it. I've never set such a lofty physical fitness goal for myself, I am anxious to prove I can do it. No real fears since I hear from lots of people who have previously participated that the ride is very well supported.

Name: Anna G. (soon Anna S.)
Bike Make, Model, Yr & Size: 2007 Trek 5000 54cm
How long have you been cycling? Jan. 2006
Do you do anything else such as swim, run, weight training, etc? Yes, I try to get 2 runs, 2 rides, 2 swims and 1 lift in each week. However, lately I have been running and riding more and not swimming as much.
What motivated you to start cycling? I seriously sprained my ankle and could not run for a couple of months, so I began spinning which led to me wanting to ride outside.
Why did you sign up for the J&B?My bike team was going to be part of it.
Do you have any specific goals for your cycling or for the J&B? I would like to do a century. For the Jack & Back I would like to be able to avg. 17 mph.
What is your avg ride like now? 30 miles, 16 mph, 2-3 times a week
What do you think your avg will be for the J&B? Day 1 17mph Day 2 17mph
What has been your longest distance ever ridden? 62 miles, April 2008
Is there anything about cycling that intimidates you? I am not very technical, I need to learn how to ride curves and downhill better!

What is your cycling ability?

2008-07-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

I was recently posed an interesting question, "Do you think women get in over their heads or underestimate their ability?". I didn't need to take any time to even think about this question, my instant response was they underestimate themselves. Now, I am not an expert on women and cycling by no means, but I do come in contact with a lot of women who do cycle and that is just what I have seen. I get to meet strong competitors, those who just want to lose weight and get in shape and those who just like to ride for the fun (and physical fitness) of it.

Beginning in July Trace Bikes will begin our second year participating in the MS Society Bike to Jack & Back 150, we will train a group to participate and finish this ride. Our group is at 37 members right now, 15 of those are women and 10 of those women have never completed such a ride or distance. I have to say that last year (2007) was my first ride of 150 miles, before that my longest ride had been 62 miles and that had only been one day, not riding a long distance two days in a row. I was nervous about being able to do it myself. I fully expected to be miserable on the second day of riding and struggle through the miles. I was pleasantly surprised to find the opposite happen. I was tired when I finished, but I felt wonderful and I was so proud of myself for completing the ride.

My hope through this blog is to show how capable all of these women are in completing such a ride. I am not expecting these women to go blazing fast and set new records, that is not what this is about, this about proving to yourself what you can do. This is about the physical and emotional changes that I have seen in women as they face the walls that hold them back, the hills they thought they could never climb and the rides they never thought they could complete.