Race tactics, low salaries, sponsorship pressure, and a chance to race at Worlds. The highs and lows of a small bike racing team play out in this chapter from American Pro.
American Pro: The Red Army Marches On
Category: Culture & Etiquette
Let VeloPress authors guide you through the incredibly complex, arcane, and nuanced etiquette of endurance sports. From cycling’s over 100 year history, to running’s ancient roots, to the delicate pool etiquette of swimming, to the new subculture of triathlon, VeloPress authors will make sports culture clear.
American Pro: The Friends and Family Plan
A cycling team is made up of more than just the riders. Read this excerpt to learn who else contributes to the community, health, and sanity of a bike racing team.
American Pro: Cycling’s Sponsorship Conundrum
Learn how sponsorship works (or doesn’t work) in this excerpt from Jamie Smith’s new book on a small domestic cycling team trying to make it in the world of bike racing.
American Pro: Dreaming Big
Some teams have humble beginnings. In this first chapter of Jamie Smith’s book on domestic bike racing, find out how one small team got its start.
Ask a Pro Q&A: Who’s in a group ride?
See if you can spot yourself or your training buddies in Phil’s cast of characters from a group ride.
Pros don’t maintain their bikes. What about squeaky chains?
Phil Gaimon’s foolproof way to fix a squeaky chain.
What interview question are you most tired of?
“How hard is that climb?”, is the question that completely misses the point.
What’s the weirdest thing about pro cycling?
The whole concept of pro cycling is crazy when you think about it… Phil Gaimon gets philosophical in this Q&A from his book Ask a Pro.
Can you take your bike apart and put it back together?
Taking a bike apart is no feat.
Is being a pro cyclist everything it’s cracked up to be?
I’ve been racing for a long time, hoping to make it someday as a pro…
Is cycling still fun when it’s a job?
The Romans got it wrong.
Do you have any advice for uphill time trials?
Do you have any advice for an uphill time trial I’m signed up for?
I have some questions about drug testing.
Specifically: What’s it like?
Why are pro cyclists so approachable and friendly?
I went to the start of a stage at the Amgen Tour of California this year…
Do you eat scrapple?
I’ve spent a few summers in eastern Pennsylvania, which is prime scrapple country…
Should I update my bike or upgrade to a new one?
I’ve got an old Bottecchia with a classic Team ADR paint scheme that I used to race on…
What’s Inside ASK A PRO?
Take a peek inside the contents of Phil Gaimon’s book Ask a Pro.
If You Haven’t Peed There, You Haven’t Been There
Phil Gaimon recounts a hard day of racing–and peeing off the Golden Gate Bridge.