robertthebloke-blog

[robertthebloke-blog]

I love cycling. It has always been a passion of mine, but never something that I took very seriously. I can distinctly remember getting my first bike, and the freedom of having 2 wheels between me and the floor of the Earth. 

My passion for cycling was recognized, when I was called to serve my mission in the Land of Cycling - the Netherlands. Never before had I seen a country that was built around the bike, and a culture that followed. I absolutely loved it. The first week of my mission, I bought an all black fixed gear bike, with 40mm deep wheels. It was amazing. My companions loathed me, as I loved cruising as fast as possible. With a fixed gear, I had to use my legs to stop, it felt like I was even more connected to my bike. You know that little gear thing attached to the back wheel?  It has a bunch of 'teeth' on it and the chain rotates around it? That's the cog. On a fixed gear bike, that piece doesn't have a bearing in it and it is fixed to the back wheel. Typically, these cogs would have a ball bearing system to allow the wheel to spin independently of the cog. On a fixed gear bike, this isn't so. So, on my bike, if you pedal forward, the bike moves forward. If you pedal backward, the bike moves backward. You might ask, why would I want to do something like that? Well, riding a fixie has grown in popularity because of its fundamental simplicity. Let's just say it would be tough to build a bike with fewer parts. You might know where I'm going with this, but fewer parts mean...lighter! Fixed gear bikes are significantly lighter than 9 speed all-terrain bikes, etc. It's not all for show, either. Riding fixed allows you dramatically improved maneuverability. Riding fixed, in many peoples eyes, is the most fun part of their day. You feel attached to the bike (which you are, sort of). Since your pedals are directly tied to the movement of the wheels, you're much more a part of the bicycle than you are on a single speed cruiser or something of the like. 

When I returned home, I took up cycling with my Dad and Grandpa, who had been a long time, cyclists. Together, we prepared for Lotoja, a 206-mile bike race from Logan, Utah to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. It took a year of training, and on the day, 12 full hours to complete, but we did it. Now, we still ride and train each week. Getting stronger, faster and better. The pain in the legs and the lungs don’t stop, we just get faster.