Endure and Enjoy

In Chicago it's hard to get outside for road rides in the winter. So I was excited to get a fat tire bike last year. My newest one is a Trek Farley and his name is Chris. He's large, slow and just lots of fun. Being a roadie for all these years, I had to get used to 9 mph being the new normal.

Conditions haven't been ideal with a bit of snow and then lots of ice. But I've gotten out to ride a number of times (100 miles so far). I'm slowly learning that the big fat tires grip pretty good and trying to let the fear of falling dissipate. Hard to do as you get older and bruise/break easier.

At the end of December, I participated in the Fatter by the Lake event hosted by Zion Cyclery. What a great sight to see, over 100 fat bikes riding along the Lake Michigan beach. It was my first time riding in sand. A blast!!!

I've been also learning to ride single track. It goes against everything you learned for road riding. You move side to side on your bike, lift out of the saddle a lot, and run over everything. I'm really trying to embrace this style of riding as it helps with bike handling skills that transfer over to road riding and extends my outdoor cycling season.

Rockin' Pearl Izumi winter jacket on my fat bike Chris

Cycling still seems to be a male dominated sport. For example, the last race I was at in Wisconsin had 9 women and over 80 guys. The low participation of women in cycling is why I applied to be part of Pearl Izumi's new Ride Champion Program designed to help promote women in cycling. As many of you know I was Strava's midwest cycling ambassador for 18 months. That gig is over and I'm excited to share with you I made the cut and am now a @PearlIzumi Ride Champion. They just launched a national cycling team for 2016 and I was one of 200 women chosen. Pearl Izumi is dedicated to celebrating women in the sport of cycling. As a PI Champion I will help spread that message. Super excited about what's to come.

Read more about PI Ride Champion program it here.

I look forward to encouraging other women to get out and ride and try new events. More to come.

Enjoy the ride,
Sheri