How do you get in to profesional Cycling?

[IanHighfield]

I'll be 21 next month. I've ridden with sponsors' benefit since I was 18. I'm in the UK where riders get noticed by winning or posting worthy times in official events. England, Wales and Scotland have a much more bicycle-oriented sports scene than the USA. Here you can make a clean living on the lanes and fairways.

I make frame sets and wheels for a fall back. Racing is what I hope to do for a full career. If you want to be a pro rider, you must have a job that allows at least 4 hours a day for training. More is better. I ride 70-100 K a day, year round. It's not easy. Not at all. Sometimes the welder in my hand feels better than the bars when it's winter and bleeding outside. I'm finding there's nothing romantic about cycle racing. Unless you are extraordinary at your local level, stay at university.

[mike047]

Originally Posted by Industry_Hack

Hmmm. I'm neither grumpy nor old. Do you not realize that it was in this very thread that you've stated your age was 21, 23, and 24? Either way, you're not old enough to be senile, but most people don't have trouble remembering their age until they're much older than me.

I made one comment about your spelling. Just one. But that's obviously a sore subject for you.

As far as your questions, I'm not going to bother answering them. When you reach a certain level of maturity, you realize that you don't need to go on the internet and brag about yourself, nor do you need to justify yourself to anyone else.

I've only been into BMX since the mid 1970s. I didn't get to race in any sanctioned races as a kid, but when my bro worked at Redline, he got me a couple of bikes, which I raced against my friends, including the Kastens at all our local tracks. I could have just as easily gotten a Jag, since we rode with Kelly Roker too. Or maybe a PK Ripper, since my friend's dad welded for SE Racing. I did have a Mongoose also, since they were only twenty minutes away, in Chatsworth. Back then, I didn't realize that SoCal was the center of the start of BMX.

Fast forward to my 35th birthday, and I'm living on the beach in Australia, with a good job with the NSW police, plenty of extra pocket change, and my own parts importing business. Many of my clients were my age, and into BMX racing. I got invited out to the track, did a few laps on a borrowed bike, and got hooked again. So we'd all take our families out to the track, have a big social event, get at each other's throats for a lap, then go for a few beers after the race. I had nothing to prove, just out to have a good time with some friends.

As far as the "smoke off the tire" comment, that was actually shown in a video. It was either an X Games DVD, or it was from the race Bubba held in his yard, where the winner got a briefcase full of $1 bills. I don't recall which, but those are the only two videos I watched, so it was one of them.

I'm not worth the time of day to you, but you'll comment again anyway, because you just can't help yourself.

I am both and in my short time here.......it seems as though you carry a sharp stick all the time. Are you botto

[Echihn]

Originally Posted by IanHighfield

England, Wales and Scotland have a much more bicycle-oriented sports scene than the USA.

Not even close. Just an idea, but we probably have more riders here in the USA than population in britain.

Gotta remember, x games started here, we have many many collegate racing leagues, many many road races, etc. Think your forgetting how big our country really is. It may not seem like the sport is that big but look at square miles and you will quickly notice why it seems the UK has a bigger scene.

[IanHighfield]

Originally Posted by Echihn

Not even close. Just an idea, but we probably have more riders here in the USA than population in britain.

Gotta remember, x games started here, we have many many collegate racing leagues, many many road races, etc. Think your forgetting how big our country really is. It may not seem like the sport is that big but look at square miles and you will quickly notice why it seems the UK has a bigger scene.

Per capita we have more cyclists. You blokes get distracted with baseball, football, basketball, hockey, etc. We have football *soccer* and bikes.

In my area a ranked cyclists is a local god. Not so much the US. I've raced in your country. You have a following but not like in mine. In England there are more than 3600 time trial clubs alone. Every college and university has a cycling team of some nature. There are 17 velodromes within 2 hours of my home.

You have a lot of room *square miles* but not many really good riders. If this is a sore point you only need look at the makeup of the TDF.

Plus, name for me one good US time trialist. Just one.

[Echihn]

Originally Posted by IanHighfield

Per capita we have more cyclists. You blokes get distracted with baseball, football, basketball, hockey, etc. We have football *soccer* and bikes.

In my area a ranked cyclists is a local god. Not so much the US. I've raced in your country. You have a following but not like in mine. In England there are more than 3600 time trial clubs alone. Every college and university has a cycling team of some nature. There are 17 velodromes within 2 hours of my home.

You have a lot of room *square miles* but not many really good riders. If this is a sore point you only need look at the makeup of the TDF.

Plus, name for me one good US time trialist. Just one.

per capita? do you realize how many people are in the usa? Maybe the ratio might be higher, but we have more cyclists in the usa than probably total population of the uk. Just in the city I am in there are well over 20k cyclists.

Where did you race? You do realize we have 50 states, so going to one race or two in the USA doesn't even give you the smallest idea of how big it is. Remember, we are a very large continent here. Pretty much every college here has cycling teams. I'm guessing we have more than 10,000 clubs across the country if not more than that.

Can't also say good riders don't come from here as that is entirely false. Not everyone needs to be a die hard racer. We have guys who shred here in Nor Cal just as big as guys shredding North Shore. There is a reason even steve peat mentions nor cal on a regular basis.

Also just a note, I'm half British and have been there more than a few times. I have also been to almost every state in the US and I have to say, UK riding doesn't come close. We just have too broad of a spectrum. Road, bmx, dirt, street, dh, trials, etc.

Also have some of the best places in the world to ride. Colorado, Utah, Nor Cal, So Cal, lots of places on the east coast.

To add : I don't watch time trials personally. Now, tell me this, how many world ranked bmxers on the line with hoffman, nyquist, mirra, bubba, m/p, etc that have pulled that many medals? Remember, it was the USA that started a lot of the "freeride" mentality with bmx (and led the way for FR mtb). Can't overlook what has come from here. Can't recall any trends that have come out of the UK riding wise. They generally get it from US, Canada, or Austrailia.

BTW not ragging on the UK, because like said, I'm half Brit myself, but you also gotta give respect to the US when due. And it is more than due with 2 wheeled sports.

[IanHighfield]

I'm only interested in racing. Maybe that is the error of our ways. Meant no evil.

[Echihn]

Originally Posted by IanHighfield

I'm only interested in racing. Maybe that is the error of our ways. Meant no evil.

No worries man. Didn't take it like that but I coulda sounded like that.

Remember, Brits are our team mates. It's the Aussies and Canadians we need to go after


And yes, race wise sure, you guys have a die hard scene, but I think Australia wins it with this one. They got those crazy ones coming out of there.

As a movie said, I can't remember if it was an old NWD or what, but the idea was the people in the US haven't been on top in many years (think Johnny T days) because were too busy freeriding. Kinda our mentality now. Racing is fun but most of us just want to shred hard on our own terms and not have a time put on things. Reason I race DH now is just to get to ride some sick trails. Other than that my times mean well, squat to me. Now for bmx racing it's ON!!!

[Rit]

Originally Posted by IanHighfield

I'm only interested in racing. Maybe that is the error of our ways. Meant no evil.

Hi Ian,

Just reading posts here it's easy to separate racers from talkers, I've always said, road/track racing is a no B.S. sport. Your legs do the talking.

The Brits are tough. In this area, I've ridden with Keith Black (~1980 Milk Race) and Jimmy Frazer (2X Scotland national champion) on training rides and races. We were all about the same age. We used to win races and people would ask, "How'd ya do?" ......ok. Now, the club I ride with, plasters a 10th place, in an area race, like they won the olympics. I don't ride with them much since it's like riding with a pack of squirrels and they have no regard for drivers. No one wants to listen to advise since after racing one or two years they know it all.

If my wife and I are driving in the car, I can see a rider 1/2 mile down the road and say there's a racer. My wife, "how can you tell, they all ware the clothes." "It's easy, just by the way he sits on the bike."

[IanHighfield]

Originally Posted by Rit

Hi Ian,

Just reading posts here it's easy to separate racers from talkers, I've always said, road/track racing is a no B.S. sport. Your legs do the talking.

The Brits are tough. In this area, I've ridden with Keith Black (~1980 Milk Race) and Jimmy Frazer (2X Scotland national champion) on training rides and races. We were all about the same age. We used to win races and people would ask, "How'd ya do?" ......ok. Now, the club I ride with, plasters a 10th place, in an area race, like they won the olympics. I don't ride with them much since it's like riding with a pack of squirrels and they have no regard for drivers. No one wants to listen to advise since after racing one or two years they know it all.

If my wife and I are driving in the car, I can see a rider 1/2 mile down the road and say there's a racer. My wife, "how can you tell, they all ware the clothes." "It's easy, just by the way he sits on the bike."

Rit: I race bikes but my favorite sport to watch and follow is distance running. I love the 10,000 meter and marathon runners. Like you, I can look at a man's build and gate at 200 yards and tell whether he can run or not. It's like that with horses too. They just move differently. All in one piece. They fairly float inches above the earth. It's recognizable if you know what to look for.

[rodger]

How do you get involved with Olymics racing?