Men on Bikes: Brett Donelson
When did you first start riding a
bike?
I was a ski coach following endless winters. SO I didn’t really start riding on a regular basis until 2008. In that time is has grown into a bigger and bigger part of my life.
I was a ski coach following endless winters. SO I didn’t really start riding on a regular basis until 2008. In that time is has grown into a bigger and bigger part of my life.
What motivated you to ride as much as you have over the years?
I have an active brain, so it is a very good place to go and get away from deadlines, schedules, and expectations.
What kind of riding is your favorite?
(paved, gravel, mountain)
I spend almost all of my time on my XC MTB. I will have a cross bike this year, but at first, it will double as a road bike and commuter. I then may race a little in the fall when CX starts. We will see.
I spend almost all of my time on my XC MTB. I will have a cross bike this year, but at first, it will double as a road bike and commuter. I then may race a little in the fall when CX starts. We will see.
Do you remember how you felt on your
first mountain bike ride? (If not a mountain biker, how about first commuter
ride, paved trail ride, gravel, etc.)
At that point in my life, I was always looking for the next great thing in fitness. I evaluated it and realized that it was fun, burned a lot of calories, and I could do it by myself. So it made “logical” sense to do it again. I now have a very different attitude, but those were my first impressions.
At that point in my life, I was always looking for the next great thing in fitness. I evaluated it and realized that it was fun, burned a lot of calories, and I could do it by myself. So it made “logical” sense to do it again. I now have a very different attitude, but those were my first impressions.
If you had nervousness at all, what do
you do or think to overcome it?
Compared to a lot of the riders I go out with, I am pretty chicken on rocks and technical features. I don’t think that I will ever get to a point where I think I am a great “technical” rider, but I just go try features over and over and practice them. I am not sure that there are any other ways of doing it.
Compared to a lot of the riders I go out with, I am pretty chicken on rocks and technical features. I don’t think that I will ever get to a point where I think I am a great “technical” rider, but I just go try features over and over and practice them. I am not sure that there are any other ways of doing it.
Do you use clipless pedals? If yes,
what are some tips/suggestions for beginners that you would share? If no, are
you thinking of trying it out at all?
Yes. When we coach our girls at The Cycle Effect. We spend 2-3 practices on clipping in and out. We go out into a field and let them experiment. We also have them go around cones and other bike handling skills. But I make sure that they all get challenged enough so they do fall on the grass. I think it helps them to know that if they don’t clip out, they WILL fall over. But doing it on the grass is a good, safe way to make that connection.
Yes. When we coach our girls at The Cycle Effect. We spend 2-3 practices on clipping in and out. We go out into a field and let them experiment. We also have them go around cones and other bike handling skills. But I make sure that they all get challenged enough so they do fall on the grass. I think it helps them to know that if they don’t clip out, they WILL fall over. But doing it on the grass is a good, safe way to make that connection.
If you are a commuter what are some of
the challenges you face and how do you overcome them?
I do not commute as much as I would like to. I often start my day at work at 6AM, so getting up in the dark, cold winter and riding is not something I have been able to motivate myself to do very often. Things change as I move into the summer months.
I do not commute as much as I would like to. I often start my day at work at 6AM, so getting up in the dark, cold winter and riding is not something I have been able to motivate myself to do very often. Things change as I move into the summer months.
Have you had a bike biff? If so, how
did you recover on a physical/mental/emotional level?
I fall regularly. If it is a hard fall, I will alway go home, take a day or 2 off and re-evaluate if riding is something I want to keep doing. I have never came up with a “no”.
I fall regularly. If it is a hard fall, I will alway go home, take a day or 2 off and re-evaluate if riding is something I want to keep doing. I have never came up with a “no”.
What do you love about riding your
bike?
I love that climbing in a race, I can doubt myself and what I am doing literally every 30 seconds. The same way I can when I start something new like The Cycle Effect. The same rules apply: take a breathe, relax my shoulders and just keep going.
I love that climbing in a race, I can doubt myself and what I am doing literally every 30 seconds. The same way I can when I start something new like The Cycle Effect. The same rules apply: take a breathe, relax my shoulders and just keep going.
You can check out The Cycle Effect on Facebook: The Cycle Effect
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