Win Allen gets 2020 going full gas
This will be another season of me wearing multiple hats as I traverse the U.S. as a professional bicycle mechanic©. There used to be an “off season.” Now I find myself at bike races 12 months out of the year. It is reassuring that the race scene is that busy and demanding. It speaks volumes for the state of bike racing in the U.S.
And so it begins. In mid January I was at CABDA West in Del Mar, CA. I was there to help set up and tear down the PBMA Technical Workshop and to set up and proctor the hands-on portion of the PBMA Mechanics Certification test. I find proctoring these tests to be very interesting. There is a wide range of what bike mechanics have been exposed to and a wider range of abilities. In addition, I was asked to take part in a panel discussion on non-traditional bike shops and how they have been successful.
The following weekend, I was at the first SoCal Endurance 12 Hours of Temecula. It was an early start to the day, leaving home at 5am for a 9am start time. We arrived at the race venue at Vail Lake around 7:30am. I will be supporting my wife and her teammate as they are racing Duo Female in this race, the other hat I’ll be wearing is that of a neutral support mechanic for Kenda Tires NRS.
My wife and her teammate alternate laps on course, so between taking care of any of their bike or nutrition needs I’m helping any other racer that needs bike help. Fortunately, the only bike work needed by my wife and her teammate was wiping down the bikes, quick inspection and chains lubed every 4 laps.
As far as help other racers needed, there was installing new tires, derailleur adjustments, brake adjustments, tire pressure adjustments, wheel truing, chains lubed, etc. It’s now 10:30pm and the truck is packed up and its time to hit In-N-Out Burger on our way to the freeway. Finally got home around 1am. The unpacking had to wait till the morning.
Three weeks later I’m driving to Tucson, AZ for 24 Hours In The Old Pueblo. This race is something to see, with over 3500 racers participating. The race takes place in the middle of the Arizona desert. It is 45-60 minutes to a store, gas, or hotel. So, you really have to make sure that you remember everything or you will have to go without. Again, I will be doing multi duty. I was there for my wife and her teammate doing Duo Female, a solo single speed female, and providing neutral support for any racer in need on behalf of Kenda Tires NRS.
Early Friday morning, the day before the race started, we set up our booth and pit area. I installed 20+ tires and did some minor tune-ups, and swapped out cogs for single-speed racers in need. Providing support at a 24-hour race is like nothing else in racing. It requires you to think clearly and perform as a mechanic, cook, coach, tactician, friend, husband and endurance race expert. All in sleep-deprived mode.
It is now Saturday morning at 7am and we are rolling up to our booth/pit area. The race begins at noon with a LeMans style start. Thousands of bike racers running ¼ mile in cycling shoes is something to see as they try to find their bike in the organized chaos.
During the race, I replaced another 10+ tires for racers that had mishaps or didn’t come prepared with the proper tire set up for this race. The first 6 hours of the race for my wife and her teammate was just the normal wiping down the bikes, inspecting and chain lubing. Now its mandatory lights on time. I have a bit more work now, changing out batteries and keeping the light lens clean, and making sure they are eating/drinking enough on and off the bike.
As my solo single speed racer’s legs got tired in the middle of the night, it was time to swap out the 18t cog for a 20t. My wife’s teammate was having issues with the light system she had brought. Fortunately I always bring more lights than my wife could ever use. I swapped out the lights and that was the end of any illumination issues.
I had a racer come to me around 2am with a wheel that had broken a spoke nipple. He jumped on his spare bike and did a lap while I got his wheel rolling again.
Around 11am, we start to pack the van, as we want to get on the road ASAP after the podium. We head to my wife’s teammate’s hotel for a quick shower before we start our 10+ hour drive home. We pull up to our home at midnight and start the unpacking process, beyond tired but it had to be done. With a short night of sleep it’s now time to get back to my shop and catch up from being gone for 4 days.
In one week the Southern California High School Mountain Bike League races will begin, I will be headed to them again wearing multiple hats. I am the Vice President of the league and will need to take care of that business. Also I will be there working for Kenda Tires NRS.
Then its back to the shop before I have to leave for the start of the U.S. Cup XC Race at Vail Lake, CA.
When I’m not on the road traveling to an event I’m in my service-centric shop (Win’s Wheels). Now it’s time for me to get back to my shop.
See you out there!
