Where was I?

Last week Charlie was holding it down here at Hub without me. Where was I? At the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. No joke. See?

That's a Huey Lewis and the News button in the upper left. Also not a joke.

I was there to become a USA Cycling Licensed Race Mechanic. And boy, oh boy, did I. Four days of intense bicycle knowledge and nerdiness. I learned a bunch about bicycle race support, and about the racing industry in general. What does this mean for Hub Bicycle Company? Well, first I've padded out my mechanic bag of tricks with some new skills. In addition to the 11(ish) instructors, all captains of the bicycle industry, there were 59 other students, who all had experience to share. I really believe that we, in bike shops, become that terrible bike shop stereotype (you know the one... snobby, rude, condescending, mustachioed) when we think we know it all. We don't. It's important to check that ego at the door and see if someone has a better way of doing things. I learned a more efficient way of gluing tubular tires, and how to do pro-style wheel changes, and about the latest and greatest in bike tech, among many other things. A great (extra) long weekend for a lady who loves bikes and learning, but now it's time to put those new skills to work.

Oh, and I got to go on a tour of the velodrome. If you get a chance to visit a track, you should. I'm always startled to see how steep the banks really are. They look scarier in real life. Also, it's nice to know that some track bikes actually do get used on a track.

7-Eleven Velodrome