It's a Savvy Bike Shop-a-Palooza!

Whether you were out fighting the Black Friday crowds or plan to shop small + local for Small Business Saturday, I wanted to share a special discount with all our Savvy Bike clients + fans. 

The 2014 Savvy Bike calendar has been published and you can register on-line for all of our camps, clinics, and bike fit. And now through Monday, December 2nd, you can save 20% by using promotional code SBS. 

Here's a preview of what's on tap for the coming year.  Holiday shopping couldn't be any easier! 

The Tri-Flow Development Racing Program

Introduced in 2006, this award-winning program is designed to help you bridge the gap from club rider to team racer. In a six-week series of workshops, clinics, and rides, we'll teach you everything you need to know to begin road racing and then support you at your first race. This program is limited to eight riders each session. A solid level of cycling fitness is required. Program fee includes custom team jersey, USA Cycling License, race registration fee, twice-weekly team training, and a group training program. Contact coaching@savvybike.com to schedule an assessment.

Team #1 – Bariani Road Race (Feb 9^th  – Mar 16^th, 2014)

Cinderella Kick-Start Clinic – Jan 18^th

Are you planning to ride the Cinderella Classic on April 5th, 2014?  If so, this is the PERFECT clinic for you.  We combine the best skills from our Bike Skills modules, along with important information about nutrition and bike maintenance, to start you off in the right direction for a successful event.  Then, join us for our progressive training ride series that begins the following week and you'll be crossing the finish line in style!  Meet other women who will be riding Cinderella and have a GREAT day of bike-love learning.

Alpine Altitude Adventure (aka Death Ride Training Camp) – Jun 20^th – 22^nd, 2014

Join us for a fun, co-ed training weekend in Markleeville, CA, home of the Death Ride.    This 6^th annual co-ed weekend camp is designed to help prepare participants for the rigors of endurance riding at high altitude.  Based in Markleeville, CA, this camp is appropriate for Death Ride participants and others who wish to gain high altitude experience.  Daily mileage options range from 25 - 75 miles.  Registration fee includes camping (Friday + Saturday), a Friday skills clinic, SAG on rides, cycling nutrition, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of fun with cool folks. 

Bike Skills 101 – Fundamental Bike Handling Skills – sponsored by BicycleLawyer.com – Feb 8^th, Mar 15^th, Apr 26^th, May 31^st, Jul 13^th, Aug 17^th, Sep 13^th, Oct 18^th

This 4-hour co-ed clinic is the foundation of everything else you’ll learn on the bike.  This is the clinic where we teach the old dogs new tricks and the newbies the fundamentals.  You’ll learn about balance and weight distribution and how that affects your ability to ride your bike safely and confidently.  We’ll learn skills like riding with no hands, emergency stops, and how to look behind you while holding your line, how to steer, and counter-steer.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.   This clinic is a pre-requisite for all other Bike Skills road cycling clinics.

Bike Skills 102 – Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills – Mar 1^st, May 10^th, Jul 27^th, Sep 28^th, Nov 8^th

It's time for a little dirty fun!  We'll teach you the basics (and not-so-basics) of balance, weight distribution, and how to use the terrain to your advantage. Learn to rock, roll, hop, and jump. Master the art of steep climbs.  Learn to descend with confidence and skill.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.

Bike Skills 103 – Fundamental Cyclocross Skills + Tactics – Aug 24^th

Have you been wondering what's all the buzz about cyclocross?  It's a fun but challenging sport that's beginner-friendly and appropriate for the entire family.  And best of all, it's happening at a park near you!  In this four-hour clinic, you'll learn all the skills needed to get started in this incredible sport, including mounts, dismounts, and how to shoulder and carry your bike.  We'll also share information about bikes & equipment, the local cyclocross racing scene, and how to train for a successful season.  We’ll finish off the day with a simulated race and de-brief.  You'll need a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike for this clinic.

Bike Skills 201 – Climbing + Descending Skills sponsored by Jan Medina Real Estate – Feb 8^th, Mar 15^th, Apr 26^th, May 31^st, Jul 13^th, Aug 17^th, Sep 13^th, Oct 18^th

Bike Skills 201 is a continuation of what you’ve learned in Bike Skills 101.  What goes up must come down, right?  In this 4-hour co-ed clinic, we’ll teach you how to climb like a pro – seated climbs, standing climbs, short climbs, steep climbs, extended climbs.  And then, we’ll teach you how to come back down again, focusing on a fast straight descent, and then a technical switchbacky descent.  Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 301 – Pacelines + Group Riding Skills – Apr 6^th, Jun 8^th, Sep 14^th, Nov 9^th

Wheelsucking is an art!  Whether you’re a racer or a recreational rider, group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, and farther.  We’ll learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills and introductory racing techniques.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 302 – Racing Skills + Tactics – TBA

This six-hour clinic will teach you all the individual bike-handling and group riding skills you'll need to race your first (or your 10th) criterium or road race. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, and an introduction to tactics. We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 303 – Advanced Racing Skills + Tactics – TBA

Are you an experienced racer?  Are you ready to step up your game for 2014?  In this six-hour clinic we'll focus on individual bike-handling, group riding, and racing skills. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, as well as tactics (both individual and team).  We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief.  Register with teammates to enhance your learning!  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent skills clinic, or a minimum of 10 race starts.



Bike Touring 101 – May 17^th – 18^th, Oct 4^th – 5^th  

Have you thought about touring on your bike but don’t know where to begin?  We’ll unravel the mysteries of supported, fully-loaded, and semi-loaded touring for you.  This clinic includes a two-hour seminar on the topics of equipment, bicycle choice, what to bring, how to pack, camping, cooking, safety, and choosing your route.  Then, we head out for a weekend of semi-loaded touring with a 50-mile hilly option or a 25-mile rolling option, both ending at Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, where we’ll have dinner, spend the evening, soak in the hot tub, and sleep.  The next day, we pack up and return to the start.  This is a fully-supported event and includes ride nutrition, dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday), SAG, and your accommodations at the hostel.

Midsummer Musings from Coach Lorri

Whoever created my schedule this summer was crazy!  What's that you say?  I put together my own schedule?  Well that explains everything.  Indeed, I'm crazy.

Since mid-June, I've spent more time away from home than at home.  My life has been a constant go-go-go.  And, of course, the bike has been an integral part of that action.

In June, I spent two weeks in beautiful Markleeville, CA, home of the Death Ride.  I held my 5th Annual Alpine Altitude Adventure camp with a great group of riders and also rode the Alta Alpina Challenge on one of the hottest days of the year.  I rode my favorite mountain passes, practiced yoga at studios in Carson City, Truckee, and South Lake Tahoe, visited the farmer's markets, hiked with my dog, and did some advance work for The Specialized Women Sports Camp where I'd be coaching in August.  I even went stand-up paddleboarding on Lake Tahoe for the 1st (and 2nd) time ever!

Lorri and Annie at the Death Ride

July was non-stop action, with another week in Markleeville, capped off by my fastest Death Ride ever!  I somehow slipped in a bunch of Savvy Bike clinics, bike fits, and on-the-bike coaching sessions, as well as prep for the 8th Annual Menlo Park Grand Prix presented by Kit Order.

Janelle Kellman of Kit Order with Lorri at the Menlo Park Grand Prix

The day after the race, I spent my 48th birthday with off-load and then hopped on the redeye for New York to spend an amazing week visiting long-lost family and friends and attending my 30th High School Reunion.  I rode my bike 6 days in 6 different places, including a group ride and a ride with a high school buddy.  I met with cycling and fitness friends to work on plans to bring coaching programs to NY next summer.  This was the first real vacation I've taken in a long time, and I even completely ignored work and email for a few days.

Lorri and her nieces riding in upstate NY

When I returned from NY, I had one day at home before heading up to Truckee to coach the road cycling programs at The Specialized Women Sports Camp.  What a fabulous weekend of clinics, riding, yoga, SUP, and seminars in a stunning setting.

Lorri and her athletes climb Donner Pass

And now I'm back and ready to settle in for a while, with awesome Bike Skills clinics, AIDS LifeCycle Training Ride Leader Certification clinics, bike fits, on-the-bike clients, and even some road and mountain bike racing to finish off the summer.  I've loved every minute of my crazy summer, but I'm thrilled to be back home in Northern CA -- the most perfect place on earth to ride a bike!

Life is short.  Live each day fully.  Enjoy summer.  Make memories!

Announcing our 2013 Savvy Bike Camps + Clinics

No one can help you ride or race your bike better than the coaches of Savvy Bike.  Since 2002, we’ve helped 1,000s of women and men achieve their goals of being smarter, safer, more skilled, and more confident on the bike.  We’ve created a learning atmosphere where you’ll feel comfortable and safe, and yet challenged to try something new.

Everyone can benefit from our skills clinics, whether you’ve been riding six months or two decades!  We take the hit or miss out of the learning process to help you flatten the learning curve.  It doesn’t need to be difficult or painful to learn to ride or race a bike. We’ll help you ride “with” your bike instead of “on” your bike.  And we’ll help you have fun!

By popular demand, we introduced our Bike Skills modules in 2008.  We took our most popular two-day bike skills clinics and broke them down into 4-hour modules so you can focus on those skills that are most important to you. Some of these clinics are for women or men only; some are co-ed. 

We highly recommend you participate in Bike Skills 101 (or an equivalent clinic) prior to registering for our more advanced road clinics.

Bike Skills 101, 201, 301, 302, and the Tri-Flow Development Racing Program are eligible for USA Cycling (USAC) upgrade points for categories 3, 4, and 5 racers.

Registration is open for all our January - June programs at http://savvybike.eventbrite.com

The Tri-Flow Development Racing Program

Introduced in 2006, this award-winning program is designed to help you bridge the gap from club rider to team racer. In a six-week series of workshops, clinics, and rides, we'll teach you everything you need to know to begin road racing and then support you at your first race. This program is limited to eight riders each session. A solid level of cycling fitness is required. Program fee includes custom team jersey, USA Cycling License, race registration fee, twice-weekly team training, and a group training program. Contact coaching@savvybike.com to schedule an assessment.

Team #1 – Bariani Road Race (Feb 3^rd  – Mar 17^th, 2012)

Team #2 – San Ardo Road Race (Jul 6^th – Aug 17^th, 2012)

Cinderella Kick-Start Clinic – Jan 19^th

Are you planning to ride the Cinderella Classic on April 6th, 2013?  If so, this is the PERFECT clinic for you.  We combine the best skills from our Bike Skills modules, along with important information about nutrition and bike maintenance, to start you off in the right direction for a successful event.  Then, join us for our progressive training ride series that begins the following week and you'll be crossing the finish line in style!  Meet other women who will be riding Cinderella and have a GREAT day of bike-love learning.

Carmel Valley Women’s Cycling Escape Weekend – Mar 22^nd – 24^th, Oct 11^th – 13^th

Join us for an action-packed weekend in beautiful Carmel Valley.  We'll be based at the historic Los Laureles Lodge, featuring adorable rooms and mouth-watering meals.   We've got plenty of options for both road cycling and mountain biking.  In addition to supported rides + educational seminars, we'll fill your girls' weekend with yoga, spa time, and wine tasting.  Escape with your bike to amazing Carmel Valley!

Alpine Altitude Adventure (aka Death Ride Training Camp) – Jun 22^nd – 24^th, 2012

Join us for a fun, co-ed training weekend in Markleeville, CA, home of the Death Ride.    This 4^th annual co-ed weekend camp is designed to help prepare participants for the rigors of endurance riding at high altitude.  Based in Markleeville, CA, this camp is appropriate for Death Ride participants and others who wish to gain high altitude experience.  Daily mileage options range from 25 - 75 miles.  Registration fee includes camping (Friday + Saturday), a Friday skills clinic, SAG on rides, cycling nutrition, Saturday breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Sunday breakfast, and lots of fun with cool folks. 

Bike Skills 101 – Fundamental Bike Handling Skills – sponsored by BicycleLawyer.com – Feb 3^rd, Mar 16^th, Apr 28^th, Jun 8^th, Jul 21^st, Aug 31^st, Sep 29^th, Nov 2^nd

This 4-hour co-ed clinic is the foundation of everything else you’ll learn on the bike.  This is the clinic where we teach the old dogs new tricks and the newbies the fundamentals.  You’ll learn about balance and weight distribution and how that affects your ability to ride your bike safely and confidently.  We’ll learn skills like riding with no hands, emergency stops, and how to look behind you while holding your line, how to steer, and counter-steer.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.   This clinic is a pre-requisite for all other Bike Skills road cycling clinics.

Bike Skills 102 – Fundamental Mountain Bike Skills – Apr 7^th, Jul 14^th, Oct 13^th

It's time for a little dirty fun!  We'll teach you the basics (and not-so-basics) of balance, weight distribution, and how to use the terrain to your advantage. Learn to rock, roll, hop, and jump. Master the art of steep climbs.  Learn to descend with confidence and skill.  After just four hours, we guarantee you’ll be a better bike handler and have much more fun on the bike.

Bike Skills 103 – Fundamental Cyclocross Skills + Tactics – Aug 24^th

Have you been wondering what's all the buzz about cyclocross?  It's a fun but challenging sport that's beginner-friendly and appropriate for the entire family.  And best of all, it's happening at a park near you!  In this four-hour clinic, you'll learn all the skills needed to get started in this incredible sport, including mounts, dismounts, and how to shoulder and carry your bike.  We'll also share information about bikes & equipment, the local cyclocross racing scene, and how to train for a successful season.  We’ll finish off the day with a simulated race and de-brief.  You'll need a mountain bike or a cyclocross bike for this clinic.

Bike Skills 201 – Climbing + Descending Skills sponsored by Jan Medina Real Estate – Feb 3^rd, Mar 16^th, Apr 28^th, Jun 8^th, Jul 21^st, Aug 31^st, Sep 29^th, Nov 2^nd

Bike Skills 201 is a continuation of what you’ve learned in Bike Skills 101.  What goes up must come down, right?  In this 4-hour co-ed clinic, we’ll teach you how to climb like a pro – seated climbs, standing climbs, short climbs, steep climbs, extended climbs.  And then, we’ll teach you how to come back down again, focusing on a fast straight descent, and then a technical switchbacky descent.  Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 301 – Pacelines + Group Riding Skills – Mar 3^rd, May 5^th, Aug 4^th, Nov 3^rd

Wheelsucking is an art!  Whether you’re a racer or a recreational rider, group riding skills will help you ride longer, faster, and farther.  We’ll learn draft theory and basic pacelines, beginning with partner work and progressing to more complex group riding skills and introductory racing techniques.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 302 – Racing Skills + Tactics – May 11^th

This six-hour clinic will teach you all the individual bike-handling and group riding skills you'll need to race your first (or your 10th) criterium or road race. In addition to skills & drills, you'll receive expert coaching on race preparation and logistics, and an introduction to tactics. We'll finish the day with a training race followed by a de-brief.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 101 or equivalent experience.

Bike Skills 303 – Advanced Racing Skills + Tactics – TBA

Take your racing to the next level! In this 4-hour clinic, you'll learn to "make the race" by incorporating individual and team tactics -- and we'll teach you the skills to do that! Bring your teammates for maximum learning.  Pre-requisite: Bike Skills 302 or equivalent racing experience.  Pre-requisite:  Bike Skills 302 or equivalent experience.

Bike Touring 101 – May 25^th – 26^th, Oct 26^th – 27^th

Have you thought about touring on your bike but don’t know where to begin?  We’ll unravel the mysteries of supported, fully-loaded, and semi-loaded touring for you.  This clinic includes a two-hour seminar on the topics of equipment, bicycle choice, what to bring, how to pack, camping, cooking, safety, and choosing your route.  Then, we head out for a weekend of semi-loaded touring with a 50-mile hilly option or a 25-mile rolling option, both ending at Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel in Pescadero, where we’ll have dinner, spend the evening, soak in the hot tub, and sleep.  The next day, we pack up and return to the start.  This is a fully-supported event and includes ride nutrition, dinner (Saturday) and breakfast (Sunday), SAG, and your accommodations at the hostel.

Registration is open for all our January - June programs at http://savvybike.eventbrite.com

dirt don't hurt

Hey everybody!  We've got a couple of upcoming co-ed clinics that might interest you cyclocross folks:

Saturday, August 11th -- Bike Skills 102 (fundamental mountain bike skills) -- coached by Ron Castia of Wenzel Coaching.  If you're like me (a roadie who decided to race cx but had never, ever ridden on the dirt), then you NEED this clinic.  Just because a cross bike looks kinda like a road bike doesn't mean that you'll be magically transformed into an all-terrain rider.  Bike Skills 102 covers the fundamentals of balance, weight distribution, traction and will really help you understand how to ride on mixed terrain.  It's truly good stuff and will help you take your cx riding in a new direction (like not flat on your face as soon as you hit a sandy section).

Sunday, August 12th -- Bike Skills 103 (cyclocross skills + tactics) -- coached by Barb "Barbarella" Howe (former US National Champion and US world team member) and Matt McNamara (of Sterling Sports fame).  This is the ultimate CX clinic and covers all your fundamental CX skills (mount, dismount, carry, flying through the air, beer hand-ups) as well as race prep, training, and tactics.  We finish the clinic with a simulated race so you can put all your new-found (or newly refined) skills to practice.  

Registration for both clinics (as well as all our roadie-scum clinics) can be found here:

http://savvybike.eventbrite.com

There is limited space in both clinics.  Yeah, these aren't the kind of clinics where we pack 100 riders in and then don't give you any individualized attention.  These are SPECIAL (really, because you're all special, too).  So register early or wait until next year.  Oh, and if you register more than 14 days in advance (that's 2 weeks for those of you who can't count higher than your fingers) you save $20 on the registration fee.  

Lorri

30 Days of Biking Days #10 - 14

Yeah, it rained this week.  A lot.  Torrential rain.  Record-breaking thunder and lightening.  And I opted to ride the rollers every day it rained.  For someone who's not actually "training" that sounds a lot like training, doesn't it?

I actually really like the rollers.  They're entertaining.  They're great for core and balance and bike handling.  I like doing intervals on the rollers.  I like riding no-handed and standing and doing all the things that are challenging.  I like watching "Weeds" while I ride the rollers.

But the rollers aren't all that interesting to blog about so I let this blog slide this week.

Thankfully, I awoke to a gorgeous, sunny, but cool day.  Today I coached two Savvy Bike clinics:  Bike Skills 101 (fundamental handling skills) in the morning and Bike Skills 201 (climbing + descending) in the afternoon.  It's a long day but always fills me with an incredible energy.  There's really nothing I enjoy more in life than coaching clinics.  There's an awesome synergy in the group setting that really allows each participant to excel.  I love shifting paradigms and unravelling the mystery of the bike.  Yes, the bike really is a mystery to a lot of riders, even those who have been riding for many years.  It's always fun to watch participants progress throughout the day and finish with a really solid understanding of the physics behind our sport -- learning how their bikes "really" work, how to interact with the bike, and building confidence and skills.  I'm a lucky girl that I get to do something that I love for my job.

As I've continued to lose weight, it's been really exciting for me to see how much my climbing has improved from month to month during these clinics.  I'm still not at skinny climber-girl weight, but my speed has increased significantly and I'm starting to feel like my old self again. This makes me very happy.

I want to thank everyone who's been reading my blog and sending emails and comments.  I appreciate your support and interest in my 30 Days of Biking Challenge.  Many of you have asked about my weight loss.  It's been a long process (215 pounds in July 2009 to 164 pounds today).  I've still got about 20 pounds to go but I've been very disciplined with my nutrition and should hit that goal by my birthday in July -- hopefully a bit sooner.  It's been challenging to find the right balance of caloric deficit (for weight loss) and fuel (for energy) but I'm still making steady progress and feel really positive about it.

Anyways, no photos today (I was too busy coaching).  But you can find my rides here:

http://www.plus3network.com/people/profile/2242

Thanks for reading and I hope your weekend is filled with sunny bike rides, too!

do you know the way to Monterey?

If you've been around the bike world long enough, then you know all about Sea Otter Classic, the fabulously fun festival of all things bike, with racing, demos, a HUGE vendor expo, and lots of fun events, held annually each spring in Monterey, CA. Some folks plan their spring calendar around Sea Otter and attend year after year. It's definitely an event to add to your calendar if you've never been.

Last year I was contracted by Sea Otter to coordinate their first-ever Ladies Day. We filled the day with free rides, clinics, a panel discussion, and a yummy wine + chocolate reception. Industry companies large and small stepped up to support the event and the cast of presenters was pretty incredible, including women from throughout the bike industry -- athletes, product managers, coaches, and designers.

This year, we'll be back with an expanded program of women's outreach activities, including group rides, brown bag lunches, hosted happy hours, and another amazing panel discussion (and, of course, a wine + chocolate reception). The schedule is set and I'm working on presenters, ride leaders, and other professionals to put together awesome events just for women!

In addition, I'll also be directing a really special women's camp in Monterey in March -- the Sea Otter Classic Women's Escape Weekend! We just broke the news about this program and registrations are already coming in. These lucky women, both mountain bikers and road cyclists, will have a weekend away in magical Monterey filled with rides, clinics, seminars and lots of "girl time."

You'll find more about the Sea Otter Classic Women's Escape Weekend here:

http://www.seaotterclassic.com/index.cfm/womens_clinic.htm

Won't you join us in March in Monterey?

corner office with a view

This past weekend we premiered a new clinic: Bike Touring 101. The goal of this clinic is to introduce cyclists to all the opportunities available in cyclo-touring and then to support them on a short two-day excursion. The clinic included a two-hour pre-trip seminar that covered all the ins + outs of various types of touring, bikes, equipment, clothing, etc.

The weekend started Saturday morning in Woodside where we loaded all the bikes and headed out for the coast to our evening destination: Pigeon Point Lighthouse Hostel. Of course, this meant a trip up and over Skyline. With loaded bikes, no personal records were set on Old La Honda, but the extra weight on the bikes made for smooth sailing all the way down to San Gregorio. On Sunday, we returned to Woodside through farmlands and redwoods. In between, we feasted on local produce, specialities like Olallieberry pie, visited local highlights like the San Gregorio General Store, the Harley Goat Farm, and even had lunch at the world-famous Alice's Restaurant.

The weather was simply perfect: warm, sunny, and clear skies on both Saturday and Sunday. Sitting in the hot tub at the hostel during an amazing sunset on Saturday evening was a rare delight (no fog!). We cooked an amazing dinner on Saturday evening from local foods gathered in Pescadero and everybody slept well at the warm + cozy hostel.

This clinic is definitely a keeper, and I've already started planning more advanced options for 2012.

Here are a few of my favorite images from the weekend:

holiday decorations in La Honda

unique signage at Harley Goat Farms

Jan, happy that the climbing is over and the goat cheese is beginning!

lovely goat cheese

the historic Pigeon Point Lighthouse

post-ride zen

the perfect ending to a perfect day

*************************************************************************

Next up is a late addition to the coaching calendar:  co-ed Bike Skills 301 (pacelines + group riding) on Sunday, November 6th.  There's still time to register so come learn how to play nice with others on the bike!