Hello fellow cycling enthusiasts. I am your Road Specific Cycling Host, David (AKA cycledave). A little information concerning my cycling background.
I have been involved in cycling seriously since the mid- 1960’s (ancient times !), that moved to another level in 1972, while attending university in Ottawa. Those years provided a training ground for my competitive cycling and eventual specialisation in time trials against the clock. This is also where I built my first two bicycle frames in the technical workshop of the university’s science department. Perhaps, by spending too much time cycling and not being fully immersed in my studies, I also managed to secure an invitation to race with the 100km Team Time Trial squad in the up-coming Commonwealth Games.
Unfortunately, I was hit by a car whilst training and after being told by the doctors, I would never race again, I moved back home to ‘The Sault’. I subsequently joined the Sault Cycling Club, meeting many really great and enthusiastic cyclists. Over the years I held several positions within the Club, as coach, president, newsletter editor and general volunteer. Eventually, I moved upwards in the organisational world, becoming President of the Ontario Cycling Association and the Ontario representative at the Canadian Cycling Association.
I also started training again and regardless of the previous prognosis, (which I kept to myself at the time), still managed to win a few Provincial Championships and also enjoyed coaching local athletes. However, one of my best experiences was the bicycle frame building partnership I had with Hans Metzen. Together we built about 150 predominately racing frames, but also a few tandems, a racing wheelchair, etc. One of our track frames was used at the Olympics (for the rider who took my place when I left Ottawa) and another at the World Track Championships. One also went to Paris for the Quebec road champion, who was attending Sorbonne Université at the time. For any of you that knew Hans before he passed away, you fully understood his passion for the cycling community.
Professionally, I also have had some experience with the design of sports facilities, including the concept design and specifications for the velodrome that was proposed for Toronto’s failed bid for the Olympics, so that was never realised. However, I did design the laboratory that was used for Athlete Testing at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Locally, designed the John Rhodes Centre, built for the 2000 Ontario Games and also led the design team for the new Memorial Gardens. I also designed Hockey Heritage North, working with the Hockey Hall of Fame.
I confess my expertise is for road and track cycling, which also extends to any Triathletes out there, as Tri cycling is essentially time trialling. I am also a bit of a collector and have a ‘few’ nice machines I could introduce you to. Other potential topics we could discuss … HHMM ? How about your favourite local cycling routes, riding tips for newbies, coaching tips for those wanting to try racing, funny cycling stories, cycling for seniors, reports on a cycling tour or training camp you attended, tech info such as are wider tires faster, or do they need to go on a diet ? I look forward to the cycling community coming together though this platform !
Also, please look out for the other cycling hosts, for cycling advocacy/ mountain biking / gravel / cyclocross and all the other facets of the cycling world !
Cycling
Hello fellow cycling enthusiasts. I am your Road Specific Cycling Host, David (AKA cycledave).
A little information concerning my cycling background.
I have been involved in cycling seriously since the mid- 1960’s (ancient times !), that moved to another level in 1972, while attending university in Ottawa. Those years provided a training ground for my competitive cycling and eventual specialisation in time trials against the clock. This is also where I built my first two bicycle frames in the technical workshop of the university’s science department. Perhaps, by spending too much time cycling and not being fully immersed in my studies, I also managed to secure an invitation to race with the 100km Team Time Trial squad in the up-coming Commonwealth Games.
Unfortunately, I was hit by a car whilst training and after being told by the doctors, I would never race again, I moved back home to ‘The Sault’. I subsequently joined the Sault Cycling Club, meeting many really great and enthusiastic cyclists. Over the years I held several positions within the Club, as coach, president, newsletter editor and general volunteer. Eventually, I moved upwards in the organisational world, becoming President of the Ontario Cycling Association and the Ontario representative at the Canadian Cycling Association.
I also started training again and regardless of the previous prognosis, (which I kept to myself at the time), still managed to win a few Provincial Championships and also enjoyed coaching local athletes. However, one of my best experiences was the bicycle frame building partnership I had with Hans Metzen. Together we built about 150 predominately racing frames, but also a few tandems, a racing wheelchair, etc. One of our track frames was used at the Olympics (for the rider who took my place when I left Ottawa) and another at the World Track Championships. One also went to Paris for the Quebec road champion, who was attending Sorbonne Université at the time. For any of you that knew Hans before he passed away, you fully understood his passion for the cycling community.
Professionally, I also have had some experience with the design of sports facilities, including the concept design and specifications for the velodrome that was proposed for Toronto’s failed bid for the Olympics, so that was never realised. However, I did design the laboratory that was used for Athlete Testing at the 1998 Commonwealth Games. Locally, designed the John Rhodes Centre, built for the 2000 Ontario Games and also led the design team for the new Memorial Gardens. I also designed Hockey Heritage North, working with the Hockey Hall of Fame.
I confess my expertise is for road and track cycling, which also extends to any Triathletes out there, as Tri cycling is essentially time trialling. I am also a bit of a collector and have a ‘few’ nice machines I could introduce you to. Other potential topics we could discuss … HHMM ? How about your favourite local cycling routes, riding tips for newbies, coaching tips for those wanting to try racing, funny cycling stories, cycling for seniors, reports on a cycling tour or training camp you attended, tech info such as are wider tires faster, or do they need to go on a diet ? I look forward to the cycling community coming together though this platform !
Also, please look out for the other cycling hosts, for cycling advocacy/ mountain biking / gravel / cyclocross and all the other facets of the cycling world !