Racing, Trash Talking & Bonding All Go Hand in Hand

We have a lot of great distributors worldwide, but none longer than Outdoor Gear Canada. They are our 'neighbors to the north' and just true friends and partners. When we started the Unbreakable Bonds series, it was only natural that we ask them to participate. Rob White jumped at the opportunity, but he wanted to wait a few weeks until one special event that bonds him to cycling each summer. His story, in his own words is below....

My name is Rob White, I am the VP of Sales for Outdoor Gear Canada (OGC). We have been distributing Kryptonite products in Canada for the past 30 years.


Although I have many unbreakable bonds with cycling the one that stands out for me is the unbreakable bond I have with the 24 Hours of Summer Solstice.

First off, I do not consider myself a bike racer, but I have been in my share of races over the last 3 decades. Most of my riding is done solo. Usually first thing in the morning on the quiet country roads that surround my home.

During the summer months there are dozens of worthy races to take part in, but far and away my favorite is the 24 hours of Summer Solstice in Albion Hills (one hour north of Toronto). This is the largest 24 Hour Race in North America with more than 2000 racers participating. Since the inception of this race OGC has been a keen sponsor as well as competing as a corporate team. Although we are always looking for a top 10 finish, the real race is between the members of our own team. Who will be hot, who will be not and who will go home with bragging rights for the next 12 months?

This past weekend (June 23 & 24) marked the 10th anniversary of this legendary race. Not only have we competed in this race for the past 10 years but our team has more or less stayed the same. The team members are a mix of OGC sales reps, family members and friends. Although we are very supportive of each other's efforts there is always a fair amount of trash talking that goes on prior to the race (I must admit to being a bit of a ring leader in this department).

Although I like to compete with everyone on our team there is always a couple of team members who I like to focus my attention on. This usually begins in the fall with me serving them notice on my plans to destroy them at next years event. This sort of trash talk never goes unanswered and it isn't long before the game of cat and mouse begins.

There are several different approaches to this game. Some like to keep their cards close to their chests and simply let their riding do the talking. Others prefer to try to psyche out there competition, this includes commentary on training tactics, talking up big rides, weight loss and anything else you can think of that might get under your victim's skin (the psyche out is one of my specialties).

The side effect of all of this posturing is the simple fact that if you are going to "talk the talk" you are going to have to "walk the walk". This means logging lots of miles and doing everything you can to stay in shape. I find this very motivating and try to use it to my advantage.

When the 24 Hours of Summer Solstice finally arrives the trash talking stops and it is time to show the team what you've got. The 24 hour race is a relay race, so everyone has to wait their turn. If you happen to be the 7th or 8th rider you have to wait most of the day before your turn comes up. For me this is the most difficult part of the race. As the hours go by the lap times start to come in and you begin to see what you are up against. Before long my turn comes up and I am off to the transition zone to wait for our next team mate to come in from their lap. Then I hear our team number and then my name and I know it is now my turn to take the baton.

Forget about taking it easy on the corse, it's time to drop the hammer and give it everything you've got. It's time to check into the house of pain. As the minutes tick by your legs and your lungs burn like never before, but there is no time to ease up on the pedals. Instead you have to put your head down and push on. By the time you hit the 5 KM to go mark you are almost delirious but there is no time to slow down, instead you have to reach deep down inside and give it everything you've got. Towards the end of the lap your legs are screaming and you feel like you are about to blow, but you have to keep pushing until the end. Finally the finish line is in sight and you know the madness is about to end. As you cross the line your next team mate takes the baton and heads off on another lap.

Although you can barely stay on your feet, there is still no time to rest. You have to boogie over to the timing tent to check your time. That is when the truth is told, How have you done compared to your other team mates as well as your own past efforts? Then it's back to the camp site to share your lap time with the group and to start preparing for your next lap.
In the end you would think that the most important part of all of this is who had the fast lap times and who did not, but that is not the case. The best part of this race is simply getting together with good friend for a fun filled weekend of riding. The "unofficial inter-team competition has had one great side effect. We are all in better shape today than we were 10 years ago when this race started!

Thanks Kryptonite for letting me share my unbreakable bond story, but I better get off my key board and head out for a ride, next years 24 Hours of Summer Solstice is only 361 days away.

Cheers,
Rob White

Bob Roll, Dave Perewitz, Nicole Hoffman, & Jody Perewitz Join Unbreakable Bonds Blog

My friends who work in offices remind me often that I work in a couple of pretty cool industries. Because of that, I get to meet some very interesting people and have a lot of fun. Today is one of the days that I know I’m pretty darn lucky to be where I am and get to tell you all this good news.

Although we only started this blog less than two months ago, we are already kicking it up a notch. Remember, I promised that it wouldn’t be just me writing here? I wasn’t kidding. I know you don’t want to hear from me all the time – that’s no fun. I’m happy to tell you that not only will the internal Kryptonite gang be writing here more often (yes, you will everyone!), but we are adding 4 other folks to our blogging crew. They will each be doing a post about their unbreakable bond to the industry they are in so you get to know them a bit and then they will write about a variety of topics. They are free to wax poetic about anything cycling and motorcycling related – and maybe a few other things, too. We’ll just have to see what they come up with.

I’m not playing favorites so we’ll go alphabetically by first name….

Bob Roll’s in the Kryptonite House. Yes, he is. Bob’s going to be writing before, during and after The Tour DAY France. Ok, during the Tour DAY France he’ll be calling in to me while he’s crazily driving between stages and I’ll type them out for him (all his words, just my typing). Some could call it ‘cheating’, but I call it getting the red hot scoop! Don’t worry, it won’t be all racing related, though, because you can hear his thoughts on that during the coverage on Versus. He’s probably going to talk about some of the observations behind the scenes, too. Oh, I can’t wait!

Dave Perewitz is on board, too. The King of Flames has been in the motorcycle industry for so long and knows so many people I can only imagine what he’ll write about here. I love going to his shop to visit and seeing celebrity bikes before anyone else – hearing what the paint will be or what custom parts will be added and why. By the way, if you are in Chicago this weekend, join Ruben Brown’s Charity Ride. Yes, Ruben Brown of The Chicago Bears (Da Bears). Dave’s built him motorcycles and he’ll be there with Ruben for the ride, too.

Nicole Hoffman is the newest member of Team Kryptonite (look for her soon on the main website). Although we haven’t officially announced our partnership with Nicole, she’s going to be our next Unbreakable Bonds profile (stay tuned next week). We are pumped to have not only a road racer on our team but a woman road racer…how’s that for cool?! She also works for NASCAR – talk about bonding with me right away! Yes, I’m a NASCAR fan. Get over it.

Jody Perewitz is going to be writing with us, too. Jody was born into the motorcycle industry, but she has very different observations and thoughts than Dave. We wanted to get the woman’s perspective on the rallys and motorcycling, in general, too. Jody hits almost as many events as her famous dad and knows all the same folks he knows. She’s also helped to build custom bikes and is in the process of another one now. And, shhh….don’t tell anyone…but she’s learning painting techniques now, too….

That’s our new writing team. Are you as excited about this as I am? Ok, I’m partly excited because I won’t be writing as much (I know, I know, you are happy about that, too). But, I’m also excited to read what these guys and gals write about myself. Between their writing and the non-stop Unbreakable Bonds profiles, I think this is going to be the place to be this summer for some really interesting reading.

Bonding with Kevin Dillard

Kevin Dillard and Kryptonite have a bond all our own. Kevin has kindly provided some of his photography for our brand website and even this blog (see photo to the right...it's a Dillard original). We thought he'd be a perfect person to ask about his bond with cycling.

He didn't send us a picture of himself - like every good photographer, we think he likes to stay behind the lens, but you can see his work on our site or on his. (Update: our apologies to Kevin...he has another photo site, too - check it out here. The photos are very cool.)

Here's Kevin...telling us about his bond to cycling.....

I'm a former messenger. 2 years ago I started as an agent that processes documents for companies that want to do business overseas.

My First bike; I can't really remember my first bike, but the really good one that I saved up for was a 10-speed Atala. It was red and white and beautiful. It cost $500 and worth every penny. I felt like a real racer on that bike and it started me on my love of cycling.

My bond with cycling is that it has made me a better person, I feel free when I'm riding. I feel free to talk to people I might not have. Cycling is the only reason I started photographing. I would do an alleycat, and saw this amazing group of people, of every race and gender just hanging out.

And couriers dress like no one else; they have their own style. It had to be photographed. Couriers are the only group of people that looks good getting ready for a race.

So, my bond with cycling has led me to a new career path, photography.I'm bonded forever to anyone that loves to be on 2 wheels.

Photo by Kevin Dillard for Kryptonite

The Amazing Shrinking Man & His Bike Bond

When we started this blog, one of the first people to welcome us to the blogosphere was Tom Stormcrowe. We checked out his blog and were blown away by his story. We asked if we could reprint part of his story for our Unbreakable Bonds profiles and he readily agreed. He even added an update just for us at the bottom. If there is anyone who has a bond with his bicycle, it's Tom. He's certainly an inspiration to many.

Here's Tom's story, in his own words....

Why Cycling?

What is this attraction I have to a contraption made up of tubing, with two wheels made basically of tensioned wire and an alloy hoop? I suppose, first and foremost, it's probably responsible for a large part of the progress I've made in the last 13 months. A bit over a year ago, I was basically just about dead! I had reached the end of what my body could handle, physically at least. Due to a metabolic disorder called Empty Sella Syndrome, I had gained a truly amazing amount of weight and was to the point that I required supplementary oxygen to function. If you've been following my blog, this will be old information if you started reading me when I started. The link above is to a medical article on Kallman's Syndrome, a symptomatic offshoot of Empty Sella. This may help you understand a bit more. I warn you, though, the writing style is, shall we say, a bit obtuse!

At the peak

At my peak weight, I had blown up to 581 pounds, and was literally unable to walk more than 50 feet without crushing chest pain and shortness of breath. I had to use a wheelchair to go any further. I underwent bariatric surgery to alleviate the weighht problem, which has been successful. I am now down to 241 pounds 13 months later. That's right, 241, I weighed today! There were risks to the surgery, but I was trading a life in hell for a chance. That officially gives me a 340 pound weight loss in 13 months and a fraction!

Why Cycling?

This brings me to the point of this article, why cycling? Well, that's both a simple and complex question. The simple part, first, I guess. My knees had so much damage from my weight that it plain hurt to walk! Imagine if you will, weighing 500 pounds and having your knees popping and grating every time you took a step. Imagine having your knees feel like there was sand in the joint grinding away each time you walked. Kind of hard to do, right? That's why I resumed cycling, aside from the fact that cycling also burns more calories than walking. It's low impact, and doesn't stress the knees so much if you have a good fit on your bike. I'm not saying it was easy to get started either. First, I had to figure out how to carry oxygen safely. My provider, Lincare provided me with a backpack sleeve to use while riding. This turned out to be just what I needed.

When I resumed cycling, after a 25 year absence, it was like an old friend came to stay, I rediscovered my passion for it. My family thinks I'm a tad bit fanatical, but my returning health tells me that while I may be a fanatic, this is a good thing. I am now 340 pounds lighter, as I said, off the oxygen completely, off the cardiac and blood pressure medicine, and feeling pretty good. It has required a commitment to very hard work to get as far as I have, and it isn't easy! If you have an obesity problem, believe me I know how it feels, been there done that and got the size 8X T-Shirts to prove it. The problem can be beat though, with a commitment to changing your lifestyle. Diets don't really work, for the most part, long term.

When you diet and cut the calories too far, your body goes into famine mode and starts conserving fat. You start burning protein instead, and this isn't really a good thing. Keep the protein intake to about 1 gram per kilo (2.2 pounds) body mass to prevent this, and keep the fluid intake high! Without enough calories and water, the fat burning machine in your body doesn't work properly.

When you exercise, like on a long ride, follow these guidelines:

* Drink about every ten minutes, whether you are thirsty or not

* Consume about 300 calories (kcals)/ hr to prevent the "Bonk" (This is when your blood sugars drop and you start feeling really crappy, and often you can't even think straight.

* Carry some Gatorade or other sport drink to keep your electrolytes balanced. You need sodium and potassium for proper muscle and heart action.

How do I Burn the Fat?

The Answer is actually quite simple! Increase your activity, there's a whole world out there for you to experience. Don't waste your life sitting in front of the TV eating junk!

Here is a site to help you plan your riding sessions:The Bicycle Speed and Power Calculator

The bottom line is that for me, cycling has truly helped me get much thinner. I would likely have gotten here anyway after the surgery, but I wouldn't be as strong and I wouldn't have had as much fun! Each gain in endurance and new mileage milestone has given me a sense of both wonder and accomplishment. The feeling of triumph after my first tour this year was just incredible. All I can say is get on your bike and ride! The rewards are unimaginable.

Reprinted from April 18, 2006- The Amazing Shrinking Man, by Tom Stormcrowe ©2007

Updated for May 31, 2007
As I look back at this article, I think back to where I was, wheelchair bound and on Oxygen, and compare it to today, and I am truly thankful for the benefits cycling has brought into my life. My last weigh in was 215 pounds, giving me a total weight loss of 366 pounds and I am going to live to a much riper old age. Given how it has affected my life, all I can say is if it's an obsession, it's a healthy one!

I am departing Saturday on a 700+ mile tour, and am riding this year in Tour de Cure to raise funds for the American Diabetes Association as well. You can view my Tour de Cure webpage for more information.

Bonding with a Bike as a Boy

Last week we kicked off our Unbreakable Bonds series with a story about a father and his son bonding over motorcycle riding. Today we continue that series with a profile of a brand manager at our fabulous UK distributor, Madison.


Here is Andrew Wagerer in his own words....


When I was a child in Toronto I was given my sisters yellow hand me down to learn how to ride. Then as I got older a garage sale landed me an Orange single speed road bike with a coaster brake that I thought was great. As I outgrew that one, my dad took me to the local department store and we picked out a lovely grey 12 speed with 24 inch wheels. I wasn’t interested in the BMX bikes that were dominating the market those days.

The day it all happened was when I swore at the school bus driver for being unfair. The resulting banishment from the school bus at 12 years old put me on my bike as transportation. It’s funny that the banishment was for only two weeks but I kept riding the bike every day, whatever the weather. I discovered how fun snow can be on a road bike and was hooked, never looked back.

I was saving up now for my first real road bike from a proper bike store; no more pretending. I bought that bike at 13 then added a mountain bike to the collection all from my work packing groceries. Realising that speed on the road and that cars were slow I favoured the road bike. Started to learn mechanics and had some fun with spray paint to see what different coloured bikes looked like.



After a few years, a few thefts - where I learnt how important a lock was - and a few new bikes - where I got my favourite bike, a 1993 Bridgestone RB-2 which I love so much and still use today after 50,000 miles - high school ended and I thought what better way to spend a year off then to be a courier in Toronto and with my savings travel Europe.

After that, I started University and when the first summer came around I hounded my local bike store till they hired me. I studied and worked summers in bikes, moving into the workshop till I was in charge after Uni had finished. I hit a brick wall in the industry and couldn’t move up, so my girl and I decided to move to greener pastures and travelled to London, England where I became a bike store manager and then was hired to be a brand manager for a distributor which is where I am today - looking to the future and not sure where it’ll take me, but I definitely know how I’ll be travelling.