Tim, Simone, Rachel, Welu, and Marissa dive into the dynamics of relationships between cyclists and non-cyclists. Whether you're the cyclist in love (with not just your bike), dating someone who is, or just crushing on a cyclist, this episode has something for you. Our guests share common woes, delights, and insights, offering valuable advice on how to navigate these relationships and be a more supportive partner on and off the bike.

In this episode of our new series, Prime Laps, Tim and Simone talk about winter training, how to survive the cold, dark days of Chicago, and setting goals for the new year. We cover how you might go about building your season, the importance of time off (or doing joy rides if you really can't go without biking), and how tackling winter training is dependent on your goals!

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):

https://uppbeat.io/t/abbynoise/run-faster

License code: DRKQVRYBKB9FXOYD

Tom Justice is a cyclist from the Chicago area who had aspirations of going to the Olympic for track cycling. He was also a bank robber and his escape vehicle of choice was the bicycle. In this episode, we talk to Tom about how he got into cycling, how cycling played a role in his criminal side hustle, and what he has been up to since finishing his sentence in 2011. Unsurprisingly, Tom is back on his bicycle. He can often be found on group rides, which is how he met Tim, or at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome. If you're interested in track cycling, Tom highly recommends checking out the programming offered by the Northbrook Cycle Committee at the Ed Rudolph Velodrome.

To learn more about Tom's story, check out:

- Love + Radio podcast

- Chicago Magazine article

- BBC interview

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/bright-life

In this episode, we are joined by Kristen Chalmers and Takuma Habu!

Kristen and Takuma (known far and wide as Tak) were both students at the University of Chicago and quickly became engrained in the Chicago cycling community. Kristen rode with xXx Racing and was incredibly competitive in cyclocross, all while earning her white coat! Tak, who obtained his PhD in economics at UChicago, started his journey with aspirations of becoming a triathlete, but quickly chose to stick with the middle discipline. He became one of the founding members of Hyde Park Cycling. Both also rode with the University of Chicago Velo Club (UCVC). They've now left us for new adventures: Kristen is doing her residency in Psychiatry at University of Washington and riding with Breakfast Racing Team; Tak is a Visiting Assistant Professor in the Economics Department at Cornell University and becoming the King of the Mountain on the various hills in Ithaca.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/bright-life

Our first full epsiode!

This week, we are joined by Haley Engle from Half Acre Cycling and Lukas Skucas from 606 Racing.

Haley is the race director for Montrose Beach CX - 2024 ChiCrossCup #9 and Illinois State Championship, happening on December 8th. If you are interested in volunteering or spectacting (or both!), check out @halfacrecycling on instagram or sign up here.

Lukas is a Illinois native who races for @606racingchicago. His favorite discipline is cyclocross, and boy, does he have some fun stories and anecdotes to share! Photo of Lukas by Matthew Reschke

Links to other cool information mentioned in the episode:

Women's Performance Ride Chicago

Big River Gravel Series

Chicago Cross Cup

Chicagogrouprides.com

Register for Montrose Beach CX

Volunteer at Montrose Beach CX

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/bright-life

Get to know hosts, Tim and Simone. They share details about how they got into cycling, as well as the structure of the podcast.

Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/jonny-boyle/bright-life