Ryan Draper
Sponsor/Team: Scott Bikes Canada/Pearl Izumi
Hometown: Canmore, Alberta CN
Where are you from?
I am originally from Sudbury Ontario Canada but moved to Canmore, Alberta in 1999 to pursue my ambitions of becoming a mountain guide. Soon after arriving in Canmore I registered for my first endurance race the 1999 1st annual World Solo 24 Hour Championships. All I can say is that after that race I was hooked. Racing against the likes of John Stamstead, Rishi & Tinker Juarez got me pumped. I was able to play in the mix and finish a solid 12th in my first ever 24 hour solo event so I was jazzed.
What kind of bike do you ride
I have been an ambassador for Scott Bikes Canada for the past 3 years so I have a Scale LTD, Spark LTD and I am awaiting the arrival of my New Genius LTD which I will race the Breck with. I am pretty convinced that a 23 lb 6 x 6 inch travel bike will be the new enduro race standard and hope to chronicle it all the way.
What do you love about it?
Carbon rides like no other material and the weight savings I get from the Scott line of bikes is heads above all other brands.
Solo or team competitor? Why?
At this point looks like a Solo adventure just to change things up a little for 2009.
Why? I started doing 24 hour solo events and then moved into the 2 man team stage races. I think I’m up to trying the full blown stage race on my own. I know that the highs of the event will get higher and the lows of a bad day will get lower but I’m hoping that the other solo riders and even team riders can help me through a tough stage. I’m pretty vocal on the bike and like making conversation when it’s appropriate so I’m banking on that.
Done any ultra-endurance stuff before?
Trans Rockies x 7 years in a row, Trans Alps, La Ruta, Cape Epic, BC Bike Race, 24 hour solo races 25 of them.
Favorite food?
Wow that’s an easy one pizza and coffee are my favorites. I’m a pizza-aholic and coffee snob. I love home made thin crust pizza with what ever on it. I also love Ethical bean free trade organic espresso; it’s my own little piece of heaven that helps my wake up in the morning and give me the boost I need to get in my evening training.
Movie?
Cycling movie Breaking Away but overall movie would be Shawshank Redemption or Rambo First Blood.
Book?
Marley and Me for Sure that book made me laugh and cry out loud so many times. I’m a true believer that great film makers and book writers have a way of triggering your sixth sense a tough thing to do.
Worst experience on a bike?
World Solo 24 hour championships in Vernon B.C. when a freak storm blew in bringing snow and rain as well as serious winds. The entire staging area was destroyed and I feel extreme hypothermic. I was found on the ground shivering and moaning soaked to the bone and covered in mud. Ten riders and volunteers carried me off the mountain side abandoning their own race and bikes. During the extraction I feel unconscious and had no heart beat. According to volunteers I was revived by a course marshal in the back of a mini van on the way to the infirmary.
Best experience on a bike?
Taking a 15 year old friend Jay Milley out for his first road bike ride on a hi-way. Jay is a triple amputee and has had a 2 wheel bike modified for him so he can race. He started on a tricycle and then eventually got on 2 wheels. His mom was crazy scared for him but we managed to keep her calm and keep Jay safe on his first 42 km ride which he averaged over 30 km / hour. Super inspirational young man that has helped me through some tough spots. www.reboundcycle.com news letter archives has a full story on Jay.
Tell us about your LBS (Local Bike Shop):
Well I manage the local bike shop and must say that we are doing a pretty darn good job. I have managed the shop for 7 years and can give you a few high lights about our shop that separates us from the rest.
- No staff turn over in 7 years
- We have an e-mail news letter
- We are community conscious
- We build and maintain trails
- We have 4 major brands Scott, Trek, Giant, Rocky
- We reward customer loyalty
- We don’t have sales / we buy smart
- We go to Vegas for Inter bike every year and live in the basement taking seminars
- We have the best service center and technicians money can buy
- We all ride and are passionate about riding
- We never stay open past 6 pm because we all ride
- We host Wednesday night group rides for men / women / road and Mtb
- Women and kids are just as important in our shop as buddy’s, bros and dudes are in other shops.
- We only sell bikes and bike related items even in the dead of winter
- I do bike fitting and sell more road bikes based on fit the on price
- We have seen 5-10 % growth every single year since I started
- We have free coffee in house all the time
- We all ride to work even in the winter
- We do product testing for Scott and Pearl Izumi
- We are constantly asking ourselves how can we do better
Tell us about your favorite 'local' ride:
The orange loop is by far my favorite ride. Located in the depths of the Canmore Nordic Center (host to many international MTB events in the past) is a new trail that started 2 years ago and has grown in length and technical difficulty ever since. This short 10 km loop sees the best of the best in the nordic center climbing one big climb at the front end and floating up, down and around super tricky, root and rock strewn single track. Some sections are fast and furious while other sections are super tight uphill grunts that jack the heart rate into the red. It’s super close to my down town condo so for me part of the allure is how fast I can get to the trail right after work. The trail is so good that after your first loop the only thing you want to do is repeat but slightly faster and smoother.
Tell us about your favorite ride EVER:
Riding one stage of the Trans Alps back in 2005 we were faced with a grueling fire road climb that switch backed for hours. At a snails pace the entire field of racers snaked its way to the top of the road when all of a sudden the road became a water logged slog through an alpine meadow. The meadow was covered in ankle deep pot holes that were ready to claim any rider who was not paying 100 % attention to their footing. An hour later we reach the top of this mountain to find an old mountaineering cabin with people cheering us on handing out apple cider. As we crested the mountain we saw the down side slope of the mountain that was covered in meters of snow still. It was an avalanche shoot that we need to boot ski down with our bikes at our sides for support. Once at the bottom of the slide we entered a treed section of single track. Finally back to mountain biking. Just as I started getting my groove on in the single track the trail turned hard and slick. I hit the ground hard and screamed a few profanities before yelling to my partner, “what the hell is this shit’’ That’s when it hit me, I was lying on an ancient ox cart path that had been hand laid hundreds of years ago. I got goose bumps like never beforeand the pain went away as quick as it came. For a moment I was lying on the cobles hundreds of years prior. A feeling I’ll never forget. (sorry a bit long )
Describe a sponsor or company you admire and why you admire them:
Scott bikes technologically a leader, weight is impressive, attention to detail is a step above the rest of the industry. They have more accolades to their name then any other bike company.
Who will play you in the Breck Epic movie and why?
Owen Wilson I hope, funny guy that can still be rough around the edges and not take life to seriously.
What do you hope to get out of this experience?
My goals are to race and to finish, meet new people, learn more about myself and the industry I love. Take each day as it comes and embrace each experience the race will bring. Since I have done so many stage races I have learned that each stage race has a different taste or feel. I will be leaving my sense open to get a good sense of the taste and feel this race holds and just what type of riders might frequent the event in the years to come. Since this is also part of my vacation time I’ll be having as much fun as possible and having a few laughs and beers along the way.
Tell us about your history as a cyclist or in the industry:
You kind of get a little of my history in the industry from the previous questions so I’ll let this one go.
Feel free to blatantly self-promote here. A quote you like, a direct appeal to the voters, some hateful vitriolic slander for your political opponents. This is your space, decorate it however you like:
I think to self promote is a little challenging but if I had to highlight 10 things about me that I think you should know, this is what I would highlight.
- I’m 30 years of age and think that my best days of riding are still waiting for me in the mountains some where
- I love my wife and my little dog Lola
- I love my job and regularly come in early to take it all in
- I’ve earned everything I have, no hand outs no bank of mom and dad and some of the worst genetics
- I love the town I live in and the people I have surrounded my self with including my athlete’s and co-workers
- I have a man room at home that houses all my gear, bikes, clothing, indoor trainer, nutritional products, clothing, work stand, skis ect.
- I listen to DJ Tiesto when I ride
- I love the outdoors and spend more time in the back country then in the city
- I ride a single speed in the off season not a cross bike and I wear a 30 lb weight vest when I hike, snow shoe and do hill repeats.
- My friends and family all think I’m a wee bit crazy but frankly doing wacky things makes me feel alive.
Links to your work (ED: I've allowed Ryan to submit actual work):
Cause Canada
Mountain Bike Race 2007
By: Ryan Draper
For those of you who ride mountain bikes and love movies the 2007 Cause Canada mountain bike race may hit home a little harder for you. Touted by race organizer, Cause Canada’s Paul Carrick, as the “Blood Diamond race of Canmore,” this year’s event is slated to be a more challenging and spectator friendly event that will return to the Canmore Nordic Centre venue.
In the past the race was labeled the Race for Human Rights - a title race organizers felt had very little impact on local riders. This year’s event will hopefully draw more riders than ever, simply based on the newly released movie Blood Diamond - a film based in Africa and on the events that have lead to the current situation in parts of the country.
The events depicted in Blood Diamond are the exact reason why Cause Canada is active in areas of Africa like Sierra Leone. Race organizers hope that Hollywood may have an impact on our local riders and encourage more participation in the race and other fund raising events that Cause hosts.
This year the event is going to be a more technical, shorter loop showcasing the best riding the Nordic Centre has to offer with more laps than in the past. Spectators will benefit from the shorter loops by having the opportunity to watch and cheer on the riders as they race for a cause thousands of miles away.
The current efforts of Cause Canada are being focused on Sierra Leone and in particular the health, well-being, education and freedom from fear for the children of Sierra Leone. Races and other fundraising events that Cause Canada puts on throughout the year are the foundation for creating clean drinking water, latrines and schools for the children in these post war-torn areas of Africa. One of the most interesting projects that Cause Canada is working on involves the rehabilitation of child soldiers which were very graphically depicted in Blood Diamond. Carrick has had hands on experience in these rehabilitation centers and draws a parallel to his involvement locally to the Jackrabbit program he so proudly helps out with over the winter months.
So if you are looking for an excuse to race your bike this summer I personally can’t think of a better reason. Rebound Cycle wishes the race’s organizers and participants the best of luck with this year’s event.
Keep riding
Ryan
For more information or to register for this event visit www.cause.ca
Or if you are interested in helping out without racing visit www.causekids.ca
The ART of Bicycle Fitting
By: Ryan Draper
I was riding solo in a 24 hour mountain bike race in Vernon, New Jersey a few years back when it all started. Here I was in the middle of the night in a full on down poor in ankle deep mud riding behind a guy on a very expensive bike. The guy was on a team of 5 riders and was about to get passed by me, a rider that was 15 hours into his own race. As I passed the rider he swore several times, I asked if he was OK, he said no, and that his quads were screaming in pain right above his knees. In a soft but confidant voice I replied, raise your seat about an inch and see how that feels. A few more laps into the race my pit crew informed me that some random rider had came to my pit raving about how I helped him get rid of his knee pain. From that point on I realized my intuition for bike fits was pretty good.
Since that dark, wet night I have been using that same keen eye and intuition to perform road and mountain bike fits here at Rebound. More recently my fittings have been making even better use of my bio-mechanics back ground, race and riding experience, accumulative knowledge, customer feed back, since I attended a professional bike fit certification course two months ago. While on course I spent several days with world renown bike fitter Michael Sylvester and it was then I was finally able to put my intuition and problem solving abilities to work in a systematic bike fit frame work. Michael Sylvester explained to a class of keen students that bike fitting is not a science, but a well mastered art and that each person is a new canvas. Each piece of data you collect about an individual’s body, flexibility, riding style, and goals, is like painting another brush stroke until the entire process is complete. In the end each piece is very unique and custom tailored to each person.
We have found since adding this fit system to our list of offerings at Rebound, fitting has become just as important as the customer service we provide, our commitment to quality products and overall product knowledge.
We now offer a number of bike fitting services to meet all riders needs including fits for racers looking for that edge, or any one looking for a little more comfort or pain free riding. An average fit is a 2 hour in depth process that allows me to get a good customer history, accumulate flexibility data and feel out the individual customer’s expectations.
So if you are having a tough time making heads or tails of your current bike fit drop us a line to book an appointment here at rebound, the cost for this service is $135 and all you need is 2 hours, your bike, riding apparel and an open mind.
Keep riding
Ryan
INTER BIKE 2008 HIGHLIGHTS
BY: RYAN DRAPER
Every year the bicycle industry hosts a five-day bike show-and-tell in sunny Las Vegas. For the past few years we at Rebound have been making the trip an annual event for demos, meetings and seminars related to cycling and retail. It truly has been a valuable tool for us as we strive for outstanding customer service.
This year I wanted to take some time to bring you all up to speed on the latest trends and unique products that we saw while at Inter Bike. Believe it or not it’s a chore to find really interesting and unique products in a room the size of three football fields. After a while everything starts to look the same and it takes more then a free key chain and a spec sheet to grab your attention.
With that being said, I would have to say 2008 is not going to be an earth-shattering year as far as changes to mountain or road bikes in general, but I will say a select few manufacturers have really picked up the pace and are bringing it for the upcoming season. Some of the more notable companies making an impression for 2008 are Trek, Shimano, Sram, DT Swiss and Giant.
In the Trek world we have probably the most notable changes to both road and mountain bike technology. On the road side of things Trek has introduced the all-new Madone - the bike that saw its debut at the Tour de France. It received a top to bottom makeover and some new carbon fiber technology that Trek has hefty patents on. The new Madone is lighter, stronger and stiffer than in the past and has already made its mark on the industry by landing on top of the podium at the Tour de France. On the mountain bike side Trek has redefined full suspension and introduced the new Fuel EX for 2008. The new design incorporates never seen before technology that allows braking, pedaling and suspension performance to remain virtually independent. After riding this bike at Bootleg Canyon I can honestly say Trek has nailed down the long travel XC bike of the season.
Another highly notable bike company answering some of the consumer calls is Giant. For this season Giant has introduced a number of new flavors in the Trance and Reign platforms with more variety and price points to choice from. Giant also introduced the new five-inch women’s biked called the Cypher. With Maestro technology and a female flare this bike is going to be tough to beat.
As far as the component companies go Shimano has introduced the 25th anniversary edition of the XT group set and has raised the bar in stopping and shifting performance. Sram too has been working hard to compete with Campy and Shimano and it looks like they may have elevated their game with the release of the new R.E.D. group set for road. Stay tuned and look for the new R.E.D. on many pro tour bikes in 2008. DT Swiss, the company renowned for its spokes and wheel building, has brought us a gem of a fork line up for 2008 with the release of the new EXC series. The EXC 150 is a six-inch travel fork that weighs 1595 grams and is made of carbon and magnesium. With six inches of buttery smooth travel it looks like DT Swiss has hit a home run.
So if you are looking to buy new for 2008 or simply pimp out the old ride come in and have a look at some of the great new offerings.
Keep riding
Ryan
