May 20, 2008
Tyler Farrar, Speed Bike Racer
So while Tyler Farrar was in town the other week, we fired off some email questions for him. Actually we were supposed to meet him at Joe Bar and show off our 1970s Sears 3-speed which he would have drooled over, but there were schedule complications. Anyway, for those of you not in the know, Tyler Farrar is a) a Seattle resident and Wenatchee native, b) almost 24, 6', 164 lbs., and c) on the U.S. Team in the Tour de France this year. He's fast, baby.
US: You're on the Tour's U.S. team--what does that mean in terms of your personal role? Are you the "hatchet man" who takes out other riders or does the Tour not have hatchet men, which explains why it's not that popular in the U.S.?
TYLER: Sorry to say, no hatchet men in the Tour. I guess that it might make for some more excitement, but I've broken enough collarbones as it is without anyone else's help! My role for the Tour will be to target the sprint stages in the first week and then do everything I can to help out climbers once the race heads into the mountains.
US: Tips for the urban biker! Say a friend of yours came up to you and wanted to know 5 things they should know/do as a city biker. What would you tell them?
TYLER: 1. Keep your head up! Too often I see people riding through traffic without even looking where they are going. How are you going to avoid the car that just cut you off if you are staring at your feet?
2. Ride like you drive your car. Sometimes people seem to think that the basic rules of the road don't apply to them when they get on a bike. Don't run red lights, don't cut people off, look before you change lanes, just like you do when you drive.
3. Don't ride at night without a light and reflectors. I can't believe it when I see some guy riding down the street in the dark wearing black clothes.
4. Always be on the lookout for new rides. If you do the same 3 rides over and over you will eventually get tired of them no matter how good they are. Check out a map and try some new roads, you might find some cool places.
5. Have fun!
US: You make the call: sharrows or separate bike lanes?
TYLER: I'm not quite sure what a sharrow is, but separate bike lanes are nice, that way everyone has a little extra space.
US: Good answer. No one knows what a sharrow is, that's the problem. Okay, we have a 1970s Sears 3-speed and the Seattle hills are killing us. Should we upgrade to a Shimano 8-speed internal hub or stay stock and walk up the hill?
TYLER: Better living through modern technology, upgrade that baby!
US: Now a little background. When did you get into biking? Did you have a really fast trike? And what do you ride now?
TYLER: I started out just cruising around with my friends on our BMX and mountain bikes. Both my parents were avid recreational riders so I started going out on the road with them. From there I think it’s natural to want to try racing when you are an eager kid who enjoys a sport. I finally got my mother to drive me to a race and I loved it. From there on I was hooked! Now I am on a Felt F1 Sprint.
US: Are you in training all the time, or do you get time off? What's a "normal" training day like?
TYLER: I don't train all the time, but pretty close too it. I take a nice break from structured training at the end of each season that lasts for about 5-6 weeks. During that time I won't ride my road bike at all, but I will still cruise around on my cross bike or go rock climbing with my friends. I try to stay in shape, but not actually feel like I am "training."
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"Don't run red lights, don't cut people off, look before you change lanes,"
Basically don't be a bicycle messenger.
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you should have asked him hist opinion on David Zabriskie's moustache