Are you actually a team chef?
I am not, although I am a damn good cook. In fact, I’m not connected with the infrastructure of the sport, nor do I work in the bike industry.
Are you a journalist or a writer by trade?
Again no, and that said, please try not to abuse me too much when I butcher the English language. This is not my full-time “real” job, but rather a hobby, although one to which I’m rather passionate. All card carrying members of the grammar police should take pity on this cycling fool.
So, who are you?
I’m just a regular Joe Blow, middle-class worker bee, 40 something guy who loves road riding and the sport – a fan. My addiction started in the mid 80’s with the purchase of my first real road bike, a Peugeot. Cycling offered a permanent solution to the abuse, and chronic injuries, inflicted by running. I soon became engrossed in the professional sport, and couldn’t wait until each new issue of Winning magazine arrived. I used to race, but was nothing more than a hack Cat 4. I’ve tried mountain biking, but my lack of coordination (i.e. multiple brushes with death), convinced me to stick to asphalt; it is for this same reason I’ve steered clear of both cyclocross and the track. I’m sure those are wonderful disciplines, but I’ll just have to take your word for that. So, two missing teeth, one broken pelvis, lots of road rash, hundreds of shorn legs, and ten bikes later, I’m still as passionate about road cycling as the day I caught the bug over twenty years ago.
Why should we read your posts?
Well, you shouldn’t be reading my posts for timely news. There are lots of sites that do a much better job at that sort of thing. You should be reading if you enjoy a little pro cycling history, with some commentary on the current road race scene; gear reviews, but only on stuff that’s been abused for some time; interviews, but generally with the behind the scenes people who are generally overlooked by the major sites; reviews of DVDs and books; information on Euro cycling camps, tour companies, gran fondos and cyclosportives; and finally, random observations on some of the many little things which make up the fabric of our road biking culture.
Do we really need another bike blog?
Well, you probably don’t need another bike blog, just like I don’t “need” a new bike or frame every two years, but somehow convince myself that the purchase is an absolute necessity. I hope this same logic applies to your arm chair cycling habits. In any event, there will certainly be some original content that you haven’t seen elsewhere. I’ll try to feed your cycling addiction as best I can, and over time, grow this site into an on online encyclopedia for the road cycling enthusiast.
What are your interests outside cycling?
Well, with three children (the oldest is still a young teenager), I don’t have room for too many passions outside of cycling. Of course being The Team Chef, I love to cook. I am fascinated by Italy, and their food; there is simply no finer cuisine on the planet. I’m a fan of the science fiction, fantasy, and horror genres (yes, I’m a geek). I also enjoy large mugs of brown ale (Stone’s Arrogant Bastard is my favorite); and listening to music, especially new flamenco (Gypsy Kings, Jesse Cook, Ottmar Liebert), rock (Zeppelin, AC/DC, Ozzy), and old Genesis.
Are you ever going to go commercial, and accept advertising?
Yes, at the first available opportunity, so any interested in advertising on this site, please feel free to contact me at theteamchef@yahoo.com
Photo credits:
More About this Website: Rider receiving musette during LOTOJA Classic. Michael J. Seamans
Who is The Team Chef: Yours truly and Greg Lemond (2004). My photo.
