2006 Athens Bicycle Mountain Bike Team
a Success on Many Levels

Athens Bicycle sponsored a mountain bike team for the first time in 2006, and the results were positive both on and off the race course.

The goals of the team were to support grassroots mountain bike racing, to build camaraderie, to encourage people to challenge themselves, and to contribute to bicycle advocacy efforts. Because shop owners Peter Kotses and Meredith Erlewine wanted to encourage beginner and intermediate riders, the team sponsored individuals in a full range of classes, from Clydesdales to high school boys to sport women (see our team roster).

Our team quickly became recognizable due to the giant blue 1984 Dodge Ram we often traveled in, as well as the bright yellow Gun Show sign that designated our pit area. Adding to our visibility were great results and meaningful volunteer projects. Read on for an overview of our team's 2006 accomplishments.

EXCELLENT RACE RESULTS. Most team members focused on the nearby West Virginia Mountain Bike Association Point Series, the longest-running point series in the Mid-Atlantic Region. Team-mates made countless trips to the podium at each of the 13 series races. Notable series finishes included: Peter Kotses, 1st place, Vet Expert Men; Corey Chambers, 1st place, High School Men; Kelly Shaw, 2nd place, Sport Women; Joey Boyle, 2nd place, Single Speed Men; Greg Moore, 3rd place, Single Speed Men; Duncan Green, 3rd place, High School Men; Aaron Burk, 4th place, Vet Sport Men; Craig Watson, 4th place, Single Speed Men; Meredith Erlewine, 4th place, Expert Women; Elizabeth Boyle, 5th place, Expert Women.

Additional notable team finishes included:
> 1st place, 24 Hours of Big Bear, Women's Expert (Meredith Erlewine and Elizabeth Boyle were on the winning 4-woman expert team, the SMT Chicks)
> 1st place, Wild 100, coed class (Meredith Erlewine and Peter Kotses)
> 1st place, Wild 100+ (Craig Watson)

ADVOCACY. Athens Bicycle owner Peter Kotses is president of the Athens Bicycle Club (ABC), a local cycling club. In 1998, Pete played an instrumental role in gaining approval from land managers at Lake Hope State Park to build trails at the park; since then ABC has built 23 miles of singletrack trail there. Recently Pete has facilitated meetings between Athens City officials and land managers at Strouds Run State Park. The topic: how to handle delicate relationships between cyclists, hikers and equestrian enthusiasts at a park that sees much usage due to proximity to the city center. Athens Bicycle Mountain Bike Team Members volunteered more than 180 hours of trail construction and maintenance during 2006.

ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO RIDE. Athens Bicycle co-owner Meredith Erlewine has been helping to lead single- and multi-day singletrack clinics for women since 2002. Many of the clinics take place at Elk River Touring Center in Slatyfork, W.V., where Meredith and other instructors help women work on technical skills and also help them work on mental barriers such as lack of confidence. For the past two years, Meredith has co-taught the clinics with Trek Pro Susan Haywood. Through all of these clnics, Meredith has gained excellent experience helping women riders improve their skills. Female riders accounted for 40 percent of the 2006 Athens Bicycle Racing Team.

MAKING LOCAL RACES HAPPEN. Being part of the scene means helping to make the magic happen. Team members put plenty of sweat equity into local racing events in 2006, helping to make Southeastern Ohio a more fun place to mountain bike. Joey Boyle headed up the three-day Gravel Rouser Classic in March, and all team members helped successfully host the first-ever combined Ohio/West Virginia state points series race in August, bringing together nearly 200 racers from two series for one giant mountain bike race, the Race to the Hills, at Lake Hope State Park. In October, Marco Deshaies hosted the Sasquatchfest Eco-Challenge. Also in October, the Schulz/Gerl family hosted Jim's Blood Bath, a costumed time trial.

ATHENS BIKE RODEO. Athens Bicycle has been a sponsor of the Athens Bike Rodeo since 2001. Additionally, Athens Bicycle owner Peter Kotses volunteers on the event organizing committee. At this free community event, children get their bikes inspected to make sure everything is working properly and safely, then proceed to a bicycle safety obstacle course. They also receive free helmets. In 2006, members of the Athens Bicycle team manned the safety check station, making sure that every participant's bike had tight bolts and air in the tires. Approximately 150 kids participated.

FACILITATING FUN. Athens Bicycle racers pride themselves in being good at bike racing and even better at having fun and encouraging others to do so as well. If you stop by our pit before an event, you won't find uptight racers creating an intense atmosphere in anticipation of competition. Instead, you'll find a group of friends loading up on gel and PB&J, and joking around with anyone who comes close. Lots of long-time racers commented that the Athens Bicycle team made the 2006 racing season more fun than usual, and we're as proud of our reputation for good times as we are of our results.

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