Ryan Steers
I grew up in Virginia but after graduating from USC [in Los Angeles] in 2007, I think I'm now officially more Angeleno than Virginian. A formerly competitive gravel and mountain bike racer, I now enjoy the #dadventure life, pushing the limits of what’s possible on a gravel bike and indulging in my favorite non-cycling pursuits—family, food, travel and wine.
| Team | CADEX Ambassadors |
|---|---|
| Hometown | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| Where you live now | Agoura Hills, California |
| Main cycling discipline | Gravel |
| What drew you to this type of riding | Growing up riding East Coast singletrack I wasn’t initially drawn to the off-road scene in Los Angeles. Then I realized how a gravel bike can connect the best trails, fire roads and streets and allow me to piece together all day adventures from a seemingly random variety of terrain. I can find it all from downtown Los Angeles to the hills above Malibu that I now call home. |
| Ideal training ride | Dawn to dinner, ideally capped off with pizza and glass of Brunello. |
| How do you push through suffer sessions | I take pictures to remind me of the beauty that surrounds me so later when I look at the images I forget how much pain I was in and start planning another ride. It’s a vicious but addictive cycle. |
| Ideal race | Staggered start, no timing chips, no finish line. A non-race? |
| Favorite place to ride | I’ve been drawn lately to the backcountry of the Los Padres National Forest between Ojai and Santa Barbara in Southern California. There’s so much to explore and I’ve barely scratched the surface. I think the new iPhone SOS function might have inspired a little more confidence, as it’s incredibly remote and any mechanical breakdowns can quickly turn into a serious situation. |
| Career highlights (cycling or otherwise) | Winning the solo 12 Hours of SoCal Endurance in Temecula was pretty cool. That was a tough day on the bike. But right now every time I get to ride on the trails outside my door with my kids feels like an even bigger victory. |
| What you bring on every ride | On my long rides I always carry a bottle of GÜP tire sealant and a pocketful of Peanut Butter M&M’s. |
| Favorite CADEX product | The new AR 35 wheels. They’re tough, light, allow me to run a lower tire pressure, don’t cut sidewalls, and they sound amazing when you coast. Sometimes I’ll just stop pedaling to hear them purr. |
| Tips for aspiring racers | Don’t take yourself too seriously and be nice to every cyclist you see. Wave and say hi, even if you’re out of breath on-course. It’s a small world and first impressions go a long way. Remember, bikes are fun and even if you’re competing for a paycheck, every job is only as enjoyable as you make it. |
| Life motto | Live responsibly and without regrets. I lost my dad way too young from cancer and there’s so many things he still wanted to do in life and never got the chance. It was a real life lesson. You never know what tomorrow will bring and when I’m on my deathbed I never want to say, I wish I had… |