Ride Society Leaders

Jenny Skorcz
Cycling entrepreneur, founder/owner Cycling Essentials and Bicycle Sambhava
http://www.cyclingessentials.net, http://www.bicyclesambhava.com »
Jenny has a long, varied and distinguished cycling résumé. One of the founding members of the Ride Society, she was the Senior Instructor at the prestigious Barnett Bicycle Institute for twelve years. In 2009 she established Cycling Essentials; her company focus is helping riders achieve Sustainable Cycling Posture through professional bike fit, Pilates strengthening, and Yoga-based stretching. She has led several bicycle tours through the Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan and plans to develop eco-cycle tours in Central Mexico. As you might think, she knows a thing or two about bikes – and immensely enjoys making time to function as a bicycle information resource.
Check out Jenny's latest posts from the Ride Society below:

Inspiration

What better way to reconnect with the wonderful world of road cycling then pedaling alongside the 1,400 women who came together on a cool Sunday morning to participate in the 2nd annual Venus de Miles Metric Century this fall. Founded by Greenhouse Scholars - a non-profit organization based in Boulder, Colorado that helps send high-achieving, under-resourced students to college – the Venus de Miles… »
(0) Comments Permalink Inspiring Women

Top Ten Things Most Likely To Occur on a Ride that Cannot be Fixed with a Cell Phone or iPod!

There are so many things that can go right on a ride – blue sky and sunshine, a tail wind, a friend to share the experience with, and feeling good from the inside. We should always take a moment to notice when nothing is going wrong! But, when something does go wrong you may find that the pleasure you were after waits just around the corner from a quick fix. The following Top 10 List is meant to… »
(1) Comment Permalink Service Department

How to Get a 'Head' of Neck Pain

The human head weighs approximately 12 pounds. When the spine is naturally aligned, the head literally balances on top. The position of the head while standing, sitting, or lying down impacts this balance. Lack of deep muscle activation contributes to habitually holding the head in a chin-up position – a reoccurring phenomenon indicative of a culture raised on chairs with back support. This unhealthy… »
(0) Comments Permalink Training Wheels

For Your Consideration: Notes About Choosing a Bike

As winter begins to recede and the warm winds of spring breathe life into daffodils and our desire to return to routine outdoor activity, thoughts of a new bike may also emerge. Shopping for a bike can be an adventure of sorts; it is certainly a multi-layered process that is both labor-intensive and fun. To help you find your perfect bike, here are a few things for your consideration. If you are new… »
(8) Comments Permalink Service Department

Breathing Workout

In one of her previous blogs, Mari Holden provided readers an excellent indoor training workout. In addition to working your legs and heart, consider improving the strength of your lungs. Although we all breathe naturally no matter what we are doing, there are ways a person can actually exercise the intercostal muscles involved with respiration and increase lung capacity and improve the quality of… »
(0) Comments Permalink Training Wheels

Long Live the Resolution!

With the arrival of the New Year, we are culturally encouraged to make a resolution. The word resolution is defined as “a formal statement, a decision”. I tend to refrain from declarations, mainly because I know that no matter what I decide to do a million external factors can arise and alter both course and outcome. I do, however, understand the benefits of reflecting on the past as a means to… »
(1) Comment Permalink

The Time to Make the Memories is Now...

Arriving at the junction of the Gashouse Gulch and Baldy trails, I rejoin the group of eight women I have been riding with this glorious Sunday morning in the Buffalo Creek Recreation Area. We have been out here for over two hours climbing, cornering and descending through the Pike National Forest. At times we pedal through a thick ancient forest under a canopy of mature pine trees, the earth blanketed… »
(1) Comment Permalink Inspiring Women

Event Wrap-up: She Cycles

There was a time when I experienced a sense of unease entering a bike shop. Although I was a strong rider, I did not know the first things about using a multi-tool or how to determine a good pair of shorts from a cheap pair. I had this nightmare of a vision that I would ask a simple question and suddenly find myself standing under a floodlight surrounded by a ring a wrench-wielding mechanics and smooth-legged… »
(0) Comments Permalink Travel Journal

Self-Help Fix List

There are so many things that can go right on a ride – blue sky and sunshine, a tail wind, a friend to share the experience with, and feeling good from the inside. We should always take a moment to notice when nothing is going wrong! But, when something does go wrong you may find that the pleasure you were after waits just around the corner from a quick fix. The following list, comprised of common… »
(1) Comment Permalink Service Department

Spring Cleaning Part 1

If you live in a region with weather similar to the kind we experienced here in Colorado over the winter, your bike is probably in need of some work. Winter wet, with all the chemicals road crews spread across the pavement to melt snow and ice, wreaks havoc on our bike’s parts. Wet or even damp trails cake our bikes with varying layers of grit, dirt, and dried mud. If April showers are truly followed… »
(0) Comments Permalink Service Department

With Gratitude for Cheryl...

All living beings undergo a series of changes from the moment of birth to the last breath before death. You’d think that since change will inevitably take place we would develop an ability to handle change easily. Instead, we hardly notice minor changes and the big ones can shake us at the core. I am currently passing through a period of major change, about to wrap up a twelve-year career of teaching… »
(1) Comment Permalink Inspiring Women

Autumn Leaves and Their Great Trees

True autumn cool embraced Colorado Springs yesterday and today. Running on the trails last week with my two cattle dogs, I noticed something different about the sky, in the way the light brightened the landscape, lent every plant, rock, and butterfly a crispness – the land felt still, like it was waiting for something to happen. Then, thick clouds enveloped the town and a weighty dampness forced… »
(1) Comment Permalink Travel Journal

Cleaning, Part 2: Upkeep!

Now that your bike has returned from the “spa”, how much effort will you exert to maintain that fresh condition? No matter how good a make-over contestant looks at the end of the show that make-up job won’t last through the night, the clothes will begin to stink and need a washing, and no matter how much liposuction one might undergo the reality of “I need to commit to a daily exercise routine”… »
(0) Comments Permalink Service Department

Spring Cleaning, Part 1

If you live in a region with weather similar to the kind we experienced here in Colorado over the winter, your bike is probably in need of some work. Winter wet, with all the chemicals road crews spread across the pavement to melt snow and ice, wreaks havoc on our bike’s parts. Wet or even damp trails cake our bikes with varying layers of grit, dirt, and dried mud. If April showers are truly followed… »
(0) Comments Permalink Service Department

Seasonal Fitness

The weather outside is certainly frightful. As the sun sinks into a sky dense with pastel pink and grey, the temperature begins to drop from teens to single digits – not the kind of weather that inspires outdoor activity. Come April, I will be pedaling over mountains in Bhutan and have no choice to find ways to stay fit. Come hell or high water (or snow and freezing temps, as is my case) self-discipline… »
(3) Comments Permalink Training Wheels

Pilates and pedaling

Cycling is a terrific aerobic activity for a variety of body types and shapes. All ages of users, from children to senior citizens and every age group in between may ride a bike for fitness. It is a low impact sport, which means it puts minimal strain on joints and ligaments. The action involved with pedaling a bicycle engages muscles on the front of the body more so than muscles on the backside. This… »
(1) Comment Permalink Training Wheels

Women on a roll...

Despite a late night arrival to and a short night’s sleep in Columbus, Ohio, Tiffany Brown from Giant Bicycle and I found our sleepy selves revitalized by the enthusiasm and energy we found upon arriving at roll:. On a beautiful fall day in October, roll: hosted their first all-women’s bicycling event titled roll: for women. Looking through the storefront window I could see that roll: is no ordinary… »
(3) Comments Permalink Travel Journal

Must Love Dogs

In January 2006, I adopted a small, red Australian Cattle dog I named Sadie. In addition to her seemingly limitless capacity to show affection and gratitude, she displayed intense athletic capability. When I was having trouble shaking a dark mood and considered abandoning my ride altogether, the look on Sadie’s face convinced me to stick with the plan. Sadie and I quietly climbed up a long, winding… »
(0) Comments Permalink Blog Training Wheels

Enter any bike shop in the country and you will most likely be helped by a male...

Enter any bike shop in any city in any country and odds are in favor of you being greeting by a male employee. Peek your head in to the service shop and chances are high that it is filled with guys in aprons, dirty hands engaged in the task of repairing bikes. As a bicycle courier back in the early 1990’s, my steel steed required regular maintenance. I can recall the unease that filled me every time… »
(16) Comments Permalink Inspiring Women

Back Country Adventures

Last time, I waxed philosophical on the beautiful simplicity and spontaneity of the Front Door Adventure. Now I am embarking on a Back Door Adventure: four days pedaling through the southern Colorado and northern New Mexico mountains with eight girlfriends. The BDA requires planning; a route is discussed, lodging arrangements are made, and packing lists are shared via e-mail. A vehicle is used to schlep… »
(1) Comment Permalink Travel Journal

Front Door Adventures

Every year, I travel half way around the world from my home in Colorado to guide cyclists through the Himalayan Buddhist Kingdom of Bhutan. Many people view a journey of this magnitude as an adventure. We think of adventure as dangerous and adventurers as young, fit, and fearless. Although the word may conjure images of high-altitude mountaineering or a solo sail across the Pacific, adventures are… »
(19) Comments Permalink Travel Journal

Get the Most Out of Your Ride

Getting the most of your new bike, and ultimately your ride, begins with a proper fit. Sounds simple right? Besides how much different can it be from buying a pair of running shoes you might think? First you choose a general category – say for example Road. Then you pick a more focused segment—Sport. Great, you’ve narrowed down your decision to a Giant OCR 3 w. So far, so good. And while both… »
(29) Comments Permalink Training Wheels
 
 

Ride Finder

Connect with other women who enjoy cycling as much as you.

 
 

Topics

» Inspiring Women (27)
   Personal stories and thoughts

» Kelli's Race Reports (1)
   The latest from Kelli Emmett

» News & Announcements (15)
   The latest from Giant

» Service Department (18)
   Care and maintenance

» Tour de Pink (7)
   Breast cancer charity ride: training tips and more

» Training Wheels (45)
   Riding skills and tips

» Travel Journal (14)
   Shared experiences and adventures