Cyclismas
  • Home
  • Features
    • Reviews
    • Interviews
    • Delusions of Grimpeur
    • Two Cone Wrenches and a Megaphone
    • News or Not…?
    • Photography
    • Cartoons and Illustrations
  • Opinion
    • Commentary
    • Veloclinic
    • View from the Peloton
    • Viewpoint
  • Podcasts
    • Open Mic
    • Race Radio
  • Videos
  • Contact Us
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Youtube
cover
Reviews 0

“Skills, Drills and Bellyaches” or JPow’s tips on how to be a cyclo-boss

By Lesli Cohen @lesknits · On September 10, 2013

For the past year and a half, Dan Tille, Bill Schieken of In the Crosshairs Cycling, and photographer Bruce Buckley have been hard at work compiling a full-color cyclocross skills book that features U.S. National CX Champion Jeremy Powers.

Skills, Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer contains detailed descriptions of the fundamentals of cyclocross as demonstrated by U.S. Cyclocross Champion Jeremy Powers with full-color images highlighting each skill in an easy-to-follow format, providing new and experienced ‘crossers a valuable resource for learning the sport.

Available for pre-order now, the book will ship the week of September 23, 2013.

The book was something of a labor of love for Schieken, well known in the U.S. ‘cross community for his witty Twitter banter, his genius #SVENNESS videos, and perhaps best of all, for his loving homage to the mysterious Twitter personality @AnonCX.

As Bill describes it, the book was borne out of a 2011 training ride with friend and coach Dan Tille:

My idea was to use Dan’s years of experience and knowledge from racing, coaching and running ‘cross clinics and pair that with detailed images of the basic cyclocross skills and techniques. The idea was to have a book that covered, in every detail, the nuts and bolts of racing cyclocross in a presentation that would not be out of place on your living room’s coffee table.

After a year of shooting and writing, and then another year of drafts, design, and editing (including 18 different versions comped by book designer Jennifer Franko Dudek), the end result is a solid primer for new racers, as well as a means for experienced riders to hone their craft. As the book blurb promises, “If you master the skills and techniques covered here, you can go into the cyclocross season with the same fitness you had last year, yet achieve better results.”

sampleintro1&2

“Skills Drills and Bellyaches is an incredible addition to the cyclocross community,” Powers says. “The contents of this book are going to help you improve your cyclocross riding without doing any intervals, without any long rides, and without any rigorous training plans.” Powers added that learning the concepts and techniques explained in the book “will be one of many steps in a long journey to becoming a cyclo-boss!”

If you have been racing ‘cross for several seasons, you may ask yourself why you need a book teaching the fundamental skills of the sport. Schieken and Tille look at it like this:

Every time you dismount from your bike you are either gaining or losing time on your competition. For instance, if you are a habitual stutter-stepper on remounts, this can cost you around one second each time you get back on your bike. If you are on a course that requires three remounts per lap and you do six laps in your race, that’s 18 seconds wasted. Let’s say you have similar issues on the dismount. Same math, 18 seconds lost. You are now 36 seconds behind a competitor who is equally fit, but gets on and off the bike more proficiently. Even if you have years of ‘cross racing under your bibshorts, you can always make improvements to your game. What is discussed in this new book helps show you the way.

Skills, Drills and Bellyaches teaches the techniques and skills that all racers, from beginner to elite, should learn and apply to become a better cyclocross racer. It covers basics such as what to wear and how to get back on your bike after carrying it over an obstacle, as well as more nuanced starting techniques and how to mentally prepare for your race.

sampleremount1&2

 

A portion of proceeds from the sale of Skills, Drills and Bellyaches: A Cyclocross Primer go to support the JAM Fund, a non-profit organization created by Jeremy Powers that is committed to nurturing and growing the next generation of American cyclists.

Those of us at Interbike and CrossVegas will get a sneak peek, and I’m happy to say I cannot wait to see the finished product and congratulate Bill.

To order your copy go to www.cyclocrossbook.com.

For more information, contact:

Bill Schieken

cxhairs@gmail.com

Share Tweet

Lesli Cohen

Editrix with red pencil in one hand, whip in the other. Lesli is Editor in Chief of Cyclismas, where she wrangles the merry band of misfits who make up the talent of this satire and commentary website. She has been the cycling reporter for the Boston Examiner, and spends her spare time cycling the backroads of New England, attempting to be a mediocre Cat 4 bike racer, covering the local road racing and cyclocross scene, and supporting bike culture and urban cycling advocacy. Her writing has been featured in various special-interest publications and websites, and she has been interviewed on several cycling-oriented talk shows. Bicycling Magazine named her one of its Cycling Twitterati. You have been warned. You can follow her on Twitter @lesknits

You Might Also Like

  • Note the clever label design Reviews

    Re-tired gearbags© – Cool bags from the matriarch of a cycling dynasty

  • AS320-2 Reviews

    Product review: AfterShokz ‘un-ear phones’

  • VeloCover_medium Reviews

    Vélo, by Paul Fournel

No Comments

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Subscribe & Follow

Follow @cyclismas
Follow on Instagram
Follow on rss
Ad
Ad
  • Popular
  • Comments
  • Tags
  • Groundhog Day for Cycling?

    October 17, 2012
  • Wiggins lets the insults fly!

    July 7, 2012
  • The Legend of the 500

    July 11, 2012
  • Paul Kimmage Defense Fund

    September 20, 2012
  • What is my trouble with a Team Sky Tour de France victory?

    July 19, 2012
  • firstclasswristband says: Personalize your silicone wristband to suit a special occasion. You can choose...
  • anihpzkneaye123 says: This post is worthy of appreciation, looking forward to more exciting!    <...
  • Rhodesy94 says: What a massive anticlimax. Here I am at 2:16am, trawling through the internet ...
  • dalee18 says: This video has been removed from YouTube - any chance we can get it reposted??...
  • SEO Services in Chennai says: Unable to play the video,  i am getting a message "The plug in is vulnerable"...
UCI Pat McQuaid Lance Armstrong Tour de France Team Sky Doping Johan Bruyneel Brad Wiggins Jonathan Vaughters Hein Verbruggen cyclocross Jonny Gunn Sven Nys #SVENNESS Cyclismas Cycling News Network Ripp Finklemann In the Crosshairs Mark Cavendish

Find us on Facebook

Latest Videos

  • Road Reel Ep. 4 thumb

    Cyclismas Road Reel – Episode 4

    August 1, 2013
  • Michelle road reel thumbnail

    Cyclismas Road Reel – Tour de France Exclusive with Michelle Cound

    July 15, 2013
  • Star Tours preview image

    Star Tours preview

    July 1, 2013
  • Screen Shot 2013-07-04 at 7.15.35 PM

    Cyclismas Road Reel – Episode 3

    June 29, 2013
  • roadreelbanner

    Cyclismas Road Reel – Episode 2

    June 3, 2013
  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Instagram Follow us on Youtube

About Cyclismas

A fresh take on cycling satire and commentary, Cyclismas is an alternative to traditional cycling news coverage; we challenge conventional cycling wisdom with a wide variety of voices, using a variety of media – all with integrity, but not without humor.

Recent Comments

  • Electric Bikes at the Giro???? | A Scotsman in Suburbia on Fake cyclists
  • Cuantificación del entrenamiento mediante CERVEZAS - Análisis de productos. ZitaSport on A different approach to comparing climbing performances
  • Omloop der Geruchten » Extrasport // Eigenzinnig sportnieuws on So just who is Dr. Jose Ibarguren Taus?

Latest News

  • open mike fillmore banner copy

    OpenMic with Mike Creed – Frank Pipp

    February 10, 2015
  • open mike fillmore banner copy

    Open Mic with Mike Creed – Chris Carmichael

    October 22, 2014
  • open mike fillmore banner copy

    Open Mic with Mike Creed – Not Kiel Reijnen and Alex Howes

    October 15, 2014

Search

© 2013 Cyclismas Cyclismas LLC