Quinn, 12 with El Grupo since August 2014
If you had a Superpower, what would it be? To sustain a speed for infinite time
Favorite Style of Riding: Mtn and Road, I like to go fast!
Favorite Hobby: Soccer
Favorite Bike Ride in Town: Gates Pass to Coyote Pass
Quotable Quote: When we do 5 intervals, he always says the third one’s the hardest.
Favorite Food: Fruit
Tell me why you like riding your bike.
I like riding my bike because I can go fast without much effort and I can do it using my own power.
Can you tell about the first time you rode with El Grupo?
The first time I rode with El Grupo, I was still working on my bike skills and I wasn’t very good at drafting, so I wasted a lot of energy going up the Shoot-Out Route. Eventually, I got really, really tired and dropped and felt really sick when I came back.
Since then, have you noticed any changes in bike skills and character?
I’ve noticed huge changes in my bike skills because now I can draft really well and I’m working on track standing everyday and feeling much more comfortable on my bike.
I look at things differently now, I’m able to handle longer rides and see why riding for a long time makes you strong. It’s more about the bigger picture.
Does El Grupo challenge you?
El Grupo definitely challenges me physically and mentally. You can always work on things when you ride. I like doing intervals because you go to your limits- everybody has different limits and can be challenged.
When you’re in those moments of being challenged, what do you do?
It’s more mental. At a certain point, you have to have the mindset that the pain is good and will help you in the long run.
What are your goals with El Grupo?
For a bigger goal, when I grow up, wherever I live, I want to be able to ride my bike wherever I need to go. It’s just a better way to commute than driving cars. In El Grupo, I like to race and I have different goals for each race to do the best that I can do.
What are three things you’ve gotten out of El Grupo?
I’ve gotten a lot of fitness, a whole new group of great people to be around/share experiences with, and learning about all the places you can go on the bike in/around the city. Biking open up a whole new world of places you can go! My knowledge of places near Tucson has expanded massively.
How do you describe El Grupo?
I usually say it’s a biking club and we do racing, and do hard rides together, and stuff in the community that’s all about bikes.
What are your strengths?
I think I’m good at being mentally focused on my goals even when I’m super tired. Also, I have a strength as a learner with bike skills because I learn fast.
