Third Annual Specialized Anaheim 1 Ride Daze: Spinning with the Pros

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<b>This is where it all starts. No, not with Chad Reed's factory bike. Just like Chad's son, Tate, many MX stars and enthusiasts got their starts on two wheels with pedal power.</b>
<b>But it doesn't stop when you hop on a dirt bike. Not if you're serious about racing. Just like with Reed's Specialized Stumpjumper, the majority of pro MXers ride bicycles for cross-training. For this reason, Specialized has hosted the A1 Ride Daze for the past three years.</b>
<b>The first portion of the Specialized A1 Ride Daze was a road ride the day before Anaheim 1 that began at Surf City Cyclery in Costa Mesa, CA. Well over 100 riders showed up to pedal.</b>
<b>There were plenty of general moto enthusiasts in attendance, with a few stars and former stars in the mix. Former factory rider, Steve Boniface took part in the 45 mile ride. Boniface is regularly in the top 10 for Strava segments in the area.</b>
<b>Surf City has a bunch of rider's jerseys on display inside. It's always cool to see MX memorabilia in unexpected places.</b>
<b>Make no mistake, a "casual" ride for a group with a bunch of pro athletes is anything but casual. If you ever participate in the Specialized A1 Ride Daze, expect your legs to be burning.</b>
<b>Yep, Orange County is not a bad place to ride. No polar vortex here.</b>
<b>The halfway point in Dana Point, about 20 miles south of Costa Mesa along the Pacific Coast Highway.</b>
<b>Not quite as many Pro MXers participated in the pre-A1 ride, for obvious reasons, but there were still some names in the mix such as Chris Plouffe (left), Jeff Ward, and MotoGP star Nicky Hayden (far right).</b>
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<b>Justin Barcia discusses cycling in his training program.</b>
<b>A mountain bike route was on the agenda for the second portion of the Specialized A1 Ride Daze, the day after the big race. Here, Barcia gets his bike ready at Rock-N-Road Cycles in Laguna Niguel.</b>
<b>GEICO/Honda's Wil Hahn was on hand for a little MTB. The 450 rookie spends plenty of time pedaling for training.</b>
<b>The MTB portion of the Specialized A1 Ride Daze was hosted by moto hero, Johnny O'Mara. The former MX champ also has numerous MTB titles and also more Strava KOMs (King of the Mountain) than just about anyone in Orange County.</b>
<b>Adam Cianciarulo has been training with Aldon Baker who integrates lots of pedal time into his fitness programs.</b>
<b>Along with Adam, Aldon Baker also trains Ryan Villopoto and Ken Roczen.</b>
<b>Barcia is one of several Specialized-sponsored motocross riders.</b>
<b>Does Bam Bam prefer whoops or rock gardens?</b>
<b>Ryan Villopoto looked comfortable on the hills despite spending most of his time in Florida flat country.</b>
<b>Curtis Keene, a leading Pro Enduro mountain bike racer, strapped on a GoPro and tucked in behind Villopoto for a descent during the 18-mile loop.</b>
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<b>RV talks about his cycling involvement and Curtis Keene narrates during the descent.</b>
<b>Aaron Gwin is one of the best known Pro Downhill riders at the moment, but for a few years he was an up-and-coming SoCal motocross racer.</b>
<b>According to Gwin, the cross training between DH and MX has its pros and cons.</b>
<b>Jeff Ward (pictured) was known for his training and cross-training programs during his racing career.</b>
<b>What's scarier for Gwin, whoops or rock gardens?</b>
<b>Jeremy McGrath has been on two wheels for most of his life, but the motorized kind didn't start for The King until he was 15 years old.</b>
<b>Bikes have been and integral part of MC's life.</b>
<b>Whoops or rock garden for Showtime?</b>
Intro Graphic
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Description
Whether it's on the road or on the trail, bicycles are becoming a standard for training regimes. Specialized is well aware of this, sponsoring several pro racers, and for the last three years has hosted road and MTB rides before and after Anaheim 1. We joined them for the fun!



Photos and interviews by Brandon Turman and Bayo Olukotun
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