Caitlin Bernstein on Mcgovern cycles for 2018/19 Cyclocross Season

Chris McGovern is happy to announce the partnership between McGovern Cycles and Caitlin Bernstein for the 2018/19 cyclocross season! Here are some words from Caitlin & Chris about the new partnership, and more!

Chris McGovern : 

"We are stoked to help support Caitlin's sporting exploits on the bike.  She has a great balance with life and sport and I look forward to seeing if we can help her in her sporting goals.  Not only that, Caitlin is short.  For her to buy a stock bike is almost impossible for her, so I can build her a perfectly fit and performing bike for her.  I hope to learn from her with feedback on the performance and fit of the bikes"

Q : What sparked your interest in working with Chris?

CB : "I met Chris through Tobin and spent some time with him at the UCI weekend in LA this year. He was probably appalled by my slightly rubbing brakes and less than dialed tire pressure on my (one and only) race bike. It was fun to see how dialed their program is and also great to see they still have fun with it and don’t take themselves too seriously."

"When the subject of racing on his bikes came up, I was immediately excited. At 5’ 3” tall, I ride a very small frame and there’s not a lot of brands that stock Cross frames my size. Until the industry catches up with the growing number of women entering the sport, custom frames are a great option. After discussing the bike builds with Chris and getting confirmation from Tobin (who races them on the road) that his bikes rip, I have no doubts I’m going to love riding the bikes!"

"By partnering with Chris, I’m able to continue riding for Vive La Tarte CX and run my program without external pressure. That’s pretty important to me, since I work full-time and I’m recovering from an injury at the moment. It’s been incredibly motivating and helpful for me to have Chris and others willing to support me, even with the knee surgery and subsequent recovery this Spring and Summer."

Q : How did you make your way into the world of bike racing? 

CB : I’ve been on bikes and skis since I could walk. Growing up in Vermont, I learned to mountain bike on some technical trails that my dad and friends built in our backyard. They were steep and rooty and not very appropriate for kids, but with some frustration, I learned a lot of skills that help me immensely now. I started racing mountain bikes pretty young, but focused on ski racing- first alpine, then Nordic after some knee injuries. I raced on the University of Vermont XC Ski Team...During that time, I didn’t race on the bike much, but I still loved riding."

"It wasn’t until moving to the Bay Area about 3 years ago that I discovered Cyclocross and got back into racing bikes. My friend and former high school roommate and ski competitor Elle Anderson generously set me up on her spare CX bike, so I could see what all the #crossiscoming fuss was about."

Q : What ambitions/ goals are you looking to achieve through your racing?

CB : "On a high level, I want to connect with great people and inspire others, especially young girls, to get involved and enjoy cycling. I used to coach XC skiers and have been involved with the mountain bike mentoring program Little Bellas. Working with young athletes- being a part of their love for sport and seeing where it takes them is pretty special to me, so I hope to stay connected in those areas."

"My personal goals in the sport are constantly evolving. I got into this a few years ago thinking, this will be a nice “casual” way to get back into racing, after retiring from XC skiing and a on very short, but intense stint of trail running, which I soon realized was not a sport for people who have had 3 knee surgeries. Each year, I’ve raised the bar for myself considerably and made a promise that with more training and racing, I would keep it fun. It’s not my main career, but it has been really fun for me to work hard at it and improve."

"I definitely saw a shift in my self-perception as a bike racer this year. I used to feel like an amatuer “racing up” when I went to UCI races- a participant more than a competitor. I’m not on the same level as the top pros, but I’m competing. UCI podiums are well within reach. I got super close when I finished in 5th, only 8 seconds from 3rd place at CX LA- it was a great result for me, but more than anything it made me hungry for more."

...Be sure to be on the look out this coming 'cross season as Caitlin will be charging her way through the field on her McGovern Cycles! Feel free to give her a cheer or a heckle as she comes by too!