Father's Day

Father's Day

Celebrate Father's Day with $100 off Indoor Bikes


Having a Stages indoor bike, like the StagesBike SB20 Smart Bike, at home gives dads the flexibility they need. It is there after bedtime, it’s there before school drop off, it’s there whenever you need it. Save $100 on all indoor bikes this Father’s Day. No coupon code necessary, sale price is reflected online.

At Stages we have products for cyclists, created by cyclists. Below you’ll find stories from dads who work for Stages, how Stages athletes have been inspired or supported by the dads or dad-figures in their lives, and Stages employees’ favorite cycling memories with their dads. Happy Father’s Day!


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Shop and save June 15 - June 21

Travis Hall
Lisa Wörner
Mark Janas
Les Wiehe
David Hart
Daniel Knisely
David Walker
Dennis Mellon
Nicklaus Shorten
Ross Sherbak
Jayme Seppala
Dunte Hector

Travis Hall


Stages Product Manager
Dad to Julian (5 weeks)

Travis enjoys riding just about any type of bike but can usually be found racing local crits in Richmond, VA, the mid-Atlantic 'cross series, and endurance MTB events. Travis also rows and coaches in Richmond.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
As a new parent my normal routines around exercise several days a week and planning larger outdoor excursions have come to a halt. I have relished in the relative simplicity of my days right now, but have been able to sneak in a few rides and runs here and there. 

How do you balance training with parenthood?
That is the big question right now. I'm sure it will evolve over time, but the goal is to continue training for specific events in whatever way I can, while also beginning to expose a new baby to CX races, time in the bike trailer, and eventually his own balance bike. 

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
Before Jules was born we got a hand-me-down balance bike from a neighbor, which I have spent a bit of time working to fix up and get ready for when the time comes that he can let it rip. 

Lisa Wörner


Stages Athlete

Lisa is a professional gravel racer for Velocio Exploro and recently competed in Unbound Gravel in Emporia, Kansas. Lisa started off as a rower and raced multiple World Championships and even was part of the Olympic team in Rio 2016. Lisa is from Holland, and rides her bike daily. Her love for cycling began after her rowing career. Next to riding, she is a Medical Doctor and currently doing research in Orthopaedic Sports Medicine at Stanford University.

How has your dad encouraged you in cycling?
Yes, he encouraged me in all sports.

What is your favorite cycling memory with your dad?
When I was very little (like 5-6 years) we used to ride bikes to visit family that lived 15 miles away. My dad used to push me when I got tired but I was always so proud that I made it! (I was lured into it with candy though). Now my Dad has Parkinson's Disease, but he still rides his bike (three wheeler) and it makes him so happy to be able to exercise! I just love the joy that cycling can give to people!

 

Mark Janas


Dad to Nico (13)
Coach of St. Augustine’s University Cycling Team

Mark is the coach of the Saint Augustine's University (SAU) cycling team, which is the first HBCU cycling team in the country. Mark also manages RevoRace.com, a virtual event and race management platform. I primarily ride gravel and single track (and do some virtual riding and racing on StagesBikes!). Mark enjoys all types of endurance sports, including paddling (SUP & surfski), running, & rowing.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
Being or becoming a parent changes just about every aspect of life. It's no longer just about you anymore. That probably impacts endurance athletes, who are often self-focused & solitary creatures, more than others. I don't think I'm any exception but, unlike my pre-kid years, my goals these days are primarily just to stay fit and perhaps be an occasional threat for an age group podium. I haven't lost my competitive nature, but I channel most of that these days to my kid's sports and activities (without being a "helicopter dad" hopefully.)

How do you balance training with parenthood?
I'm fortunate enough to have a somewhat flexible work schedule that allows me to work out at times that don't conflict with family obligations. Of course, there are fewer excuses these days for all of us. Access to virtual cycling technology, like the SAU SB20s,, means there's a route to ride (or even race) 24 hours a day!

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
A few years ago, I built a 200-yard single track loop in my backyard, complete with berm turns and a few rollers. My favorite cycling memories are watching my son and his friends knock out laps in time trial format, timing themselves and each trying to best the other. I had to get in on the fun too!

 

Les Wiehe


Director of North American Sales
Dad to Dutch Wiehe (32), Blake Wiehe (27)

Les loves to mountain bike, and added kayaking recently. Les’s primary goal is being active in the outdoors all the time for fun and health.

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
Traveling to mountain bike races in Utah, Colorado and Wyoming with our boys and their team when they were young. Most races were set up in the summers at ski resorts, so we bought a pop-up camper to stay at nearby campgrounds.

 

David Hart


Stages Cycling Customer Support Lead
Dad to Andy (24) and Lilly (15)
David enjoys racing road races and gravel and road fondos, and enjoys the big fondos in California such as Sagan Fondo where there is a lot of energy and riders. 

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
Having my kid experience the outdoors on two wheels. I look at cycling as more fun over work when I am training for events.

How do you balance training with parenthood?
I make sure I have time for my kids around riding. I ride at different times or take my daughter on a ride after I ride.

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
Bringing my daughter who was 10 at the time to a cyclocross event. She loved the mud and scenery. Lilly was so excited, she kept going after they ended the kiddie race and was smiling ear to ear. 

What is your favorite cycling memory with your dad?
When I was 6, my dad Peter would put me in the front basket of his bike and we'd ride to the store for treats. Safety first!

Daniel Knisely


Sales Director
Dad to Savannah 27, Justin 28

Dan loves to ride road and gravel, mainly just fun metric and imperial centuries. Dan and his wife ride almost every day.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
My wife was a professional athlete for 20 years, and my kids were in all kinds of sports. My wife, son and I were all college athletes. The kids have just been around it since birth!

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
My son was on the US Naval Academy Triathlon Team and they had some very cool training rides.

David Walker


Global Sales and Marketing Manager
Dad to Luke (2) and Rosie (6 months)

David is a regular rider and runner, sticking to gravel and dirt for both disciplines as much as possible. David doesn’t race, but refers to himself as your best training partner. David loves getting out for rides and runs and is always looking for his next adventure with friends.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
Being a parent has made me more efficient with my time for my own personal activities. Coffee shop rides are currently on pause and instead I am planning my adventures around a 5 am depart time so I am back for breakfast with the family. My personal time will come back around at some point, but being home to hang with the little ones is time I can't get back, so the sacrifice is worth it!

How do you balance training with parenthood?
I have the attitude that a little goes a long way now. I try to get something daily, even if it is just 20-30 minutes on the StagesBike. Makes me a better dad and helps give me the energy required to play with toddlers.

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
Right now my son is still very young, so our biggest moment was seeing him really start to cruise around on the balance bike.  It was a big day when we made it around the block!

 

Dennis Mellon


StagesStudio Customer Experience Manager
Dad to Seth & Christian

Dennis is currently trying to complete the Leadville 100 MTB. He previously completed 8 Iron distance events.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
I would say it has made me much more careful. I believe road cycling is the most dangerous sport in the world today. There’s a chance that I might not return to my family every time I “click in.” To me, the risk is worth it but I’m a very careful rider.

How do you balance training with parenthood?
I’ve always been a very average endurance athlete, so after having kids it was easy for me to let my thirst for goals, change to a quest for experiences. 

What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
I’ve been riding in a charity ride named The Roadless Ride for years. This ride consists of 12 one hour indoor cycling classes. One year a few other riders and I decided to ride all 12 of these classes and the Roadless Century was born. When Seth and Christian were in fifth grade they decided to join me, not for just one hour, but for all twelve. They’ve joined me every year since, they are seniors at University of Colorado now.

How has your dad encouraged you in cycling?
My dad always owned big hog Harley Davidsons, he didn’t ride bikes but loved the freedom of two wheels, that love is in me too.

 

Nicklaus Shorten


Logistical Coordinator

Nick loves bikepacking, adventuring, and touring! He’s always looking for bigger and bigger mountains and rides. 

How has your dad encouraged you in cycling?
He has always encouraged my love for biking and is a constant voice of encouragement to keep going and conquering bigger and bigger mountains and rides. He never doubted my choice to be a car free cycling nut once. 

What is your favorite cycling memory with your dad?
Coming home exhausted from rides and being able to share the story of my adventures with my best friend, my dad.

Ross Sherbak


Knowledge Base Specialist

Ross enjoys cyclocross, gravel, and living by bike as much as possible. 

How has your dad encouraged you in cycling?
Provided space to tinker in the garage and learn to use tools to become a mechanic.

What is your favorite cycling memory with your dad?
Finally beating him up our local hill climb on our beach cruisers.

Jayme Seppala


Director of Sales
Dad to Brayden 11, Carter 9, Jared 6 and Leah 4Jayme loves to ride for fun, mainly focusing on mountain biking and a little road riding.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
Training and riding is more about being healthy and having fun now.

How do you balance training with parenthood?
Finding extra time is a challenge. Instead we stay active together and ride together.


What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
Taking my older boys on their first single track mountain bike trail. We got a little lost and covered in ticks, but we'll never forget it.

Dunte Hector


Product Manager
Dad to Victoria (11), Alexander (4), Elizabeth (4)

After a full year without competition, Dunte feels like he's signed up for every 2021 bike race in or around Colorado! At the moment he is training for and racing in summer crits after many years away. Dunte is also into lifting, downhill mountain biking, and trying to match his kids' trampoline tricks without hurting himself.

How has being a parent changed your athletic goals and activities?
How hasn't it? When my oldest was barely a few months old, she "attended" one of my bike races. As she grew up, she was on the infield of track meets, in the warmup area of lifting competitions, and present for most of the training sessions that led up to those events. Becoming a parent gave me the desire to make self-care visible to my children. I definitely take some training sessions early in the morning or late at night so I can get those minutes of total focus, but most of the time, I want and enjoy my children seeing my training or even participating. Having them around keeps me accountable to trying to get better - a race loss just isn't as motivating as my daughter asking me if I did my best. Training together or having them see me compete gives us things to talk about when they have successes and disappointments in their own activities. Training and competing are central to my identity, just as parenting is central to my identity, so I love the opportunities we get to share those times together.


How do you balance training with parenthood?
"It takes a village" is cliche for a reason. My wife is probably my best training partner. We don't go out to ride together too often, but she makes that riding time possible. We have a pretty good tag-team in place for shuttling to kid activities, cooking/cleaning/caring, and training consistently. We're also fortunate to have lots of family close-by, so we can squeeze in a long ride or a race weekend without too much trouble. Otherwise, I just have to stay flexible about my training plan. Maybe the plan calls for a long tempo session today but 3 new activities popped up and one kid feels a little sick -- that's a good day for intervals on our SB20 instead. Maybe the plan calls for a strength session but I was up late the night before finishing up laundry or making lunches - that's a good day to stretch or relax and recover. It's more important that I ride, lift, and stretch consistently than that I hit my numbers day over day, because there's more benefit to my training than the race results. Parenthood takes priority and training gets adjusted accordingly.


What are some of your favorite cycling memories with your kids?
When my oldest was 8 or 9, we went on a singletrack ride in Austin at Walnut Creek. She was a little scared but pushed pretty hard down the trail. She hit a rock and fell over into cactus. Before I could even ask if she was okay, she told me "I think I can keep going." There was a brief stop for some trailside first aid, but we rode for another hour or so. I was so proud of her grit! The twins recently entered a kid race in Gunnison. I was on course for another race at the time, but looking back at the photos and hearing their stories, it was obviously a new, scary, hard thing and they came away excited about the whole experience. I have so many memories already riding bikes with my kids, this could go on for a while. Basically every time I see my children on a bike, it makes me smile. I probably get more stoked about their breakthroughs in cycling than they do.

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