About Us
“Penn State and the Cycling Team gave me community, support, joy, growth, and confidence. Penn State and the Cycling team were pivotal in not just my cycling career, but my life. Much of what I learned there still applies in my life now. Without those memorable years I would not be who I am today.”
- Stephan "Geronimo" Kincaid
1995 Collegiate Omnium Champion
1995 Collegiate Road Race Champion
Penn State Cycling is a student-powered organization that seeks to provide recreational opportunities for cyclists of all levels and interests. Considered a club sport, our team is open to every Penn State student. There are no tryouts; you don’t need an expensive bike or a training plan to join.
Do you ride a bike to class and think that you may want to try a longer road ride or even check out a local trail? Join PSU Cycling – our dues are less than most other student organizations.
Are you looking for a group of dedicated riders who are training to win races? Join PSU Cycling – we can help you achieve your goals in a competitive team setting.
Club rides leave from Rec Hall nearly every day. We ride the trails of Rothrock State Forest and Scotia Game Lands. We can show you road ride loops from campus – short or long, hilly or flat.
Meetings are held nearly every week. Stay tuned to our website and sign up for our listserv to find out ride locations and time. Group ride times will also be available.
We receive little funding from the university itself; most of our funding is obtained through various fundraisers and alumni donations. Basically, our team is self-supporting; without our hard-working dedicated members, we would not be able to afford to participate in cycling at the level we do. We compete and succeed in road, track, mountain, and cyclocross within the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC). This conference is part of the National Collegiate Cycling Association (NCCA), a division of USA Cycling.
Fall season is mountain biking; national track championships are also in early fall; cyclocross is winter and really focuses on a single national championship event although the regional schedule is growing; and finally, spring is road season.
PSU Cycling tries to cover the costs of travel to many events. Our racing members pay dues of only $40 and get much more in return. We have many sponsors that help us offset the costs of high quality cycling gear. The Bicycle Shop Inc. also supports us in a major way as our title sponsor. We are also sponsored by other big names in the cycling industry, such as Park Tool, Specialized, Sigma, and Rockymounts. We consistently finish at the top of our conference, and as of December 2010, we were ranked 8th nationally.
Since 1973, we have won numerous national and conference championships on the road. Due to our proximity to the Lehigh Valley Velodrome, our track cyclists are usually unbeatable at the national level. Our mountain bikers have raced at the semi-pro level. Our cyclocrossers have earned podium positions at both national and state championships.
2004 USA Cycling Track National Champions
We have had a plethora of members become Category 1 riders on both road and mountain, as well as go pro. Here is the short list:
Bobby Lea (National Champ & Olympian)
Mandy Marquardt (National Champ)
Erica Allar (National Champ)
Caytlin Tuel (National Champ)
Martin Kell
Ryan Smolko
Andy Munas (National Champ)
Andy Lackatosh (National Champ)
Jim Camut
Clayton Barrows
Chris Ruhl (National Champ)
Joe Whitman
Sarah Bickerstaff (National Champ)
Rodney Santiago (National Champ)
Matt Spohn
Sarah Uhl (National & World Champ)
David Espinoza (National Champ)
Jordyn Drayton (National Champ & Co-owner of Freeze Thaw Cycles)
Sean Melcher
Mike Friedman (National Champ, Olympian, and Protour rider)
Adam Farabaugh
Justin Brown
Lauren Shirock (National Champ)
Even if you’re not a pro level rider, the opportunity to pull on the jersey and represent one of the most storied and successful collegiate cycling programs in the country is something that will stay with you long after your time at Penn State has passed.
Your mind will be pushed in class, but the roads/trails in and around State College will push your body and by the end of your college career, become your second home. Join us and have fun, while learning that limits are for those that don’t ride bikes.
