# Is life as a pro cyclist really worth it?



## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

As I look back at some of the season's crash related injuries, riders scrambling to find new teams/job as their current teams collapsed or came close to that, I have started to think about this question more seriously. 

What do you think? Is the lifestyle worth the risks/costs? Here's a few factors to consider:

1. While they get to ride their bike for a living, the average pro cyclist isn't making a ton of money.
https://www.bikechaser.com.au/blog/much-professional-cyclists-earn/

2.They spend a lot of time away from home and that seems to take its toll on many people once they settle down.
https://cyclingtips.com/2017/09/andrew-talansky-announces-retirement-pro-cycling-age-28/
Talansky on transition from professional cycling to triathlon | Cyclingnews.com

3. It can be an extremely dangerous profession. You are basically risking your life on many pro level descents in stage races.
Jan Bakelants hoping to return to training just two months after breaking back in Il Lombardia crash - Cycling Weekly





4. You don't get to choose when you ride or in what conditions.
Epic days: Milan-San Remo 2013 - Cycling Weekly

5. The sport is far from financially stable. In essence the contract you sign could easily turn out to be worthless at the end of the season.
https://cyclingtips.com/2015/08/behind-the-scenes-of-the-pro-cycling-business-model/

In sum:

Why being a professional cyclist is sometimes not as great as it seems - Cycling Weekly

On the other hand....

6. You get paid some money to do something you already love and get to spend most of your time around other like minded people that love that same thing as much as you do.

7. You get to travel the world on someone else's dime and get treated like a celebrity most places you go.

8. Free massages

9. Free bikes and cycling gear

10. Free coaching

11. It could set you up for a second cycling related career (like other professional athletes, some pro cyclists have moved on to own teams, work for bike manufacturers or pro teams, open successful bike shops, get into broadcasting, start other bike related businesses, etc.). 

So what say you, worth it or not?


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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Every job sounds fun and exotic from the outset. Up until is becomes an actual "job".

How many kids think computer science would be "fun"...until they have to deal servicing customers who are computer morons, who want a product/service but don't want to pay for it?

How many people fantasize about being a gig musician in a band...until they've had to live in a bus with coworkers they hate out of a suitcase of 3 sets of cloths for 3 months? Or play/listen-to the same hits they hate over and over again forever? KISS once came through, I think pretty much their entire productions team hated their jobs and coworkers and thought the only thing worse than the job were the fans who showed up.



Could keep going.

Cycling is like lots of jobs. Pay sucks for most everyone. Not much "me" time or time off. Benefits aren't great, for US teams anyway. Not much choice in who you work with, or where, or when. And then it has the problems of arts/sports jobs--utter ownership of your younger years is necessary to make it to the top, and then once you get really good at it mentally/physically your body no longer wants to do it anymore and you're left wondering WTF to do with the rest of your life to earn money (common problem for professional dancers for example, NVM football/basketball/American football etc.).


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Marc said:


> Every job sounds fun and exotic from the outset. Up until is becomes an actual "job".
> 
> How many kids think computer science would be "fun"...until they have to deal servicing customers who are computer morons, who want a product/service but don't want to pay for it?
> 
> ...


There's definitely some truth to many of the things you have said, but pro cycling has the added aspect of being required to diet and train almost every moment, travel consistently, & hurl yourself down the side of a mountain at speeds of 40+ mph multiple times a day. I can see how that could get really old quickly if the money isn't good.

So, is that a worth it for you then?


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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

I think for me, if I was 20 and had the kind of ability that had pro teams looking to sign me, I would do it for a period of time. I don't think I would be looking to do it into my mid-late 30s like some, but I would probably try to make it like 5 years. The travel and contacts would probably be the thing that would lure me in. Also, like Bardet and others, I would probably spend my offseason continuing my education, so that I had a direction to go in once I finished. If something amazing happened and I was making millions, I would certainly try to tough it out/enjoy it longer.


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## Teuthis (Jul 29, 2015)

Marc said:


> How many people fantasize about being a gig musician in a band...until they've had to live in a bus with coworkers they hate out of a suitcase of 3 sets of cloths for 3 months?


I loved playing music until it became all about the gigs, and since I was in a local band, nine out of ten gigs suuuuucked. Lost my passion for music in general entirely.

I'd hate for that to happen to my cycling.


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## Kontact (Apr 1, 2011)

Sounds like it is a much easier and safer life than working in fishing or construction.


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## tommybike (Dec 30, 2015)

As a lawyer, who actually likes his current job, I would trade it for being a pro cyclist in a heart beat. 

At one point I worked at a bank and a junior analyst quit to become a pro. I may have met her. But she became my all time favorite pro. Wow. 

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## Marc (Jan 23, 2005)

Rashadabd said:


> There's definitely some truth to many of the things you have said, but pro cycling has the added aspect of being required to diet and train almost every moment, travel consistently, & hurl yourself down the side of a mountain at speeds of 40+ mph multiple times a day. I can see how that could get really old quickly if the money isn't good.
> 
> So, is that a worth it for you then?


If I didn't like what I do...Sure. Doing what I do now, I get enough bike time to satisfy my wants. And when I don't want to ride out in whatever-I don't have to.

Currently on the road and put up in a hotel for work, myself. If I wasn't so busy, I'd have brought my bike and gone exploring. Weather always turns upwards and gets nice when you're too busy to get out in it.



I'd be less happy doing road riding than CX as of now, probably. Roads are too crazy, now, especially for training on open roads.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

I've had some jobs that some might think would be fun and say they'd do it for free...

was a camping tour guide for foreign tourists, cool, right? who doesn't like meeting new people and being outdoors in beautiful places...

try doing it when you're responsible for baby-sitting 14 people. up at 5 am, maybe get to bed by midnite. daily driving, maintaining a vehicle and lots of gear, fixing meals, providing interesting commentary, staying on budget and schedule, being mechanic/medic/counselor/accountant, yadda yadda...and you get zero days off during the five-month long season. you're either on the road with a group or turning equip around on the one day between trips.

so, just because you like cycling, turning it into a job as a competitive racer might not be anything even remotely resembling 'fun'...


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

This would be an answer everyone is going to answer differently. Would I do it. As a female probably not because very few of the women cyclists get paid let alone get a middle class salary. If it pay structure was the same as the men's and I had the talent, yep I'd do. As it is I'd give up my current job to be a director without a second thought. I'm a vendor and actually do like my job. 

Here is something I think you also must take into consideration as well. Valverde has stated when asked why he wants to keep racing and not retire any time soon, even though most riders his age are retired or retiring (and some that are younger) is that he still loves the sport and has a passion for it and still have fun racing. He's said you must love it to become a pro cyclist. He's said if you don't have the passion and love for the sport and aren't have fun anymore that maybe it's time to step away. He's said he's happiest when he's riding his bike rather it's racing or training. He also said he doesn't look at it as a job, but being able to earn a living doing the one thing he loves.


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## Oxtox (Aug 16, 2006)

the question posed is really only relevant to those fortunate enough to be able to compete at world-class athletic performance levels...

what the rest of us think about what being a 'pro' would be like is pretty meaningless.


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## tommybike (Dec 30, 2015)

Oxtox said:


> the question posed is really only relevant to those fortunate enough to be able to compete at world-class athletic performance levels...
> 
> what the rest of us think about what being a 'pro' would be like is pretty meaningless.


Well sure. But hypothetically if you had the talent which most of us, present company included, do not, would you? I would. I think. Now it would be a no brainer for say baseball, which I love and pays a fortune. Even for the fringe guys. 

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## Rashadabd (Sep 17, 2011)

Oxtox said:


> the question posed is really only relevant to those fortunate enough to be able to compete at world-class athletic performance levels...
> 
> what the rest of us think about what being a 'pro' would be like is pretty meaningless.


That’s silly, it’s a hypothetical as others have said. If what you say is true then most of this forum shouldn’t really exist because very few of us, if any, really have the fitness and skills to justify/take full advantage of all of the equipment we spend so much time talking about. Truth be told, none of what any of us says about any of this stuff really matters much. It’s a conversation piece on a site designed for people to talk about cycling, not a career plan.


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## KoroninK (Aug 9, 2010)

Oxtox said:


> the question posed is really only relevant to those fortunate enough to be able to compete at world-class athletic performance levels...
> 
> what the rest of us think about what being a 'pro' would be like is pretty meaningless.


It's a hypothetical. However, since I'm a woman it is a bit different as I do have to look at the women's tour instead of the men's tour. However, I actually answered it based on both. If I was male and had the opportunity, I'd do.
Then again I also have 1 regret which is that I played basketball in high school instead of going out for the swim team. I do believe if I'd gone out for the swim team I could have been good enough to earn a college scholarship in swimming. I do NOT believe I would have been good enough to go to the Olympic trials let alone make an Olympic team. But since I didn't go out for the swim team I'll never know.


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## upstateSC-rider (Aug 21, 2004)

Of course it's all hypothetical but, if given the chance and the God-given talent, hell yeah I'd live the dream.


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