From indoor Peloton rides to cycling the entire state of Nevada in two days.
Meet Mitch Boyer — the man who quit his full-time corporate product designer job at a start-up to become a cycling YouTuber. He’s also a long-term RCA member, and has completed several tough days on the bike, including a 340 mile ride cycling the loneliest road in America, attempting a Zwift world record attempt vs Mark Lewis, and riding the Palomar Mountain — the Alpe d’Huez of California.
So, how did Mitch start cycling, what’s his training like, and why did he choose to work with a coach? I sat down with Mitch to discuss all of the above, including what it’s like to train with the RCA, what he values most out of coaching, and more.
What was your training like before joining the RCA?
Mitch bought his first road bike, like a lot of people, during the pandemic. And while he went out from time to time, there was no real structure to his training or an end goal insight.
A few months later, Mitch and his wife bought a Peloton. But the shiny new stationary bike delivered workouts that were too prescribed and not adaptable. It was more of an all-or-nothing approach to training. According to Mitch, it “felt like it controlled my whole life. If I wanted to go out but I still had exercise to do, there was no going around that.” With the RCA, there’s a lot more “flexibility to live life and train” vs selling your soul to the indoor Peloton gods.
Mitch has been a member of the RCA since November 2021, and over the last couple of years, he has improved his cycling, his outlook and approach to training, and has tackled some very impressive rides. This includes completing some of the steepest climbs in California, riding across the state of Nevada, and coasting through the mountains in Bolivia…
A few months back, Mitch also went to Australia, and met up with Cam and shot a YouTube video on why he quit his job to become a cycling YouTuber. There was, of course, some cycling, too!
What do you like about training with the RCA?
While the stationary Peloton bike may have been replaced by Zwift and a striking red BMC, one thing that Mitch enjoyed with the indoor bike was the structured approach to training. Without a coach, Mitch describes how he would “be bumbling around and would probably ride myself into the ground when I’m feeling good, and then would never ride again when I’m not feeling good. The coach gives me stability and progress.”
What Mitch described here is a problem a lot of cyclists encounter — they ride too hard too often, dip in and out of all the zones in a single ride, and then either burnout, or feel too fatigued to train the following day, or even the same week.
A more structured approach to training that targets exact zones for each session is not only more sustainable, but it helps get real results over a set time period.
Related: Cycling Power Zones: The Ultimate Guide.
Mitch also mentioned how he valued the added “adaptability” with his training. With the Peloton bike, Mitch said: “My wife and I would do a couple of classes, but there’s no adjustability. You just do the workout that’s assigned. But having a coach, beyond just feeling good or not, life happens, right? Things come up. If I have to go somewhere, for example if there’s a family emergency or something exciting is happening, I have to go. I might not be on my bike for a few days. With the RCA, I can just reach out to Ryan (one of the coaches), tell him what’s going on, and he’ll adjust my schedule. That way, I can still live life and feel like I’m progressing.”
What were your thoughts before signing up?
“It’s always really exciting when you start a new programme, whenever you’re training or learning or anything… I often get really excited about things and then kind of lose motivation. The nice thing about working with Ryan and Cam is that they could tell when I’d worked really hard, and when to dial it back to introduce some variability. So, honestly, if it wasn’t for working with Cam and Ryan, due to the way that my brain works and how I get excited about things (and bail on things), I probably wouldn’t still be doing structured training.”
A lot of us fall into this exact same trap — we start a new hobby, begin strength training, or follow a new training program. Before you know it, you’ve fallen off the wagon and have to start from scratch. Having a coach adds a layer of accountability; it allows you to remain consistent with your training over a longer period to help you achieve your goals.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of getting a cycling coach?
“I would say my honest advice is that as long as it’s within your budget, just go for it.”
Mitch went on to explain how his wife asked why he needed a coach — he doesn’t compete, is not a professional rider, and not too long ago, wasn’t even cycling. All valid points, right?
“Coaching has allowed me to take care of my physical health with that added accountability. It’s allowed me to complete a lot of rides I know I wouldn’t have survived without coaching. And I’m lucky enough that I get to make videos about those rides.”
And coaching isn’t just for cycling YouTubers, either. You can experience the many benefits of a cycling program no matter your age, current ability, or location in the world.
Follow in Mitch’s footsteps and join the RCA
Do you want to follow in Mitch’s footsteps? Whether you’re looking for a more structured approach to training and can dedicate 7-10 hours a week to training or you want to conquer monster rides such as riding across the state of Nevada, the Uplevel Road Cycling Course can help you achieve your goals.
We assess all applications to make sure you’re the right fit — and can get the most out of the training — and assuming everything is good, we’ll add you to the early bird list for the next course opening.
Join the next intake of the Uplevel Road Cycling Academy course now