Where Sans Chaine comes from
My name is Andrew Randell. I am the founder of Sans Chaine. My big hope with Sans Chaine is to create a community that supports and respects one another - allowing riders train and ride together while sharing in their love of the bike.
My thoughts and approach to cycling can be summed up in a few words: consistency, longevity, fun, performance and stress relief. I refer to cycling as my medicine.
My love of cycling has come full circle. From riding as a kid in the neighbourhood; to racing with friends; to being on the road and racing full-time; retiring from racing somewhat broken; through to rediscovering my love of the bike by riding with my friends and clients.
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I named this project Sans Chaine - literally without a chain - because it describes that feeling that we all enjoy so much on the bike: those days when the legs are so good we can’t feel the chain.
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Read on to learn more about where I come from:
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My ideas around coaching and cycling come from a broad range of experience. Starting in the early 90s, as I discovered road and mountain biking, I rode with friends and the QCBC cycling club. On the club rides I learned how to ride in a group, read the wind and hold my line. I decided in 1995 that I wanted to be "pro'". I raced full-time for 13 years (1998-2011) for top teams in Canada and the U.S. including SpiderTech, Symmetrics, Jet Fuel, and 7UP. During my career I raced all over the world: South America, Australia, Japan, Europe and throughout North America. I would do it all again. Here are a few of my top race results:
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Canadian National Road Race Champion, 2002
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Ontario Cycling Association Male Athlete of the Year, 2007
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Nine international pro cycling wins
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Six-time medalist at Canadian National Championships
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Ontario Provincial Cycling Champion (Time Trial, 1997; Road Race, 1998 and 2007; Criterium, 2000 and 2004).
While still racing as a professional I started coaching. At first I worked with young riders looking to improve. Over time my client base expanded to include women and men, racers, CEOs and local heroes, and those just wanting to enjoy their big trips and ride well with their friends.
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After retiring from racing I decided to continue working in the Canadian cycling community: I felt it was important to give back to the sport that had given me so much. From 2012-2014, I managed the Jet Fuel Coffee cycling team. In 2014 I moved on to a new challenge and opened The Cycling Gym with Steve Neal. Co-owing The Cycling Gym was an amazing experience where I learned a lot from Steve, got to work with cyclists every day, and got to know a diverse group of riders.
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Covid forced the closure of The Cycling Gym and after a summer of reflection I decided to start this new project: Sans Chaine. Sans Chaine is a place where all of this experience comes together to help create a community of cyclists that understands how to train, ride together and in so doing become the best cyclists they can be.
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