“Nothing is more damaging to the adventurous spirit within than a secure future.”
So says the poster—sold out I might add—on Chas Christiansen’s online store.
But change—whether chosen or forced upon us—inevitably brings with it a sense of uncertainty. A situation the artist, fixed gear legend and relentless optimist freely admits is a struggle as he considers the what next. Questions and contradictions he addresses in a searingly honest conversation balanced with humour and heartfelt reflection, that sees Chas offload on the what-was-then and the new directions of the now.
cyclespeak
You’re sitting outside in the sunshine. Are you at home?
Chas
I’m not. I’m at a friend of mine’s house. About an hour away from Oakland on the coast. Which is funny because it’s a place I usually ride by…
cyclespeak
But this time you stopped.
Chas
It’s good to spend some normal person time every once in a while.
cyclespeak
We’ve kind of already told the greater part of your story…
Chas
But I’m definitely going through life changes at the moment. This will be my last year riding professionally before I move in a different direction. So it seems to me like a good time to sit down, talk about it all, and reflect a little bit.
cyclespeak
Because the last time we spoke you were days away from ACL reconstruction surgery. And I was wondering which was the most challenging part of the process: the physical recovery or the mental task of managing worries and concerns?
Chas
You know, it was probably the mental aspects. And what’s funny is that when I look back, even though I was going through so much, it was such a simple period in my life. The first time in 20 years I’d ever stopped and taken a break.
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cyclespeak
It sounds like it was needed?
Chas
Physical stuff is fine. I’ve been a pro-athlete long enough to understand the importance of following a PT recovery plan. If anything, that gave me some day-to-day structure and a sense of purpose to work around. But the mental side was tough. Because for a while I’d been having feelings to suggest that I wasn’t at my happiest doing this job anymore. And having that enforced period of not being able to ride maybe gave me the time to explore that for a little bit? Which in turn started the whole process of where I find myself right now. A catalyst for change, if you will.
cyclespeak
I’m reading between the lines but is this a question of identity? Almost as if you’ve inhabited this character for so many years…
Chas
Notchas? With the question now being who’s actually Chas?
cyclespeak
And the answer to that question is part of the journey you’re now on.
Chas
But what’s funny is that when I’d recovered from the surgery, I’d been so single minded at getting back to where I’d been before—I’d built up so much momentum—that it wasn’t until earlier this year that I finally came to a reckoning and started to ask some serious questions about what it all meant.
cyclespeak
Before we explore all that in more detail and just to satisfy my curiosity, can you fill me in on the Zombie Knee™ reference?
Chas
I aged-out of them taking one of my own tendons to repair my knee.
cyclespeak
That age being?
Chas
Younger than 40. And the injury that prompted this surgery happened two days after my fortieth birthday so I have an achilles tendon from a man named Dan in my knee. Which explains the zombie reference as a way of acknowledging that gift and I had the donor’s name tattooed on my knee as soon as I’d been discharged from physical therapy. I guess there’s limited factory parts for me now [smiles].
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cyclespeak
Speaking of parts—or featherweight components—is your MASH / Santa Cruz Stigmata still the lightest tracklocross build ever at 15.2lb?
Chas
Your timing is really good because that’s the bike I hurt my knee on. And I’ve only recently got it rideable and then raced on it for the first time since I crashed two years ago. And I can confirm how astonishingly fast and light that bike is but after I posted to dare anyone to make a lighter bike, sad to say, someone did. And to the tune of half a pound lighter.
cyclespeak
More bike talk in the shape of the limited release collab you did with Engine11 and the AARN double sided track rings. Do you by nature get a buzz from working with others?
Chas
Collaborative design is amazing. Because, for me, it stretches the boundaries of my art. Which I freely admit is a little lowbrow. 2D doodles on paper or on this or that component. So you take the Engine11 frame and the AARN chainrings, not only are you considering a physical object and how you’re going to cover it, but there’s a production process to also factor in which brings another level of complexity to my designs.
cyclespeak
So there’s a certain sense of satisfaction in overcoming these challenges?
Chas
That’s one way of putting it. I’ve worked with Aaron Panone of AARN for over a decade and on the first ever edition of the rings we did, I forgot to mirror the design on the other side so a lot of the art is backwards. Which I just smooth over by saying those were limited edition pieces and hence collectable [laughs].
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cyclespeak
In May 2025 it was announced that you were joining the CNCPT team and then a little while later you set off on a tour of Japan with Alonso, Sean and Alvin.
Chas
I’ve been friends with the CNCPT boys for as long as we’ve been racing bikes. So being teammates seemed like something that had already existed throughout that time. But now I get to wear the jersey.
cyclespeak
And Japan?
Chas
One of the funniest things I remember from that trip is that, early on before we’d even got going on our tour, we were messing around in a mall where they have all those machines where you can buy little plastic toys. And as a joke, we all bought these tiny recorders which we somehow managed to learn to play some tunes on. So we’d pull up at a convenience store in the middle of rural Japan and it was never a spoken thing but one of us would start playing and the others would join in; four sweaty, grown men in cycling kit, loitering outside under the porch, tootling away together. The looks we got were priceless.
cyclespeak
Loitering with intent to make music.
Chas
Loitering with intent about sums it up [smiles].
cyclespeak
You acknowledged the advent of your truck rolling over 300k miles in a post and then later this year had a number of kit and component auctions to fund an engine rebuild.
Chas
That’s funny you mentioning my truck because tomorrow I’m picking it up from the shop after two months of them working on it. And it’s not that I place much importance on physical objects—I’m more of an experience based person—but that truck, for me, is a symbol of freedom. In the way that it handles and drives, it’s just like a track bike. And like my knee, the engine got a rebuild and we’re both good to keep on going.
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cyclespeak
Looking back at your auctions to fund the engine rebuild, what’s your relationship with stuff?
Chas
It actually comes with a significant amount of stress. So the truck gave me the impetus to shift a lot of it in order to raise the funds I needed to get the engine fixed. And you want to know the worst thing? It’s the fact that none of it was being used. All that race gear might hold a sentimental value to me but it means a lot more to know that someone else is wearing my old MASH kit out on their rides.
cyclespeak
So a cathartic process?
Chas
It was. A trip down memory lane when I was sorting everything out. Race kits with a hole in and I was like, “I remember that crash.”
cyclespeak
You frequently mention the freedom of travel and new experiences. And Death Valley seems to have a pull on you in that sense. Is that where you do some of your physical and mental sorting out?
Chas
There’s something about the expansive nature of that locality combined with the utter remoteness and the necessity to be self-supported. All that gets me to a place where I can mentally cleanse myself. Sometimes that’s by myself, other times when we organise our annual group ride. Which, when they first started, were really small but this last year we had 28 people and was probably my favourite thing I’ve done this year.
cyclespeak
Going from the social media posts I saw, you had 28 people and a whole bunch of fireworks.
Chas
Hey, woah. It’s a national park. I don’t know what you’re talking about [smiles]. But you know what? I like a little childlike fun in my life. And for whatever reason, fireworks take me straight back to the twelve-year-old Chas.
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cyclespeak
From riding to running, and I’m not talking about a quick jog round the block. One of your early sorties saw you take on a 40 mile ultra in Arizona.
Chas
As I was recovering from surgery, my PT told me that if I ever wanted to run again, I needed to get moving. I guess you use it or lose it and my mind has to recognise that the impact on my reconstructed knee from running is a good thing. And then as I’ve been starting to transition away from pro cycling, it’s a space where nobody knows who I am. Which means that my running acts as this release valve because it allows me to still use my body and get what I need out of sport without all this weight of outside expectations. And here’s a little sneaky secret. Running led to swimming so I’ve registered for a half Ironman. Which makes me question who I’ve become because if you’d asked Chas, 15 years ago, if he’d ever do a triathlon, he would probably have punched you in the face.
cyclespeak
I was researching the 50k Taco Bell run in San Francisco that you competed in and it stated that no outside nutrition is allowed except supplements like tequila and caffeine.
Chas
It’s a wild event. An unsanctioned version of a totally legit, sanctioned race that takes place out in Colorado. And I’m lucky to have this great group of friends that, like me, don’t take themselves too seriously. An attitude that matches this event perfectly because to run 50k—in a weird, mildly painful way—is no small feat.
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cyclespeak
Weird, painful?
Chas
You run between nine different Taco Bells and only eat whatever they have to offer. However, if it’s a Taco Bell Cantina, you can substitute the food for a shot of tequila. But just watch out for those hot sauces. Too many and they’ll catch up with you.
cyclespeak
You lined up for The Rift in July. The 330 km ABYSS ultra route. Was that in any way a shakedown event for the Silk Road Mountain Race?
Chas
I’ve always loved racing in Iceland and my buddy Chris Burkhard hit me up about the event. The timing for Kyrgyzstan worked out as I could return home for a couple of weeks before heading out again for Silk. But then, with my decision to not travel out to Kyrgyzstan, this changed how I felt about The Rift. Would this be the last ever time I raced professionally?
cyclespeak
Which sounds quite momentous?
Chas
In some ways it was my swan song. An opportunity to take it all in, enjoy it, and acknowledge what an amazing journey this has all been. And Iceland is the perfect place to have all those thoughts because you’re riding at four in the morning through what is essentially another planet. So it proved to be a really positive experience and a reminder that I still love to race my bike and have all those great sensations.
cyclespeak
Which brings us to July when you posted the following: I’m not racing @silkroadmountainrace this year because my heart and head are not there…and that’s ok.
Chas
Silk had been on my calendar for years. The race I was supposed to race but then my knee surgery got in the way. And even throughout my recovery, it was the shining star of motivation. So a good couple of years working towards it but also, if I’m honest, a couple of years knowing that it’s not really what I want to do.
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cyclespeak
Can you put a finger on what lay behind those feelings?
Chas
I’ve been working on a bike for 20 years. I started as a bike messenger in 2006 and I’ve been a professional cyclist for the last 12. And you get to the point where you’re doing things because it’s your job. And there’s nothing wrong with that. That’s the reality for most folks. But I was travelling to all these different places and having what you could describe as once-in-a-lifetime experiences and my heart and head weren’t in it.
cyclespeak
So stepping away from Silk?
Chas
Was a way of wilfully breaking the cycle. Because our trip was fully funded, we had money to make a film, kind of a dream scenario. So walking away meant something.
cyclespeak
You’re talking about accountability?
Chas
When I first started to earn a living riding my bike, I promised myself I would say yes to everything. So to flip that on its head and say no to Silk was a pretty big deal. And let’s not forget that I was down to race as a pair with my buddy Alvin. Which brings with it a whole other level of consideration if I were to line up with him, knowing that mentally I wasn’t there. We’d done a bunch of training and I knew that he was super motivated and one hundred percent good to go.
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cyclespeak
So saying no to that…
Chas
Was me wanting to take a step back. And although it’s scary, I do believe I’m regaining agency about what makes me happy and what I want to do with my life. Something I’ve not been feeling in a really long time.
cyclespeak
Was it important to announce this decision to the wider world?
Chas
I think I’m big on accountability. And I’d been talking about racing Silk a whole bunch so it seemed appropriate to make a statement and close the circle. As opposed to simply ghosting away. Because the past couple of decades have seen me experience incredible emotional highs but there have also been really low points that I never gave credence to. I just steamrollered on to the next high. And it had got to the point where I was travelling three weeks out of every month, 10 months of the year. So logistically, in a real world sense, I never stopped and took the time to work through any negative feelings I was having. But here’s the rub…I love this. It’s the coolest job; travelling the world to race bikes with my friends in crazy places. So I knew that if I didn’t make my decision about Silk public, I’d just keep backsliding and nothing would change.
cyclespeak
Is there ever any pressure to inhabit the best-of reel of these highs that you mention? Almost as if you’re playing a character?
Chas
There’s no doubt about it. I’m Notchas. And that’s one hundred percent authentic which I guess is why it resonates with so many people and the brands that have supported me over all these years. But that being said, I kind of lost sight of what I actually need in my life. The things that will sustain me both physically and mentally in my search for the stoke. Because the search is real and like you said, my life had turned into a highlight reel.
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cyclespeak
Personally, I believe we’re living through troubling times. There’s still joy to be found but also hardship and uncertainty. So where and how do you seek strength and support?
Chas
That’s a big question because when I look at all these changes that I’m going through, for the longest time I simply ignored any perceived problems because I had this singular focus on the trip, the travel, the race. So I’m now having to learn how to deal with all that. Which is why I’m trying to focus on the things that I care about—the friends and the family that bring joy to my life—rather than simply burying it all and getting on the next flight.
cyclespeak
So what’s next?
Chas
TBD. Partly because I didn’t fully realise how structured my life has been. I thought it was the exact opposite but, when I took a step back, it all started to make sense. There’s contract season which needs negotiating, then you get your race calendar set up, which in effect sets in stone the whole year. Factor in the January training blocks and next thing you know it’s November. So I’m still going to race bikes but I’m really leaning into the idea of things being less structured. And what that will look like is me being self-funded—which might prove interesting—and with more focus on quality over quantity.
cyclespeak
So when you wake up in the morning, what’s the first thing that goes through your head?
Chas
Right now? If I’m being honest, it’s fear. For the past couple of decades it’s been the next thing and the next but now there’s a lot of uncertainty in my life. And although this decision was my own to make, there’s an element of what am I going to do today. So I’m excited but also trepidacious. Which is an interesting place to be in life.
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cyclespeak
Can I suggest that a lot of people live their lives as a compromise? They feel they have to do this or that job—that might not excite or stimulate them—to cover their rent or mortgage payments. And they might daydream about breaking free from society’s shackles and perceived expectations but never find the strength or support to take that first step.
Chas
This has been, by far, the hardest year I’ve had in my 41 spins around the sun. And I’ve ridden a fixed gear through city traffic for a living. But the idea of creating life change and seeing it through is pretty scary. And I laugh about it because I still have this PMA* and out of all the challenging things that I’ve done—things that a lot of people would consider insanely hard—this is actually what terrifies me on a daily basis.
*positive mental attitude
cyclespeak
If we can wind the clock back to last December, you posted these poignant words: The cracks are where we grow, everything that goes wrong is an opportunity to get it right. Was the time of that post significant—it being winter—or was it more dictated by these life changes you’ve been describing?
Chas
Full transparency, I separated from my long-term partner late last year. And that has been a significant part of this whole process. And for someone who’s relentlessly—might I say toxically—positive, being able to embrace the cracks, the things that go wrong in life, and see them as opportunities for growth, is something that I’ve been really working on.
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cyclespeak
You’re talking about resilience?
Chas
Resilience is probably one of the most important character traits we can develop but that’s not to diminish the difficulty of picking yourself up off the ground when things go wrong. That can be hard. And what I’m coming to terms with is that it’s okay to take a knee and acknowledge that things are difficult. Which isn’t easy when you have this idea that there’s only one path forward—which when you crash in a race means getting back on the bike and getting to the finish. But where I’m at now, is questioning whether there are other goals that I want to pursue. That it’s okay to take some time to reset before going in a different direction.
cyclespeak
What I find super inspirational is how you acknowledge these tough times but still come out swinging.
Chas
You take Instagram as an example. There’s this feeling that everyone on the platform is leading this perfect life and I’ve certainly been guilty of only showing the good parts. But that’s not everyday life, I don’t believe anyone gets to live like that all of the time, and why would you want to? You need the downs to define the ups. So in sharing all this, maybe I can signal that it’s okay to have difficulties. That you can embrace them and process them. Which is something I never did before but I’m trying real hard to do now. And when all is said and done, the really important part is you just get back up and do something.
Feature image by Matthew Reamer
All other photography with kind permission of Chas Christiansen (photographers credited individually)
cyclespeak 