Make It Yours like PRO Community Rider Sadiq Qudus

Growing up in Nigeria, I didn’t know much about cycling. I played soccer and boxed growing up. Cycling was only a means of transportation. It was not until I moved to Berlin that I started seeing people riding bikes to stay fit and for competition. That’s when I decided I needed a bike too.

My first bike was a single speed. I remember it like it was yesterday. I walked into that local cycling shop in Berlin and asked the salesman for their cheapest bike: a single speed, all-black, aluminum frame with aluminum wheels. That bike cost me EUR 199.99.

It wasn’t the most expensive or the lightest, but it was special to me and good enough to cruise around between Berlin traffic with a big smile. It was also my introduction to the city’s cycling community. In Berlin’s cycling culture, everyone is welcome. Good vibes. It’s more about having fun and meeting new people.

Through people in the community, I discovered 8bar Bikes. It’s a small, Berlin-based bike shop that sells all types of bikes, and they’re particularly well known in the fixed gear scene. Through them, I got into fixed gear criterium racing, and from there, my love of cycling kept growing, now spreading into road and gravel bikes.

Cycling has changed my life in a very positive way. It is freedom to me. It invigorates me. It takes me to my happy place and allows me to go fast and feel free from the world’s worries. 

It allowed me to build on my football career’s foundation, which saw me competing at a high level, and showed me once again where determination could get me. It has also kept me away from the street life. I’ve made some great friends and been to beautiful places through cycling. I can’t imagine life without bikes.

I love competitive cycling, participating in gravel events, or even being out there and riding with the boys. The aspect of cycling that has grabbed me most and causes my endorphins to flow is the speed and aerodynamics of the bike. I’ve loved delving into the gains each component choice offers. Getting into the details has allowed me to make as many marginal gains as possible, letting me ride fast. This is what really makes me smile.

I’m very competitive. I hate to lose or be the worst in a race or on a group ride, which made my life so difficult towards the end of last year. I moved from Berlin to Switzerland, so there are no more 100-kilometer flat rides. The guys I ride with here are faster on the climbs, which was hard to digest at first. My plan for the winter is to work on my climbing ability and improve the way I train to hang on with the boys on the climbs and maybe make them suffer a bit on the descents and flats when summer comes.

My new road bike is the Focus Izalco Max. I’m riding the PRO Vibe Aero SL Handlebar and the PRO Stealth Superlight Saddle. I choose these products because they are comfortable, light, and aerodynamic, and I can’t lie; they look super cool.

For newcomers to cycling, I’d advise that comfort is everything. You want to get your bike position on point. To do so, the three contact points with the bike are the most important. Fixing the height/location of your saddle, handlebar/stem, and cleats are essential. But the saddle is vital for me, especially for those who live in places with a cold winter climate and do many long indoor sessions over the winter months. You should consider getting a bike fit to ensure everything is properly set up. This will help you avoid injuries and pain on the bike.

To improve my performance and comfort and to make aerodynamic gains, I upgraded the factory components on my Focus with several great PRO products. I changed the standard handlebar for the PRO Vibe Aero SL, which is more aerodynamic and lighter than the original bar. I’d been riding the PRO Stealth Sport Saddle for a while and enjoyed the saddle’s shape. But to reduce the weight of the overall bike build by 120g, I changed it for a Stealth Superlight. I find the lighter, stiffer saddle more comfortable too. I love it!

Despite not being a professional cyclist, my whole life is built around cycling now, which is kind of strange. But if you’re reading this, you probably can relate.

If you can relate, follow Sadiq Qudus on Instagram, @duzzlion, to share in his journey.