Name: Sierra Sims
Age: 27
Hometown: Hendersonville, North Carolina
Occupation: Cycling coach
Time Cycling: Competitively for 7 years
Reason for Cycling: Cycling is so many things—a challenge, a process, a practice of patience, a confidence builder, and a form of joy.
I grew up mountain biking with my family mostly during family vacations. When I got a little older, in high school, I would go for rides for fun, maybe once or twice a month. I raced some, but treated it more like a hobby. The first races I did were the 2014 and 2015 Black Bear Rampage.
In 2017, during my junior year of college, I started cycling more. I had been rowing and racing triathlons for a couple years. I struggled with the running part, but found I enjoyed training on my road bike two to three times a week. I would ride two to three hours at a decent pace and I had the best time. I did everything on my bike—rode to class, rode to go swim in the quarry, and raced my friends up every climb. A lot of the time it just felt like playing on my bike and not training.
I also owe a lot to my hometown of Knoxville because the mountain and road riding is beautiful and plentiful.
After a while, I signed up for some cycling races and got really into it. I re-started the University of Tennessee’s Cycling Club and was the president for five years, through graduate school. I raced in the Southeast Collegiate Cycling Conference (SECCC), raced my first cyclocross race, and the next spring, I raced collegiate road.
In 2018, I started racing collegiate mountain biking and hired a cycling coach. Honestly, I was a horrible athlete to coach because I rarely wore my heart rate monitor and did not have a power meter. On the positive side, I did everything by feel so I became really in tune with my body. I rode a ton on the trainer throughout the winter, too.
I raced some local mountain bike events in the summer of 2018 and the following fall was my first mountain bike season. I made friends with almost everyone and gained skills and speed. I made winning the SECCC mountain bike season my ultimate goal, which I achieved in 2021!
Back in July 2020, at a bike park, I went off of a step down, went about five feet in the air and pulled up wrong, so I landed in the bank. I broke my collarbone and had a partially collapsed lung and broken ribs. They put a plate in my collarbone after that accident, and it was removed at the end of 2021.
Then, in February 2022, I was invited to be on the USA Cycling Mountain Bike Olympic Development Academy team. I was supposed to be staying inside as much as possible, though, to prevent falling on a bone that was still healing, but it was sunny and 44 degrees outside, so I said yes to a ride with a couple friends.
We rode out to the Smokey Mountains and on a turn in the shade, all of a sudden my friend went down and, in a split second, I was down too. We had hit a patch of unmelted black ice. All I could think of was how sure I was that I broke my collarbone again. I was completely devastated. I did not check my helmet or even think that I had hit my head. I had to have another collarbone surgery and went for almost two weeks post-crash in this kind of shadowy state.
Although I was on pain meds, I was on the phone a lot and not sleeping enough. I was basically doing everything you’re not supposed to do when you have a concussion.
One day, I realized I couldn’t understand what people were asking me and I could not remember anything even if it was that same day. When I tried riding on the trainer, I would lose my vision completely. Finally, I checked my helmet and it was completely cracked through. I had ignored all the signs.
Turns out, I was suffering from post-concussion syndrome. I put a recovery plan in process pretty quick, and took time off the bike and out of graduate school responsibilities. I underwent nearly eight months of physical and occupational therapy.
As a competitive athlete, I needed someone to tell me to stop riding. But I started again—too early—and with the load of a stressful social environment at team camp, I relapsed and even got another concussion.
From that point, I could not read effectively nor comprehend what I was reading. My eye muscles twitched and would not focus. I took the spring and summer day by day and spent two days a week in physical therapy for my eyes and neck, two days a week in cognitive therapy for my processing speed, and one day a week going to therapy for my mental health.
To support my recovery, I did not drink coffee or alcohol, and I became super obsessed with getting enough sleep. I could go to the gym, but had to watch my heart rate based on recommendations from my doctor. In late July 2022, I was able to pass a cognitive exam at my doctor’s and he cleared me to go to Europe with the team.
I knew I would not be in optimal shape, but wanted to experience European racing. I raced twice overseas, thankfully. Throughout that year and 2023, I still experienced symptoms when I rode, and I had to be careful not to push myself too hard. I also had to change my diet because if I didn’t eat enough, I would get a migraine and lose my vision for up to an hour.
Although the symptoms subsided slowly, I ended up breaking my collarbone again in 2023.
What keeps me getting back on the saddle is that I really gained so much freedom from my bike. Cycling has given me some of my best friends. It has provided me with a vehicle to see the world. Exploring on two wheels allows me to see nature and wildlife—something I love dearly. Riding has also allowed me to prove to myself that I can overcome anything.
I am just happy to be able to ride and race. I race my bike because I am a competitive athlete but I ride my bike because I enjoy it. I enjoy the challenge of a workout and stringing together multiple weeks of training. I enjoy being outside and finding new places to explore.
Recently, I raced in the Tahoe Trail 100K and hope it will help me qualify for the Leadville Trail 100 MTB in 2025. I love to try new races.
These three tips have made my cycling journey a success:
1. Implement cross training
If you only ride your bike, you aren’t exercising all the muscles in your body. You may be super weak. but not know it. Mentally, it can be rejuvenating to mix up training. I do strength training year round and try to run, swim, hike, or row whenever I have time.
2. Eat more than you think
I under-ate for years and missed out on a lot of “gains” so eat your protein, veggies, and carbs if you are training hard!
3. Practice your technical skills
I used to go to the bike park every week to practice my handling, cornering, and technical skills. It was a change in pace between aerobic training and more laid back but it was hard work! It pays off and will give you confidence on the road or mountain.
Sierra's Must-Have Gear
→ Momentous 100% Plant Protein: This is the easy way to get enough protein. I combine one scoop, banana, oat milk, ice, peanut butter, and sometimes ice cream or spinach for a yummy smoothie.
→ Sigeyi Power Meter: I have this on my mountain bike, and it is reliable and easy! It was also cheaper than the big names.
→ Gulo Wheels: I have Gulo wheels on my gravel bike and raced them in Tahoe on my mountain bike too. They’re light and smooth and fast!
→Velocio Women’s bibs: These make going to the bathroom with bibs super easy. I have a long pair too for winter riding!
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