Patrick Brady

Patrick Brady grew up riding bikes like every kid in America. And like every kid in America, he stopped riding the moment he got his driver's license; after all, dating and bicycles aren't a good fit. Some six years would pass before he swung a leg over a friend's touring bike and within a block he was asking himself why he had ever stopped doing something that was so much fun.

He purchased a serious touring bike, then a mountain bike and eventually a handmade, steel road racing bike. He bought every magazine about cycling he could find and read book after book as he learned the sport's many ins and outs.

Eventually, Patrick was spending so much time in bike shops it made sense to get a job in one. That began an involvement with the bike industry that has lasted more than 20 years.

While pursuing a masters in English at UMASS Amherst, he began freelancing for some regional cycling publications. He penned pieces that ran in Dirt Rag and The Ride before landing some assignments with VeloNews and eventually Outside Magazine's web site.

Eventually, he badgered his way into a position with Bicycle Guide, the very magazine that had inspired his desire to write about the thrill of cycling. That ride didn't last as long as he had hoped; the magazine was folded while he was on assignment at the Tour de France. As Kurt Vonnegut might have said, so it goes.

His next move was to launch a super-premium cycling magazine, called Asphalt. It was the sport's first real lifestyle magazine aimed at roadies, and its influence can still be seen in the editorial and design of magazines like Peloton, Paved and Road.

Thanks to the power of the Internet, Patrick crossed paths with the acquisitions editor for Menasha Ridge Press in 2006. The relationship led to his 2007 book "Bicycling Los Angeles County." The book contains 40 different routes for riders of virtually every ability, but what really set the book apart from other titles was the fact that it contained detailed information on a half-dozen different group rides in Los Angeles. By providing solid route information on challenging group rides, it has helped many riders head out with the peloton with the assurance that they won't get lost even if they are dropped.

Also in 2006, a friend invited Patrick to contribute to a cycling blog he had launched, called Belgium Knee Warmers. Posting under the pseudonym Padraig, he and the blog's owner, Radio Freddy quickly built a large and loyal following. At Radio Freddy's suggestion, Patrick launched a new blog in 2009 called Red Kite Prayer. It features content familiar to followers of BKW, but publishes on a steadier, more frequent basis.

As a result of Patrick's work on both BKW and RKP, he has accumulated many freelance credits. He serves as a contributing editor to Peloton Magazine and is a frequent contributor to Road Bike Action. He also contributes to VeloNews, Paved and an industry publication called Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.

His latest project is the book "The No Drop Zone, Everything You Need to Know About the Peloton, Your Gear and Riding Strong." The genesis of the book occurred more than 10 years ago as Patrick wrote articles aimed at new riders and realized that there wasn't a book that collected everything a dedicated roadie needed to know. Nearly three years in the making, "The No Drop Zone" is the product of more than 20 years' experience in the industry.

Throughout his career, Patrick has ridden with the dedication that comes with addiction. He has raced from Vermont to California and toured mountain roads in the Rockies, Alps, Pyrenees and more. He rides most days of the week and on weekends he can be found on group rides, usually either in the Palos Verdes Peninsula or the canyon roads of the Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu. He says he hopes that heaven has roads like Malibu.