Giant's Angel: Empowering Women in the World of Biking

Magic happened unexpectedly, or perhaps I accidentally summoned it—I'm not entirely sure—but it happened.

I held an intriguing position in the quality department at Giant Bicycles in Hungary, my hometown. The top management of this Taiwanese company was aware of my passion for bikes, and being one of the few employees who actually rode bikes, coupled with my previous achievements in BMX flatland, earned me respect and support from day one. Not only did they allow my husband and me to ride within the company—an extraordinary privilege—but they were also thrilled about our aspirations to advance. We received blessings from numerous employees and our Quality team.

During my time at Giant, I immersed myself in all processes, crafted specialized bikes by hand, documented them for production, and enhanced work quality by training employees. The workload was demanding, leaving me with little time to ride, which was my elixir.

However, a turning point came when I received an invitation to the FLATARK world competition in Japan, a prestigious event in our sport organized by riders, for riders. It was a non-negotiable decision for me, and I knew I couldn't juggle work and preparation for the competition simultaneously. The only question was how to finance this trip. It wasn't my town, my country, or official national organizations that stepped up for me; it was the Taiwanese company, along with our Taiwanese friends and my Giant angel, who sponsored me, championing women power.

With three months until the event, held just days before Christmas, I had to quickly regain my form. Scott Hagnes, my trusted @Rideunlimitedcoach, assisted me in this endeavor. Despite struggling with old injuries, I diligently practiced daily at the newly constructed playground. Weather constraints limited my practice days, with my last ride taking place in 2°C weather.

Japan held a special place in my heart from the outset; I referred to it as "another planet" after visiting it 13 years prior, where I experienced the strength of their community and forged lifelong friendships. Back then, there were only a few female riders, but since then, a significant reorganization of riding and teaching methods had ushered in a fresh, powerful new generation, elevating the riding scene, particularly among women—a development I was eager to explore and connect with as I was tasked with judging the novice girls' class.

Before FLATARK, we met numerous riders, but I'll delve into those places separately, as there's much to share.

The competition took place in a 100-year-old historic baseball stadium, home of the Tigers, making it an already enchanting venue.

Early one morning, we made our way to the contest area, and upon seeing it for the first time, I felt as though I was in a dream. Following a brief judge meeting, the contest commenced with 1.5-minute runs, swiftly reaching its conclusion, with the results promptly announced.

I hurried back to the hotel to prepare for my turn, couldn't even catch glimpses of the boys' riding. Upon returning to the stadium, my category was already going on. With just a few minutes to warm up and attempt a few tricks on the well-constructed podium, I found myself in the midst of the baseball stadium, in warming sunshine but facing 4°C cold weather. The atmosphere radiated discipline, respect, and warmth from fellow riders and spectators. 

Despite feeling somewhat rushed, I cherished my brief moment, my one and a half minutes, on this sacred ground. I tried to savor the experience I had imagined and worked on for three months, but time passed too quickly. I couldn't deliver a dream run; the preparation time wasn't sufficient, and I wasn't adequately warmed up. Nevertheless, it was an unforgettable experience. Though I didn't qualify, the reception was still positive, with much respect from all.

Run photos: @brnfromldz

—but because magic had unfolded, and thanks to Giant Bicycles, I was able to share this experience with my husband, unlocking a new version of myself.