When it comes to racing, Truckee, California, native and multidisciplinary cyclist—and just all-around badass—Anna Yamauchi mixes it up on the dirt as a rising star in the pro gravel ranks, riding for Allied Cycle Works.
She let us pick her brain about some of the finer points of her life as a rider in Bicycling’s very informal “this or that” questionnaire. Some of her answers may surprise you.
You can read Anna's answers in yellow, then let us know where you land on the subject. You’ll see the overall percentage results from our community once you select your answer.
This or That:
Waxed Chain ← Chain Lube
ANNA EXPLAINS: “With dust and dirt, my waxed chain stays cleaner = faster!”
White Shoes ← Black Shoes
ANNA EXPLAINS: “White shoes, white socks, white helmet. There’s something rebellious about wearing white out in the dirt.”
Skinsuit → Jersey and Shorts
Slicks → Knobbies
ANNA EXPLAINS: “My favorite kind of terrain to ride requires a beefier tire.”
One Kind of Riding → All the Kinds of Riding
ANNA EXPLAINS: “All kinds of riding! I love mountain biking the most, but some days a good road ride is just as fun and rewarding.”
Water → Drink Mix
ANNA EXPLAINS: “I’m a salty sweater, so I need all the electrolytes.”
Postride Coffee ← Postride Beer
ANNA EXPLAINS: “I was diagnosed with celiac disease a couple months ago, so RIP to the postride beer.”
Tubes → Tubeless
Do Your Own Work ← Take It To the Shop
ANNA EXPLAINS: “I am trying to get better at doing my own work. I built my bikes this past year! But, I don’t trust my wrenching at all, especially if I am going to race on the bike.”
Cats → Dogs
Junk Food ← Gels
ANNA EXPLAINS: “I reserve the gels for race day.”
Short, Hard Efforts → Long, Steady Efforts
Uphill→ Downhill
ANNA EXPLAINS: “After a hard uphill, nothing beats the reward of the downhill.”
Saddle Bag ← Pockets
ANNA EXPLAINS: “Saggy pockets are the worst.”
Torque to Spec ← By Feel
Training ← Racing
ANNA EXPLAINS: “I love long adventure rides and exploring by bike. Racing is a different kind of 'fun,' too.”
Snickers ← Haribo
Now You Explain
Shocked at any of the answers? Defend your answer in the comments below.
Natascha Grief is Bicycling’s Health & Fitness Editor. She started in the cycling industry as a bike mechanic a couple of decades ago, earning a couple pro-mechanic certifications and her USA Cycling Race Mechanic license. She went on to apprentice for framebuilder Brent Steelman in her hometown of Redwood City, California before spending several years working for both large and not-so-large cycling brands. She then switched gears and industries to earn multiple personal training certifications while honing her skills as a trainer and coach, specializing in functional training, corrective exercise, and body positive personal training. She began contributing regularly to Runner’s World and Bicycling as a freelance writer in 2020, and joined the editorial staff of Bicycling in 2022.
