Martin Baker

Specialties: Cyclocross, Mountain Bike Racing, Road Racing.

Home: Hillsboro, Oregon

Client levels accepted: Individual, SemiCustom, Custom, Consultation

Available to take on all levels of athletes both racing and non-racing.

Available for seminars, camps, clinics, and team direction on a contractual basis.

Martin Baker has been an enthusiastic cyclist since childhood, a passion that has only grown into adulthood where he still rides and races mountain bike cross country and short track as well as marathon mountain bike, cyclocross, and on the road. While the off-road disciplines are his specialty, Martin's clients have won races both on the dirt and on the road. Whether your limiter is long climbs, developing power, fast single-track, technical descents, cornering in a crit, or remounting smoothly after a barrier, Martin can help you reach your goals. He is experienced in training with power and offers power-based LT testing to clients using his PowerTap. He has balanced racing and training with job and family responsibilities so he understands the challenges facing the amateur athlete. He listens carefully, pays attention to each athlete's individual needs, and will never implement a one-size-fits all approach.

Martin has been mountain biking since 1990 and racing since 1994. He took up cyclocross in 2001 and was quickly addicted. He has won races both on the road and in the dirt and has competed in NORBA Nationals at Mount Snow in Vermont and at Sandpoint Idaho, and Cyclocross Nationals in Portland and Bend. Along the way he has racked up a lot of wins: NORBA Oregon State XC Champion in 2005, and in 2004 finished second at the Barton Park Cyclocross Crusade race (Master A) and third in the series. He places consistently in the top 10 in his age group in the Category 1 mountain bike races in Oregon and races the local short track series with the Pro Men.

Martin is a regular coach at Erik Tonkin’s September cyclocross clinic series at Alpenrose Dairy and has written on coaching a clinic for Cyclocross Magazine. Outside of cycling, Martin’s coaching experience includes ski instructing and Alpine race coaching at Stratton Mountain in Vermont. When he’s not working or riding (or fixing one of his bikes), Martin can be found playing with his young son, listening to music, taking pictures, or on the mountain skiing.

"Martin took the time to listen to what my perceived strengths and weaknesses were. He then observed my riding to confirm my problems and then started with suggestions to correct the issues. He focused on a few main problems as not to overwhelm me with too much to work on. After only a 1 hour session my cornering ability on the cyclo-cross course increased noticeably. I timed a lap both before and after the class and my time per lap went down over 20 seconds be lap because of Martin's help. I would recommend him to any one looking at trying to improve their technical bike handling skills. He understands the difference between the skill required for road and cross bike handing." ~Kevin S