Rerouted: A Cyclist’s Move to the Ozarks

By: Noah Collins

Catalyst

Before I moved to Arkansas, it was a state I hadn’t given ten minutes of thought. That wasn’t a slight — it was simply where my mind was settled. Growing up in Colorado, I believed, where else would I want to spend the rest of my life?

After earning degrees in biochemistry and physiology, I accepted a role in Colorado Springs, where my wife and I spent nine years. In 2018, I founded a physiology company, RyseOn, coaching endurance cyclists. As the business grew, I searched for a bicycle frame partner that aligned with the brand. Looking beyond the mainstream, I discovered Allied Cycleworks. 

I sent an email. 

Unknowingly, that email would become the catalyst for everything that followed. 

Arrival

From 2018 to 2021, I created a friendship with a contact at Allied who had great involvement with Northwest Arkansas cycling. During the pandemic, he and his friends envisioned a race showcasing the region’s singletrack and gravel. That idea became the Rule of Three. 

He invited me to race. It was my first exposure to Arkansas.

The 2021 inaugural event was memorable — I rode much of it in a 3D-printed cast with a broken wrist, and the relentless rain didn’t help my first impression of the state. 

But by late 2021, my own circumstances were shifting. Colorado had become a difficult market for my niche expertise. In January 2022, an opportunity arose that aligned with my background — one that required a move. I accepted in February. By March, my family and I were Arkansas residents. 

Since then, RyseOn has grown into a recognized endurance coaching company in the region. My work expanded into roles with Outside, Inc. and Zwift, allowing me to contribute more broadly to the Northwest Arkansas endurance community. In just a few years, friendships formed, roots deepened, and Arkansas’ second impression proved entirely different from the first. 

Riding Here

Elite athletes live everywhere, and I was proud of my Colorado roots and what it offered — altitude and mountains. Northwest Arkansas was a contrast: humidity, rolling terrain, immaculate pavement. 

Despite years of living in Colorado Springs, I never joined a group ride. Within my first week in Arkansas, I was swept into group rides and cycling community gatherings. There was no hierarchy, no posturing — just shared enthusiasm. It was refreshing. 

The road riding surprised me most. The pavement was consistently smooth, frequently resurfaced, and remarkably well maintained. 

Before moving, I didn’t even own a mountain bike. My 2022 role required familiarity with trails, so I bought one and began exploring. As my skills grew, so did new opportunities in the cycling industry. Northwest Arkansas’ trail systems are intentionally built for all levels — from toddlers on balance bikes to elite athletes — offering an accessibility I hadn’t experienced elsewhere. 

As I stepped away from elite road racing this past year, I discovered a new rhythm running those same trails, experiencing the landscape from a different perspective. 

Gravel riding, though, may define the region. Safer than road and less technical than mountain biking, it threads through shaded corridors of deciduous canopies, steep climbs, fast descents, and creek crossings. On a blazing summer day, an Arkansas swimming hole feels lifesaving. 

I never planned to leave Colorado. My hesitation was less about geography and more about resisting change. 

Saying “yes” to one opportunity reshaped my trajectory. Northwest Arkansas is now a place I proudly call home.

Sponsored by OzarksGo, Noah Collins shares how Northwest Arkansas’s cycling community reshaped his personal and professional trajectory.