Sue Butler

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Coach Sue Butler is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and ready for in-person coaching.

Sue Butler started racing in her mid-30’s, late for an elite rider, but that did not stop her from reaching the highest level in three disciplines. Starting in 2006, with the help of Wenzel Coaching, Sue has been National Champion on the mountain bike, road and cyclocross. She has competed three times as a member of the U.S. National Team at Elite Cyclocross World Championships and is a Masters Cyclocross World and National Champion, age 40-44. Sue is IMBA Level 2 Certified Skills Instructor and holds a masters degree in Education/Counseling. She uses her formal training as well as her competitive experience to help her clients gain skills and fitness to reach their riding and racing goals.

Sue’s racing career has included coming back from two major injuries — knee surgery in 2006 and back surgery in 2012. Her firsthand experience in overcoming these major obstacles helps her to listen to, direct and motivate those dealing with setbacks.

Sue is familiar with many road, MTB and cyclocross courses in Oregon and the Pacific NW region. She has intimate knowledge of most of the national cyclocross races and many of the mountain bike races. She has raced most of the World Cup cyclocross venues and several of the mountain bike venues. She also has raced the Nature Valley Grand Prix and Cascade Cycling Classic NRC stage races. With her extensive knowledge of traveling with the bike regionally, nationally and internationally, she is ready to support athletes who aspire to race outside of their local area.

Sue brings communication skills, gained from her time as a high school counselor, and a passion for cycling to her coaching and focuses on solutions and opportunities, working with strengths of individuals knowing that every athlete is different. She has taught numerous skills clinics for both mountain bike and cyclocross and made guest appearances across the country teaching cyclocross skills to beginners and experts alike. Sue has immersed herself in the cycling community in Portland and across the country, endearing herself to the public by her visible love for the sport.

When Sue is not coaching, training for her next event, or racing locally, she likes to craft handmade cards, bake, and hang out with her husband at their cabin on the northern side of Mt Hood. In the winter she trades her wheels for skis.

Events: Cyclocross, Endurance Mountain Biking, Endurance Road Riding, Learn to Ride, Mountain Bike Racing, Road Racing

Services: Clinics/Camps, Consultation, Learn to Ride, Skills Training, Training Programs

Specialties: Beginning Racing, Beginning Riding, Dirt Skills, Elite Development, Master Athletes, Preparation for Adventures, Return from Illness, Return from Injury, Return from Overtraining, Road Skills, Working Athletes

"Before the race, I went to my Sport Doctor and I got the best results EVER in terms of Vo2max and anaerobic threshold. That has to do strictly with my training guidelines from Sue. Those results gave me the motivation for last Sunday race. It was a brutal, hard, demanding, insane race. It involved high altitude, mud, rain, cold weather, "pushing bike" (as we call it), uphill course and technical descents. Fortunately, I was first the whole race and manage to keep my pace until the end." A. Ordonez

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Improve your mountain bike and cyclocross skills with Associate Coach Sue Butler!

Learn from one of the Pacific Northwest’s best cyclocrossers and dirt riding skill teachers, Wenzel Associate Coach Sue Butler of Portland, OR. Improve your basic skills or focus on race-specific components.

Learn from a multi-time elite Worlds team member and Master World Champion
During your private mountain bike or cyclocross lesson, Sue will walk you through each skill you want to work on, explaining weighting, braking, sight-line and other components, breaking it down to the level you need for mastery. In addition, learn tips such as optimal tire pressure, warm-ups, and mental skills for approaching challenging terrain and racing.

Each 1-2 hour lesson can be individualized to you or a small group.

Pricing: $100 per hour. Discounts for multiple hours. Hourly pricing may be split between a small number of participants. Check for details.

Some ideas for areas of improvement:

• Cornering
• Dismounts/Remounts
• Bike carrying and barriers
• Descending
• Off-camber terrain
• Run-ups
• Starts
• Passing
• Areas that have held you back in races in the past
• Any skill you’d like to work on!

“Sue has the humility, patience, and focus necessary to teach and train proper cyclocross skills. She has patiently learned them for herself and then applied that knowledge to her racing. This approach is useful for riders of all levels. Walk before you run; drill and practice before you race. We can all aspire to professional-level technique–it’s the challenge and reward of cyclocross.” ~Erik Tonkin, Team S&M/Kona