Between the ages of fourteen and sixteen, Nicolas Haydar underwent eight surgeries on his legs. The process reduced his hip mobility and changed how his body could move on the bike. Years later, he approaches cycling as a continuous experiment in motion rebuilt from restriction.

To adapt, Nicolas switched to JCOB short cranks, finding that reduced crank length allowed him to ride efficiently within his limited hip range. The change was subtle but decisive, shifting his focus from raw power to mechanical control. Every pedal stroke became part of a long-term study in how to balance range, stability, and force.

Rebuilding motion

After each surgery, Nicolas began again from zero. Weeks in a wheelchair turned into slow sessions on an indoor trainer, where motion was measured in degrees rather than distance. The early work was about restoring symmetry and learning what his body could tolerate without pain.

Each recovery cycle taught him how to read small mechanical cues such as hip angle, pedal smoothness, and consistent torque through the stroke. That feedback built the foundation for how he rides now—methodical, data-driven, and informed by biomechanics.

Turning precision into performance

Nicolas returned to racing within months of one surgery, finishing inside the top fifteen at Junior Nationals and later winning the Indiana State Junior Criterium Championship. Each result confirmed that control and restraint could create more speed than force alone.

Now, he is training to lift his twenty-minute power from 5.4 to 6 watts per kilogram while maintaining the efficiency that short cranks provide. His focus is not on chasing numbers but on refining the position and motion that make those numbers repeatable.

The ongoing experiment

Every ride is an analysis. Nicolas tracks how changes in fit, crank length, and form affect power delivery and fatigue. His story is less about recovery and more about refinement—proof that speed can be engineered through limitation when movement is understood and rebuilt with intent.