At Princeton, Nick Frey '09 has used his fascination with engineering to propel one of his passions: cycling.

When Frey got his first mountain bike at age 14 in Des Moines, Iowa, he immediately became "obsessed" with its mechanical components. "We call it 'getting geeked out' in the cycling world," he says. "So I guess I would say I was an engineer before a cyclist. The cool gadgetry of cycling got me interested in the sport."

A year later, Frey started racing. Since then, the mechanical and aerospace engineering major and co-president of the University cycling team has been intent on finding ways to go faster by cutting down on wind resistance. Using what he has learned from Princeton courses such as "Fluid Mechanics," he continually makes modifications to his racing bike and equipment, such as finding a way to effectively house brake cables.

A regular in the bike room at Dillon Gymnasium, Frey rigorously analyzes all aspects of his performance, from distance and speed to cadence and power outputs. During his normal cycling regimen, he spends between 20 to 25 hours on his bike each week, often riding with his teammates on the cycling team. He posts many of his results on his blog.

His efforts have paid off. In 2007, Frey became the national time-trial champion for men under age 23, opening the door to new racing opportunities, which recently included a world championship time trial in Stuttgart, Germany.

Frey's plans for the future extend beyond training strategies to new professional challenges. His goal is to start a company that designs cycling gear, accessories and gadgets that push the limits of speed or enhance the sport of cycling. The Princeton course "Entrepreneurial Engineering" has helped to hone his product design and marketing skills, as did a summer internship at an aerospace technology firm.