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Layout, tools, secrets
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Plan & achieve
your impossible dream
$19.95 eBook
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for Cyclists
DVD plus
workout manual
by Olympic Coach
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150 ways to become
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Expert medical Rx
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THE go-fast bible
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Complete year-round
program YOU can do
$12.95 eBook
181 amusing columns
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4th EDITION
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Welcome, Roadies . . .
Let's get good!
OUR WEBSITE is dedicated to sport-recreational
road cyclists who want to
get fitter, improve
their skills and have more fun in this great sport.
RoadBikeRider.com
("RBR") publishes a free weekly e-mail newsletter that's
also posted here on the home page. We invite you to
subscribe to receive each new issue instantly in your inbox,
along with a free copy of
our bonus eBook, 29 Pro Cycling Secrets for Roadies.
No cost of obligation.
(See our ironclad privacy policy.)
Thanks for visiting RBR! We hope
all road cyclists will benefit
from what we do here.
Please tell us
how we can meet your needs.
Search
tips
E-mail a friend Tell other roadies about this newsletter
Printer Here's a newsletter format that's easy to print
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editor We like to receive your comments
This Week's Newsletter Content
Click to
comment on what you read
in this issue!
Go
to newsletter archive
______________________________________
RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
Issue
No. 400 - 07/02/09: Defeat the Heat
ISSN 1536-4143
Produced almost every
Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without cost or obligation to
more than 62,400 roadies around the world.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
1.
ROAD
NOTES
Nice
milestones:
This is the
400th issue
of RBR's
newsletter.
It also
concludes
our 8th
year in
business.
My how time
flies when
you get up every
day to do
what you
love -- write
about road
cycling.
Newsletter
No. 1
was e-mailed
to 343
subscribers
on July 5,
2001. This
one is going
to 62,421.
For the
first time
ever, this
year we're
down a few
dozen
subscribers
and the
mailing list
has
basically
plateaued.
We're OK
with that.
One reason
is that in
January we
began
posting the
newsletter
on our
website's
home page.
Roadies no
longer need
to subscribe
to get their
weekly dose
of cycling
advice, road
news and
entertainment.
We suspected
the sub list
would
flat-line
while hits
on the home
page surged.
That's
exactly
what's
happened.
Second, we
aggressively
cull our
mailing list
each week to
delete
unresponsive
addresses.
This keeps
the list
pure, not
loaded with
junk that
falsely
inflates the
subscription
total (and
bogs the
mail
server).
On average,
we gain as
many
addresses
each week as
we lop off.
People still
sign up for
e-mail
delivery so
they can
receive each
new
newsletter
instantly
and get a
free
download of
our bonus
eBook, "29
Pro Cycling
Secrets for
Roadies."
If you have
cycling
friends who
may not know
about
RoadBikeRider.com,
you're
welcome to
forward this
issue so
they can see
if they're
interested.
We
occasionally
hear from a
roadie
who's been
with RBR
since 2001.
If an
original
subscriber
has printed
each
newsletter,
he or she
has a stack
of some
4,000 pages.
All of this
writing has
been a labor
of love in
one sense,
but tens of
thousands of
subscribers
have paid us
back with
Premium
Site
memberships
and
purchases
from the
RBR
eBookstore.
Thank you! This free
newsletter
couldn't
exist
without your
patronage.
In fact, we
just closed
June with
1,222 sales
-- our best
month so far this
year. What
economic
downturn?
Our great
sport
encompasses
transportation,
recreation,
travel and
fitness, all
thanks to a
fun and
efficient
human-powered
vehicle. A
good portion
of RBR's
audience
thinks like
this:
"If I'm
riding, why
not ride to
my
potential?"
RBR's
mission is
to help it
happen.
As we start
our 9th year
and prepare
newsletter
No. 401, all
the RBR guys
-- Fred,
Jim, Scott,
Les, Uncle
Al and I --
as well as
our
contributors
and authors,
want to say
thanks for
your
support. We
understand
your desire
to ride with
more skill,
fitness and
enjoyment.
That's us
too.
We'll keep
helping as
best we can.
Stay tuned
for lots
more from
RBR!
Ed Pavelka
Editor/Publisher
Comment
______________________________________
Please note:
RBR will be
on holiday
hours during
July 3-6. Ed
the Office
Manager and
wife Joleen
are spending
the
Independence
Day weekend
on their
Co-Motion
tandem,
riding the
hills and
dales of the
Mohawk
Valley in
upstate New
York. Ed
will be
checking
e-mail, but
please allow
some slack
if response
time is
longer than
normal.
Hey, get off
the computer
and have
some great
holiday
rides
yourself!
______________________________________
-
We
recently
noted a
study
that
found
that
non-weight-bearing
sports
such as
cycling
and
swimming
do
contribute
to bone
health,
just not
as
significantly
as
activities
like
running
and
weight
lifting.
Now
comes a
New
York
Times
article
that
casts
doubt.
"Is
Bicycling
Bad For
Your
Bones?"
is the
title
and the
answer
more or
less is
yes --
especially
if
you're a
high-end
rider
who
trains
hard,
neglects
other
sports
and
sweats a
ton.
It's
worth a
read at
http://tinyurl.com/nwsmar.
The
article
has
interesting
information
on the
potential
bone-weakening
effects
of
calcium
loss
through
perspiration.
Writer
Gretchen
Reynolds
reports
on a
study of
cyclists
who were
given
either
tap
water or
calcium-enriched
water
during a
50-minute
indoor
ride:
"The
riders
drinking
the tap
water
had much
higher
levels
of blood
chemicals
related
to bone
loss
than did
the
riders
swigging
the
calcium,"
she
writes.
"Researchers
suspect
that
drinking
calcium-enriched
water or
sports
drinks
during
long,
hot bike
rides
may help
to stave
off some
bone
loss."
-
Have
you seen
the
LightLane?
This
ingenious
seatpost-mounted
taillight
has the
usual
bright
red LEDs
but also
green
lasers
that
cast
parallel
lines on
the
pavement,
one on
each
side of
the
bike.
The
lines
are
about
5-6 feet
apart to
establish
a
"safety
zone," a
sort of
rolling
bike
lane.
The
LightLane
is in
development
with no
word yet
(that we
could
find) on
availability,
cost or
battery
life.
Based on
a
YouTube
video,
it works
very
well --
the
laser
lines
even
show
through
a
vehicle's
headlights.
Take a
look at
http://tinyurl.com/nbwhgb
-
Release
waivers
mean
what
they
say.
At least
in
Pennsylvania,
where a
judge
ruled
against
a woman
paralyzed
in a
crash
during
the 2005
Tour de
'Toona.
She sued
the race
organizers
and
various
other
parties
despite
having
signed 2
release
forms
that
stated
the
dangers
of bike
racing.
Jim
Moss,
an
attorney
who
specializes
in legal
issues
involving
sports,
told the
trade
magazine
Bicycle
Retailer
and
Industry
News,
"These
cases
are very
sad
[but]
when you
enter a
race,
join a
club, or
sign up
for a
ride, if
you're
not
ready to
accept
the
risks
emotionally
and
financially,
don't
sign the
release,
don't
race,
join or
ride. In
a
majority
of
states,
releases
stop
lawsuits
and if
it
weren't
for
releases
we
wouldn't
have
races,
rides or
be able
to enjoy
this
sport."
The
injured
woman's
attorney
said
they'll
appeal
to a
higher
state
court.
-
50-year-old
Jeannie
Longo
won her
56th
French
national
championship
by
successfully
defending
her time
trial
title.
She
covered
the
23.5-km
(14.8-mile)
course
in 33:42
-- an
average
speed of
41.7 kph
(26.3
mph) --
to win
by 33
seconds.
Longo
took her
first
national
title 30
years
ago
before
many of
her
current
rivals
were
born. A
late
report
says
Longo
will be
in the
U.S.
this
weekend
to race
in the
50th
edition
of the
Fitchburg
Longsjo
Classic,
July 2-5
in
Fitchburg,
Massachusetts.
-
What
does the
bike
industry
see as
the next
big
thing?
The
answer,
according
to the
current
issue of
Bicycle
Retailer
and
Industry
News,
is bikes
designed
for
transportation.
BRAIN
cites
developments
such as
Specialized
launching
Globe, a
stand-alone
brand of
everyday
bikes;
Fuji
acquiring
transportation
brand
Breezer;
and
Raleigh
cutting
back its
hardcore
road and
MTB
models
while
expanding
its line
of city
bikes.
Says
Globe
brand
manager
Robin
Sansom:
"The
time is
right
now. So
much has
changed
in the
past few
years --
the
price of
gas,
global
warming
and the
environmental
movement.
New bike
buyers
are
interested
in bikes
as
transportation,
in
getting
around,
running
errands
and
going to
their
friend's
house."
-
The
Tour de
France
starts
Saturday
and
North
America
cable
network
Versus
will
again
televise
live
coverage
of each
of the
21
stages.
This
year for
the
first
time
Tour
programming
will be
in high
definition.
Versus
plans an
average
of 13
hours of
Tour
coverage
each
day,
counting
taped
stage
replays.
Phil
Liggett
and
Paul
Sherwen
will
provide
live
stage
commentary
while
Craig
Hummer
and
Bob Roll
host
each
night's
2-hour
recap
show.
Saturday's
kickoff
begins
at 8:30
a.m. ET
with a
one-hour
program
about
Lance
Armstrong.
Live
coverage
of the
stage 1
time
trial
starts
an hour
later.
The full
Versus
schedule
and
other
Tour
features
can be
found at
http://www.versus.com/tdf
______________________________________
Overheard:
"Austin
is not a bad
riding city,
but it's not
what it was
when I lived
there 20
years ago."
-- Lance
Armstrong
on one
reason he
built a
$9-million
house in
Aspen,
Colorado,
and will be
spending
less time in
his Texas
hometown.
Article at
http://tinyurl.com/nzj8nr
______________________________________
-
Jet
Blue is
celebrating
the Tour
by
waiving
its $50
checked-bike
fee this
month.
The
airline
is also
showing
Versus
coverage
of the
race on
seatback
TVs.
Details
at
http://tinyurl.com/nt9prt
-
Quads
on fire.
Some of
our most
interesting
e-mail
comes
from
Premium
Site
writer
Les
Woodland
in
France.
We were
comparing
notes on
climbing
styles
when Les
mentioned
this:
"Riding
out of
the
saddle
is one
of the
measures
I use
for
knowing
whether
I'm fit
or not.
After a
lay-off,
or when
I'm just
not that
brilliant,
my
thighs
start
burning
if I
stand
for any
time.
Which
generally
means
after
just a
little
time.
Then I
can
stand it
longer
and
longer
until
finally
it's no
longer a
problem
and what
little
discomfort
I do
feel can
be
ignored."
Can you
relate?
-
It
might be
a no
brainer
to say
that
riding a
bike
enhances
mood.
That's
been
accepted
about
cycling
and
other
physical
activities
for
years.
But a
study at
the
University
of
Vermont
surprised
researchers
by
determining
that the
positive
effect
lasts as
long as
12
hours.
Two
dozen
college
students
rode
stationary
bikes
for 20
minutes
at
moderate
intensity
while 24
other
students
did no
exercise.
Then the
kids all
filled
out
questionnaires
at
intervals
of 1, 2,
4, 8, 12
and 24
hours.
Compared
to the
non-exercisers,
the
pedalers
showed
improved
moods
for as
long as
12 hours
(both
groups
were the
same at
24
hours).
"We
found
the
improvements
are more
durable
than
expected,"
noted
one
researcher.
This
study
indicates
2
things:
First,
riding
every
day
keeps a
person
happier.
Second,
riding
indoors
must not
be as
depressing
as we
thought.
-
Bizarre.
That's
probably
the best
word to
describe
the
cycling
career
of
David
Clinger.
Not to
mention
his
face.
See what
he did
to it
and read
the saga
of this
self-destructive
roadie
at
http://tinyurl.com/n6mh37
-
New
on the
website,
RBR tech
guru
Jim
Langley
reviews
Power
Cordz
--
lightweight,
synthetic
gear and
brake
cables.
Are they
better
than
conventional
metal
cables?
Click
here
to find
out.
______________________________________
RBR's
QUESTION of the Week
In
a
New York
Times preview
of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong
says, "I'm not as confident in winning as I was in other
years," adding that "the trick is trying to be a responsible
teammate and co-leader and understand that Alberto
[Contador] could not just be stronger, but could be a lot
stronger."
It sets
the stage for a very intriguing Tour -- if you're a race
fan. Are you?
How interested are you in the
Tour de France this year?
We give you
5 ways to answer on our
poll page,
where you can also find an archive of previous questions and
votes.
Please click, vote and come back to finish reading.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
2.
COACH FRED
Should I
Pedal With Toes Up or Down?
Q:
How should cleats be positioned under the ball of the foot?
That is, when I have the cranks horizontal, should my
forward foot be horizontal or should my toes point up or
down? -- Mark M.
Coach Fred
Matheny Replies:
I'm not quite sure how your foot-angle question involves
cleat position. These variables aren't closely related.
Let's talk
about cleat position first.
It has
been standard through the history of the sport to have the
ball of each foot centered over its pedal axle. But now some
studies show that a more rearward cleat position is more
effective.
The
reasoning is that the calf muscles don't contribute to the
pedal stroke in a meaningful way. They just function as a
cable connecting the foot to the power-producing muscles --
the glutes, hamstrings and quads. For this reason roadies
are finding that they can move cleats back for greater
comfort and stability without sacrificing -- and perhaps
enhancing -- pedaling performance.
A rearward
cleat position also reduces the chance of an Achilles tendon
injury. And it can be effective for eliminating "hot foot"
-- the dreaded burning sensation in the forefoot.
As for
foot angle through the bottom of the pedal stroke, it
depends on what your feet and ankles want to do.
Throughout
history we've seen great riders with each foot angle. For
example, the great French champion Jacques Anquetil
pedaled with toes down. Eddy Merckx's feet were
horizontal. Greg LeMond dropped his heel at the
bottom of the stroke, particularly when pedaling hard.
The
difference is caused by muscle composition and ankle
structure, among other factors. One technique isn't better
than another. Set your cleats correctly, then let your feet
do what's natural.
Comment
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
18% More
Power to the Pedals
Roadie
Peter L. of Fort Worth, Texas, reports an 18.4% increase in his
average power output and a 12.3% increase in peak
power -- after just 24 hours of training.
How'd he
do it? With Coach Fred Matheny's "Power to the
Pedals" program. It requires just 1 hour of specific
training 2 times per week, on the road or on an indoor
trainer.
Click
here
to read Peter's specific performance data and the
success stories from other newly powerized roadies.
"Power to the Pedals"
costs just $3.99 in the
RBR
eBookstore. Download instantly from your
RBR
account and you too could be generating 12-18% more
power in midseason.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
3.
CLASSIFIEDS
Also see the
Classified Ads
page on the RBR website and please support these
advertisers that help make this newsletter free for you.
______________________________________
NEW
Giant Tour de France Poster Sale! SAVE 5-15%
All posters included, vintage originals, fine art
Giclee
reproductions and modern posters.
http://www.BicycleGifts.com
______________________________________
Find & compare RENTAL BIKES at hundreds of
bike shops nationwide! Reserve NOW for best
selection.
Many models and styles.
http://www.RentaBikeNow.com
______________________________________
Also on
Classified Ads, these
Roadie Ads:
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
4.
JIM'S TECH TALK
Front
Derailleur Fine-Tuning
Last
week's look at dropped chains has me thinking that front
derailleur tuning tips might be helpful.
Let's
assume that your gear cables and shifters are in good shape
and your basic derailleur adjustment with the limit screws
is proper.
Note:
A
front derailleur has 2 limit screws on top. The inner one
governs how far the cage can move over the small chainring;
the outer screw does the same over the large chainring.
Don't mess with these screws until you've checked everything
I mention next.
First, you
need:
-
a way
to suspend the bike (repair stand, car rack)
-
metric
Allen wrench set
-
6-inch
adjustable wrench
-
pliers
-
small
screwdriver (Philips or regular)
-
optional: bottom bracket tools to fit the BB in your
bike
Checks to
perform:
(1) Bottom
bracket.
Grip both
crankarms (not the pedals) and push and pull laterally
across the bike to feel for looseness. There shouldn't be
any. If there is, the chainrings will wobble during pedaling
and this will cause shifting problems. You may need to
adjust or even replace the bottom bracket. If this job is
beyond your expertise or tool collection, have your local
shop mechanic take a look.
(2)
Chainring bolts.
If one or more is loose, the result can be wobbly
chainrings. Use a 5-mm Allen wrench to check them. Go easy
-- just make sure they're snug because excess force can
break them. (Note that some newer cranks have bolts that
require a Torx wrench. Why companies are doing this, I have
no idea.)
(3)
Chainrings.
Sight from above as you turn the crank backwards slowly,
then faster. By using the side plates of the derailleur cage
as a guide, you'll be able to see any side-to-side wavers in
the chainrings. The large ring is usually the one out of
true. To correct, open the jaws of the adjustable wrench
just enough to slip over the center of the chainring section
that's out of alignment. Gingerly pull or push the
handle to straighten the ring. This takes a little practice.
Similarly, you can straighten bent teeth with the wrench.
(4)
Mounting plate.
Many newer carbon bikes have a mounting plate for the front
derailleur. It's held to the frame with small Allen bolts,
which can loosen (or they may not have been tightened enough
at the factory). Find the Allen that fits and snug these
bolts.
(5)
Derailleur height.
This check and No. 6 are related and tricky to get perfect.
With the chain on the small ring, move the derailleur cage
over the large ring without turning the crank. There should
be about 4 mm between the bottom of the outer cage plate and
the top of the teeth. Turn the crank backwards to double
check, as rings aren't always perfectly round. If you don't
have enough gap or you see 10 mm or more, either can cause
shifting trouble.
Note: Raising or lowering the derailleur will
require resetting cable tension. If you lower the
derailleur, loosen the cable anchor bolt with the right-size
Allen, then pull on the cable with pliers to remove slack.
If you raise the derailleur, you'll need to let a little
cable out through the anchor.
(6)
Derailleur angle.
Look from above at how the side plates of the derailleur
cage align with the chainrings. Imagine a line that bisects
the cage, front to back. This line should be parallel to the
chainrings. Most cages flare wider either at the front or
back. When the alignment is correct the flare will be
equidistant on either side of the cage. To correct the
angle, loosen the derailleur just enough to rotate it. Hold
it in place as you tighten the Allen bolt. Do this carefully
so you don't lose the correct height.
(7) Limit
screws.
Finish by checking shifting. When in low gear (small
chainring and largest cassette cog), the chain should just
clear the derailleur's inner side plate without touching.
When in high gear (large ring and smallest cog), the chain
should cleanly pass the outer side plate. If necessary, turn
the appropriate limit screw half a turn and then shift to
check response. If the limit screw won't allow the cage to
move far enough to the inside, the cable is too tight. Open
the anchor bolt to let a little more come through.
Front
derailleurs aren't the easiest part on a bike to get right.
But if you're experiencing ragged shifts or even dropping
the chain, follow these checks in order, make the
corrections, and you should see a big improvement.
(Jim Langley
has been a pro mechanic and cycling writer for 37
years. At RBR he's the author of
Your Home Bicycle Workshop and moderator
of the "Roadie Rap" technical forums on the
Premium
Site.
Check his personal website at
www.jimlangley.net, his
Q&A blog and updates at
Twitter. Jim's streak of consecutive cycling
days has reached 5,649.)
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David Ertl is a USA Cycling Level 1 coach who
specializes in helping roadies gain the most from every
ride they take. Hundreds of cyclists are already
benefiting from his 2 new eBooks at RBR:
Training for Busy Cyclists and
101
Cycling Workouts.
The first eBook shows
you how to make the most of just 3-5 hours of riding per
week. The second ensures that you won't get bored with
training on the bike, in the weight room or when
crosstraining.
To read excerpts and
see the tables of content, visit the
RBR
eBookstore. Order today and download instantly from
your
RBR account.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
5.
NO PROBLEM!
Heat & Humidity
What's the matter?
It's July, and where lots of us live global
warming is no joke. Baby, it's hot out there
and, in many places, humid too.
Here's help:
Fortunately, a bike is well suited to
hot-weather exercise. It goes fast enough to
create a breeze that helps evaporate
perspiration to cool the body. Bikes have bottle
cages so we can haul fluid to replace much of
what's lost through sweat. And bikes cover
ground quickly so we're usually in range of
air-conditioned convenience store for cooling
off while replenishing liquids.
Let's look at 7 ways to combat summer's heat.
-
Hydrate. The warmer it gets, the
more important it becomes to keep fluids
topped off. It isn't simply a matter of
performance, although it begins being
compromised with the loss of as little as 2%
of body weight as fluid. Worse, becoming
dehydrated in hot conditions can be health-
and even life-threatening. So always start
each summer ride with 2 full bottles. If
you're going to be out for more than 90
minutes in areas without stores or other
water sources, you may want a back-mounted
hydration pack as well.
Tip:
A hydration pack filled with ice works great
to reduce core temperature. And as the ice
melts, you'll have a supply of cold water to
drink, further controlling the internal
furnace. Hydration packs are a great
solution for extreme heat.
-
Use ice and insulation. You need to
drink, but warm fluids on a hot day are hard
to swallow and won't cool you. Use insulated
bottles from Polar or CamelBak and get to
know which convenience stores have crushed
ice dispensers in their soda machines. Fill
bottles with ice, top off with water or a
sports drink and you'll have cold fluid for
90 minutes for so -- till the next stop.
-
Consider an electrolyte supplement.
Products such as Endurolytes, ZYM or NUUN
can be taken during rides to replenish
electrolytes lost in sweat (sodium,
chloride, magnesium, potassium, calcium,
etc.). This may improve performance and
stave off cramps. Some riders report
benefits, some don't. Most sports drinks
contain some electrolytes.
-
Dress for distress. Choose light
colors in a relatively loose-fitting jersey
with a long zipper to help air circulate and
sweat evaporate. If you're concerned about
sun damage to your skin and wind drag
doesn't matter, consider long-sleeve
garments specifically made for hot-weather
riding by companies such as Sun Solutions.
-
Use sunscreen. Sizzling weather is
accompanied by a greater risk of sunburn.
Fried skin will make you feel even hotter
and more uncomfortable, so use sunscreen
with a high SPF rating. Check for a
sport-specific formula that stays on better
during heavy sweating. Smear plenty on areas
that are often overlooked: nose, lips, ears
and the back of the neck and knees.
-
Ride early or late. Many cyclists in
hot regions ride at dawn or dusk during
summer to escape the hottest part of the
day. Consider getting a good lighting system
so your rides aren't delayed or stopped by
lack of daylight.
-
Reduce intensity. When it's hot, more
of your body's power production has to be
diverted to cooling. So you can't work as
hard or as long as in lower temperatures.
Think about how hard it is to ride more than
an hour on the trainer when the room is
warm. It can be just as bad outside in hot
conditions. So reduce both intensity and
distance. Save the century PR attempts for
cooler weather.
Comment
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6. SCOTT'S
SPIN
Tour de
Shrink
With the
Tour de France set to start on Saturday, everybody's asking
who will lead the Astana superteam: 7-time Tour winner
Lance Armstrong or young gun Alberto Contador,
winner of the last 3 Grand Tours he's ridden.
Speculation intensified when reports surfaced that Contador
-- who has been wondering publicly just who is Astana's top
banana -- may have tried unsuccessfully to switch teams a
few days ago.
The
official team line is that there's no problem. The strongest
rider will emerge during the race and the squad will rally
to his side.
Behind the
scenes, however, things may not be so rosy, as RBR learned
when our intrepid reporter uncovered this transcript of a
recent Astana-mandated counseling session involving Lance,
Alberto and licensed family therapist Dr. Anna Robic:
Dr. Robic:
Welcome, gentlemen. Please remove your cycling shoes -- my
office floor is imported mahogany. So, we're here today
because your coach, Mr. Bruyneel, says you two have some
unresolved issues.
Lance:
That's bull. The only unresolved issue is how we're gonna
take the yellow jersey.
Dr. Robic:
Do you agree, Alberto?
Alberto:
Well, yes and no. Of course we want an Astana rider to win.
But what I want to know is: If I am the strongest, will
Lance and the rest of the team support me?
Dr. Robic:
It sounds like you're saying you have trust issues.
Alberto:
Si, mucho trust issues.
Lance:
You can trust me, Alberto. I've told you this like eight
times.
Alberto:
How come you keep saying "eight times"?
Lance:
Why, you little . . . Care to step outside -- or are you
yellow?
Alberto:
How come you keep saying "yellow"?
Dr. Robic:
Gentlemen, please . . . put down those pumps. Security!
Comment
(Scott
Martin's eBook,
Spin
Again, contains 181 of his witty, sometimes wacky, and
occasionally heart-felt observations on road cycling.
Click
here to enjoy 3 classic Spins again and place your order
for instant delivery by download.)
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o^o o^o o^o o^o
Premium
Appreciation
"Your newsletter is great! I decided to
join the
Premium
Site
because of the great information you
provide for free." -- Kelly B. of
Mesa, Arizona, in a note with her
membership payment.
We like the way you think, Kelly, but we
don't accept charity. So in exchange for
the $24.99
Premium
Site
annual fee we provide 10 valuable
membership benefits, including 3 bonus
eBooks and a money-saving 15% discount
on every purchase from our
eBookstore.
Click here to check all the bennies.
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
7.
TRY THIS ON
YOUR NEXT RIDE
Divide
and Conquer Hills
Especially when riding with others, many cyclists attack
a climb at the bottom and try to sustain the pace to the
top. Then they blow halfway up. The rest of the climb
becomes a survival contest. Wise riders who pace their
effort stream past.
One
way to solve this problem is to divide the hill into 3
fairly equal sections. If you know the climb or can see
the top, pick landmarks at the one-third and two-thirds
points. A sign, tree, mailbox, guardrail, patch in the
road -- anything you can see from a distance works fine.
Then
treat the 3 sections like 3 different climbs.
-
In the first third, your intensity should be
moderate. Choose a gear that lets you spin a bit
faster than your normal climbing rpm. You should
feel a touch of guilt that you aren't pushing
harder. The hammerheads will surge past.
-
In the middle third, ride at normal
intensity. Get into your regular climbing cadence.
You should be working hard but not all-out. Some of
the early hotshots will begin coming back.
-
In the final third, increase your effort. Now
you're concentrating on a smooth, round pedal
stroke. Your breathing is deep but rhythmical and
controlled. You're staying on this side of an
anaerobic effort. Your legs are beginning to
smolder, but that's good. Aim for what Lance calls
"sweet pain" rather than suffering pain. And it will
be sweet as you roll by everyone who started the
hill too hard.
Remember the perfect image used by coach Chris
Carmichael: Climb like a carpet unrolling.
Strive to make the last third your fastest third,
certainly not your slowest.
A
climb paced in this way will feel better physically and
mentally. Your time up the hill will almost certainly be
faster compared to the common mistake of starting too
fast and melting down before the top.
Comment
(If
you want to climb better and appreciate this type of
straightforward, doable advice, you're going to love
Coach Fred Matheny's upcoming eBook, "Climbing for
Roadies." It covers ascending from bottom to top,
and it devotes a detailed section to fast-but-safe
descending. Look for a mid-July introduction in the
RBR eBookstore.)
o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
8. RBR
eBOOKSTORE
Premium
Site
annual members
automatically
receive a 15%
discount on
every eBook,
eArticle or
other products
in the
RBR eBookstore.
______________________________________
"Awesome!
Thank
you very
much.
Your
policies
have to
be the
best in
the
publishing
industry!
Such
informative
material
too.
Just
awesome.
Thanks
again!"
--
Larry W.
What has
Larry so
fired
up?
RBR
provides
not 1
but 5
downloads
of every
eBook
and
eArticle
purchased.
So when
Larry
wondered
about
buying
the new
4th
edition
of
Bike Fit,
we told
him he
didn't
need to.
As a
previous
purchaser
of that
eBook,
the new
edition
had
automatically
been put
into his
RBR
account.
So far,
5 eBooks
sold at
RBR have
been
updated
with new
editions.
The
original
purchasers
haven't
had to
pay a
penny to
download
them --
not even
when the
price
increased.
The
"best
policies
in the
publishing
industry"?
We're
trying!
______________________________________
HOT
LIST:
June
eBook
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1.
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2.
Power to
the
Pedals
(eArticle)
--
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12-week,
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cycling
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Coach
Fred
Matheny
3. Training for Busy Cyclists -- how to become significantly fitter & stronger in just 3-5 hours of riding per week, by Coach David Ertl
4. 101 Cycling Workouts -- never get bored or stuck in a training rut on the bike, crosstraining or weight training, by Coach David Ertl
5. Bike Fit -- new 4th edition of Dr. Arnie Baker's illustrated guide to bike selection, setup and riding position for road and MTB
6. The Ride of Your Life -- cycling time management, goal setting and keys to achievement by long-distance specialist David Rowe
7. Andy Pruitt's Medical Guide for Cyclists -- the original manual for professional bike fit, injury diagnosis & treatment by Andy Pruitt, Ed.D.
8. Coach Fred's Solutions to 150 Road Cycling Challenges -- a comprehensive head start to getting good fast by avoiding beginner mistakes
9. High-Intensity Training for Cyclists -- THE go-fast bible from Arnie Baker, winner of more than 200 road races and coach of Olympians
10. Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat, 2nd Edition -- how to choose the safest, most comfortable saddle for your anatomy (men & women)
Find
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o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o o^o
o^o o^o o^o o^o
Thanks for reading, and for your support of
RoadBikeRider.com.
Look for newsletter No. 401 on Thursday, July 9.
Meanwhile, enjoy your rides!
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This
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