Issue No. 478: Hoop Dreams

My No. 1 bike is 5-1/2 years old. And like a middle-aged Hollywood starlet hoping to reclaim her youth, there’s not much original equipment left on her.

Here’s a quick rundown: front shifter, headset, handlebar, seat post, rear derailleur. That’s it.

With just a couple of exceptions, the replaced parts either broke, wore out, or were otherwise defective. The only purely optional upgrades I’ve made were replacing the cheap, no-name original brakes, and replacing the wheels.

Sure, it’s great to have more powerful brakes, but the idea of upgrading them never raised my blood pressure. My wheels were a different story. I had dreamed of new hoops for years before finally making what I consider the best upgrade you can make on a road bike.

I scanned catalogs to get ideas. I enviously eyed the high-end wheels I saw at events and rides. I stared at the wheel sets hanging on display at my LBS. (To clear up any lingering confusion from my earlier “Value Index” column, Yes, I do shop at my LBS and have spent thousands at the same shop over 20+ years. I’ve bought 5 bikes there, loads of parts, and labor, to boot. Those guys are great!)

I Chose my LBS for the Build

If fact, instead of buying an “off the rack” set of wheels from Mavic or Easton or some other well-known maker, I opted to have my LBS build me a custom set of hoops. I could have saved a couple hundred dollars, but I would not have gotten exactly what I wanted. And I would have missed out on the fun of being part of the process.

Working directly with the wheel-builder, it was very much a consultative-collaborative approach. We talked about the purpose of the wheels I wanted to have built. I wanted a nice set of everyday, general-purpose wheels that would be suitable for the various types of riding I enjoy -- spirited club rides, “hang on for dear life” local hammerfests, centuries of varying terrain and speed, a few annual trips to the mountains, an occasional TT and road race. Basically, a little bit of everything.

The term my wheel-builder used for what I described was “bomb-proof.” While I might not have conjured the same term, I agreed it was on the money.

We then talked through and looked at various options and price points for the component parts: rims, hubs, spokes and nipples. The array of options is vast, which makes a knowledgeable wheel-builder invaluable in terms of setting parameters and narrowing options to best fit your needs and budget.

The U.N. of Wheel Sets

I opted to choose the components individually based on the quality and reputation of the companies, along with the prices. This meant that I ended up with a truly international set of wheels: the rims are Australian (Velocity Deep V’s, 30 mm), the spokes and nipples are Belgian (Sapim CX-Ray), and the hubs are Swiss (DT Swiss 240s).

But the choices don’t end with the make and model of the rims, for instance. You can even choose the color -- and get downright funky, if you’re so inclined. “Popsicle Purple” and “Anti-freeze Green” were not for me! But I didn’t go for basic black, either. I opted for “Titanium Gray,” which is just different enough for my taste.

I also chose bladed aero spokes. But again, I didn’t go with blades so wide they resemble Ginsu knives. Rather, I chose black Sapims that are a mere 2.3 mm wide. Not super showy, but very strong and functional.

I splurged a bit on the hubs, I’ll admit. But the Swiss engineering is phenomenal. I had to resist the sales pitch of my wheel man to really max it out with their ceramic bearing hubs. The stainless cartridge bearings in the 240s are just fine, thanks.

P.S. I Love You

I’ve been riding my custom wheels for going on two full seasons now. I can say, without hesitation, that they have made the biggest difference in terms of performance improvement of anything I’ve added to my bike over the years. I outroll nearly everyone within five or 10 pounds of me, all else being equal. And while I’ve always said it was love at first site with my bike, the wheels are my favorite “body part.”

Enjoy your ride!

John Marsh

Editor & Publisher

P.S. What’s the best upgrade you’ve made to your bike? Share your “favorite body part” on the Comments page.

Comment

To give our readers who are not Premium Members a glimpse of one of the authors featured on our Premium Site, we’re running an excerpt from the latest dispatch by Les Woodland, our man in Europe. His occasional column is called ‘Europa,’ and features a humorous, continental perspective on cycling-related topics. This latest is titled “Cycling’s ‘Fishy’ Code of Silence.” Enjoy.

You know, there are times I think professional cycling has the honesty of Bulgarian weightlifting. You remember that? A stocky little man with a belt would turn up and lift some improbable weight and the crowd would cheer and a week later he’d be done for steroids. . . .

So far as I know, weightlifters began unscrewing the tops of pill bottles only after Californian beach boys spread the word that two blue pills of anabolic steroids a day could have a remarkable effect. Until then they probably trained on raw meat and uncooked eggs in the way they were supposed to.

You can’t, of course, say the same of cycling. Nor will the latest bunch to find themselves in a fix tell you much. The riders from the Italian Lampre team, whether they are innocent or guilty, will follow strong Italian tradition and maintain an omerta. It is how it is in cycling. Everyone knows it’s happening but nobody will say. . . .

Cyclists have been relieving the toil of their work for as long as they have raced. Track riders took cocaine, and road riders got drunk. There wasn’t much traffic on the road and the more pie-eyed you were, the less it hurt and the more easily passed the monotonous hours of races more than 300 km long. . . .

By the 1950s, you could follow the last hours of the Tour de France route without looking for the arrows. You just watched for the trail of discarded syringes, small bottles and pill wrappings. You may think that’s an exaggeration, but it’s not; there were so many that level-headed folk began to worry about the danger of the syringes to children and, this being rural France, cattle.

Did you see much about it in cycling reports? No, you didn’t. Reporters knew where their living came from just as much as the riders did. Their job, they recognized, was to create a fairy tale sport in which riders were jolly good sports, if a little rough round the edges sometimes, and all soigneurs were genial, pipe-sucking men you wouldn’t mind having as an uncle. The deceit lasted until television showed it was otherwise. . . .

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--- A fascinating story in the April 25 Time magazine dissects “amortality,” a term the author coined for the “burgeoning trend of living agelessly.”

The parallels to Les Woodland’s article are striking in author Catherine Mayer’s reporting on the Cenegenics Medical Institute, which bills itself as “the world’s largest age-management practice.”

Based in Las Vegas, it is led by Dr. Jeffry Life, who, at 72, looks like a 25-year-old bodybuilder from the neck down, and a balding, saggy septuagenarian from the neck up. (You may have seen his strikingly paradoxical physique in newspaper and magazine ads.)

Cenegenics offers clients a “unique and balanced combination of nutrition, exercise and hormone optimization.” The hormones can include steroids and growth hormone, and ongoing consultations and supplement supplies can cost $1,000 a month. Sound like anything you might have heard about from the ranks of professional sports?

The article doesn’t just focus on the artificial aspects of amortality, however. As the world’s population continues to live longer (on average, 30 years longer now than at the beginning of the 20^th century), more older people are more active than ever. Increasing numbers live and retire to communities that promote an active, exercise-rich lifestyle.

And many simply defy the strictures of aging by avoiding thinking about it. The author quotes psychiatrist and gerontologist Robert Butler, “. . .  Aging -- or more accurately, its converse, staying young -- is in no small measure a state of mind that defies measurement.” In bumper sticker language, you’re only as old as you feel.

It seems to me that we roadies are at the forefront of the learning curve regarding amortality. I have always thought road cycling is a lifetime sport. It’s why I settled on “Better Cycling for Life” as RBR’s tagline. Many of us have enjoyed cycling for decades, and yet more of us can see ourselves on the bike for decades more. I’m certainly one of them.

To read the Time magazine story in its entirety, click here.

And see this week’s Question of the Week following this section to cast your vote on “cycling amortality.” -- John Marsh

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--- New details emerged from Italy last week about the ongoing U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) investigation into allegations of doping by Lance Armstrong and the U.S. Postal Service cycling team.

According to CyclingNews, The Gazzetta dello Sport revealed in a special column by chief cycling reporter Luca Gialanella that the FDA investigation headed by special agent Jeff Novitzky may have evolved from a doping investigation into a financial investigation. Police have begun looking into the illegal transfer of millions of Euro and dollars around the world to Dr. Michele Ferrari's Swiss bank account.

An Italian magistrate is investigating Ferrari’s links to numerous professional riders, including Armstrong and the U.S. Postal team. Possible charges could include money laundering, tax avoidance, conspiracy and fraud.

In 2002 the Italian Olympic Committee banned Ferrari for life from working with licensed athletes. He was later tried and convicted of illegally acting as a pharmacist, but the conviction was overturned. Armstrong and many other cyclists worked with Ferrari over the years -- including after he was banned -- and some are suspected of working with him to this day.

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--- Follow-up to last week’s appeal from the League of American Bicyclists:

Thank you to the thousands of you who contacted the director of your state transportation agency regarding last week’s action alert. Your voice has been heard loud and clear. Due to your combined efforts, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has withdrawn their recommendation to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to weaken the requirements for states to give “due consideration” to the needs of bicyclists and pedestrians when constructing roadways. The League of American Bicyclists, the National Center for Biking and Walking, and America Bikes will be meeting with AASHTO officials next month to discuss this and other important issues.

If you haven't already, please take action to ensure that state transportation agencies do not gut important bike funding. Visit our Advocacy Center and ask your Governor to rescind federal transportation dollars proportionally across all programs.

Comment

Overheard:

--- "Mentally I did all I could to be ready for this week. For months I've been working to get in this shape. Since the start of the season I felt every week that I was getting closer to my top form. On the way to Liege I got a third place in Milan-San Remo and a ninth in Flanders, which should have been much better." -- Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto), who became the first rider ever to win the Brabantse Pijl (La Fleche Brabançonne), Amstel Gold Race, Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege in a single season. The 28-year-old Belgian, who hails from the region near Liege, easily outdueled Frank and Andy Schleck in a breakaway to win Liege-Bastogne-Liege and complete the quadruple.

--- "I don't think we did any mistakes. Lotto had a lot of pressure on them to ride early and they used good riders early. We tried to isolate him. We couldn't do more. It was me and Frank as a team but we couldn't do any more. I attacked at the bottom of the Saint-Nicolas. I went at 600 watts and after 240km that's not easy, I can tell you. Maybe Frank could have attacked but Gilbert gave us a pretty good answer by dropping me in the last 300 meters. There's nothing more to say. -- Andy Schleck

--- "All we can say to Philippe is well done. He's true champion and he's the strongest. We wanted to win Liege-Bastogne-Liege and so we weren’t afraid to take responsibility for the race and we attacked. But he was the strongest and would have won even if there had been three or four of us." -- Frank Schleck

Comment

Answer at http://www.roadbikerider.com/question-of-week , where you can also find an archive of previous poll results.

Highlights of your responses to last week’s Question: How interested are you in professional road cycling?

--40% said “Very Interested. I follow the sport closely on TV and in other media.”

--29% said “Fairly Interested. I keep up with the highlights of the racing season.”

--19% said “Somewhat Interested. I watch some of the Tour de France every year.”

Comment

Question: I'm 41 and have been seriously riding for two years. I did three centuries last year, along with several 40- to 60-mile rides and my usual daily 25-miler. The problem is that I can't boost my average speed past 16-17 mph. I huff and puff to keep up with riders in my club. I know that someone has to be at the back of the pack, but I'm tired of it always being me. Do you have any suggestions? -- Edward S.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies:  The short answer is -- Get in better shape! But as you've learned, it's more complicated than that.

Our cycling performance is dictated in large part by our heredity. Studies show that some people can improve endurance performance by 40% when they undertake a 12-week program of interval training. But other people on the same program don't improve at all. They mainly get tired.

So your ability to ride fast at low heart rates -- or put another way, to ride fast without working very hard -- is partially dictated by how well you chose your parents.

That said, training does help most people improve. Very few individuals are at either end of the bell-shaped curve just described. Most people improved 15-20%. This means chances are good you can get the speed increase you crave if you train more effectively.

You've been riding for only two years. That's usually not enough to reach your potential. For instance, it generally takes racers five years of training and competition to find out if they have enough talent to succeed.

Continue riding. I'm sure improvement will come if you make some basic changes to the way you are training each week. Greater detail is beyond the space available in this newsletter, but you can get recommendations in my eBook, Basic Training for Roadies.

Good luck. And remember that no matter how much you're able to improve, you'll still be reaping fitness and enjoyment from riding.

Comment

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Today I’ll continue where I left off last week, providing additional post-crash first-aid tips for that all-important two-wheeled crash victim.

Check the frame and fork

If you have a steel or aluminum bike, and you had a front-end impact, like riding into an obstacle or hitting a large pothole, it's possible you bent your fork or frame. To check for this, lean your bike against something, step back a few strides and look at the front end to see if all looks okay. A front end bend shows up in a fork that appears pushed back and out of line with the head tube and/or, a front wheel that's too close to the down tube. And/or there might be visible bulging or bends in the frame's top and down tubes. Bent frames can usually be ridden carefully to get home, but in most cases you'll want to replace the frame.

Carbon frames and forks are tough, but if they take a good hit they can get damaged, too (ditto for carbon components). Carbon parts should be solid and hard, not flexible. If a spot looks like it got compressed or hit hard (for example, from a handlebar swinging around and smacking into the top tube), squeeze it and see if it’s firm or soft. Another trick is tapping the edge of a quarter on the area to listen to the sound it makes. A sharp, hard knock is right.  If you get little noise, it’s a sign that that frame tube (or the components) could have been damaged.

Tip: If you're not sure about something that doesn't seem right on your carbon bicycles (frame, fork or component), get an expert opinion. Cracked carbon parts can break without warning so it's not worth risking using them. And, keep in mind that it’s possible to repair most carbon frame damage. Calfee Design is a great resource: http://www.calfeedesign.com/repair/

Check the seat and pedals

When a bike hits the ground, the side of the seat and one pedal often take the brunt of the impact. It's also possible to break them. Look closely for scratches or scrapes and make sure the seat is still strong enough to support you if you plan to ride home. Ditto for the pedal. If either got bent, you'll want to replace them.

Check the rear wheel, rear brake and drivetrain

Finish the bike check by inspecting the rear wheel as you did the front, making sure it's true and centered in the frame and attached securely. Usually rear brakes escape injury, but if its lever was knocked off, make sure the brake is still working nicely.

Then run through the gears to check the shifting and make sure nothing got bent. As I mentioned here a few weeks back, the rear derailleur hanger is especially susceptible to crash damage. The rear shifting will be out of whack if the hanger got bent. You can also tell if it's bent by sighting from behind to see if an imaginary line that passes through both derailleur pulleys also bisects the cassette cog they're beneath. If not, the derailleur or the hanger got bent and will need to be fixed. If you decide to ride home on it, shift gingerly and avoid your lowest gear or you could shift into the spokes.

Check your gear

Other important things to check include your helmet, shoes, glasses and repair kit. If you know you hit your head and/or you can see helmet damage, you should replace your helmet. (Tune in next week for more on helmet care with input from a spokesman from Bell/Giro.) Then, inspect your shoes. I've seen buckles ground away by the pavement. Cleats, too. As long as you can pedal, you can keep riding. But you wouldn't want your foot to slip and cause a second crash, so it's good to know if your shoe or cleat is compromised. You might break or scratch your glasses in a crash, too, and have to piece them together. Or they (or a lens) might fly off and you may want to hunt for them rather than lose your expensive eyewear.

Comment

(Jim Langley has been a pro mechanic and cycling writer for 38 years. At RBR he's the author of Your Home Bicycle Workshop and moderator of the technical forums on the Premium Site . Check his "cycling aficionado" website at http://www.jimlangley.net , his Q&A blog and updates at Twitter . Jim's streak of consecutive cycling days has reached 6,324.)

Today, we’ll finish up what we started last week with more tips for helping prevent saddle sores, and a few for continuing on your journey if you must stay in the saddle.

--- Come clean. Always wear a clean pair of shorts for each ride. Some riders find that washing their crotch area lightly with mild soap or even a surgical scrub before lubing helps avoid problems. Dermatologist and cyclist Bernie Burton, M.D., claims that if you smear a thick coat of petroleum jelly on your chamois each day, you can wear the same pair of shorts a week without laundering them. This is, however, a minority opinion.

--- Be a quick-change artist. After a ride, never lounge around in damp, sweaty shorts. Such conditions breed bacteria and encourage them to enter abraded skin. As soon as possible, slip off your riding shorts, shower or clean up with soap and water, and put on light, well-ventilated clothing. Men: Try boxer shorts instead of briefs to avoid leg bands cutting across the junction of your glutes and hamstrings, right where many saddle sores form. Women: Consider thong underwear or not wearing anything under your skirt or sarong.

--- Take your medicine. Ask your physician for a prescription for a 2% topical gel called erythromycin (one brand name is Emgel). This is an antibiotic principally used to treat acne. After all, most saddle sores begin as a pimple. I learned about erythromycin before a trans-U.S. ride covering 3,400 miles in 24 days. I rode the whole distance without a single saddle sore simply by applying the gel to any "hot spot" that began to develop.

How to Continue Riding

Sometimes, despite your best preventive efforts, you'll get a saddle sore. Take some time off the bike to let it heal. Otherwise, there is risk of it becoming much worse and even forming a cyst that requires surgery to remove. You don't want that.

But what if you're on a multi-day tour and must continue riding? Try these solutions:

--- Change your shorts or saddle. Your problems are probably isolated in one small area --a boil or an abrasion -- so changing your saddle or shorts can re-distribute the load. Some people on multiday tours take a spare saddle -- mounted on a seatpost to make the change easier -- and switch every couple of days to change pressure points. Even easier is packing 2 or 3 brands of shorts, each with a slightly different chamois.

--- Use a heavier lubricant. If you’re getting irritated, try a more viscous lube. One favorite is Bag Balm, designed for sore cow udders but available in most pharmacies. Aquaphor ointment is another good choice. Petroleum jelly can also be used.

--- Protect the sore spot. Buy a tube of Preparation H ointment and apply a dab to the saddle sore before and after riding. Prep H contains an anesthetic that dulls pain. While at the drug store, look in the foot-care section for a package of foam "donuts" made for protecting corns and calluses. Place one so the sore is in the center to stave off direct pressure. The adhesive on the back will hold the donut in place, and you could even fill the center with Preparation H.

Comment

(Adapted from Coach Fred's Solutions to 150 Road Cycling Challenges , a helpful eBook especially for cycling newcomers.)

What’s a better cycling experience -- road race or organized ride? We finally have the answer to this age-old question, thanks to a recent weekend when I did one of each on subsequent days. You be the judge.

Event

Race: Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, California

Ride: Tierra Bella Century, Gilroy, California

Distance

Race: 53 miles (85 kilometers)

Ride: 35, 63, 100 or 120 miles (60, 100, 160 or 200 kilometers)

Cost

Race: $49 plus mystery $10 refundable payment to USA Cycling

Ride: $50

Pre-event

Race: Get up at 5 a.m., inhale oatmeal, drive to venue, park in bumpy faraway field. Stand in line waiting for registration to open at 7 a.m. for 8 a.m. start. Stand in line to get number. Stand in line to get mystery $10 refund from USA Cycling. Stand in line to get goodie bag containing inner tube, tiny sample of chamois lube and 3-month-old cycling magazine. Stand in line at porta-potty. Do 3-minute warm-up. Listen to announcer’s AARP jokes. Go.

Ride: Get up 7-ish, savor eggs, toast and coffee. Use own bathroom with reliable toilet paper supply. Put on ride wristband that organizer mailed the previous week, drive to venue. Go.

Support

Race: Water or energy drinks in feedzone at base of steepest climb, where 2 riders topple over trying to grab bottles while in oxygen debt.

Ride: Rest stops every 10 to 15 miles containing water, energy drinks, sandwiches, cookies, grapes, orange wedges, trail mix and baked red potatoes seasoned with rosemary.

Scenery

Race: Manzanita bushes and barbed wire fencing, for 7 laps.

Ride: Green hills, hot springs, rivers, reservoirs, farmland, falcons, deer, wildflowers.

Post-event

Race: Medals to top 3. Everyone else: “Hey! Keep the road clear!”

Ride: Live music, ride patch for everybody, all-you-can-eat pasta dinner plus ice cream and 3 kinds of pie.

Comment

(If you enjoy reading Scott Martin, the eBook Spin Again contains 181 of his witty, sometimes wacky, and occasionally heart-felt observations on road cycling.)

If you're training hard to get ready for a race, century, day-long tour or other important event, you want your legs to feel fresh on the big day.

Logic may say to rest the day before, but we'll bet you'll feel livelier if you ride instead -- as long as you ride right.

Let's say the event is on Saturday. Reduce your training time during the week to begin saving energy. But continue pushing some hills and doing some sprints or short time trials. This intensity will keep you sharp as your mileage decreases. Just don't overdo the hard stuff.

Then use Thursday for your rest day. Don't ride more than for a short errand.

On Friday, spin for 60-75 minutes. Once you're warmed up, throw in 3 or 4 short, fast efforts. Don't go all out, just wind it up for 20-25 seconds and then spin easily before the next one. Finish in time for a 15-minute cool down.

These accelerations "wake up" your legs. There's less risk of them feeling groggy at the event, as they might if they're basically asleep for the previous 36 hours.

Comment

Premium Site members automatically receive a 15% discount on every eBook, eArticle or other product in the RBR eBookstore .

Bonus! RBR provides 5 downloadsof every eBook and eArticle (and bundle) purchased. To obtain a new copy for any reason, simply login to your RBR account and do the download.

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Entering Peak Riding Season -- eBooks and eArticles for the High Season

Here’s hoping you’re off to a flying start for the 2011 season -- that all your early season training is proving beneficial as you tackle longer rides, goal events and races. RBR’s eBookstore has numerous titles that can help you continue to excel through the High Season.

On sale now: Stop Cycling’s Showstoppers (eBook), by Coach John Hughes. This eBook -- about finishing rides, no matter what obstacles might crop up -- is perfect for peak riding season, as we’re all putting in more miles and riding goal events. It's a unique and highly useful reference for all cyclists. Coach Hughes is a multi-time finisher in the Race Across America and Paris-Brest-Paris. In rides as long as those, if something can go wrong, it probably will go wrong. Reaching the finish requires successfully solving potential showstopping issues involving equipment, nutrition, weather, ailments, injuries, discouragement, and more.

In addition, this eBook is a valuable primer on topics such as riding comfort, training and riding skills. Stop Cycling's Showstoppers contains memorable examples and anecdotes from the author's riding career and those of roadies he coaches. He makes his advice universal -- applicable to roadies of all interests, from commuting to club riding to centuries to touring.

Recently added to our collection:

Cycling and Lower Back Pain (eArticle), by Alan Bragman, D.C. Dr. Bragman brings to bear the past 30 years of his experience diagnosing and treating thousands of patients with lower back pain, many of them cyclists. From his vast experience both professionally and personally as a sufferer of lower pain, he has developed a comprehensive understanding of how to diagnose, treat and prevent lower back pain in cyclists.

Nutrition for 100K and Beyond (eArticle) by Coach John Hughes, provides guidance on what to eat, why, how, and how much for distances from metric centuries (62 miles; 100 km) to 24-hour events -- and beyond. He lays out how to estimate your hourly energy needs, discusses which kinds of fuel power your slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers, and why this is important. He provides guidelines on how much to eat, and on the sources of the carbs, protein and fat that your body needs. He also discusses the latest research on hydration, how to calculate your “sweat rate” and how best to replenish your electrolytes to avoid both dehydration and hyponatremia.

Equations for Cyclists: How to Calculate Intensity, Wattage and More -- Without a Power Meter (eArticle), by Coach Fred Matheny. For those of us who don’t want to take a 2^nd mortgage to buy a power meter, Coach Fred tells us ways to determine cycling intensity and performance potential that don’t require gadgets. All it takes is applying some simple equations and simpler math.Coach Fred has personally tested all the formulas for accuracy in his own riding, and compared the calculated results with power meter readings. In all cases the formula results, compared to the power meter, were within about 5 percent.

Swift Cycling: A 12-week program for increasing your cruising speed (eArticle). Coach David Ertl lays out a series of interval and time trial training sessions and techniques, along with a week-by-week training plan to follow. This training guide is designed to help you increase your cruising speed for periods of time from 20 minutes up to an hour in duration.

Beyond the Century: How to Train for and Ride 200 km to 1,200 km Brevets (eArticle) by Coach John Hughes, is a perfect eArticle for those of you looking for a longer -- or longer term -- goal for 2011. Coach Hughes covers the 8 basic training principles, levels of training intensity, and the various phases of a successful brevet training program. He caps it off with a detailed training program designed to take you as far as you want to go.

3 special bundled products that offer BIG savings:

--- Fred Matheny's Complete Book of Road Bike Training (save $19.85 on the Coach's 4 eBooks for year-round training, all under one cover)

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