Newsletter Issue No. 826

September 6, 2018

PDF version for Premium Members is here.

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Ask the Coach: Should I Ride More Miles? Part 1

By Coach John Hughes

My client Walt is training for a 500-mile race. He had an excellent race at the Mid-Atlantic 24 Hour on August 18-19. The race was stopped at 16 hours 37 minutes. Our plan was for him to cover about 286 miles by then. He actually rode 307.05 miles and averaged 18.5 mph. He was on pace for ~ 434 miles – 20 miles more than planned, which would have been a personal best. After the race he wondered if he should be riding more miles. Read more.

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Best of the Best: These Bicycle Helmets Tested Safest at Multiple Labs

By Stan Purdum

This year, two independent labs — Consumer Reports and Virginia Tech — tested several helmets, but not all that are available, and none of those that are sold in discount stores. CR tested for high-impact protection and VT for best low-impact concussion protection. While each lab found several helmets that earned high ratings in the category it was testing, only six helmets raked high in both categories. Those six are described here. Read more.

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The Return of the King – Praise for Silca’s New Pista Floor Pump

By Jim Langley

So that there are no misunderstandings, let me make something clear at the outset: This isn’t a standard RoadBikeRider new product review. It’s a rave about the new version of arguably one of road cycling’s most heralded products, Silca’s Pista Floor Pump. Read more.

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Learn More from Coach Hughes in This 2 Part, Comprehensive Bundle

Your Best Season Ever, Parts 1 and 2

Coach John Hughes, drawing on his 20 years of coaching experience in these two eArticles, explains how to use current training science to plan and reach your goals.

Your Best Season Ever, Part 1: How to plan and get the most out of your training Coach Hughes explains how to set appropriate goals and how to assess your individual strengths and weakness and set appropriate personal objectives. You then use this information to build a plan including personal training volumes for different seasons and months.

Your Best Season Ever, Part 2: Peaking for and riding your event

Building on part 1 Coach Hughes shows how you can develop, test and employ a personal strategy for your Key Event of the season. He uses as examples a hill climb, a time trial, fast club rides, a 100K and a 100-mile ride. Learn more.

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POC Do Half Blade AVIP Sunglasses Review

By Sheri Rosenbaum

Testing the POC Do Half Blade sunglasses was my first venture into any of the POC line of products. I’ve heard good things about their helmets and hope to get a test sample sometime in the future. My first impression of these sunglasses was quite positive right out of the box. They were lightweight and stylish. I slipped them on and hardly knew they were on. Read more.

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Is Your Coach Under Suspension? If So, Your Racing License Is At Risk

By Rick Schultz, MBA, DBA

I asked my friend if he knew that if a licensed athlete gets caught being coached by a suspended coach/athlete, that the person being coached can also get the same sanction? He said he was unaware of that. I then explained that any licensed USAC coach has signed a code of conduct making them responsible to report these incidences if they learn of anyone not “playing by the rules.” Read more.

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Ask the Coach: How Can I Tour on a Bike With No Rack?

By Fred Matheny

Question: How do I carry gear for a weekend trip on a road bike that won’t accept a rack? I want to travel light and stay in motels, but I still need to carry clothing and other items. — Mike M.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: There’s increasing interest in so-called “credit card tours” using a regular road bike, traveling as light as possible and spending nights in motels or B&Bs. Read more.

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Question of the Week

How many miles do you expect to ride this year?