Newsletter Issue No. 828
September 20, 2018
PDF version for Premium Members is here.
This week is Interbike! We’ll be back next week. I thought we’d send you a few of articles from previous newsletters that were reader favorites. If you missed these the first time around, I think you are going to really enjoy them.
Everything You Think You Know About Tire Pressure is Probably Wrong
By Jan Heine
In recent years, there has been a trend toward wider tires and lower tire pressures. We now hear from many sources that wider tires can roll faster than narrower ones, which contradicts what most of us used to believe. In the past, cyclists thought that higher tire pressures decreased the tires’ rolling resistance. At Bicycle Quarterly, we’ve been researching tire performance for the last eight years, and the most revolutionary finding is this: Tire pressure has almost no effect on a tire’s speed. We did not believe it at first, either, so we’ve tested it numerous times. It’s been confirmed time and again, with different methodologies. Read more.
Showstoppers: Physical Ailments, and How to Overcome Them
By Coach John Hughes
I have previously introduced the concept of a “showstopper.” A showstopper is anything that causes you to interrupt your season, not do an event or to stop an important ride before you’re ready to stop the ride. Here’s a personal, very painful example. I went to the ER at Mercy Medical in Durango, Colorado, less than 1,000 miles into the 1994 Race Across AMerica. They peeled down my shorts, looked at my butt and said, “Your race is over. You have second-degree burns on your buttocks.” Read more.
Ultimate RBR Reader List of Leg Cramp Remedies
We asked for reader feedback on how you handle cramps, and we got an amazing number of replies. You’re almost certain to find something new to try if you’re trying to beat the dreaded leg cramp issue. Take a look. Read more.
Learn More From Coach Hughes About Preventing Common Cycling Problems
This bundle will keep you riding strong by helping you learn to prevent or handle common ailments that can otherwise become the “showstopper” that causes you to drop out on an important ride. Avoid the dreaded DNF (did not finish).
Learn the different causes of saddle sores, numb hands and hot foot, what to do to prevent these and how to treat each if necessary. Find out how to avoid cramps, and what to eat on a ride to stay fueled. And you’ll also learn the mental skills to deal with problems when they do occur.
How to Wash A Bicycle: 10 Bike Washing Don’ts and Do’s
By Jim Langley
With a little practice, you can clean a bike after rainy/snowy rides in about 15 minutes. This assumes it’s a relatively clean, well-maintained bike in the first place. And it does not include replacing any worn out parts. If it’s a grimy mess, a more thorough degreasing and cleaning will be required before a basic bike wash will be enough. And having to replace parts adds time, too. Read more.
Post Crash Checklist: Checking Over Your Bicycle After a Crash
By Jim Langley
The first rule is to wait until you’re ready before checking out your bike and gear post-crash. If you’re with friends (and you can still ride), ask someone else to give your bike the once-over, because you might be a little out of it and not see the problems they can. If you’re alone, check your bike, but wait until you have your wits about you so you don’t miss anything that could cause another crash. Or do it at home if your ride’s over and you’re getting sagged in. Read more.
More Ebooks From Road Bike Rider
101 Cycling Workouts
Bored with training? Stuck in a rut? Coach David Ertl has poured 20 years of cycling experience into this eBook to give you 101 ways to ride, cross train and weight train to stay motivated and keep improving. “There is no reason to be bored or reach a plateau in your training if you use even half of these workouts,” promises Ertl, a USA Cycling Level 1 coach.
Stretching & Core Strength for the Cyclist
We don’t all necessarily want to be faster on the bike. But I think every last one of us roadies would like to maintain the strength we have, or get even stronger, in the muscle groups that count, specifically the glutes, legs, back, hip flexors, shoulders, arms and core. And we all undoubtedly would like to be pain-free when we ride.
A regular strengthening and stabilization routine can help you achieve these aims.
Strength Training for Cyclists – The Complete Manual
Harvey Newton, a veteran roadie and former coach of the U.S. Olympic Weightlifting Team, is unequaled in his understanding of how cyclists benefit from training with weights. The 132-page manual — available for the first time as an eBook — retains its original content dealing with cycling research, preliminary steps prior to starting weight training, a thorough explanation of proper exercise technique, and details on developing an effective, personal training program.