Newsletter Issue No. 876
August 22, 2019
PDF version for Premium Members is here.
6 Muscle Strengthening Exercises to Prevent Cramps
By Coach John Hughes
Yikes! All of a sudden a muscle locks up. We’ve all suffered cramps. Muscle fatigue is one cause of cramps. Strength training helps to prevent cramps. Why do specific muscles cramp? Depending on which of your muscles are prone to cramps, which exercises should you do to strengthen the muscles? Read more.
Reader Tips for Staying Safe on the Bike
By Jim Langley
It was nice to see so many of your comments come in after last week’s staying safe on the road article. It’s clear that most of you recognize the dangers and take precautions when riding and use safety-enhancing accessories, too. Read more.
What to Do About Bike Saddle Discomfort
by Fred Matheny
PROBLEM: Endurance on the bike is limited by your crotch, not your legs. Your expensive saddle is comfortable in the first hour of a ride, but at 2 hours it’s painful and at 3 hours it feels like a medieval torture instrument. What’s worse, you sometimes experience numbness in your nether regions. Read more.
End of Summer Cycling Trip – Highs and Lows
By Sheri Rosenbaum
This year we decided our vacation would keep us closer to home. We opted for La Crosse Wisconsin, with a day trip to Minneapolis. Both cities boast a great cycling scene for road and MTBs. Not wanting to choose one over the other, we took our fat and road bikes. Read more.
Preventing and Treating Cramps
In Preventing and Treating Cramps, Coach John Hughes explains the leading theories of what causes cramps including fatigue of the nerves to your muscles and sodium depletion. He then explains why your gastrocnemius, hamstrings, and the rectus femoris part of the quadriceps muscle are the most prone to cramping.
Learn what you can do to prevent cramps including sufficient conditioning to prevent fatigue of the nerves, stretching regularly, effective pacing and proper pedaling technique as well as the roles of hydration and electrolytes.
Dealing with Cycle-Guilt
By Stan Purdum
“I have a family, and although my dream is to have a bicycle pilgrimage, I would feel incredibly guilty about leaving my family. I’d have a sense that I had abandoned them, and I don’t think I could shake that feeling.” Read more.
Calories from Foods Vary with Preparation Method and Your Gut Bacteria
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Calorie counts listed on food packages or restaurant menus are deceptive because they tell how much energy that food has when it is burned in a laboratory. The number of calories absorbed in your body is likely to be quite different, depending on how the food is prepared and what types of bacteria you have in your colon. Read more.
IIHS Study: Some Protected Bike Lanes Leave Cyclists Vulnerable to Injury
Bike lanes separated from the roadway by physical barriers make cyclists feel safer and encourage more people to ride. But a new study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) shows that protected bike lanes vary in terms of injury risk. Factors such as the number of driveways or alleys intersecting the lanes and whether the lanes are one- or two-direction affect the likelihood of a crash or fall. Read more.
Question of the Week
Do you feel safe cycling on the road?
More Cycling Stuff to Read
WTNH News: Cyclist crashes into a bear on his road bike.
VeloNews: How the Tour of Utah has weathered the tough economy in cycling.
Facebook: David Lee Roth from Van Halen spotted on an e-bike. (I can barely see the road from the heat coming off….)
Bicycle Retailer: Made in USA Litespeed brand promoted at the White House.
Bicycling: Bystanders save doctor felled by cardiac arrest during a ride.
End Notes
See you again next Thursday. If you enjoy reading the newsletter each week, consider forwarding it to a fellow roadie with a note and suggest that they sign up too. We appreciate the growing number of site visits and newsletter sign ups!