Newsletter Issue No. 913
May 7, 2020
PDF version for Premium Members is here.
10 Essential Bike Handling Skills for Roadies
By Coach John Hughes
I turned 71 in April and rather than rueing my age, I’d set a challenging goal of cross-country skiing at least 71 days. I skied 75! My second goal was to continue to improve skiing the classic diagonal stride. I’m fortunate that last summer we moved to the mountains of Colorado. As I write this on May 4 it’s spitting snow, I’ve built a fire and I’m eating oatmeal for breakfast. Dr. Mirkin would approve. I have two excellent ski areas just 20 minutes from the house. Read more.
Highlights from REVEAL’s Virtual Bike Show
By Jim Langley
Last Wednesday and Thursday, something extraordinary happened. The marketing company Echos Communication partnering with fellow agencies OutsidePR and Exact Change put on a virtual bicycle show for journalists, calling it the REVEAL Global Media Conference. Read more.
What are Power Zones?
By Martin Sigrist
Power zones are fundamental building blocks on which full power based training programs are built. By the end of this three article series you should know what zones are, how to determine your personal “power profile” and how to use this information to put together plans to train for and take part in the challenges you have set for yourself. No prior knowledge of power meters or formalized training is required. The only assumptions made are that you have access to a power meter and are motivated to improve your performance. Read more.
The GPS in Your Head
By Stan Purdum
As a cyclist, how’s your route-finding ability?
Mine’s pretty good, though I can’t claim any credit for it, especially since I never did anything to cultivate or develop it. But I apparently have good geographic memory, an aptitude that makes stringing streets, roads and paths together to create bike routes easy. Read more.
Quick Tip: Using the Rear Derailleur Barrel Adjuster
PROBLEM: Your bike’s been working great. But lately you notice that rear shifts to easier gears (bigger cogs) are becoming hesitant and noisy.
SOLUTION: Snug the derailleur cable. This fix is so easy that it doesn’t even require tools. Read more.
Close The Gap Review
By Brandon Bilyeu
Based in the Netherlands, CloseTheGap was founded in 2015 by lifelong cyclist Mathijs Wagenaar. With the goal of making cycling safer and fun, Mathijs’ first product was the aptly named HideMyBell that integrated a bell into an out-front computer mount. Now it has been sold all around the world and even multiple Tour de France champion Chris Froome has been spotted using a HideMyBell mount. Read more.
Smith Photochromic Clear to Grey Lens Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Ever go out on a ride after work and come home in almost pure darkness with your sunglasses perched at the end of your nose or shoved in a jersey pocket? Ideally, you’d have sunglasses for the start of your ride and a clear lens at the end. But no one wants to carry two pairs of glasses or swap out lenses mid ride. That’s where photochromic lenses come into play. Read more.
How to Become a Better Cyclist: The Six Success Factors
Do you want to ride more miles than last year? Improve your health and fitness? Have more endurance? Become a better climber? Or do you have a more specific goal like finishing your first 100k or riding a specific tour?
Coach John Hughes has been riding since 1976 and coaching professionally since 1995. He has ridden millions of virtual miles with clients. He has learned that every rider – whether he’s in his 20s or she’s in her 70s, whether he’s training for a first century or she’s training for the Race Across America – improves most if we work on Six Success Factors:
- Planning and goal-setting
- Effective training
- Sound nutrition
- Mental techniques
- Proper equipment
- Proficient skills
Cyclists achieve maximum improvement by working on all six of the Success Factors, not just on their favorites or the easiest.
Don’t Straighten Your Knees While Running or Cycling
Always try to keep at least a slight bend in your knee when you run or bike. When you run, you are supposed to land on each foot with a partially-bent knee. Otherwise you transmit the shock of your foot hitting the ground directly onto your knees, hips and back. Straightening your knees when you pedal markedly increases risk for knee pain by increasing the force on your joints. In this week’s article I explain about knee injuries from running, and next week I will discuss causes of knee pain in cycling. Read more.
Question of the Week
Do you have any knee problems?
Other Cool Stuff to Read
Outside: This database covers every cyclist killed by a driver in 2020
Outside: Bike Snob: I take it back. Road cycling is not dead.
VeloNews: Did I Just Bonk? Signals No Cyclist Should Ignore.
The Guardian: No guarantee Tour de France will go ahead.
Forbes: Bicycling Booms During Lockdown—But There’s A Warning From History
End Notes
