Newsletter Issue No. 1033
September 8, 2022
Anti-Aging: 5 Signs You May Be Dehydrated
By Coach John Hughes
Dehydration hurts performance, right? Not necessarily. But don’t ignore it.
Pro racers ride so hard their guts can’t absorb enough fluid to replace all that they sweat out. Race rules may restrict when a rider can get a bottle toward the end of a stage. Although somewhat dehydrated, the pros sprint quite well! Despite the dehydration pro, we rarely read about cramps in the peloton. In lab experiments, dehydration has not been shown to cause cramps. Read more.
Fixing my Cracked Carbon Bike
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Back in May, I wrote about my Cervelo S5 falling over and landing on a rock. The impact cracked the top tube. I said I might have the bike repaired by a professional carbon shop, such as Calfee Design since they’re just down the street from me and have been carbon gurus since the beginning (Greg LeMond raced on a Calfee!). In the comments to the article, several of you recommended Broken Carbon in Boulder, Colorado. Read more.
Three Trails in Three Days
By Sheri Rosenbaum
For some people, Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer and the winding down of bike season. Well, I’m not heading to the pain cave any time soon. So this year, I decided to check off a bucket list ride in Iowa. It’s been about five years since I’ve been eyeing Rail-Trail Hall of Fame, Raccoon River Valley Trail. But making the 5 ½ hour drive from Chicago, Illinois, to Grimes, Iowa, for one trail seemed silly, so I combined it with two other paths to make it a “Three Trails in Three Days” event. Read more.
Viair TLC Lite Compressor Kit Review
by Stan Purdum
The day the TLC Lite Compressor Kit from Viair arrived on my doorstep, I took the time to read the directions and familiarize myself with the accessories, but I had other matters more pressing, so I didn’t begin testing it right away. I put the kit in my car, waiting for a more opportune time. Read more.
Ask the Coach: What Should a Beginning Cyclist Eat and Drink, pt. 1?
By Coach John Hughes
Thanks for the column on How Can a Beginning Cyclist Improve? It was very helpful. I have a related question. I see lots of ads for bars, gels and drinks. The guys I ride with each recommend something different. What should I eat? Does it matter? -Mike W. Read more.
How Can I Train More Consistently?
QUESTION: I’ll have a great week with solid rides and even new personal bests, but the next week, due to weather, family, work or lack of motivation, I just go through the motions. What’s the key to training more consistently? — Randy W.
Physical Activity and Longevity
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Four interesting studies supporting the benefits of physical activity have appeared in recent medical journals:
Activity level and lifespan: The Women’s Health Initiative Objective Physical Activity and Cardiovascular Health study (OPACH) followed 5,446 women, 63 and older, for more than eight years. The participants wore accelerometers for up to seven days at a time to measure: Read more.
Shimano GRX Gravel Groupset Hierarchy, Explained
by Stan Purdum
If you’ve been cycling for a long time, you probably have some sense of the various component groupsets Shimano offers for road bikes. (If not, see the road bike groupset hierarchy here.) But as gravel riding has gained popularity, component manufacturers have introduced a new and separate specific hierarchy of groupsets to meet the needs of gravel riders. Read more.
Cycling in the Heat Bundle: Ride & Hydration Management
Cycling in the Heat Parts 1 and 2 bundle: Learn more about the science of riding in the heat, and managing your fluids and electrolytes, in the two-part eArticle series by Coach John Hughes.
1.) Cycling in the Heat, Part 1: Ride Management: In 19 pages Coach Hughes explains why you get hot—the ambient temperature isn’t the primary reason! He covers how to acclimate to heat, tactics to ride in the heat, the best clothing and nutrition choices for hot days, how to cool off if you overheat. He teaches you about heat-related health conditions and how to avoid them.
2.) Cycling in the Heat, Part 2: Hydration Management: In 21 pages Coach Hughes explains how sweat cools you and how to assess your sweat rate and composition. He then teaches you what you need to know to develop a personal hydration strategy. He starts with how much and what you should you drink? He then covers what electrolytes you need and pros and cons of getting these electrolytes from replacement drinks, supplements, and food. He finishes by describing hydration-related problems.
Question of the Week
What level groupo are you riding on your main road bike?
Cool Stuff to Read
VeloNews: Zwift launches its own direct drive smart trainer hardware
Canadian Cycling: 73-year-old cyclist caught for motor doping in France
Road.cc: Would you ride a 134kg concrete bike?
The Atlantic: The E-bike Is a Monstrosity
Outside: The E-Bike Is Pure Joy
End Notes
