Newsletter Issue No. 1045
December 1, 2022
Anti-Aging: 8 Tips for Facing Winter
By Coach John Hughes
Are you grumpy anticipating winter with even less daylight and colder weather? Wondering if you can ride outdoors a few more weeks before putting the bike on the trainer? Concerned you’ll develop the done-laps condition when your belly done lap over your belt? Read more.
Fixing Bent Derailleur Hangers
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
A few of you asked me to cover repairing bent derailleur hangers so that’s the topic for this week and next. It’s a good problem to understand because it doesn’t take much to knock a derailleur hanger out of alignment. Even something as seemingly harmless as putting your bike in the back of a truck or hatchback with the bike’s drive side down could bend it. Or, having your bicycle fall over and land on its drive side. Read more.
What makes for a high quality carbon bike frame?
By Rick Schultz
Just watched a video where a mechanic discusses why he prefers one frame compared to another, in this case, Trek vs. Giant.
He considers what makes a “nice bike.” But for him, ‘nice’ means (a) does it look good, (b) what components the manufacturer put on the frame.
He asks “What would I rather have?” Read more.
What maintenance is actually required for a bicycle?
QUESTION: What maintenance is required for a bicycle? Is there a lot I have to do, or can I just buy one and ride it and not worry about it? —Leslie A.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: There’s not necessarily a lot you have to do, but if you want the bike to keep operating safely, efficiently and problem-free, some minimum maintenance is required — and a much of it is easy enough that you can do it yourself in minutes. Read more.
ORUCASE Design Labs Frame Pack Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Testing an ORUCASE product is a first for me. Until their rep reached out, I had never heard of the company. But I must say I’m impressed with the quality and design of their frame bag. First, a little about the company: per their website, they were founded in 2012 to make premium sustainable cycling gear developed to help people experience the world. The California-based company started with compact bike cases and have expanded to produce an assortment of bike gear. Read more.
45NRTH Ragnarok Tall Transition Season Cycling Boot and Socks Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
There is still plenty of outdoor cycling miles to be had as the northern hemisphere moves from Fall to Winter. The key is to be comfortable and not overdress or underdress for the weather. 45NRTH has a few new products to keep you riding in style and comfort. Read more.
Are Smart Bike Trainers Worth It?
QUESTION: Are smart bike trainers worth it? They are all pretty expensive, but you can get a regular trainer dirt cheap, especially used. – Patrick M
RBR REPLIES: As a cyclist who has ridden both rollers and regular trainers as far back as the late 80s and who found them so terrible and mind-numbingly boring that I’d rather not ride at all than ride on them again, I would say that smart trainers are definitely worth the money. They are worlds apart when it comes to making training on an indoor bike bearable. I’d go so far as to even say that using a smart trainer is actually fun. Read more.
Quick Tip: How to Deal with a Thrown Chain
You’re riding hard in the big chainring toward a steep climb. You push to keep your momentum going as long as possible, but finally you’re forced to shift to the small ring. Oops! The chain overshoots and falls onto the frame. You’re dead in the water, wildly turning the cranks with no resistance.
Later, the opposite happens. You’re spinning in the small chainring and need a bigger gear. But your shift to the big ring sends the chain over the top. Now it’s flopping around the crankarm. Read more.
Off-Season Bundle
In Off-Season Bundle, Coach Hughes explains in detail what you can do in the off-season to improve your summer riding with three articles:
- Productive Off-Season Training with: A 12-week off-season exercise program to keep you healthy during the winter months. A 12-week, more intensive off-season program for recreational riders to build your endurance, power and speed, preparing for base training.
- Gaining a Mental Edge: Using Sports Psychology to Improve Your Cycling Most cyclists can get greater improvement from investing some time each week in practicing mental skills than they could investing the same amount of time in training! Hughes shows you how.
- Year-Round Cycling: How to Extend Your Cycling Season Hughes gives you six factors to successfully ride year-round, with in-depth information on all: 1) Goal-Setting and Planning; 2) Training; 3) Clothing and Equipment; 4) Nutrition; 5) Technique; 6) Motivation.
Question of the Week
Do you ever ride on bike paths?
Cool Stuff to Read
NY Times: The Exceptionally American Problem of Rising Roadway Deaths
Bicycle Retailer: Patent Watch: Do expiring patents let new products flourish?
Cyclist.co.uk: Opinion: Round tubes are best
Outside: 4 Surprising New Insights on Fueling for Endurance Sports
theNxrth.com: Fatbike Gear & Adventure Day Webinar
End Notes
