Newsletter Issue No. 1079
July 27, 2023
14 Tips for What to Eat and Drink on Your Century
By Coach John Hughes
You’ve trained hard and you want to do your best. Now your success depends on your nutrition! Your goal could be to finish your first metric or 100-mile century. Or conquer a particularly hard 100. Or set a personal best in your club’s classic century. Or compete against others in a grand fondo. Or have more fun and finish your local century without feeling trashed. Or ride another endurance event ranging from 100 km to a double century. Here are 14 tips to help you ride your best. Read more.
Quick Review: CEP Compression Socks
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
In the Netflix series Tour de France Unchained, which I enjoyed and told you about several Tech Talks ago, they took you inside the team buses. One thing I noticed is that it appeared that lots of racers wear compression socks. Read more.
Review of Sackville SaddleSack
By Stan Purdum
When I recently purchased a new lightweight bike, I didn’t want to add weight to it by attaching a rack and trunk bag or, alternatively, a large bikepacking bag, but I also found that the under-the-seat wedge bag I had on hand was too small for the few things I do like to have with me on long rides deep in rural areas — a couple of spare innertubes, a small sack of tools, a patch kit, a light cable lock and a few other small items. Plus, I like to have a place to stuff my arm warmers and skull cap after a cool morning start becomes a warm midday slog. Read more.
Sportful Women’s Flow Supergiara Jersey and Ultra Bib Shorts – Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
I have limited experience with the Sportful brand, but the jersey and bibs the rep sent me to test were impressive. The women’s Flow Supergiara jersey is stylish and comfortable. The full zip front makes for easy on/off, plus the bottom hem gripper elastic keeps the jersey in place while riding or walking around. A raw-cut sleeve cuff provides comfort and a smooth transition from fabric to skin without binding. Read more.
Are ebike conversion kits worth it?
QUESTION: Are ebike conversion kits worth it? It looks like I can save some money by converting the bike I have instead of buying a whole new ebike. —Hank J.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: They can be, especially if the bike you have on hand is an appropriate platform for a conversion. And if you are already comfortable working on your regular bike, then you can likely handle the conversion yourself, even if you have little or no experience with electronics. But an important question to consider ahead of buying a conversion kit is “Who will service the electric parts of the bike if they malfunction?” Read more.
How to Signal Turns on a Bicycle, Even While Braking
It’s smart to signal every turn, and it could save you from an accident when riding in traffic. But how can you signal when you also need to brake for the upcoming corner? Try these tips. Read more.
How to Ride Safely in the Summer Heat
By Coach John Hughes
I raced the Furnace Creek 508 through the Mojave Desert and Death Valley twice. I set a course record and won both times. I raced for over 30 continuous hours in each of those two races. Read more.
Cycling in the Heat Bundle
You can learn more about the science of riding in the heat, and managing your fluids and electrolytes, in the two-part eArticle series, Cycling in the Heat Bundle, by Coach John Hughes:
- Cycling in the Heat, Part 1: Ride Management is 19 pages and covers how to acclimatize to hot conditions, how to train in hot months, what to wear, eat and drink, how to cool down if you overheat, and how to deal with heat-related problems.
- Cycling in the Heat, Part 2: Hydration Management is 21 pages and covers how to determine how much you should drink depending on your physiology and sweat rate, how best to replace your fluids and electrolytes, the contents of different sports drinks, how to make your own electrolyte replacement drinks, how to rehydrate after a ride, and how to deal with hydration-related problems.
Question of the Week
Do you have problems with cramping?
Cool Stuff to Read
Road.cc: Female Ironman athlete deliberately pushed off bike into a ditch, breaking her collarbone
Medrxiv: Study: The night-time sleep and autonomic activity of male and female professional road cyclists competing in the Tour de France and Tour de France Femmes
Endurance.biz: Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift by the numbers
NY Times: Amateur times vs. pro times up famous Tour de France climbs compared
Most Clicked Last Week
6 Muscle Strengthening Exercises to Prevent Cramps
End Notes
