Newsletter Issue No. 1110

February 29, 2024

Game-Changing New-Chain Cleaner & Waxer From Silca

Jim’s Tech Talk

By Jim Langley

Had I seen this new product from Silca before I penned last week’s column on the Effetto Mariposa chain cleaner, I would have mentioned it in that story.

But it’s so interesting – potentially game-changing actually, that I wanted to keep the chain chatter going for another week and tell you about it. What Silca’s come up with is a chain cleaning system for new chains that prepares them for waxing in a very special and clever way. Read more.


Cycling Creates an ‘Unsafe Effect’

By Kevin Kolodziejski

You just need to love cycling — not ride 10,000 miles a year — to fear what these two, once quite-accomplished and now long-in-the-tooth, absolute mileage junkies, whom I consider buddies, fear.  That lifting weights means riding less. Read more.


Tucson Women’s Gravel Camp with The Cycling House

By Sheri Rosenbaum

Living in the Midwest means enduring long, cold, and gloomy winters. February is the ideal time to escape and seek warmer destinations. Tucson has consistently been my top choice, having visited three times in the past six winters, traveling with friends, and planning our rides and hikes. This winter, I was hoping to return to Tucson. Read more.


Quick Tip: More CO2 Cartridge Advice and Tips

Threaded or non-threaded inflators. Doing a quick google search for CO2 cartridges, the industry appears to have moved to threaded inflators. Basically, these work as follows. Read more.


How much should I spend on a road bike? (Another perspective.)

By Rick Schultz

Stan Purdum wrote a great introduction on this topic, but there is still more to be said about this topic as we dive deeper.

I would like to share some inside information on this topic that I gained from serving as a bicycle tester for Cervelo, a component tester for Shimano, and a certified bicycle racing coach. My insights, together with those provided by Stan Purdum should place those of you looking to purchase a road bike in a great position to end up with the right road bike. Read more.


Do You Know Anything About Cycling Cartoonist Tom Cutter?

QUESTION: This question has nothing to do with the physical aspects of cycling. I work part time in a bike shop, Clemmons Bicycle, in Clemmons, NC. The shop had two older cartoon pictures that I reframed recently. I’ve been trying to dig up information on the Artist because I have once before seen his work, Tom Cutter is written on the bottom right. In each picture at the top on the left hand side printed very small is “A C International”. The year is 1983. All my internet researching has resulted in zip. Click through to see photos of the cartoons. Read more.


Question of the Week

How many drop handlebar (road bike style) bikes do you own?

Other Cool Things to Read

Business Insider: A bikepacker turned his lifestyle into a business that covers his costs
Cycling Weekly: ‘I was Just Riding Along’ are not the words your bike shop wants to hear
Road.cc: Pro cyclists’ union “not happy” with hookless wheels after “freak” blowout
Singletracks: I Can Ride my Bike 50 Miles, But I Can Hardly Run Two. What Gives?
GCN: Confessions of a cycling hoarder
Times of Israel: Canadian cyclist disinvited as speaker at women’s event because of past IDF service
YouTube: Major Taylor: Champion of the Race (a new documentary film, just released)

Most Clicked Last Week

Quick Tip: Using Your CO2 Cartridge on a Ride

End Notes

Similar Posts

  • Newsletter Issue No. 1194

    October 9, 2025 Technical Q & A: Vehicle Racks and Risk to Carbon Wheels? Jim’s Tech Talk By Jim Langley The question that we’re tackling today is related to our article last week which included tips from the rack company Küat. Reader Ken Stevens asked: “What about the issue of hot car exhaust damaging carbon…

  • Newsletter Issue No. 892

    December 12, 2019 PDF version for Premium Members is here. 8 Tips for Endurance Training This Winter By Coach John Hughes When very cold weather hits, outdoor endurance riding isn’t possible. Or it it? My client Elizabeth Wicks who lives in Massachusetts rode 75 miles one very cold Sunday. Another client Rob (also in Massachusetts)…

  • Newsletter Issue No. 840

    December 13, 2018 PDF version for Premium Members is here. 5 Ways to Improve Your Riding This Winter By Coach John Hughes The top contenders in the pro peloton are all very fit and winning races requires more than fitness. Team Sky uses a strategy called “the aggregation of marginal gains.” The coaches identify different…

  • Newsletter Issue No. 1218

    April 2, 2026 Your Mirror Recommendations Jim’s Tech Talk By Jim Langley This week’s article is in appreciation of all of you readers who commented on last week’s review of my Cat Eye BM-45 Bar End Mirror. If you missed the story and comments, here it is Cat Eye’s BM-45 Bar End Mirror. I was specifically…

  • Newsletter Issue No. 1068

    May 11, 2023 Ant-Aging: New Research on Fatigue By Coach John Hughes What is fatigue? Seems obvious. When you’re tired after a bike ride. Fatigability and fatigue: Scientists are parsing this question. They distinguish between fatigability and fatigue.  Fatigability is “an objective measurement of a person’s ability to do a physical or cognitive task —…

  • Newsletter Issue No. 1149

    November 28, 2024 Can You Help Steve With His Condition? Jim’s Tech Talk By Jim Langley A longtime reader and frequent contributor named Stephen Weeks reached out for some help with a recent health issue. Steve is a dedicated cyclist and also a dentist. He asked if I could share this with you and asked…