QUESTION: I don't mind riding in the cold weather during the wintertime except for one issue - I can't keep my feet warm! My toes feel like they are going numb after half an hour on rides when the temperatures are under around 35 degrees. How can I keep them warm? - Brian R ANSWER: Cold hands or feet can completely ruin an otherwise enjoyable winter bike ride. Fortunately, … [Read more...] about How Do Cyclists Keep Their Feet Warm?
Winter Cycling: How to Structure Rides with Limited Time?
Question: It's hard to accumulate base miles here in wintertime Scotland. The days are short and wet. If I can do three rides a week (one for four hours and two for two), what's the best use of this on-bike time? – Craig D. Coach Fred Replies: If you're training for fitness and local events, three rides totaling about eight hours is plenty of base for this time of year. For … [Read more...] about Winter Cycling: How to Structure Rides with Limited Time?
Quick Tip: Warming Up and Cooling Down on a Bicycle Ride
Start Slow, Finish Slower Why do many experienced roadies begin their rides pedaling so easily? And regardless of how hard they eventually end up riding, spend the last 10 minutes spinning so slowly that little kids could keep up? They've learned the importance of a good warmup and cool down, two cycling basics that some riders ignore. … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Warming Up and Cooling Down on a Bicycle Ride
Quick Tip: Choosing a Sports Drink
You check a cycling catalog and find half a dozen brands of sports drink. Same thing when you visit a nearby bike shop or nutrition store. It's a bewildering assortment that isn't helped by the various performance claims of the manufacturers. Which drink should you choose? Marketing people would blanch at this answer but I think most sports drinks work about the same. Most … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Choosing a Sports Drink
Best Cycling Gear: Our Top Picks
Good, dependable cycling gear makes riding more enjoyable. We've gathered up some of our favorite cycling gear here, as chosen by Road Bike Rider contributors. These are some of our favorite cycling products that are currently available on the market. Some are new products, and some have been around for a while, but they're all worth a look, in our opinion. Do you have a … [Read more...] about Best Cycling Gear: Our Top Picks
Safest Road Bicycle Helmets as Tested and Ranked by Virginia Tech
By Lars Hundley Bike helmet technology has rapidly improved over the past five years, but standard helmet testing really hasn't kept up. The regular old CSPC bike helmet safety standard just tells you if a helmet meets the minimum standards to sell into the US market. That's all helmets! Meanwhile, new safety features like MIPS have hit the market for bike helmets, but are … [Read more...] about Safest Road Bicycle Helmets as Tested and Ranked by Virginia Tech
What is a good average wattage cycling?
QUESTION: I've been uploading my rides to Strava for a while now and it gives me estimated wattage, but it's unclear to me if those numbers are any good or not compared to other riders. I'm doing ok with my times on some local segments, but what's a good average wattage cycling in general? -- Kenneth M ANSWER: It's unfortunately a little bit more complicated than giving you … [Read more...] about What is a good average wattage cycling?
Mary Cain and Forced Weight Loss for Sports
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. Mary Cain was unbeatable in high school races. At age 16, she became the youngest athlete ever to represent the U.S at a World Championship track meet, and at age 17, she was the 2014 World Junior Champion in the 3000 meter run. After high school, she turned professional and broke many records while running for the world-famous Nike track club. … [Read more...] about Mary Cain and Forced Weight Loss for Sports
Newsletter Issue No. 888
November 14, 2019 PDF version for Premium Members is here. What’s the Best Food for Cycling? By Coach John Hughes When I started riding in the 1970s sports drinks, bars and gels hadn’t been invented yet so I experimented. Here’s what I’ve learned from almost 50 years of research and experimentation. Read more. T47 Bottom Bracket to the … [Read more...] about Newsletter Issue No. 888
Bike Nashbar: What Happened to Them?
If you've been a cyclist for a long time, you remember the days of getting the Bike Nashbar catalog in the mail, often because you signed up for a bike racing license. I fondly remember thumbing through the pages in the 1980s and early 1990s, looking at all the great cycling gear that I wish I could afford but couldn't, since I was a broke college student. In the years … [Read more...] about Bike Nashbar: What Happened to Them?
30 Cycling Training Tips to Get Faster on Your Bike
By Arnie Baker, M.D. The only way to get finished is to get started. As an introduction to training on your bike, the following is a list of general hints to keep in mind during the course of your training regimen, whether you are a beginning or seasoned cyclist, or are training indoors or out. Come back to this list for a quick reference occasionally as a way of … [Read more...] about 30 Cycling Training Tips to Get Faster on Your Bike
Mystery of the NYC Arrow E-bike Brand
On a recent trip to Brooklyn, I noticed that almost all the delivery bikes were the exact same brand and often the same model. The Arrow 7 E-bike. But what was this brand? I had never heard of it. Online searches don't reveal anywhere you can actually buy them. And I've never seen one outside of the boroughs of New York City. Here's what I know about these bikes. … [Read more...] about Mystery of the NYC Arrow E-bike Brand
Swiftwick Vision 5 Merino Socks Review
by Lars Hundley https://swiftwick.com/products/vision_five_peaks If you're a runner or a cyclist, you're probably familiar with the Swiftwick sock brand. Swiftwick makes their socks in the USA, and offers a wide variety of different colors, patterns, lengths and even fibers. I'm a big fan of merino wool socks, and still own and wear a pair of Swiftwick merino … [Read more...] about Swiftwick Vision 5 Merino Socks Review
Isolated Leg Training: Single Leg Pedaling Drills
By Arnie Baker, M.D. What if I told you there was a simple method of bicycle training that would improve almost all aspects of fitness? A method that would help strength, spin, leg speed, anaerobic power, focus, and breathing? A method so powerful that in training hundreds of athletes, I have never met one who did not benefit and see improvement within a few training … [Read more...] about Isolated Leg Training: Single Leg Pedaling Drills
René Herse Switchback Hill 48mm 650b Extralight Tire Review
By Lars Hundley Cost: $89 How obtained: Cold hard cash, full price. Available: online at the René Herse site. Website: https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/components/tires/650b/compass-650bx48-switchback-hill/ RBR Sponsor: no Tested: 20+ hours Hot! Maximum cushioning due to higher air volumeNo knobbies? No problem. Floats over gravelAmazingly … [Read more...] about René Herse Switchback Hill 48mm 650b Extralight Tire Review