by John Marsh Road bicycles are just that, bikes made for efficiently riding on roads. You’ll know a road bike when you see one. It’s characterized by its sleek look, with dropped, curving handlebars, narrow wheels and “skinny” tires, a small seat and lots of cogs, or gears, on the back wheel. Typically, road bikes are lightweight, and oftentimes they look “fast.” That’s why … [Read more...] about Every Different Type of Road Bike, Explained
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Newsletter Issue No. 915 b
Simple Home Exercise for Knee Pain By Jim Langley I’m opening this week with a funny story because I’m in a much better mood recently (tell you why in a minute). It’s a tale about something that happened while my wife Deb and I were biking across country in the winter of 1979. Read more. Quick Tip: Learn to Ride a Straight Line When you ride solo, … [Read more...] about Newsletter Issue No. 915 b
Newsletter Issue No. 915
May 21, 2020 PDF version for Premium Members is here. More on Avoiding Boredom on Long Solo Rides By Coach John Hughes In a recent newsletter Taylor Q. asked How to Avoid Boredom on Long Rides? The column had three excellent suggestions. Although I ride with friends, I enjoy riding alone, too. I go where I want to go, at the pace I feel like riding, … [Read more...] about Newsletter Issue No. 915
3 New Bontrager WaveCel Bike Helmet Models
By Sheri Rosenbaum Back in 2019 Bontrager introduced WaveCel to their helmet line, a collapsible cellular structure that works like a crumple zone to help absorb both rotational and linear impact forces before they can reach a rider’s head. Today they announce the addition of three new models to their line. This comes in response to customer requests for sizing in … [Read more...] about 3 New Bontrager WaveCel Bike Helmet Models
Testimonial: Using a Remote Bike Fitting Professional Can Help
David M writes about his experience using a professional bike fitter for his Peloton bike to resolve his knee pain: I'm a longtime runner, so when I purchased the Peloton bike over a year ago there was a very steep learning curve ahead of me. I read tons of articles and watched plenty of videos about the ideal spin bike setup. Despite my best research efforts and constant … [Read more...] about Testimonial: Using a Remote Bike Fitting Professional Can Help
How Long Do Bike Shorts Last?
by Stan Purdum As I pulled a pair of bike shorts out of my drawer yesterday while getting dressed to ride, I noticed that the pad had folded over within the outside layer of the chamois, so that there was a double thickness under the left sit-bone side and no thickness at all under the right sit-bone side. By shaking the shorts a couple times, I was able to get the pad to … [Read more...] about How Long Do Bike Shorts Last?
SRAM eTap Group Now With Wider Gearing
Jim’s Tech Talk By Jim Langley Before we get rolling with this week’s TT, thanks for the interesting and helpful comments to last week’s discussion about whether bottles are safe to drink from. For example, Bob Williams shared that Camelbak actually has bottles with nozzle caps in their Dirt Series (https://amzn.to/3cLxRXF) which I didn’t know. And there are more great … [Read more...] about SRAM eTap Group Now With Wider Gearing
Using Your Power Zones for Training
By Martin Sigrist So far we have seen how knowing your power zones can provide you with insights on your strengths/weaknesses and allow you to plan for an event. However the most frequent use for power zones is for training. … [Read more...] about Using Your Power Zones for Training
Quick Tip: Check Your Speed Before Leading the Paceline
One of the common (and irritating) mistakes riders make in a paceline is accelerating while taking over the lead position. Maybe it happens because riders don't want the others to think they can't handle the pace. Rather than risk slowing down, they err by speeding up. The correct way is to maintain the speed as the former leader pulls off. Then you move forward, in … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: Check Your Speed Before Leading the Paceline
Newsletter Issue No. 914 b
How To Choose Cycling Shorts You should choose road-cycling shorts based on the quality of materials and construction. But also crucial is how well they conform to your unique anatomy. Sometimes a relatively inexpensive pair may work better for you than a high-dollar model. Shorts, like saddles, are tough to recommend because of differences in butts, crotches, seats and … [Read more...] about Newsletter Issue No. 914 b
Newsletter Issue No. 914
May 14, 2020 PDF version for Premium Members is here. Ask the Coach: What Should a Beginning Cyclist Eat and Drink, pt. 2? By Coach John Hughes Last week I wrote about What a Beginning Cyclist Should Eat, which applies to all roadies. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends, depending on how big you are, consuming 25 to 60 grams of … [Read more...] about Newsletter Issue No. 914
Using Zones To Find Out What Sort Of Cyclist You Are
By Martin Sigrist Power meters have been in widespread use for a while now and so there is lots of data from lots of different types of riders. As a result we know the wattages typical for every type of rider from a grand tour winner to complete beginner. … [Read more...] about Using Zones To Find Out What Sort Of Cyclist You Are
Are Bicycle Bottles Safe to Drink From?
Jim’s Tech Talk By Jim Langley You might recall that back a couple of Tech Talks, we reviewed a biodegradable bicycle bottle from Elite. It being one of the first pollution-fighting bidons we’d seen, we awarded it our highest rating of 5 stars. The review is here if you missed it: Elite Jet Water Bottle and Vico Carbon Cage Review. … [Read more...] about Are Bicycle Bottles Safe to Drink From?
Quick Tip: It’s Not Just About the Cleat Float
This quick tip comes from Coach Rick Shultz, an IBFI Level 3 certified professional bike fitter. More cleat float is not necessarily your solution to knee pain. Sure, you want a little float But it’s much more important to have your cleats adjusted correctly. And it's even more important to have the right crank arm length, as well as the correct saddle height. Most cyclists … [Read more...] about Quick Tip: It’s Not Just About the Cleat Float
Don’t Straighten Your Knees When You Ride a Bicycle
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D. At some time, one out of three cyclists suffers serious knee pain (Am J Sports Med, 2010 Dec;38(12):2494-501). It often occurs with a new bike, upon returning to cycling after a long hiatus, or when you are trying to increase either your intensity or your mileage. If your knee starts to hurt while you are on your bike, stop riding and try to find out the … [Read more...] about Don’t Straighten Your Knees When You Ride a Bicycle
Ask the Coach: What Should a Beginning Cyclist Eat and Drink, pt. 2?
By Coach John Hughes Last week I wrote about What a Beginning Cyclist Should Eat, which applies to all roadies. The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) recommends, depending on how big you are, consuming 25 to 60 grams of carbs (100 to 240 calories) per hour after the first hour of exercise. Note that the recommendation is only for calories of carbs. … [Read more...] about Ask the Coach: What Should a Beginning Cyclist Eat and Drink, pt. 2?