Coach Fred Matheny

How Should I Train to Ride Haute Route Ventoux?

Question: I am interested in learning more about training for climbing as I am preparing for Haute Route Ventoux. Any information would be welcomed. Thank you. —Jared N. … [Read more...] about How Should I Train to Ride Haute Route Ventoux?

Do Training Rides Need to Be As Long as Events?

Question: I'm 48 and in the past rode 12-15 hours per week but was usually overtrained. This season I'm trying to recover better by doing 10-hour weeks including weekend rides of about 100 miles and building up only for major events. I'm planning to ride one of Australia's toughest "classics," Grafton-Inverell. It's 140 miles, starting at sea level and ascending to about 4,000 … [Read more...] about Do Training Rides Need to Be As Long as Events?

How to Ride a Bicycle Over Rough Pavement or Cobbles

By Coach Fred Matheny I’ve never ridden the fabled cobblestone roads of northern France or Belgium, the ones that shake riders into insensibility in Paris-Roubaix and some of the other Spring Classics. But on my local training roads we have the next best thing for masochistic riding – genuine western Colorado chip-and-seal. Recently, they’ve been using gravel so large … [Read more...] about How to Ride a Bicycle Over Rough Pavement or Cobbles

Fine-Tune Tire Pressures to Your Own Comfort Level

Question: Coach Fred, regarding your July 2015 review of the Compass Barlow Pass tires: You mentioned the tires felt a bit squirmy at 50 psi. What rim width were you using? I have the narrower Stampede Pass on 19C rims and they feel fine at 65 psi. I'm considering the Barlow Pass on a new bike with 21C rims and I've been assured by Compass that combination will work … [Read more...] about Fine-Tune Tire Pressures to Your Own Comfort Level