March 3, 2022
Anti-Aging: How much Base Training?
By Coach John Hughes
I’ve written three recent columns on how hard exercise increases longevity: Anti-Aging: Interval Training Increases Longevity, Anti-Aging: Interval or Fartlek for Longevity?
and 6 Kinds of Intensity Training: Which One Is Best for You?
Readers asked great questions:
RBR reader Ron asks, “Really good info. Thanks. I was wondering how long (time) I would need to spend in zone 2 or 3 to begin to see improvements? Is this something that requires months or year around?” Read more.
Road Tubeless Safety Tip
By Jim Langley
This week’s tip is the result of an email from my buddy Seth. We’ve actually never met in person but have been email pen pals through our RBR comments section and outside it, too. Seth hails from Tucson and one day when I’m there he’s promised to pace me up Mt. Lemmon. Can’t wait. Read more.
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There’s a Knack to Going Back to Back
By Kevin Kolodziejski
What to Do to Do Well on That Second Hard Ride: Part I
You know what a supper of solely baked beans means the next morning. What you read next might strike you as more of the same.
That there’s a real commonality among all sorts of cycling and cyclists. That if you understand and explore it, your cycling can only improve. Read more.
Drink Tiiga Sports Hydration Power Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
A few months back, Drink Tiiga reached out and asked if we’d like to review the company’s hydration drink made from an African superfruit called baobab. According to the company, baobab has been used for energy, immunity, and gut health for thousands of years in African culture. However, this is the first I’ve heard of the plant. Read more.
Should I put fenders on my road bike?
By Stan Purdum
QUESTION: Should I put fenders on my road bike? —Larry J.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: Maybe. The reason road bikes don’t come with fenders is to save weight, thus making the bikes capable of faster speeds and easier to pump uphill. No fender also eliminates the possibility of some object becoming jammed between the wheel and the fender and bringing the bike to an abrupt halt. But in wet conditions, fenders are beneficial to you, the rider, the people you may be riding with and the bike itself. Read more.
Is Zwift Good for Beginners?
QUESTION: Is Zwift good for beginners? I know it has a lot of racing and workouts, and those seem difficult. I have access to a Wahoo Core smart trainer because my roommate doesn’t mind me using his, and he says my bike will fit on it. I just want to get in some basic exercise and thought it might be more fun than just pedaling and listening to music. – Mark P Read more.
Benefits of Exercising for Both Endurance and Strength
A systematic review of 18 studies found that combining aerobic exercise such as running, walking and cycling with resistance strength training helps older people to be more active and less likely to fall and hurt themselves, compared to those who did just aerobic or strength training alone. They become stronger, more coordinated, and have greater balance. Read more.
Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond Bundle
In this 3-article series, Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond Bundle, Coach John Hughes shares his personal insight and the current research into how different physiological systems worsen with age. In Fit for Life, he shows you that by exercising in different ways you can stay fitter than if you just ride your road bike. In Peak Fitness, he provides specific week-by-week workouts designed to make any rider a better, fitter cyclist. And in Training with Intensity, he explains the physiological benefits of riding with intensity; doing some hard riding slows the aging process and delivers an array of benefits at any age.
The specific week-by-week workouts are designed to make any rider a better, fitter cyclist. Before beginning any of the programs, Hughes describes how to establish your current baseline fitness. He then divides each of the four programs into two 4-week blocks. By following one of the programs for just four weeks, you’ll see measurable progress in your baseline fitness. And by following the program for eight weeks, you’ll progress even further.
KBO Ranger Cargo Ebike Review
By Lars Hundley
If there’s ever a use case where a bike with an electric motor makes more sense than just a regular bike, I’d say it would be with the category of cargo bike. Cargo bikes by necessity need to be large, sturdy and heavy so that they are able to carry a load. So you’re already looking at a bike that’s fairly unwieldy even before you put on your first load of groceries or let a kid ride on the back. At that point, you have to make sure you have enough gears and physical strength to actually carry your load around. It’s enough to make riders who are not dedicated to the idea hesitate to buy a regular cargo bike. Read more.
Question of the Week
Do you subscribe to any cycling print magazines?
Cool Stuff to Read
Sticky Bottle: Playing it cool: The things cyclists should never reveal about themselves
Capo Velo: Electric bikes and the law
Bike Radar: Basic bicycle safety check: make sure your bike is safe to ride with the M check
VeloNews: Zwift addresses weight-doping hack, and temporary ban of a user who flagged it
End Note
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