November 3, 2022
Anti-Aging: How to Do Strength Training Correctly
By Coach John Hughes
I’m gimping around with a sore left hip / IT band / gluteals. I made a stupid rookie mistake. Here’s what happened. Read more.
A Tour of Park Tool Headquarters
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
In two recent Tech Talks I mentioned that my wife and I drove cross country from our California home to our former home of New England. Traveling part way with us and also crossing the USA – except headed to the Carolinas, were our pals and fellow RVers Tony and Kathy. While we drive a Class C motorhome, they cruise in a Mercedes Sprinter pulling an Escape trailer. Read more.
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. Read more.
What’s the Difference Between a Freewheel and a Cassette?
QUESTION: What’s the difference between a freewheel and a cassette, and which is better? —Ron S.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: “Freewheel” and “cassette” both refer to the cluster of gear rings — also called “cogs” or “sprockets” — attached to the hub of the drive side of a bicycle’s rear wheel. They both function the same in that they mesh with the chain to turn the rear wheel and thus propel the bike forward when you pedal. But freewheels and cassettes are different in design and construction. Cassette clusters are the newer technology, and most modern multi-gear bikes come with cassettes rather than freewheels. Read more.
Should You Breathe Through Your Nose or Your Mouth When You Exercise?
Just about everyone with an unobstructed nose will breathe through their nose when at rest or during casual activities, but most people will breathe through their mouth during exercise. The more intensely you exercise, the more likely that you will have to breathe through your mouth because you may not be able to get enough air through your nose to feel comfortable. Read more.
Coping With Descending When You Don’t Like It
Everyone has a speed limit in his or her head. At a certain velocity you’re having the time of your life, but 3 or 5 miles per hour faster and the winds of panic start blowing in your ears.
Some cyclists freak out at 30 mph. Others can be reasonably comfortable at 45. One of Davis Phinney’s favorite racing stories: About the time the 7-Eleven Team began racing in Europe, bike computers became able to hold maximum speed in memory. The team loved the new technology because they could have an informal competition to see who could register the fastest speed in the day’s race. The gold standard was to hit triple figures – 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph). Read more.
Productive Off-Season Training for Health and Recreational Riders
Productive Off-Season Training for Health and Recreational Riders, by Coach John Hughes, explains in detail what you can do to become a better rider this winter. The article covers in detail outdoor endurance riding, intensity training, resistance (strength) training, cross-training, indoor cycling, drills for technique and stretching. The article combines all of these into:
- A 12-week off-season exercise program to keep you healthy during the winter months.
- A 12-week more intensive off-season program to build your endurance, power and speed, preparing for base training.
Question of the Week
Have you ridden any gravel events this year?
Cool Stuff to Read
Quartz: My Favorite Beverage Is a 2,000-Year-Old Energy Drink From Ancient Rome
VeloNews: Former Paris-Roubaix champion Sonny Colbrelli to retire after suffering cardiac arrhythmia
Cycling Tips: Someone just backflipped a cargo bike and it blew my mind
Cycling Weekly: Ask a cycling coach: ‘What causes café legs, that heavy feeling after a short break?’
Road.cc: Shimano says demand for bikes still higher than pre-pandemic despite “signs of cooling down”
End Notes
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