August 17, 2023
Anti-Aging: Nine Old Friends from Paris-Brest-Paris
By Coach John Hughes
My club had a party for anciens et anciennes (veterans) of Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP) as well as rookies. I talked with nine old friends, some dating back to the 1990s, now all in their 60s and 70s. I had moved from Boulder to the mountains and hadn’t seen some of my cycling buddies for years. I was interested to learn after their PBPs what kind of cycling they do now? Read more.
New Tools for Finishing Cables
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Most bicycles today still use wire cables. The exceptions are those with hydraulic-only disc brakes and also electronic shifting. But some of those could have a dropper seatpost operated by a wire cable. Read more.
Smith Optics Bobcat Sunglasses Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Too often, cycling sunglasses are designed for men who have broader faces than women. Many oversize shield sunglasses tend to overwhelm my face. That’s until I discovered Smith’s Bobcat frames.
A couple of months ago, my friend Tonya showed up for a ride sporting a new pair of black marble frame Bobcats. I admired them for their look, lightweight, and fit. Shortly after that ride, I contacted my Smith rep to see if I could test a pair myself. If I struggled to find flattering sunglasses that fit well, other women must have a similar problem. Read more.
Re: Longer Lifespan, Better Cycling, and Common Sense
By Kevin Kolodziejski
Quick, unexpected, and without warning.
It’s the way just about all bicycle crashes occur. It’s also the way most dictionaries define the adjective “sudden.” Yet when was the last time you heard of a cyclist’s unfortunate encounter with a car, concrete, or macadam called a “sudden” bike crash? You hear “sudden heart attack,” however, bandied about all the time. Read more.
How difficult is a century ride? Should I train for it?
QUESTION: How difficult is a century ride? I’m 35 years old and not overweight, but I don’t really exercise regularly. An older friend from work has invited me to do a century ride with him in a few months. I own a hybrid bike. Will I be able to do it cold, or should I train for it? He says I need a training program, but I’m more than 10 years younger. —Alan R.
RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: A lot of cyclists view completing their first century ride as a significant milestone in their cycling life, because riding 100 miles in a single day requires, at minimum, endurance and determination from the rider. Read more.
Learn to Lean Through Turns
Lean, don’t steer, through turns.
You make a car go around a corner by turning the steering wheel. You make a bike turn by leaning it.
That’s a big difference between a vehicle with four wheels and one with two wheels. But we see many new riders try to steer their bike like they’re driving a car. They slow down and pivot the handlebar, creeping around corners. Read more.
New Cycling Books: A Summer Round Up
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Bloomsbury released several cycling-related books that you might want to add to your summer reading list. Here’s an overview of what you have to choose from.
Is Group Training Superior to Solo?
QUESTION: I’ve been told that fitness progresses most effectively if you ride fast in a paceline. Is this psychological? It seems to me that 95% intensity for a given period would produce the same level of fitness regardless of whether it was attained in a paceline or solo. What’s your opinion? — Jane P. Read more.
Adventure Cycling’s Short Routes for Bike Travel Beginners
Missoula, Montana – With a vision that the joy and freedom of bicycle travel should be accessible to everyone, Adventure Cycling Association launched the Short Routes Program, an innovative endeavor aimed at breaking down barriers and making bike travel more approachable, no matter someone’s level of experience or available time. Read more.
Anti-Aging E-Book: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process
Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process, by Coach John Hughes, has chapters on the training principles to build endurance, how to gauge intensity, cardiovascular endurance exercise and recovery. He includes plans you can easily modify for different amounts of riding. One plan increases over two years your annual riding from around 4,000 miles (6,500 km) to over 5,000 miles (8,000 km) a year. He gives you plans to build up to 100 km and 100-mile rides and discusses the importance of recovery and how to gauge if you are getting enough recovery.
The book includes chapters on how to meet the American College of Sports Medicine’s recommendations on aerobic, high intensity aerobic, strength training, weight-bearing exercises, balance and flexibility. Included are sample weeks and months for different types and amounts of exercise. He combines the different kinds of training into programs that balance training and recovery.
Question of the Week
Have you ever bought a bicycle directly from a manufacturer (like Canyon, etc.)?
Cool Stuff to Read
Canadian MTB: Lachlan Morton test the limits of stem slamming (and geometry)
Road.cc: World Championships: Tom Pidcock “in complete disagreement” with last-minute UCI rule change over preferential start positions for road stars in mountain bike race
GPLama: TPU Bicycle Tubes: Light, Fast, Cheap…. What’s the Catch?
Most Clicked Last Week
Reader Bike Cleaning Tips & Product Suggestions
End Notes
When someone shows up at the local group ride with friction shifters and Campy Delta brakes….
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