September 14, 2023
My 1979 Paris-Brest-Paris: 1200 km in 73hr 25min.
By Coach John Hughes
I was lying on the lawn at the finish of the 1979 Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP). Other riders asked my wife in French. “Why isn’t he having a free beer?”
“He’s exhausted and his butt is very sore.” She responded in French.
“He should have put le bifteck in his shorts.” i.e., stuck a raw piece of beef on the chamois in my shorts. No thank you!
I rode my bike back to our hotel and collapsed on the bed, too tired to undress and take a shower. Read more.
Shift Cable Breaks – Are Wires the Solution?
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Last week we were helping my friend and teammate Mike Andalora with tips on how to know when his shift cable needs replacing and how often he should do it. In response, “Russ,” “Stephen” and “Joe,” posted comments discussing Shimano shift cables that break inside STI shift levers. Joe mentioned that he’s never had problems with his circa 2002 Campagnolo shift cables. Read more.
The Power of Mindset Versus the Pain of the Crash
By Kevin Kolodziejski
I was the victim of a hit-and-run — one about as odd as they come — about a month ago.
There’s a point in the large Sunday ride I often do where you can cut the course by making a left. Doing so allows you to relieve yourself and rejoin the group before the ride changes into a race. So I turned left, pedaled for a bit, and was about to hit the brakes when something from behind hit my left shoulder. Read more.
1Up 2” Super Duty Double Bike Rack Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Pull into the parking lot at any gravel event or MTB trailhead and look at which brand of hitch rack is the most popular. Until a couple of years ago, I had never heard of 1Up. But the 1Up racks are 100% made in the USA and ideal for hauling your gravel, MTB, fattie, cruiser, or eBike. Read more.
I Did Squats and My Cycling Performance Got Worse, What Gives?
Question: I recently purchased a set of free weights in hopes of improving cycling power and speed. But muscle soreness from squats prevented me from riding more than 12 mph for about 4 days — exactly the opposite of my goal. What did I do wrong? — Kevin N.
Read more.
How Can I Learn to Ride My Bike More Consistently?
Question: How do you keep motivated to ride? When I have a goal, like a century, I do fine. But after the ride, I lose the motivation to continue. I let a day or two slide by, and soon it has stretched into weeks and months. What’s the secret to consistent riding? — Jim R.
Read more.
Endurance Training and Riding — 3-Article Bundle
Want to improve your cycling? Ride more easy miles. In Endurance Training and Riding, a three article series, Coach John Hughes emphasizes that low intensity endurance riding brings about specific physiological changes that don’t result from harder training. These include improving your:
- ability to utilize fat for energy;
- capacity to store glycogen in your muscles and liver;
- muscular endurance by increasing the number of mitochondria, the subcellular structures where aerobic energy is produced; and
- neuromuscular efficiency of pedaling.
Question of the Week
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End Notes
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