November 16, 2023
Fit for Life
By Coach John Hughes
It’s getting close to Thanksgiving! We don’t have enough snow in the mountains of Colorado to ski yet so my wife and I are headed to Santa Fe and Taos for some New Mexican sunshine and culture … and perhaps burritos, chile rellenos, chips and salsa instead of turkey.
Here are nine columns I wrote when my biological age was 67. Although the calendar says I’m 72 now, I feel like a 60-something. I ride on the road, mountain bike, hike, cross-country ski and snowshoe almost as well as five years ago. And we’ve taken up kayaking — a great upper body workout on a recovery day from cycling and hiking. Read more.
More Thoughts on Clipless Pedals and Making Them Easier to Use
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
Last week, RBR reader Will Haltiwanger provided a clever cleat hack for making Shimano SPD clipless pedals easier to enter and exit (thanks again Will!). Here’s the article if you missed it – and please note that the hack is intended for beginners learning to use clipless pedals, not experienced clipless users: Will’s Shimano SPD Pedals Cleat Hack.
This week, I want to share another interesting easy-out tip from a reader and reply to a comment that arrived. Read more.
Cycling Aerodynamics: Going Aero Without Going Broke
By Kevin Kolodziejski
Whether you race or not, whether you ride 10,000 miles a year or four-tenths of that in two, one thing’s for sure. It’s part of your cycling DNA. It’s the continual craving (except on recovery rides) to go just that little bit faster.
What’s not so certain is how you cater to the craving. While I can only assume it doesn’t include hypodermic needles and unmarked packages from foreign countries, I can’t assume much else. But I can tell you there are ways increase your average mph without risking jail time. Some, just like PEDs, cost a ton of money. Others are not nearly as expensive. And some are even free. Read more.
Quick Tip: Bicycling in the Cold Rain
Cold winter rain is tough on bikes and riders. The roads are slick, visibility is low and after the ride your reward for getting soaked is a big bike-cleaning project. No wonder most cyclists hate to ride in the rain.
The biggest obstacle is getting out the door in the first place. It’s warm and dry inside; cold, wet and nasty on the road. The couch is much more appealing. Read more.
How Can I Stop My Cycling Clothes from Stinking?
Question: Over time, the synthetic materials used for cycling jerseys and base layers seem to retain a sweaty smell. In my case, at least, it can be pretty potent. It has only one advantage — no one will draft on me! How can I get my clothes to smell fresh again? — Steve H.
Read more.
Quick Tip: Carry a Cotton Ball
Sometimes our quick tips are so deceptively simple that you just shake your head and mumble to yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Such is the case with this tip originally sent to us by Steve Shepherd. Here’s what he wrote. Read more.
Anti-Aging E-Book
Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process, by Coach John Hughes, incorporates the latest research and most of it is new material not published.
The book explains how to get the most benefit from your endurance rides and the importance of strength training. It has sample training plans to increase your annual riding miles and to build up to rides of 25-, 50-, 100- and 200-miles. The book explains why intensity training is important, the pros and cons of gauging intensity using rate of perceived exertion, heart rate and power. It includes how to do intensity exercise and different intensity workouts. It integrates endurance and intensity training into an annual plan for optimal results.
Question of the Week
Do you ride competitively, or just recreationally?
Cool Stuff to Read
Cycling Weekly: The grim reality of bike packing — why this trend isn’t for me
Bike Radar: The UCI’s 6.8kg weight limit is under threat (again). Does it need to change?
The Guardian: Italian ultra-endurance cyclist returns to Antarctica crossing where isolation is the enemy
Momentum Mag: How to Navigate the Door Zone as a City Cyclist
Sticky Bottle: Geraint Thomas’s winter blow-outs, 7kg weight gain in five weeks
Most Clicked Last Week
Will’s Shimano SPD Pedals Cleat Hack
End Notes
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