February 1, 2024
12 Winter Training Tips
By Coach John Hughes
1. Accept it’s Winter: Last week I was talking with my 73-year-old friend Gary. He told me about friends his age who lament they aren’t a fit as they were. “Get over it.” he tells them. “Accept who you are.” The same applies to winter. You will lose some fitness this winter and that’s okay. Read more.
Tech Q&A: Joe’s Lower Gearing Plan
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
The following technical question arrived the other day. It’s a good one because going to lower (easier) gearing is something most cyclists must do sooner or later. I provide some ideas below in my reply. Please chime in with your lower gearing advice for Joe and others in the same situation in the comments. Read more.
Understand Energy Density and Never Fad Diet Again
By Kevin Kolodziejski
Just before Christmas, one of our RBR contributors told me he weighed six pounds more than normal and 12 pounds more than the weight he likes to race at. Nothing odd about that. Read more.
37.5 Technology for Cycling Apparel – Winter Test
By Brandon Bilyeu
In the summer of 2022 I tested 37.5 Technology in a jersey and baselayer and the review can be found here. To summarize, I found that the kit with 37.5 Technology did seem to stay drier and cooler in hot weather than similar kit without 37.5. Now I’ve had the chance to test some 37.5 kit in cold weather to see how it performs. Read more.
Rab Cinder Cargo Bib Shorts – Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
I’m always on the lookout for new brands and styles of women’s drop seat bibs. Recently, I came across Rab’s Cinder bib shorts, and wow, I’m excited. But hold on, gentlemen, don’t navigate away just yet because these bibs also come in a men’s version, albeit without the drop seat feature. Read more.
How often should I lube my road bike chain?
QUESTION: How often should I lube my road bike chain? I don’t usually pay much attention to it and only lube it if it’s noisy or I had to ride in the rain, but a rider friend tells me that’s not often enough. —Angie W. Read more.
Avoid Saddle Cysts with These Tips
There’s almost nothing as painful as dealing with saddle sores as a cyclist. They really hurt. If you try to just suffer through the pain and hope they’ll go away on their own, you can end up with much bigger problems. Don’t ignore them, because a sore can get worse and turn into a hard, persistent lump called a cyst which can sometimes even require surgery for removal. Read more.
Off-Season Bundle
In these three articles, Off Season Bundle, Coach Hughes explains in detail what you can do in the off-season to improve your summer riding. Series includes:
- Productive Off-Season Training
- Gaining a Mental Edge: Using Sports Psychology to Improve Your Cycling
- Year-Round Cycling: How to Extend Your Cycling Season
Question of the Week
How often do you clean your chain?
Other Cool Things to Read
Cycling News: Cycling tech trends I wish didn’t exist
Canadian Cycling: How do I make a long trainer ride more tolerable?
Colorado Sun: Colorado getting deadlier for pedestrians and cyclists, despite overall drop in traffic deaths
Cyclist.co.uk: The dos and don’ts of winter bike maintenance
Tourdeice.bike: Who wants to ride a fat bike all the way across Greenland?
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End Notes
