Newsletter Issue No. 1182

July 17, 2025

The Long Story of Lowering the Gearing on My Old Road Racing Bike

Jim’s Tech Talk

By Jim Langley

Woo-hoo! The 2025 Tour de France is underway! If you’re watching, I hope you’re enjoying it as much as I am. The race hasn’t gotten to the high mountains yet, but during last year’s edition, I noticed that some of the guys were riding cassettes with 36-tooth largest cogs for the climbing stages. Read more.

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Life, Diet, Time on the Bike

By Kevin Kolodziejski 

They All Require ‘Constant Readjustment’ If You Want to Get Them Right

It may not make sense to you that a book titled The Book of Tea is as much about Eastern philosophy as the drink made by infusing the dried crushed leaves of Camellia senensis in boiling water. But a key takeaway found therein certainly does make sense and certainly does apply to you. Read more.

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POC Cytal Road Helmet and Cadence Bib Shorts – Quick Review

By Sheri Rosenbaum

As I continue to test the latest gear unveiled at Sea Otter Classic, I’m excited to share my thoughts on two new additions from POC: the Cytal road/gravel aero helmet and the Cadence collection, which includes bib shorts, jerseys, and accessories. Read more.

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What bicycle adventures can I have when I can only get away one day at a time?

QUESTION: I’ve enjoyed cycling for years, including some multi-day trips and adventures. But some time ago, my wife underwent a health change that has made her more reliant on me for care. But she is mostly self-sufficient a day at a time, and lately, she’s been encouraging me to look for some single-day bike events to resume my cycling. I have attended a few one-day group events I’ve found within a couple of hours drive from home, but there aren’t enough of these. Any suggestions? —Anonymous Read more.

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Should I Eat on Bicycle Rides if I Want to Lose Weight?

Question: I took up cycling this year to lose some weight (okay, a lot of weight). I started with a mountain bike but soon discovered I loved being a roadie, so I switched over. As the pounds peeled off, I started riding farther. My goal is to do a century by the end of the summer. But when I ride as far as 60 miles, I get exhausted. Maybe I should I be snacking to increase overall exercise time, but does it make any sense to eat on the bike when I’m trying to lose weight? — Gus T. Read more.

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Other Cool Things to Read

Cycling Weekly: Are bicycle tire tests lying to you? Rethinking rolling resistance and drum resting
Rene Herse: Bicycle Product Development: Racing vs Touring
Escape Collective: Riders’ union president Hansen admits handlebar rule mistake
Runner’s World: At Age 77, Jeannie Rice Just Keeps Running Fast. Now, Scientists Finally Know Why.

Question of the Week

Do you use electronic shifting on any of your bikes?

Most Clicked Last Week

What is the protocol for spitting on group rides?

End Notes