Newsletter Issue No. 1236
August 6, 2026
Tech Q & A: Will Changing The Fork Ruin Jo’s Ride?
Jim’s Tech Talk
By Jim Langley
An interesting question arrived in last week’s mail from a cyclist named Nick who lives and rides in the New York area. It’s about bicycle forks and bike handling. Fork replacement isn’t a frequent repair but it can be required after a crash, so I’m sharing this question and answer since it could come in handy in the future (luckily, Nick’s replacement has nothing to do with crashing and hopefully you won’t crash either!). Read more.
What Coaching an Ultra Champion Taught Me About Everyone’s Training
By Ric Stern
I have to admit something: I can be a snob.
Mostly about non-cycling things, such as coffee (I need freshly roasted beans, and can be bribed with good ones), or music (give me proper rockabilly and the founding fathers of jazz, blues, and country). I can be precious about that sort of stuff. Read more.
SunGod Velans 2 Sunglasses Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
SunGod was not a brand I was familiar with until their rep sent me the company’s recent press release. In early May of this year, SunGod launched a redesign of their Velans sunglasses, which have been among their best-selling models for the past five years. The new Velans 2 sunglasses are being worn by riders on INEOS Grenadiers, SD-Worx ProTime, and Unibet Rose Rockets. Read more.
How should we handle the guy who’s late to every group ride?
Question: One rider in our regular Sunday group is late every single week. Not occasionally. Every week. And here’s the part that really gets me: right at start time, he texts one of us “almost there,” which somehow obligates the whole group to keep standing in the parking lot, because leaving feels rude once you know he’s coming. Last week “almost there” turned out to be 15 more minutes. He’s a friend and a strong rider and I don’t want drama, but I’ve started to dread the text more than the headwind. Do we just roll at the posted time and let him chase? —Greg M. Read more.
Quick Tip: Riding a Century or Gran Fondo? Start Slower Than Feels Right
If you’re riding a century, gran fondo, or other big event, the first hour is the hour you’re most likely to get wrong.
Ride it slower than feels right, and you’ll often finish stronger, faster and in a much better mood.
First, “long” is relative. If your normal weekend ride is 30 miles, then 50 miles is a long ride. If you regularly ride 200K brevets, a 300K is a long ride. Any ride that takes you well beyond your usual distance deserves a little more restraint at the start.
The problem with any long ride is that the opening miles feel wonderful. Your legs are fresh. The air is cool. You’re running on event-morning adrenaline. Riders all around you are rolling fast, and the temptation is to find a wheel and go with them.
That pace may feel fine now. It may be exactly what empties the tank at mile 70.
Before the start, decide on the pace you believe you can still hold in the final hour. Then ride the first hour at that pace — not the pace your legs are offering while they’re fresh and you’re still excited from the start. If you use a power meter, choose a conservative endurance-range wattage for the first hour and treat it as a ceiling, not a target to exceed on every hill. A good rule for a long ride in general is to divide the day into thirds and make the first third feel easy. Not moderate. Easy.
Your breathing is the simplest gauge. You should be able to talk in complete sentences. If you’re gasping to stay on a wheel, or can’t hold a conversation, you’re working too hard for a ride that still has several hours to go. The right group for you may be behind you.
Heart rate can be useful, but don’t let it overrule how you feel. Excitement can push it up early; heat, dehydration and fatigue can make it drift upward late. Steady breathing and perceived effort are often better guides. For more ways to judge your pace, see Coach John Hughes’s 7 tools for pacing longer rides.
Racing is a partial exception. You may not be able to ride the opening hour of a road race at an easy pace and stay with the field. But you can still ride economically! Sit in, skip unnecessary pulls, and don’t waste efforts chasing moves that have little chance of succeeding.
This is not an argument for trying to ride the second half faster than the first. Even strong riders will often slow down a little late into a long event. The goal is to slow down a little bit on purpose early on, rather than slow down a lot against your will near the end.
You can’t bank time in the first hour. You can only borrow it, and the interest comes due later.
Other Cool Things to Read
Cycling News: Eddy Merckx is back on the bike at 81 as his long recovery from hip surgery finally turns a corner
NY Times: New York Times: The forgotten autumn Greg LeMond spent hiding out in small-town Georgia after nearly dying
BBC Travel: A 1,000-kilometer loop around Taiwan may be the most rider-friendly big trip going
Rene Herse: The Tour’s flat-tire math is startling — one puncture per 13,000 km
Question of the Week
Do you listen to podcasts or music while riding outdoors?
Most Clicked Last Week
Product Review: Silca Hirobel Frame Clamp
End Notes
