Newsletter Issue No. 814
June 14, 2018
PDF version for Premium Members is here.
Touring by Race Bike and Credit Card
By Doug and Kathy Kirk
Bicycle touring, even touring on your own without support, doesn’t have to be on a heavy, slow, fully loaded touring bike. Touring by bicycle can be nearly as sublime as riding your lightweight race bike with nothing but water bottles and a seat pack. Because that’s the bike we propose you tour with. If you like the idea of taking a bike trip, especially a trip riding your favorite lightweight velocipede, but for one reason or another haven’t quite figured out how to pull it off, you can! We’ve done it, and it’s a blast. Learn more.
KASK Protone Helmet Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
If you are looking for an everyday road helmet that is also aero, the KASK Protone helmet offers the perfect combination. Team Sky used the first versions of the Protone in the 2014 Tour de France. Since then KASK continued to collaborate with Team Sky to refine the helmet’s aerodynamics, strength and comfort. What’s nice about the Protone helmet is that you get all the benefits of an aero helmet without sacrificing ventilation. Per the Italian manufacturer, it’s light weight at 215g (size medium) and boasts one of the lowest drag coefficients (cx) of any vented helmet on the market. I tested this helmet on a couple of hot, humid days into the 90s and the 20 cooling vents get the job done. Learn more.
Cycling Safely in the Summer Heat
By Coach John Hughes
I raced the Furnace Creek 508 through the Mojave Desert and Death Valley twice. I set a course record and won both times. I raced for over 30 continuous hours in each of those two races.
The 508-mile race, with 35,000 feet of climbing, is a qualifier for the Race Across AMerica. I wasn’t the fastest rider—many would have beaten me in a 40-km time trial. I wasn’t the lightest rider, nor was I the best climber.
But I was the smartest about riding in the heat!
Here’s what I learned about racing in the heat, which I’ve then tested as a coach working with ordinary roadies. Read more.
Tribute Bicycles for The Wright Brothers Foundation
By Jim Langley
You could make the case that the most forward thinking bicycle mechanics in history were the Wright Brothers. At the turn of the 19th century, legions of bicycle makers launched the motorcycle and automobile industries. Yet, the Wrights used two-wheel engineering to help develop human powered flight.
I learned more about how the bicycle influenced their invention of the Wright Flyer when I visited Greenfield Village in Dearborn, Michigan and walked into the original Wright Cycle Company building, which Henry Ford purchased and moved there, along with many other historic buildings, like Thomas Edison’s workshop. If you haven’t been to Greenfield Village, I highly recommend it. Read more.
Craft Verve Glow Reflective Jersey Review
By Lars Hundley
When Craft contacted me about sending a review sample of their new Craft Verve Glow jersey, I was excited. I already owned a previous version of this jersey that I purchased specifically because of the reflective elements, since I often ride early in the morning when it is still dark. The earlier version is a good jersey that has held up for more than two years and is still going strong, so I was curious to see what they had done to improve it. Read more.
How to Look Over Your Shoulder Without Swerving
By Rick Schultz
I noticed something on a ride recently that I see all too frequently. Following a couple of cyclists today, it was hard to pass them since they kept swerving as they looked over their shoulder.
I see this all the time; a cyclist looks over their left shoulder and their bicycle swerves to the left. It creates a dangerous situation for them, with all the trucks and cars on the streets. And it’s dangerous to any fellow cyclists around them as well. Read more.
Question of the Week
Have you ever gone on a multi-day bicycle tour?