January 30, 2020
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Should You Do Intensity Training This Winter? (Part 1)
By Coach John Hughes
It depends on how much riding you did over the fall and what your objectives are. This week I discuss how a 76-year-old woman trains for speed. Next week I’ll describe how a 62-year-old man should train for climbing power. Read more.
Silca SuperPista Digital Floor Pump Product Review
By Jim Langley
If you’ve been reading Tech Talk for a while, you already know that I’m a big fan of Silca products. Especially their pumping products, which I’ve made a living with as a pro mechanic since the 1970’s.
The pump reviewed here, Silca’s SuperPista Digital is on another level even for Silca. In that it’s the third version of their idea of a cost-is-no-object, ne plus ultra floor pump. Actually, cost may have been an object because this version is less expensive than when Silca debuted their holy grail pump a few years ago with the Ultimate at $450. This is good news for roadies who appreciate owning and using beautiful tools. Read more.
Sponsor: Performance Alpaca Cycling Socks by Fo//ow Ho//ow
Follow Hollow socks outperform competitors largely due to their 80% baby alpaca proprietary blend thread. Check out the RoadBikeRider.com review by Sheri here. After a very successful Kickstarter launch, these socks are in stock and available to order right now directly from the company. Why not add some to your sock drawer? Find out more.
Quick Tip: Don’t Take Your Water Bottle for a Winter Ride
Don’t “take your water bottle out for a ride.” That means finishing with the bottle still full because you forgot to drink, or you didn’t start till the ride was almost over. Been there, done that, eh? Well, the same goes for food. You don’t want to take your energy bar, gel packet or other snack for a ride, either. Read more.
Susie’s Smart Breakfast Cookies
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Last month Susie of Susie’s Smart Cookie contacted the RBR office asking if we’d like to test their cookies. Yes, there really is a Susie and she runs the women-owned business. She sent a mix of her 4 cookie flavors; Orange Cranberry Nut, Gingered Apple, Banana Coconut and Cocoa to try for myself. Read more.
Caffeine Boosts Endurance and Strength
By Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
A review of 34 recent studies shows that taking caffeine before and during exercise can increase muscle strength and endurance. Taking 1-2 mg of caffeine per pound of body weight can enhance performance of athletes. A 150-pound athlete will get maximum benefit from two to three cups of strong coffee, which has about 100mg of caffeine per cup. Cola soft drinks contain approximately 35mg of caffeine per 12-ounce can. Read more.
Anti-Aging 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process
Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process gives you the tools you need to slow the inevitable decline in your health and fitness. Coach John Hughes wrote this eBook for all roadies age 50 and older. It will teach you how you, too, can fight the physical effects of chronological aging.
Question of the Week
Do you eat and drink as much in cold weather?
More Cycling Stuff to Read
Green Guru: This six pack top tube holder for your bike is probably not UCI compliant.
YouTube: You think you’ve experienced a headwind? Not like this.
Bike Radar: Null Winds Aerodefender Fairing is fast, but looks pretty weird.
Cyclingnews.com: You can ride with Lance Armstrong for a week for $30K.
BBC: Man arrested with 30 phones stuffed in his cycling shorts. Still no word on which saddle works best with that setup.
End Notes
I’ve been testing out the noseless ISM PN 3.1 saddle on my Giant Revolt. You definitely need to read the instructions and/or watch the YouTube videos when you install a noseless saddle or you’ll end up with it in a weird position. Even following the directions, mine was set too far forward and needed to go back another centimeter or so after the first ride. But other than positioning, there has been no “adjustment period” needed and it has been quite comfortable. After I put some more hours on it, I’ll have a full review.
I’m a long-time subscriber, but not a premium member (I was for a while but found I didn’t use the premium benefits). For some reason, for the last couple of weeks I’ve been unable to get the the voting part of the Question Of The Week. Is this intentional or a bug of some sort?
The Question of the Week page is open to everyone, so I’m not sure why you wouldn’t be able to see it.
https://www.roadbikerider.com/question-of-the-week-rbr/ is the page where the questions are located.