Newsletter Issue No. 916

May 28, 2020

PDF version for Premium Members is here.


“What a Drag it is Getting Old”

By Coach John Hughes

This is the first line of Mother’s Little Helper written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards in 1966 when they were 23 — they’re now 76. Mother’s Little Helper is Meprobamate a tranquilizer and in the song the mother keeps taking more and more until she overdoses. Then on August 20, 2019 the Stones wrapped up a three-year tour. Getting old hasn’t slowed them down too much! Read more.


Tandem Bottom Brackets

By Jim Langley

This week’s topic comes from RBR subscriber Kevin Meyers, who asked:

“I have an 11-year-old Co-Motion Robusta tandem. I have used it for racing and training. Should the bottom brackets be replaced after so many miles? So many years?” Read more.


How Much Should I Train on Hills

QUESTION: I usually do my solo training on flat terrain but have begun riding with a group on a hilly route. I want to train more frequently on hills so I can keep up — and maybe even put the hurt on these guys! What’s the correct balance of flat and hilly training? — Jason L. Read more.


Wahoo TICKR Heart Rate Monitor Review

By Sheri Rosenbaum

In early May, Wahoo released a redesigned TICKR with a new look and updated firmware that enhanced its connectivity, power and comfort. My disclaimer here is I never tested the earlier version of the TICKR so I can’t compare the two. What I can do is review the new TICKR on its own merits and compared to other HRMs I’ve used. Read more.


Road Shoes or Mountain Bike Shoes?

QUESTION: I started cycling six years ago on a mountain bike but now love road riding. However, I’ve kept my off-road shoes/pedals. Would switching to a road system improve my speed and comfort? — Merwin H. Read more.


Quick Tip: Don’t Get Dropped in Corners

You’re out with the local training bunch and hanging fine on the rolling hills and windy sections. But every time the group goes around a corner, you get gapped by 20 or 30 feet.

Cyclists tend to go hard out of corners. Cynics would say it’s mob mentality. Some riders are fit enough to sprint away and so they do, simply to torture their peers. Read more.


Anti-Aging

Coach John Hughes designed and wrote the eBook Anti-Aging 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process to help you slow and even reverse your physical decline by increasing your aerobic capacity, doing intensity training, building and maintain muscle strength and power, increasing your flexibility, working on your balance and reducing bone loss. Anti-Aging: 12 Ways You Can Slow the Aging Process is your comprehensive guide to continuing to ride well into your 80s and even your 90s.

Learn more.


The GPS in Your Head, Part 2

by Stan Purdum

In my recent article “The GPS in Your Head”, I mentioned that not every cyclist seems to have the “aptitude that makes stringing streets, roads and paths together to create bike routes easy.” Kerry Irons, one of the readers who commented on the article, confirmed that observation by telling of riding with a PhD physicist in a county where virtually every road was laid out on a grid. Read more.


Question of the Week

Are you a Strava Premium user?


Other Cool Stuff to Read

NY Times: ‘Lionhearted’ Girl Bikes Dad Across India, Inspiring a Nation
Madison Magazine: Trek’s #GoByBike initiative challenges you to travel on two wheels
VeloNews: 9 Zwift racing tips from the top-ranked men’s team
VeloNews: Katie Hall smashes women’s Everesting record on Californian climb


End Notes

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