Newsletter Issue No. 947
January 7, 2021
Sweet Spot Training for Every Rider
By Coach John Hughes
I coach riders with goals as diverse as generally improving performance, riding better on club rides, completing a first 100K or 100 mile ride, riding a multi-day tour, or racing. My clients’ ages range from the 40s to 70s. They aren’t elite athletes with plenty of time to train. They’re ordinary folks with jobs, families, social lives, chores — all the complexities of modern lives. Some train by perceived exertion, some by heart rate and some by power. I use perceived exertion. Read more.
Topeak ALiEN X Multi-Tool Quick Review
By Jim Langley
I’m a sucker for all-in-one bicycle multi-tools. So one of my favorite gifts over the holidays was Topeak’s ALiEN X, the updated version of their most fully featured ride saver. Read more.
The Mental Challenge of Dressing for Cold Weather Riding
By John Yoder
Winter cycling can be frustrating in northern Indiana, at least for me. It’s not just that there are fewer hours of daylight, not just that the high for the day is often 40 degrees with a 20-mph wind from the north, and not just that every cold-weather ride makes my nose’s production of mucus shift into overdrive. Read more.
Zeno Gym Workout Bench ONE Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
As gyms close or limit capacity, many of us are looking for ways to maintain our fitness. Building up a home gym can cost well over $500 with free weights, barbells, kettlebells, a weight bench, etc. That’s if you can even find the equipment due to the 2020 shortage of athletic equipment. Also, if you have limited space, a dedicated home gym may not be an option. Maybe a home office or bedroom doubles as a workout room. So, what do you do? Read more.
How Can I Remember to Stay Fueled on Long Rides?
QUESTION: I’ve started doing long rides to build a base for ultra-distance racing when it starts back up. But I tend to bonk after three or four hours because I forget to eat and drink enough. Any ideas? — Peter S.
Intensity Training for Cyclists
Intensity Training: Using Perceived Exertion, Heart Rate and Power to Maximize Training Effectiveness is written for health and fitness riders, recreational and club riders, endurance riders and racers. Coach John Hughes explains in detail how training intensities at different intensities brings about different physiological adaptations. He guides you through the process of establishing your own training zones, so you can train at the proper intensities for your specific training objectives. Ebook includes sample year-round plans to ride at the correct intensities at different times of the year. Choose from over 50 structured and unstructured workouts at different intensities for different training objectives.
Question of the Week
Do you own any home gym equipment?
Other Cool Stuff to Read
Bicycling: Two Strangers Meet by Chance on Their Epic Bike Ride Journeys
VeloNews: Would you buy $1,800 carbon handlebars for your road bike?
The Discoverer: The 6 Coolest Bike Paths In the World
End Note
Lock in your core. It will support your upper body and help you pedal more effectively.