February 18, 2021
How to Incorporate Sweet Spot Workouts into Your Training
By Coach John Hughes
Sweet spot workouts improve a rider’s sustained power. This means that at a given level of effort you’re going faster. Even if you don’t use a power meter to measure it, increasing your sustained power improves your general riding, climbing and riding into a headwind. For example, if you usually do a local 20 – 30 minute climb at 7 mph increasing your power may mean you can climb at 7.5 mph. Because sweet spot workouts improve your sustained power they also improve your cruising speed. Read more.
Caring for Clipless Pedals
By Jim Langley
Winter is a great time to check your clipless pedals system, one of the essential connection points between body and bike. And also among the most overused and under-maintained components by many roadies. Read more.
Nathan Women’s HyperNight Reflective Gloves – Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Nathan Sports recently released HyperNight reflective gloves ideal for running and cycling in temps ranging from 30-50 degrees F. These stretchy fleece-lined gloves have a reflective design on the top for increase visibility in low light situations. The palm and fingers have silicone grippers to prevent a smartphone or other item from slipping out of your hands. The grippers and fabric also allow for dexterity and a secure hold while on the bike. The gloves also come in a men’s version in black. Read more.
GORE WEAR Winter Accessories – Quick Reviews
By Brandon Bilyeu
For cold weather riding a good base layer is essential for warmth and staying dry. GORE offers standard mesh base layers like those you can find from other cycling brands, but they also have a unique version that layers their WINDSTOPPER fabric over the mesh at the chest, shoulders, and kidney. This means you get warmth and sweat wicking combined with protection from icy wind hitting your skin. Read more.
What’s a Good FTP on Zwift?
QUESTION: What’s a good FTP on Zwift? I’ve been riding with the app for a few months now on my Wahoo KICKR smart trainer, but I don’t know if my FTP is any good or not. How do you know?
ANSWER: We’ve covered this subject in a different way, when someone asked about what a good average wattage is on the road. But let’s keep it strictly in Zwift terms for this answer. Read more.
Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond: Training with Intensity
Cycling Past 50, 60 and Beyond: Training with Intensity explains what happens to your body as you age and the physiological benefits of riding with intensity. Coach John Hughes gives you five progressively harder levels of training and for each level of training provide three to five examples each of structured and unstructured workouts, a total of almost 40 workouts.
Question of the Week
Did extreme weather keep you from riding this week?
Other Cool Stuff to Read
Kottke.org: World’s First Mountain Bike Gainer took a lot of failed attempts!
Rene Herse: Super Tuck vs. Aero Tuck
VeloNews: Dropper posts for faster road bike descending?
Bicyclefilmfestival.com: A bicycle related film festival!
End Note
Lyrics Submitted By RBR Reader Charlie Katz
(Sung to the tune of “Ghost Riders in the Sky”)
With apologies to, and deep respect for Stan Jones, Johnny Cash and Jens Voigt.
An older guy went ridin’ out one dark and windy day,
Atop a hill he crested as he went along his way,
When all at once a peloton of cyclists he then saw,
Drafting up the steepest grade, he held his breadth in awe.
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