March 4, 2021
How This Record Setting 77-year-old Woman Does Sweet Spot Training
By Coach John Hughes
Elizabeth Wicks is an endurance rider. In 2019 she rode 7500 miles. That’s a good year for any rider … and she turned 75 that year! You can read about her 7500-mile year and the obstacles she had to overcome here. Read more.
What’s Your Advice for Pressure for These New Vittoria Tires?
By Jim Langley
Proper tire inflation is all important for a comfortable ride and pinch flat protection. It also protects rims and ensures optimum performance.
So, when I received an email from regular RBR commenter “fixieguy,” asking what psi to pump his new tires to, I was eager to help. Here’s his expertly explained question and after is my response. You’ll see that I need an assist. Read more.
A Look at Polarized Training
By Rick Schultz
Like most, I have spent the better part of last year at home. Not wanting to get sick and not wanting to get my wife sick, I dropped out of the regular group rides and chose Rouvy as my training and exercise platform. I feel I have gotten into a lot better shape as well as lost 30 pounds. I feel good. Read more.
Kora Yak Wool Hima-Layer Yushu Long Sleeve Crew Top Review (Men’s and Women’s)
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Yep, you read the headline correctly. Yak wool. I like natural fibers like alpaca or merino wools, but now I’m adding yak to the list. Their wool is designed to survive the high-altitude Himalayas. At 4000-6000 meters, yaks live at higher altitudes than merino sheep, thus the fibers make for a different type of wool. According to the company yak wool is 40% warmer than merino; 66% more breathable; 17% faster at transporting water vapor away from the skin. Read more.
Enhance Your Health, Stoke Your Cycling, Don’t Skimp on Sleep
By Kevin Kolodziejski
In “Rebellion (Lies),” the indie band Arcade Fire sings what obsessive Type A’s believe: “Sleeping is giving in.” That hitting the sack for more than five or six hours a night makes you a weak-willed slacker. Read more.
Honey Stinger New Short Stack Waffle – Quick Review
By Sheri Rosenbaum
Late last month Honey Stinger launched a new flavor to their line of waffles that taste just like Sunday brunch with pancakes and syrup. The Short Stack™ waffle is tasty and satisfying but not overly sweet. I found the 150-calorie waffle just the right amount of nutrition to keep me going during a 40-mile ride. Read more.
Cyclists Age Better
by Gabe Mirkin, M.D.
Two exciting studies show that older men and women who have cycled for many years do not have the markers of aging found in non-exercising people. Their muscle size and strength, amount of body fat, levels of hormones such as testosterone, and blood cholesterol levels were close to those of much younger people. Their maximal ability to take in and use oxygen was more like that of people in their twenties than in non-exercisers of their own age group. Read more.
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.
Charge Comfort Ebike Review
by Lars Hundley
Charge Bikes contacted me and offered to temporarily lend me one of their ebikes for review. I chose the Comfort model, because it’s a “one size fits most” type of bicycle that both my wife and I could share. Charge also makes a City model in multiple sizes that’s a hybrid style bike with the same 250 watt hub motor and price of $1,600, and an XC mountain bike style ebike with a higher end mid drive motor for $2,499. All of them have an estimated range of around 50 miles. Read more.
Question of the Week
How are your sleep habits?
Other Cool Stuff to Read
YouTube: The World’s Longest Indoor Mountain Bike Trail
Cycling Today: Phil Liggett claims Lance Armstrong would have won without drugs
Cycling Tips: The Curious Case of the Handlebar Bag Scam
Cycling Weekly: Two new Cane Creek eeSilk suspension seatposts unveiled, including a carbon flagship model
Cycling Tips: Why Progress is So Slow for Road Bike Tech
End Note
You want to be a better, stronger, safer rider? Here are the most common issues seen by a pro bike fitter:
Incorrect crank length, incorrect cleat placement, incorrect stem length, incorrect handlebar height, incorrect saddle width and height — all leading to discomfort, less power, poor aerodynamics and most importantly, potentially increased joint pressure, damage/wear and tear. This is what a good bike fit can address.
Question:
I am an avid recreational cyclist for the past 25 years, riding a Specialized Roubaiux that was fitted by a bike fitter.. I suffered a back and shoulder injury nearly 40 years ago.. I suffer from numbness on my left hand (shoulder injury side) after about an hour on the bike. I am wondering if a change to an aero drop handlebar, with the flat top portion would give me better support and help to reduce the numbness.
Any thoughts?