I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

Tips for Finding New Bike Routes

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Maybe you’ve just moved to a new city and have no idea where you can get a good ride in, or you might just be looking for a change of scenery from your tried and true routes. How do you go about finding suitable pavement? Anyone that has ever found themselves riding on a narrow highway with no shoulder and trucks passing you at 60 mph will know that it isn’t always as simple as checking out Google Maps.

Your LBS

If you are in a new area, probably your best resource for finding good routes will be the local bike shop (LBS). These guys have usually been a part of the local cycling scene for a while, and every one I’ve been in has been super helpful suggesting the best places for a ride. Many of them will even have maps that you can take with you, or rides posted on a bulletin board. Whenever I’m traveling and have just a couple days in an area, the LBS is my first stop.

The Guided Tour

finding new bike routes

However, for those of you who aren’t the best navigators, striking out on your own with a vague set of directions might not be your cup of tea. For a little bit more guidance, you will want to hook up with one of the local clubs. Many clubs will hold weekly group rides with a range of distances and paces to suit just about anyone. Our friendly LBS might be able to give you the contact info for some of the club, or a quick search on Google should bring up at least a couple clubs in your area. Once you’ve been to a couple rides, you can start asking around for other options – many of the riders will ride together informally in addition to the organized weekly rides.

Link Up

Sometimes, though, you just want to get out there on your own, without having to worry about group riding etiquette, or holding casual conversation. If you’ve exhausted the suggestions of the LBS and the club, where do you turn? The answer, of course, is the magical internet. There are a bunch of good websites out there for tracking, recording, and sharing cycling routes. The two biggest are Strava and MapMyRide. In a few clicks, you can be browsing through rides that other people have put up in your area. These sites generally allow users to rate routes, and tag them with various characteristics, like ‘gravel sections’ or ‘great pavement’.

Strava

Here is a global heat map on strava, the more travelled that particular route is the more intense the colour becomes! Using the heat map feature, you can also plot where you typically ride and how many times you’ve ridden it. Take a look at all the areas you’re not riding and start taking in some new scenery. You can also check out other user’s heatmaps in your area. Using the Route Builder, you can piece together a new route from some popular roads and segments mapped by cyclists in your area.

Hopefully these suggestions will help you find some new routes if you’ve been looking to mix up your riding routine, or get you started in an unfamiliar area. Happy riding!

Biking For One Hour Could Power Your Home

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Biking For One Hour Could Power Your Home

Imagine biking for an hour and being able to power your house for an entire day!

Access to electrical power is the first step toward economic advancement for billions of people living in poverty. Free Electric can light their homes and shops, make food storage possible, and usher them into the 21st century.


Testosterone Doping and You

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Testosterone Doping and You

Testosterone doping — it’s not always what you think. Doping is a misleading term. It can prolong your cycling career, sex life, help you stay trim, and make your bones stronger. If you meet certain criteria, you’re a candidate for testosterone therapy, sometimes also referred to as doping in professional cycling.

Low T

Low T is an abbreviation for low testosterone. Testosterone is a hormone. It’s what makes a man a man. It’s what puts hair on your chest. It keeps your muscles and bones strong. It’s the force behind your sex drive. As a cyclist it can help you drop the pack, climb that steep hill with ease, or go beyond your normal distance quota.

Middle Age

Low T typically affects middle-aged men. It’s a normal effect of aging. Symptoms may include depression, poor sex drive, erectile dysfunction, impotence, or loss of sleep — all common symptoms of aging. By the time men reach 30, testosterone production decreases at an average of about 1 per cent per year. It’s not surprising that muscle mass also decreases at about the same rate. Other common symptoms of Low T can include diabetes, and hypogonadism, which means that your gonads aren’t doing what they’re supposed to do.

It Gets Worse

It’s almost a double-edged sword: rigorous cycling with Low T can increase your testosterone consumption, and cause testosterone to go even lower. This can cause serious bone loss, increasing fatigue and decreasing endurance.

The Pros

It’s been more or less proven that testosterone therapy works to improve cycling abilities — just look at Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis. Its unfortunate as well, because both of them would have probably held their own without it. But nonetheless, the use of testosterone has been associated with their performance, and it’s at least partly responsible for the bad press concerning testosterone.

It’s Established

So it’s been established that testosterone therapy can help you to win races, climb steep hills, drop everyone on a group ride, or go above and beyond your normal capabilities — but don’t run out and get it yet.

Controlled Substance

Testosterone is forbidden in amateur and professional bike racing, as well as intercollegiate sports, Olympic competitions, etc.. It’s rigorously controlled in athletic events by the United States Anti-Doping Agency and the World Anti-Doping Agency. But cycling’s doping agencies rarely test amateurs for one obvious reason: They’re amateurs. They compete for hundreds of dollars, not millions.

How it Affects You

Testosterone therapy won’t turn a screen-loving blob into an elite athlete. But if you’re suffering from low testosterone, bringing your natural testosterone up to normal levels can help you to be a better cyclist. You’re considered a candidate for testosterone therapy if you already have low levels of the natural hormone—when judged by doctors.

Other Benefits

Aside from the obvious cycling benefits, testosterone therapy can help you lose abdominal fat, grow a better beard, give you a confidence boost, do wonders for your pride, and boost your self image. And last but not least, make your erections stiffer, and your libido stronger.

Collateral Damage

Be aware that testosterone also has a dark side. It’s reputed side effects include shrinking testicles and body acne, among other things. It can build red blood cells in your body, making your blood more viscous (thicker.) It can make you grow man boobs. Men who have cancer should not receive testosterone treatment.

Behavior Issues

Sociologists and psychologists agree that testosterone and behavior are linked, although the connections aren’t fully understood. You might get edgy, and small things can really tick you off, resulting in foul language and cursing.

About Your Prostate

The main concern a few years ago, was men over 50 using testosterone therapy ran an increased risk of prostate cancer. Although studies report that testosterone can stimulate cancer cells, most recent studies have debunked the hypothesis that cancer is somehow a direct result of increased testosterone. In fact, recent research suggests that undergoing treatment for Low T could reduce the risk of prostate cancer. In light of both studies, its wise to get your PSA, prostate-specific-antigen, tested along with your T-level. This test tells the doctor if you might be a candidate for further prostate cancer screening. Don’t skip this important test if you’re over 40, talk to your doctor about it.

The Test

It can be determined by almost any general physician in his office, your family doctor can do it. The doctor will order a specific blood test to determine your testosterone level. But the determination also depends on what doctor you see, whose opinions vary as to what “low” means. The determination depends on how old you are, and other related medical conditions. Most capable doctors will want to rule out any such possible explanations for symptoms before blaming them on low testosterone. A low score does not always translate to symptoms.

Options for Treatment

If you do indeed have low T, and you and your doctor decide to go with treatment, there are some options. Some doctors testify that testosterone injections are the best option. Given every few weeks, once a week or once a month. If you don’t mind needles, you can do this yourself and save money, the doctor can show you how. Cyclists should note that taking the shot in your upper buttocks is best — it won’t make you sore in the saddle.

Gel, Patch or Pellets

Another option is the gel patch or solution. Because they are applied on a regular and frequent basis, these treatments keep a man’s testosterone at a steady level. If you are using testosterone gel, be careful not to expose other people to the gel. Another option is implantable testosterone pellets, a relatively new form of treatment in which pellets are placed under the skin of the buttocks, where they release testosterone over the course of about three to four months.

Talk to Your Doctor

To sum it up, testosterone treatment is out there if you need it, and qualify for it. It will help you as a cyclist, but should be used only if you doctor OKs it, and you get regular follow up. If you have issues with other medical related conditions, they should be treated by a specialist.

For Life

Don’t take the decision to use testosterone lightly. Testosterone therapy should be a personal choice between you and your doctor, and your wife — she’ll likely say go for it. Some men are fine with low t, and show no symptoms. One important thing worth noting: Once you decide to go with testosterone therapy, you’ll likely need to use it for the rest of your life.

Why You Should Be Excited About the Cycling World Championships Coming to the U.S.

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Why You Should Be Excited About the Cycling World Championships Coming to the U.S.The Road Cycling World Championships happen once a year, most of the time, in Europe. The World Championships are like the Olympics where countries send their best riders as opposed to them racing for their normal trade teams. This brings an Olympic like quality event dedicated just to road cycling that is attended by the very best. The multitude of events also brings an Olympic feel where there is more than just one event to check out and watch unlike that of the Tour de France or other big races.

Cycling in Europe is something that is ingrained in the culture, particularly in some places such as Belgium or Holland. In these countries, many of the fans and spectators aren’t actually cyclists themselves whereas in the US, many people that attend the big races are into cycling one way or another. The number of high level races in North America has been steadily increasing over the years as has the size of the sport in general. Events like the World Championships in Richmond are not only huge for the sport in general in the country, but also huge in the fact that it is helping to further grow cycling in the culture.

Second Time in History

This is only the second time in history that the Road Cycling World Championships have been hosted by the United States. The first time was in 1986 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Canada hosted Worlds twice; once in 1974 in Montreal and again in 2003 in Hamilton, Ontario, so the highest level events have been few and far between in North America. In 2013, the US hosted the Cyclocross World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky which was the first time that the event was held outside of Europe.

Home Field Advantage

Along with the World Championships mostly being held in Europe, the majority of the top level professional races are also held in Europe. This creates a home field advantage for the majority of the peloton which are from Europe.  Even though most pro’s that are foreign to Europe reside there during the season, racing in a foreign country with foreign food, and a foreign language no matter how seasoned, will never feel like the comforts of home.

Travel and time zone differences also add up to another hurdle that “Euro’s” always complain of when coming to the States or Canada. North American riders now have that advantage, particularly the ones living close by to Richmond. Along with that, normally when racing in a foreign country, cheers are in foreign languages and normally for the local teams and riders. This time in Richmond, all those fans and cheers will be for American riders which gives that little bit of an extra push and motivation.

Benefits to a Cycling Culture

Cycling is engrained into European culture for a number of reasons. The history of the racing there along with how often there are races to watch and see in person are the big two. This gets a large number of people as well as kids exposed to the sport to have the chance to get into it.

Cycling is something that kids can do in many European countries as a sport just like Little League Baseball or Soccer. With such a high level cycling event in Richmond, you can bet that in the coming months and years, cycling will see a rise in the area. Not only in riding as a sport, but commuting and riding for leisure as well.

In many places around the US, cycling is not seen as a sport or as a way to get around. This will extend past Richmond as well with media coverage being highlighted across the country. The more that high level cycling events are held on TV, the higher the number of people watching the sport and in turn hopefully become inspired by what they see, particularly it not being a sport held off in some foreign country but right here in the United States.

The Thrilling Events in Person and on TV

Seeing any professional event in person is like none other. In cycling, you can’t compare the wind, noise, and rush of a peloton passing by along with its entourage of vehicles. Fortunately if you can’t make it to Richmond, watching on TV can still be great as you can see the entire race as opposed to only seeing it go by in one location. You also get the benefit of getting play-by-play commentary especially if you don’t always know what’s going on.

Team Time Trial

The team time trial is a race against the clock that is competed by trade teams oddly enough. It is a newer event that has only been around in its current form since 2012. Before 1995 however it was competed by nations but was done away with.

Time Trial

The individual race against the clock is also exciting to watch particularly if you have a certain rider or riders you are cheering for. Despite the bit less excitement than the team time trial or the road race, you have the chance to see each rider individually over the course of several hours as opposed to just seeing the riders go by in more of a blur.

Road

The road events are the feature races of the World Championships.  They are classified into a number of categories with Men’s and Women’s, along with classifications of Elite, Under 23, and Junior. The feature event is the Men’s Elite which is held on the last day of the week-long event. In any World Championship the course is made to showcase a challenging and exciting course not only to race but also to watch. In Richmond they have done an incredible job of this including a twisty, cobbled climb up through Libby Park that will not only be interesting for the riders to ride but also to watch.

It’s exciting when any bike race comes to your town or country but when it’s the World Championships it’s very exciting. The best in the world will be there and American’s and Canadians alike have great shots at doing well in all events. The scope of an event this large will have a profound impact on the local community as well as cycling across the country as cycling continues to become more mainstream. Wherever you are, check it out, and get others interested as well, even if they’re not cyclists. It’s a pretty cool race and sport after all.

More information about the Road Cycling World Championships can be found on: www.richmond2015.com

Random Facts About the Cycling Industry

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Random Facts About the Cycling IndustryThe cycling industry is huge and there are many reasons for this. Here are some interesting facts relating to the cycling industry you might not know:

  1. In America, bikes are used for less than 1% of trips taken, while cars are used for up to 84%. In the Netherlands, bikes are used for 30% of trips. In Denmark, the number is 20%. Canada’s bicycle usage is closer to that of the United States, and their car usage is almost as high.
  2. In the Netherlands, there are more bikes (18 million) than people (16 million). They have a pro-cycling infrastructure for their transportation system, making it an easy choice for everyone to choose riding their bike to get around. The vast majority of their bikes are made locally, and they export over 1 million bikes every year to other countries.
  3. The Netherlands has incorporated cycling into their everyday life extremely well. They have traffic signals specifically for bikes, and teach young children how to cycle, both conceptually and practically, in school. Children frequently ride their bikes to school every day.
  4. Every year, around one hundred million bikes are produced. Over half a billion bikes reside in China, while over 18 million bikes reside in the Netherlands. The world contains more than a billion bicycles total. There are approximately 100% more bicycles in the world than there are cars.
  5. Cycling produces a significantly lower carbon footprint than cars, and improves the health of the user. In the United States, up to 84% of trips are made in cars, which is among the highest percentage in the world. Imagine if half of those trips were taken on bikes instead, and the effect on America’s carbon footprint and overall health. One statistic shows that riding a bike for 20 or more miles per week can decreases your chance of heart disease by 50%.
  6. The Tour de France is considered to be one of the most intense endurance races out there; participants cover around 2720 kilometers divided into smaller stages within 3 weeks.
  7. Bicycles have gone through makeover after makeover throughout their history. Bikes used to commonly come in a form where one wheel was massive compared to the other. The style changed to favor the front wheel and the back wheel at different times.
  8. There are countless different types of bikes that are made, usually fulfilling different purposes. Examples include BMX bikes, mountain bikes, racing bikes, utility bikes, cruiser bikes, and more. Forms of bikes other than the bicycle are unicycles, tricycles, and quadracycles.
  9. Riding a bike is extremely energy efficient, and takes only about the amount of energy put into walking (at speeds of around 10-15mph). They allow the rider to travel much farther than they would if they were walking using the same amount of energy. There is also a device called the Copenhagen Wheel that stores energy put into the bike, such as when riding downhill. The energy can then be used at a later time as needed.
  10. Riding a bike is possible because the bike’s center of mass rests above its wheels as the bike is steered. That is why leaning is necessary when turning the bike; it is called counter steering, and allows you to maintain balance on the bike.

5 Pro Cyclists to Watch Out for in 2016

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5 Pro Cyclists to Watch Out for in 2016It is next to impossible to predict which riders will light up the racing calendar, especially in a sport where fate can be especially fickle. Riders racing for General Classification honours and team leader roles are easier to read, but the surprise appearance of young hopefuls who snatch stage wins from their elders is one of the things that makes cycling so interesting.

Narrowing down the list to just five riders was really tough, and we’ve skirted some of the more obvious candidates in favour of those who may have snuck in under the radar on the back of a great 2015.

5 Pro Cyclists to Watch Out for in 2016

Fabio Aru

The young Italian has climbed through 2015, first up mountains and then through the ranks at Astana. Handed leadership for the Giro d’Italia, Aru won two mountain stages back to back, and finished the race in 2nd place.

After teammate Nibali’s underwhelming performance at the Tour de France, manager Vinokourov appeared to lose faith in the 2014 winner and chose to send three possible GC contenders to the Vuelta a Espana in Aru, Nibali and Landa. However after stage 2, Nibali’s bad luck continued with a disqualification for holding onto a team car.

Aru’s season has been far more positive and far less controversial than Nibali’s so I would not be surprised if we see Aru’s name at the top of the roster and perhaps even winning a Grand Tour in 2016.

Geraint Thomas

The sheer volume of racing days has not impacted on the Welshman’s performance. After a solid cobbled classics campaign, winning E3 Harelbeke and claiming third at the stormy Gent-Wevelgem, Thomas has flung himself at two Grand Tours in support of Froome.

As we saw at the Tour de France, it is clear he is capable of doing a stellar job of his domestique duties and still finishing in a strong position. He played a decisive role on the climbs, calmly reeling in attacks from other GC contenders to keep Froome in yellow.

Thomas was arguably one of the strongest riders at the Tour, and we have seen him go from classics specialist to potential general classification contender. 2016 is unlikely to be his GC year, but Thomas’s career is accelerating fast.

Louis Meintjes

The former South African Champion had a great start to the season at the Tour of Oman, African Continental Championships, and the overall victory he snatched from Team Sky’s Ben Swift at the Coppi e Bartali in Italy.

As part of the inspiring MTN-Qhubeka team, Meintjes was never far from the front when the road went up in France. Sadly he was forced to abandon a few days before the end, but not before making himself known in breakaways and showing bravery on the climbs.

I’d like to see what he can do at the Ardennes Classics and he could have a Grand Tour summit finish in his legs in 2016.

Zdenek Stybar

Just one of Etixx-Quickstep’s powerhouses, Zdenek Stybar’s victory at the Strade Bianche came at the start of a busy classics campaign. Most notable were his handful of top ten finishes in France and Belgium including second place at E3 Harelbeke and Paris-Roubaix.

It’s easy to forget his Stage 6 win at the Tour de France as it was overshadowed by his teammate Tony Martin’s crash and subsequent withdrawal while wearing yellow. It was his second Grand Tour stage win. He could well double that figure next year and he might be an outside shot for a one-day Classic like Paris-Roubaix.

Adam & Simon Yates

The British twins may not be grateful for being lumped together all the time, but if Orica GreenEDGE can give them joint leadership, then why not? Success has swung between them all season and neither seems to show sign of weakness.

Simon had a great run-up to the Tour with a strong Criterium du Dauphine, taking home four top ten finishes and the best young rider’s jersey. Both twins relished the climbs at the Tour de France with two and three top ten finishes respectively. Finally, let’s not forget Adam’s victory at the Clasica San Sebastian where he seemed the most surprised to finish ahead of big names such as Gilbert, Valverde, Rodriguez, etc.

It’s fascinating to have two such similar riders in the same team and it will be thrilling to see how they progress. Will they continue to share the spoils or will the Yates rivalry be the most hotly discussed in the history of cycling?

 

There are so many other riders who have not made the shortlist, and no doubt a few names will pop up as the Vuelta draws to a close and we near the end of the season.

Two young hopefuls that will certainly have Team Sky fans excited are Brits Alex Peters and Tao Geoghegan-Hart, who joined the superteam as late-season stagiaires this year. With so much great British talent on the roster, it mightn’t be too long before we start to see some fractures within the camp. How long, really, will talented riders like Luke Rowe, who are well down the pecking order at Sky wait until seeking a leadership spot elsewhere?

Mikel Landa, widely tipped to join Team Sky next season, could well climb into contention when the road goes up at the Vuelta this month, and two more Orica GreenEDGE riders, Esteban Chaves and Caleb Ewan have great potential. They have both lit up the first week of the Vuelta with Chaves taking, losing, and retaking the overall lead, plus three stage wins between them.

And finally, it will be interesting to see what Tejay van Garderen could do with the form he demonstrated early in the Tour de France. He will be joined at BMC by Grand Tour hopeful Richie Porte, which may mean he is forced to play second fiddle, but the American’s GC potential is clear to see.

Is there anyone we’ve overlooked?

Jens Voigt Beats The One Hour Record!

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Jens Voigt Beats The One Hour Record!

Amazing feat for the 43 year old cyclist! Watch Jens Voigt one hour record video here.

Jens beats the one hour record

What a great end to Jens career!

LEO – A New Invention For All Athletes

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LEO – A New Invention For All Athletes

Want to reduce your chance of injury, know hydration and lactic acid levels, become more efficient, monitor intensity and muscle imbalance, improve your technique LEO does it all and much more…

Leo - wearable device

LEO’s hardware is made completely of a breathable and comfortable material similar to the compression apparel that you’re already used to. This device has everything you can imagine and it will all display right on your phone!

Leo wearable fitness technology

The more users wear LEO, the smarter it gets. It starts to spot patterns and offers insights with its adaptive learning. It also gets smarter based on the trends it learns from the wider community of LEO wearers; The more people that use the leg band, the better it becomes at pointing out areas of improvement.

This is truly a revolutionary idea.

Want one? Want to find out more about the device and what it can do? Check it out on Indiegogo here.

The Most Expensive Bikes in the World

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Maybe the economic crisis cooled off the appetite for conspicuous consumption for a few years, but bling is back in a big way. Custom finishes, exotic alloys and cutting edge technology are combining to create some awe-inspiring machines with equally jaw-dropping prices. Here’s a countdown of the World’s 5 most expensive bikes.

5. Tall Boy

Most expensive bikes in the world

Before we look at glitzy Hollywood bling bikes, bicycles as art and the heady world of custom road and track cycles, let’s take a look at mountain bikes. The Santa Cruz Bicycle’s Tall Boy 2 Carbon XX1 is arguably the best production mountain bike available, and at $9,153 one of the most expensive. At a shade over 10.5 kg it is also surprisingly light for a rugged piece of pedal power to knock around in the dirt. As with all high-end bikes, you have the option of having it built out with a vast array of components but the complete bike comes with Maxxis CrossMark tires, SRAM XX1 drive train and Shimano XTR brakes.

4. 20th Century Icon

Most expensive bikes in the world

For antique bicycle lovers, the rare Tiffany & Company silver mounted ladies bicycle is a beautiful example of some of the exotic objects d’art that this renowned jeweler created during the 1800s. Built around 1890, this bicycle features carved ivory handles and a Brooks leather saddle. Only a handful of these bicycles were ever produced. The last example that became publicly available was auctioned by Bonham’s Auction House of New York in 2008 for $70,000.

3. Great Concept

Most expensive bikes in the world

The Trek Yoshitomo Nara Speed Concept bike was developed by Trek and decorated by renowned Japanese pop artist, Yoshitomo Nara. Nara was one of 20 artists that were invited to create bikes for a special Sotheby’s auction held on November 1, 2009 to support Lance Armstrong’s Live Strong foundation. Combining, what is considered by many, the fastest time trial bike in the World with Nara’s original artwork, the bike drew a winning bid of $200,000. In total, the auction raised 1.25 million for the foundation.

2. The Butterfly

Most expensive bikes in the world

Long before Lance Armstrong became the poster boy for doping in professional cycling he was generating cries of outrage from other concerned citizens. On the final day of the 2009 Tour de France he rode his custom finished Trek Madone, named the Butterfly, along the Champs-Élysées. The bike had been adorned by controversial British artist, Damien Hurst with hundreds of actual butterfly wings. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called it “barbaric”. The bike fetched $500,000 at the 2009 auction to benefit Armstrong’s Live Strong foundation, becoming the most expensive in the World.

1. Extremely Fat

Most expensive bikes in the world

Forget carbon fiber vs titanium, how about solid gold? While it won’t put you in front of the peloton, at $1,000,000 The House of Solid Gold’s 25K Extreme Fat Bike will be sure to turn some heads. Topping a long list of blinged out bikes, THSG’s bike uses a list of quality parts from makers like Salsa, AMC, Shimano and 3.8 inch wide Surly tires. Each metal component is electroplated with solid gold. It sports a chocolate brown alligator saddle and one of a kind gator skin wrapped water bottle. So as to leave no doubt that this bike is nothing less than the ultimate pedal powered status symbol, the maker’s logo is encrusted with 6 carats of black diamonds. With a production limit of 13, each bike is custom made to the owner’s specifications and engraved with artist’s signature.

Think you’ve got a better one? We’d love to hear it. If you’ve come across a bike that would make the list, leave us a comment.

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