spring cycling - I Love Bicycling

6 Ways to Boost Your Spring Training

March 28, 2020 by Sarah Lauzé

Cycling season can seem a long way off when you’re in the depths of winter, making it easy to postpone those goals. If you’re not emerging from winter in as good of shape as you may of hoped, don’t let it discourage you. What you do or don’t do at the beginning of the season will set the tone for the rest of the year. Here are some of the best ways to boost your spring training.

Stay Healthy

The last thing you want is to come down with a cold just as the sun is emerging and the roads are clearing. However, as frustrating as it is, the end of winter is quite often when people get colds or coughs. Take preventative measures by washing your hands frequently, and giving your diet an extra boost of nutrients. Don’t go too hard too soon, as you’ll deplete your immune system and make yourself vulnerable to whatever illness is going around the office.

You also want to avoid injury in the beginning of the season, as it can really set you back in your training. This means avoding overuse injuries, as well as watching for rough spring road conditions.

Clean up your diet

The days of Netflix and comfort food are coming to an end, so it’s time to clean up your diet. Over the winter it’s easy to fall into some bad habits, but now is the time to break them. Trade in the sugary carbohydrate dense foods for fresh fruit and vegetables. Simply cutting out as much of the processed food from your diet as you can will go a long way. Give meal prepping a try, or stock your kitchen with some energizing foods.

Get your bike ready

No judgements here, we know it’s tough to be diligent to clean your bike after winter rides. It’s cold, wet, and all out you want is a warm bath. Even if you didn’t ride over the winter, your bike will still need a little TLC. If you trust your abilities, carefully examine your bike and fix any issues well ahead of your first ride. Check your chain, cassette, cables or any other areas that might need attention. You don’t want to be doing a rushed job before meeting your cycling buddies. Better yet, take it to your local bike shop and have a mechanic do a tune up to ensure you’re ready for the season.

Get your body ready

Once you’re finally back on your bike, it can be easy to overdo it. You want to be fit right away, or start off right where you left off in the fall, but you have to ease your body into it. Take some time to build up your base before pushing yourself too hard. If you start to get nagging frontal knee pain, it’s almost always caused be too much too soon. Take time to rest up and do plenty of stretching and walking before heading out on the bike again.

Start Stretching

Hopping on the bike after a long winter feels great, but it can also come as a shock to your body. Your muscles and joints aren’t used to the cycling position anymore, and things may have tightened up over the past months. Taking just 10 minutes a day to do some targeted stretched will have you feeling more comfortable and stronger on your bike in no time. Here are 10 of the best stretches for cyclists to get you started.

Set Some Goals

When it comes to cycling, what do you want from yourself this year? Make a list of things, both large and small, that you want to achieve. Then go through and get specific. If you want to ride more, great, now define what that looks like. Be realistic and honest with yourself, and only plan for what you know you can logistically fit into your life and schedule. Sign up for your first race, or join a cycling group, whatever you need to do to break out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself!

How To Tackle Tough Road Conditions and Start Spring Cycling

March 12, 2020 by Sarah Lauzé

If you live somewhere snow has plagued the roads for the past eternity (months), then you may be getting excited to get out for some spring rides. There’s nothing better then hopping on your bike and making the most of the longer, brighter, warmer days. However, road conditions are a huge problem with spring cycling.

During the winter, a ton of grit and salt gets dumped on roads to keep them grippy and snow-free. Come spring time, all of that stuff ends up in one place – the shoulder where you want to ride. Spring is also pothole season, as water seeps into cracks in the road and freezes overnight, threatening to open up holes the size of the Grand Canyon on your favourite roads. There are a few easy things you can do to beat these obstacles, and stay safe during the spring cycling season.

Making the Most of Spring Cycling

Avoid Flats with Tough Tires

Nobody likes to change a flat tire, and the side of a road in a spring downpour is about the worst time to have to do it. It doesn’t help that this time of year seems to produce an abnormal number of frustrating flats. The culprit? Road grit. As it builds up on the side of the road, it collects all the little bits of stuff that would normally get blown off into the ditch – pieces of glass, metal shards, nails, etc. Normal, lightweight road tires get torn up in these conditions.

To keep you riding, a durable, puncture-resistant tire is essential. These tires have Kevlar fabric, or something like it integrated into the casing of the tire to strengthen it. Most major tire manufacturers offer at least one model like this. They won’t be the lightest, or the smoothest rolling tires, but they will take a beating. Check out Continental Gatorskins for a nice balance of performance and protection. The same company also makes even more durable (and heavier) tires – the GatorHardShell and the Grand Prix 4-Season. Other options include the Specialized Armadillo and Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

Look Out for Potholes

Weaving your way through the obstacle course that some spring roads tend to turn into can be a daunting task, but there are a couple of tricks that will help you out. The simplest is to look where you want to go, rather than looking at all the things you want to avoid. If you have ever managed to hit the only rock or hole on a nice smooth stretch of road, it’s probably because you were staring straight at it. Look ahead, pick your path through the debris, and then follow that path with your eyes. Your body will guide your bike there without you having to think about it.

As skillful a bike slalomer as you might be, occasionally there will be times that you can’t go around something. Maybe you are on a shoulder with cars to your right, or you might be in a group with other riders. Whatever the situation, you need to take alternative action. Enter the bunny hop. If you haven’t heard the term before, the general idea is to ‘jump’ your bike with both wheels leave the ground for an instant. This isn’t something that you want to try out for the first time at 25 mph on pavement, so find a grass field to practice on. Make sure you have mastered the movement before trying it on out on the road, especially when adding speed to the equation. Thankfully, with clipless pedals, the task is considerably easier. There are countless YouTube tutorials out there, but in short, you are going to ‘hop off’ your pedals (not literally, since your feet are clipped in) and then bring the bike up along with you.

Wear Layers

Spring can be a time of quick weather changes, so while you may head out on a ride in the sunshine, it’s always a good idea to be prepared for rain and wind. As far as clothing goes, that means layers, layers, and more layers. You want a warm base layer as well as a waterproof shell, gloves, and even waterproof pants if necessary.

Embrace the Fender

Grit and water aren’t much fun to ride through, and they are even less fun when it’s spraying up into your face as you’re riding. For this reason, fenders are your best friend for spring riding. They keep you (relatively) dry, grit-free as well as keeping all that same junk from getting into your drivetrain. This can reduce maintenance and keep your bike running smoothly. The type of bike you have will determine what your fender options are. For full-fledged race bikes, choices are limited since attachment points and tire clearance are minimal. In this case, the SKS Race Blade fender is one of the best options.

With lower-end road bikes, touring and commuter bikes you have many more options. Some people like clip-on fenders, since you can take them off at the end of the season to keep your bike looking slick. The downside to these are they won’t offer the same coverage and performance as a dedicated bolt-on fender set. Whatever you choose, it will be much better than going without fenders!

Clean Your Bike

Although fenders can help a ton to keep some of the dirt and grime off you and your bike, you should still give your bike a quick clean after every spring ride. It’s inevitable that it will cause wear and tear to your bike, which is why many cyclists have spring specific “beater” bikes, but this isn’t always an option. Check out this quick guide to a bike cleaning to keep your bike running smoothly.

Ensuring you are prepared both technically and mentally will have you jumping into the cycling season in no time. Spring riding can be some of the best rides, so don’t let the conditions deter you from getting out there!

A Guide To Spring Cycling Clothing

February 28, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

It’s an exciting time when the snow starts to melt off the roads and the look of bare pavement has you dusting off your bike. Spring riding can be some of the best of the season, but the unpredictable weather can present a bit of a challenge. When it goes from sun to rain to snow within the span of a couple hours, dressing for the elements takes some planning. Your spring cycling clothing list will look a little different than any other time of year as it needs to be adaptable.

As with most things, there’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’ solution. It depends on your type of riding, how long you’re going for, and how hot or cold you typically are when on your bike. Layering is the best way to ensure you can stay warm enough, but also won’t overheat if the temperature rises while you’re out. If you do get too warm, you can simply peal off a layer and continue on.

Main Articles of Spring Cycling Clothing

Base Layer

If you’ve been rocking a long sleeved base layer all winter, it may be time to switch it out for a short sleeved. Combined with a jersey and arm warmers, a light base layer can be just enough to keep your core warm. It also serves to wick moisture away from your skin to avoid getting chilled when you hit a descent. Try choose a base layer made from polypropylene or merino wool, like the Castelli Seamless Base Layer.

Long Sleeved Jersey /Lightweight Shell

Depending on your preference, you’ll likely switch out the thick winter coat for either a lightweight shell or a long sleeved jersey. A long sleeved jersey is a great option for those warmer days as it offers much more breathability. There are also options in material that include a wind breaking fabric. Most will offer a full zipper down the front, making it easy to take on or off, and three pockets in the back to stash your snacks. A light weight shell can be worn over a regular cycling jersey, and rolled up into a pocket when not needed.

Arm and leg warmers

These simple Lycra accessories are great if you’re cold when heading out, but know you will be heating up quickly. They are easy to take on and off, and roll up small for easy storage in a jersey pocket. You’ll want to try them out before hand and make sure the fit properly. They need to loose enough to be comfortable, but tight enough to stay in place (especially important for leg warmers).

Gloves

Time to ditch the winter gloves and opt for a lightweight pair that won’t have your hands sweating 10 minutes into your ride. A lightweight, breathable pair of gloves are just enough to keep your fingers warm on that chilly morning commute.

Cycling Cap

A cycling cap is for both function and style. During spring riding, it can keep your head warm and help keep rain out of your eyes. Click here for some of the best cycling caps out there for every type of rider.

Ensuring you are prepared both technically and physically with the right clothing will have you jumping into the cycling season in no time. Spring riding can be some of the best rides, so don’t let the conditions deter you from getting out there!