Training Tips

Ride All Year Round (Yes, even in the rain)

September 25, 2019 by Alison Jackson

The group ride starts at 8:00am but when you open your eyes in the morning it’s dark, cold and raining outside. The snooze button is a few feet from your head but that’s how far away you were from first place at last season’s key race. That’s why you pull yourself out of bed, make your coffee extra hot and get out in the rain to ride. Riding in the rain doesn’t have to be miserable, some of the best cycling is during the winter on the West Coast, also known as the Wet Coast for all the rain, and you don’t want to miss any training days this year. Here are a few tips for making riding in the rain a little more ‘fun’ so that you can ride all year round.

Safety First

The most important thing is to check your brakes. Rain will exaggerate the negative wear of brake pads, meaning if the pads are worn down and too far away from the rim of the tires, the braking reaction will be slower and less powerful.

Stopping control should not be compromised due to poor bike maintenance.

If you are going to be riding in the rain often you will need to replace your brake pads more often. Make sure that as your brake pads wear down you use your micro adjust on your cable to bring the pads in closer to the rim for optimal stopping action. Your rear brake pads should wear faster than the front so keep an eye on what is behind. Another thing to check is that there is an equal distance between right and left brake pad for simultaneous contact on the rim while braking.

Front and Rear Fenders

A lot of people when they start riding use only a rear fender for the rain (and to keep their friends riding behind them), but totally miss out on the benefits of a front fender. A rear fender is obvious to keep your back from getting the rooster tail spray and also helps the rain and mud the group that you’re pulling behind you (remember you’re training so you want to be in the front). However, what works for you might not work for the rider behind you. How long should your rear fender be?

Your rear fender should be as close to the ground as possible, try 4 inches from the pavement.

When buying fenders make sure they will fit your tire size. A skinny road tire fender will not suit a wider cyclocross or recreation road bike tire. Buy your fenders as long as possible, even then you might have to do your own modification to be suitable for your next rainy day group ride. Sometimes you can buy fender compatible extenders that you easily attach to reach the 4 inch rule. Other times, you can take an old water bottle, cut it in half, punch out two holes and zap strap it to the end of your fender. You can make this attachment as wide and sweeping as you want either to make more friends or add more resistance to your ride.

The same principles apply to your front fender. The front fender does miracles for delaying the wet penetration of road spray into your booties. The day after I got a front fender I came home after my rainy day ride and was surprised that I could actually feel my feet touch the floor when I took them out of my shoes!

Protect Your Head, Hands and Feet

You lose the most heat through your head so a rain hat with a brim not only keeps the water off your glasses, but also traps in some heat – unless it is made out of cotton, which soaks up the rain and stays cool. Choose a synthetic, quick-dry hat or better yet, a brimmed fleece cycling beanie that fits under your helmet and cuddles your ears to protect them from the cut of the wind.

The point to keeping your hands and feet warm is solely purposed for your riding comfort and greatly increases your happiness factor. If your hands or feet go numb it doesn’t matter how many times you stop for coffee, you will hate riding in the rain. Choose wool socks, maybe even two pairs! Even if they get wet they will stay warm. Buy a good pair of shoe covers, wind-proof is NOT rain-proof. A silicone or rubber pair will protect against the rain but have no additional thermal properties. A pair that is fleece lined and wind-proof will delay the wetness but can have enough of a barrier effect for your wool socks to maintain a warm enough temperature (and, if you’ve made it this far your front fender will help too!).

Wind-proof is NOT rainproof.

Use the double glove technique: a thin inner wool layer with a bulky winter snow glove on top. The lobster claw gloves came from the idea to have multiple fingers together in order to share body heat, but they don’t work for everyone because they feel different when shifting and braking. The outer glove layer needs to be a water-proof layer while the inner glove, as the insulated layer, than can be thicker or thinner depending on what weather you are expecting.

Layer-Up!

Your base layer should not be a base layer cycling shirt but a thick layer of embrocation cream. This stuff is incredibly popular for Belgian cyclocross races and during the wet Spring Classics. At the moment of application the lotion doesn’t seem to do anything but once rain or wind reach the cream it gives off a delightful glow of warmth on your skin. If on a rainy day ride you get stopped by a train crossing, the emobrocation layer keeps you from shivering, instead you wait at the railway crossing feeling tingly and warm! Just remember to put your chamois cream on first, then embrocation, and wash your hands after so you don’t burn your eyes from touching your face.

Apply chamois cream BEFORE applying embrocation lotion.

The next layer is a merino long-sleeve undershirt, short-sleeved jersey and water repellent rain jacket. If you get too warm on the ride and take off the rain jacket the merino wool can get wet while staying warm. Finish layering with a jersey and a waterproof-breathable jacket and get out riding in the rain!

How To Use Strava for Cycling

September 16, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

If you’re new to the cycling world, then you may not have heard of Strava. The website and mobile app is based around using satellite navigation to track an athlete’s activity. Known as the social network for runners and cyclists, it is a great way to stay motivated, track your improvement, and get connected with the athletic community.

Like a lot of things with cycling, getting started can be intimidating. The app itself has a ton of features that many users don’t know about, or use to their fullest advantage, so here’s a breakdown for you.

Why you should use Strava

Everyone is doing it – Okay, so maybe peer pressure isn’t the best reason to use Strava, but it’s true. Most cyclists are using Strava, so don’t miss out on the party. You can keep tabs on your friends (and competition) as well as see where you stack up against the pros. It’s the perfect source of motivation with a side of humble pie.
It’s free – There is a Premium version, but the free version includes some great features that are enough for a lot of cyclists. With zero commitment, you have nothing to lose.
That community feeling – One of the most amazing things about cycling is the community that comes with it. Community is what helps you improve as a cyclist by learning from others and pushing yourself harder than you would by yourself. On Strava, you can create private groups for you and your crew. So, even if you’re not out riding together, you can stay in touch and even try to beat their time on a route. Through the comments, you can encourage each other and give kudos on a great ride.
Track your progress – There’s nothing better than feeling stronger and faster than when you started. With Strava you can track your progress over time through a variety of features. If you want to get technical, there is a training calendar for comparing your milage month to month to your heart rate and power data. You can also simply look at your heart rate over a ride that will show up as a “suffer score.” This score is based on your heart rate throughout the ride in comparison to your max heart rate. Using heart rate zones, this is great indication to how hard you were working (only available with Premium).
Motivation – Every month there are great challenges to join to motivate yourself to get out, no matter what the weather or how you’re feeling. You can compare yourself to the leaderboards, and even make it a goal to get on the board yourself.
Safety – Strava isn’t just a great app for cyclists, but for their friends and family as well. If you’re heading out on a long ride, you can use the beacon to share your location with someone. They can then track your progress and know exactly where you are if anything were to happen.

How to speak Strava

Segment

Probably the most popular feature of Strava, a segment is a section of trail or road that users create and name. Other users can then “race” for the best time for that particular segment. Climb segments are rated from easiest to hardest as 4,3,2,1 or HC.

KOM / QOM

The “King of the Mountain” or “Queen of the Mountain” is the fastest rider on a particular segment. It doesn’t have to be a climb, but could also be a flat or a descent. The rider with the fastest time will remain the KOM or QOM until someone gets a faster time and dethrones them. As fun as it is to ride for these titles, just remember that it’s not worth risking injury.

Achievement

Achievements are presented in the form of trophies, medals or KOMs/QOMs. When you upload your ride to Strava, it will be compared to other users. Tropies are for top ten placements on a segment, and medals are your best three times for a specific segment.

Flyby

The Flyby feature allows users to see if they crossed paths or road close to other Strava users. Depending on security settings, you may only be able to see athletes you follow. It can help you connect with cyclists riding similar distances in your area, and see where you stack up.

Suffer Score

Your “suffer score” is based on your heart rate throughout the ride in comparison to your max heart rate. Using heart rate zones, this is great indication to how hard you were working (only available with Premium).

Stravasshole

You know who they are. This refers to anyone who puts a segment goal or KOM/QOM before the fun and safety of those around them. Don’t get us wrong, Strava is fun to use and challenge yourself with, but it’s not the be all end all.

How to make the most of Strava

Try a new route

Using the heatmap feature, you can 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.

Get creative

With the ability to add photos, you can really document your ride and make it as personal and inspiring as you want. There is also the infamous “Strava Art” that is a ton of fun. There is a thin red line that shows your route, so think of yourself as the tip of the pencil and get drawing on the canvas of your city. Check out some of the best strava art here.

Join a community

As mentioned previously, joining a community of cyclists (whether physically or virtually) is one of the fastest ways to improve–and it’s also a lot more fun!

Adjust your privacy settings

When you’re uploading your routes anywhere online, you will want to adjust your privacy settings so other users can’t see exactly where you live. If you don’t, this could make you a target for bike theft. In your Strava privacy settings you can create a 1 mile radius privacy zone around your house so users can’t see exactly where you start and finish.

Track your commute

Keep your commuter miles separate from your regular rides to track your overall distance without affecting your other stats. When you’re heading to the office, you probably won’t be pushing for that KOM. The commute feature also helps build a database of where people are riding and even where more infrastructure may be needed.

The Perfect Yoga Sequence for Cyclists

August 25, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

After putting miles in on your bike, it’s important to give your body some relief. Not only does this mean adequate rest days to give yourself time to recover, but a specific yoga sequence for cyclists can help those muscles out a little. Luckily, yoga has your back (and hamstrings and hips).

The key to yoga is to give yourself the adequate amount of time to relax into each pose. Whether you’re a yogi or not, taking time to reach those deep stretch targets and work on your breathing can help you become a more efficient cyclist. Anything less than 30 seconds won’t make a significant difference in lengthening the muscle fibers and tissue, but holding too long too soon can put you at risk of injury.

The Benefits of Yoga for Cyclists

Core Strength

A strong core is vital for cycling power, posture, and injury prevention, especially in your lower back region. As a result of the bent over position on your bike, many cyclists have highly developed back muscles, with comparatively weaker abdominal muscles.

This muscular imbalance is normal, but can cause issues in the long run. If you’re tired at the end of a long ride and have poor core strength, you will be more likely to slump in the saddle. This will place undue pressure on your shoulders and wrists, as well as cause lower back pain once off your bike.

Flexibility & Posture

Much in line with your core strength, maintaining proper posture on your bike will prevent injury. The natural inclination is to round your back as you crane your head to look forward. Not only does this create drag, but it will eventually cause pain in your lower and upper back and neck.

Everything in your body is connected. So, to maintain proper bike posture you have to have adequate flexibility in your lower back, hips, glutes, and hamstrings. The flatter your back can be, the less issues you’ll come up against in your training. Yoga can help you not only build the strength and flexibility to hold your posture, but also help you become constantly aware of how your body is feeling.

Breathing

You may not put much thought into your breathing when you’re attacking a hill. The pressing thought for most is to simply keep breathing, even if it looks more like panting. However, when transformed from an automatic function, it can be great training tool.

Yoga can help you learn how to monitor your breathing, making the most of each breath. It can train your body to take slower and deeper breaths to maximize your oxygen intake.

Injury Prevention

Yoga is ideally injury prevention rather than treatment, but it can help on both ends of the spectrum. Regular stretchingand yoga will reduce your risk of suffering from the typical overuse injuries that plague cyclists. These include IT band syndrome, tight hamstrings, back pain, and knee problems.

Because your legs never fully extend on the bike, your muscles get little chance to fully lengthy. There is also an imbalance of strength, with so much power coming from certain muscles, while others remain underdeveloped. Ensuring you are working and stretching these muscles off the bike will go a long way to keep things balanced.

What a Yoga Sequence for Cyclists Should Look Like

Although we’d all rather be out on our bikes than cross training, given everything listed above taking 20 minutes our of your day to practice yoga can keep you feeling your best while you are out on the road. If you’re not ready to go to an hour long yoga class, whether it be the time or financial commitment, you can piece together your own routines to do at home. Here’s what you should know before getting started.

Same time, same place.

Starting around the same time every time is the best way to turn good intention into a habit. Starting you day off with yoga can be one of the best ways to wake up y our body and mind and get you ready for the day.

From the ground up.

A great rule is to start on your mat, with poses that have your body on the ground, and work your way up. This gives your body time to work up to the more active standing poses.

Be focused.

Remove all distractions if you can. Leave your cellphone in a different room and set aside the time to just stretch. Be patient with yourself in the beginning, as it may take time to quiet your mind.

Keep it simple.

Practicing at home is a wonderful thing, but you’ll want to keep it simple. Start out by following along with the video routine below, or just begin with just these 4 poses. If you want more routines like this one, check out Dynamic Cyclist for more stretching routines for cyclists.

A Guide to Mastering Pre-Race Nerves

August 22, 2019 by Morgan Cabot

Whether you’re training for a fondo, multisport or road racing, there is something undeniably motivating and thrilling about training for an event. There is added passion and dedication that comes with the pressure of registering for a race. However come race day, your body is going to do all sorts of crazy things despite your best efforts to control it. Welcome to the world of pre-race nerves!

As someone who is typically more anxious than most, I found my race jitters overwhelming at first, and struggled to control my emotions near the startline. It certainly gets better with time, but the nerves will never go away entirely. Fortunately, there are a few tips that can help you cope with pre-race anxiety:

A Guide to Mastering Pre-Race Nerves

Pre-Race Nerve Symptoms

Everyone’s fight or flight response is a little different. In some cases, your pre-race anxiety might manifest itself as feeling shaky and super hyped, or you might yawn uncontrollably while feeling like you need to fall asleep. In many cases, it can be an alternating roller coaster.

Don’t Drink Too Much Coffee

If you start to feel the nerves, do not drink 4 times the amount of coffee you’re used to in an effort to feel “alert” or “awake”. You won’t be any more focused, and it will more than likely result in having more shakes and feeling more anxious. Trust that if one cup of coffee is good, 4 is not necessarily 4 times as good.

It’s Not Superstition: Embrace Routine and Pre-Race Traditions

If you chat with experienced racers and ask them about “pre-race routine”, everyone will know exactly what you’re talking about. In fact, the way they discuss their routine will almost sound like superstition. Whether it’s a need to always put your left shoe on before your right shoe or wanting to lay out all your kit perfectly the night before a race, pre-race routines can help calm the pre-race nerves.

Skipping your pre-race habits can leave you feeling frantic and unprepared, despite the fact that we all know shaved legs don’t actually make you any faster. If you forget your lucky socks, don’t panic!

Why Do Routines Calm Pre-Race Nerves

At a very high level, these rituals are all something that is within your control, and help you feel calm in a stressful situation. Yes, you’re fully aware that your lucky socks aren’t really lucky, but being able to choose to wear them on race day helps you feel more in control and prepared for the task ahead. No, you didn’t suddenly become superstitious overnight! Embrace the little tasks that help calm your pre-race nerves, and make sure you plan time (or book that manicure and pack those socks) to accommodate them around big events.

Your Body is Ready

The number one reaction your body is going to have is the need to go to the bathroom – a lot more than you think is normal. You may be a little horrified, but trying to control this will be counterproductive. Porta potties at professional races aren’t any nicer than grassroots races. The urge may lessen slightly over time, but it will never go away. Try to perceive this as a sign that your body is ready, not that there is something wrong with you! When you line up for the bathroom for the 17th time, turn: “Wow something is wrong with my stomach,” into: “My body is telling me it’s hyped and ready to race.”

Stay Focused on What is in Your Control

You’ve made it to the start line, now is not the time to second guess your training. You’ve done the best you can to prepare yourself for your event, and staring in awe at the next racer’s bulging arm veins wondering if they even have any body fat is doing nothing to help. There is absolutely nothing you can do in this moment to modify your fitness, body composition or any other aspect of your physical preparedness. Divert your energy away from elements that are out of your control, and focus on what you can.

Is your number pinned properly?
Do you need to go to the bathroom (see point above)?
Do you need to apply sunscreen?
Did you eat all the pre-race food you had planned?

There are little things you can do to ensure your race goes as smoothly. Keep yourself focused on these elements and do not let yourself get distracted by second guessing your fitness or comparing yourself to others.

Don’t Worry About Results

Your peers’ ability is not something you can control. You should have a plan for your race. Your plan should not be “finish top 3!” but rather race tactics you can execute. A few examples of race plans for your annual Grand Fondo:

Attack your favourite climb
Drink one water bottle by the 50km mark
Smile and wave at every camera

Having mid-race goals is a good way to focus on the process instead of your result. Execute your race plan to the best of your abilities. For both racing and fondos, you should have created a race plan ahead of the race, and on the day of the event the only thing you can do is have full trust in your plan and/or your team, and commit 100% to them.

Warm Up

Warming up will help prepare your body for the effort ahead. There is also a calming element to it: Instead of fidgeting and pacing back and forth, go for a short spin or hop on the trainer. Listen to your favourite music, and focus on the warm up process and reminding your body that it can in fact do this.

Sometimes You Just Need Space

Your new best friend might just be some giant noise cancelling headphones. In Vancouver there is a crit race called the Gastown Grand Prix, with thousands of dollars of prize money, professional competition, right downtown, and EVERYONE will come watch and cheer you on. Sponsors, coworkers, friends, teammates and family will all come wish you luck when you can barely even open your mouth because you might just throw up from nerves. The greetings are well meaning of course, but I’ve learned that I’m better off promising to catch up with everyone after I survive the race and drowning out my friends with warm up music. If you know that you are too nervous to be good company, there’s nothing wrong with politely acknowledging this, isolating yourself, and then treating all your friends to your post race extra giddy self after it’s over.

For as nervous and anxious as you might feel before the race, you will also be a euphoric ball of joy after the finish line! So go ahead and sign up for that big event, trust that the nervous pit in your stomach is a good thing, and have a great time building lifelong memories on two wheels.

Should You Sit or Stand While Climbing

August 12, 2019 by Josh Friedman

Your bike has a supportive saddle to rest your body weight on your sit bones. Why would you ever want to rise up from the saddle to go uphill? You just have to put more weight on your legs… It turns out there are some compelling reasons why you would want to either sit or stand while climbing.

Sit or Stand While Climbing?

Everyone has a different riding style. Even when choosing between whether to sit or stand while climbing, riding style comes into play. It may be how you grew up riding, maybe there was an influential coach that pushed you one way or the other, or maybe there was a pro rider you tried to emulate. Regardless of which it is, there’s likely a way you inherently prefer to climb. But science can also help to determine whether you should sit or stand while climbing.

Higher Heart Rate and Oxygen Consumption While Standing

Standing while climbing is much more similar to running than turning over the pedals while sitting. A more vertical position on the bike results in higher heart rate and higher oxygen consumption, but not greater energy expenditure according to this detailed study. Running uses more energy and is less efficient than riding, but the energy expenditure is different in cycling; standing versus sitting uses the same energy.

Lower Body Mass = More Time Standing

Larger riders will use more energy proportionally while standing. There is more weight to support along with more weight to bring up the hill. The loose formula to figure out climbing style is to divide weight in pounds by height in inches.

A 2 to 1 ratio or lower is usually a pure climber who can ride out of the saddle for long periods of time. A 2.1-2.5 to 1 ratio can benefit from switching between styles. A ratio of 2.5 to 1 or greater should probably stay seated to benefit from the bike supporting the rider’s weight.

Perceived Exertion

According to this study on whether to sit or stand while climbing, the subjects experienced a significantly lower perceived exertion on a ten percent grade while standing versus sitting. This is despite a much higher heart rate and oxygen uptake. Good sensations in the legs do not always tell the whole story. In fact, they may even lead you astray of the most efficient method of cresting a climb.

A Definitive Study

Ernst Hansen’s 2008 Study of ten well-trained male cyclists is likely the most definitive study on whether to sit or stand while climbing. The subjects were tested on a ten percent climb at four levels of power. There was no difference between standing and sitting at the lowest level; eighty-six percent of VO2 Max power. It is still an intense effort, but it allows for a rider to make a choice whether to sit or stand while climbing. The study found that ninety-four percent of VO2 Max power is the tipping point where climbing while standing versus sitting becomes more efficient. At the two upper levels tested, up to a maximum of 165 percent of VO2 Max power, standing was far more efficient.

You must remember that this efficiency holds true only if it is a skill that you have honed and allowed your muscles to adapt to. It will be highly inefficient to climb out of the saddle if you have not trained this skill.

Consider the Gradient

Some hills do not give you a choice of whether you can sit or stand while climbing. Some hills are so steep (or perhaps your bike is wildly over-geared for steep hills) that to get over them you must climb out of the saddle. This is a consideration of your threshold and how low you will let your cadence go. You may be able to grind out a twenty percent climb in a 39/25 at 38rpm, but it probably is not the most efficient way to make it to the top. Engaging your arm muscles to rock the bike is the order of the day when the climbs get really steep.

A corrollary to being over-geared or under-cadenced is whenever cadence becomes uncomfortably low, stand up and climb, even if it is not necessarily based on the gradient.

Comfort

Research likely does not consider comfort regardless of the efficiency that it may find. Riding out of the saddle opens your hips to recruit your calves and glutes, which likely remain fresher than your tired quads. Sometimes you want to give a muscle group or your sit bones a rest. Shifting from standing to sitting or vice versa can help keep your body fresher for longer, especially on a really long climb.

Traction

When roads or trails get wet, traction changes. A climb that may be perfectly fine to ride out of the saddle in the dry may now spin your rear wheel out when wet. An additional consideration is whether the road surface changes. Perhaps it is asphalt but has a lot of tar patches covering cracks. Maybe there is a lot of paint on the road. Both tar and paint become very slippery when wet, forcing you to stay in the saddle to maintain traction. It is also very important to remember tar and paint’s additional slickness when cornering. Another traction consideration is loose dirt roads. You will be forced to sit just to make it over a climb that has a lot of dirt and gravel.

Making Sense of All the Data

All of the data can make for some confusing choices. Here are some good rules of thumb to help you decide whether to sit or stand while climbing:

If the grade is too steep, likely over 10%, stand.
If you can maintain a cadence while climbing near what you maintain on flats, sit.
If your muscles or sit bones need a break, stand.

In the end, climbing while standing is not less efficient if you have trained it. Get out there and practice. At the very least it will give your muscles a break on longer climbs.

The Best Inspirational Cycling Quotes

August 4, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

Cycling is something different to everyone. It can be a mode of transportation, a way to de-stress from everyday life, or the means to push yourself to the limit of your ability. There is nothing quite like the exhilarating feeling of riding a bike, a kind of universal emotion that anyone who has hopped up on those two wheels can relate to.

As something that inspires so many, there have been a lot of quotes that have come out of the world of cycling over the years. From professional cyclists to cultural icons, here are some of the best cycling quotes to get you inspired.

“Ride as much or as little, as long or as short as you feel. But ride” – Eddy Merckx, Belgian cyclist

“The race is won by the rider who can suffer the most” – Eddy Merckx, Belgian cyclist

“When it’s hurting you, that’s when you can make a difference” – Eddy Merckx, Belgian cyclist

“Cycling isn’t a game, it’s a sport. Tough, hard and unpitying, and it requires great sacrifices. One plays football, or tennis, or hockey. One doesn’t play at cycling” – Jean de Gribaldy, French cyclist

“As long as I breathe, I attack.” — Bernard Hinault, French cyclist

“It doesn’t matter if you’re sprinting for an Olympic gold medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you’re missing the essence of the sport” – Scott Martin, American Paralympian

“When your legs scream stop and your lungs are bursting, that’s when it starts. That’s the hurt locker. Winners love it in there” – Chris McCormack, Australian triathlete

“When my legs hurt, I say: “Shut up legs! Do what I tell you to do!” – Jens Voigt, German cyclist

“It never gets easier, you just get faster” – Greg LeMond, American cyclist

Embrace your sweat. It is your essence and your emancipation. —Kristin Armstrong, American cyclist

“Nothing compares to the simple pleasure of riding a bike” – John F Kennedy, President of the United States

“It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them” – Ernest Hemingway, American novelist

“The bicycle has done more for the emancipation of women than anything else in the world.” — Susan B. Anthony, American women’s rights activist

“Life is like riding a bicycle. In order to keep your balance, you must keep moving.” — Albert Einstein, genius

“Bicycling is a big part of the future. It has to be. There’s something wrong with a society that drives a car to workout in a gym.” — Bill Nye, American scientist

“Cyclists see considerably more of this beautiful world than any other class of citizens. A good bicycle, well applied, will cure most ills this flesh is heir to” – Dr K.K. Doty

“You can. You should. And if you’re brave enough to start, you will.” — Stephen King, American novelist

“When the spirits are low, when the day appears dark, when work becomes monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin down the road, without thought on anything but the ride you are taking.” – Arthur Conan Doyle, Sherlock Holmes author

“You are one ride away from a good mood.” – Sarah Bentley

“My eight-year-old old daughter: ‘this hill is so steep, my legs are out of breath.”’ – Mike Griffiths

“Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime. Teach a man to cycle and he will realize fishing is stupid and boring.” – Desmond Tutu, South African clergyman

Reasons To Try Group Riding This Year

July 8, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

Cycling on your own is great. You have complete freedom as to where you want to go, how fast you ride, and when to take breaks. However, group riding can be a great way to expand your cycling horizons in just about every way. The idea of showing up for a ride with a bunch of people you don’t know can be intimidating, but we promise it’ll be worth it. Here are some of the reasons you should try group riding this year.

Reasons to Try Group Riding

Camaraderie

There’s nothing like tapping into a group of new friends with similar interests to you. Most cycling clubs will have a variety of organized group rides depending on skill level, so you should be able to find one that suits you. You can also learn so much from other riders. Within a group of cyclists you’ll find years of experience and cycling knowledge available to you. From clothing to cycling techniques, your new comrades will most likely be able to help you up your game.

Find New Routes

It’s easy to get stuck in a rut as far as roads and routes go when you’re riding on your own. There are plenty of online resources that can help you start branching out into uncharted territory, but stopping at every intersection to navigate can become tiresome. When you go with a group, all you have to do is follow along as you’re guided through an awesome new route.

Training

Riding with a group is a great way to learn new useful road skills and etiquette, as well as up your training sessions. Some friendly competition or simply trying to keep up can be a great way to challenge yourself much more than you would if you were riding solo. It also gets you accustomed to riding within a group, and all that comes with it, so if you ever decide to give a race a try you’ll be prepared.

Motivation and Accountability

Nothing like accountability to get you out on a ride after a night out or when the weather isn’t the best. Being part of a group, getting know the other riders, and holding each other accountable can help you develop discipline. Even though you may start off a ride feeling unmotivated, 10 minutes into whizzing along and chatting with a friend you’ll forget all about it.

Group rides can be a great way to meet new people, as well as to gain fitness and experience on the bike. A quick online search can yield local rides and times, or you can head to your local bike shop. They will know where and when rides are as well as what type of ride they are. A mix of riding by yourself, with a few friends, and with a local group can allow you to get more enjoyment from cycling, as well as become a stronger rider.

What is Drafting in Cycling?

June 22, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

Drafting in cycling is one of the many benefits to riding in a group. You can go faster than you would otherwise on your own with much less effort. You get the rush from the speed as well as the motivation from all the other riders around you.

Some riders do nothing but group rides where they consistently get to draft, while other riders ride on their own. In terms of what’s more fun; that’s your personal preference. However, getting to experience both can go a long way in making you a better cyclist.

What is Drafting in Cycling?

A group of cyclists will ride in a close line one behind the other, taking turns riding up front (pulling) before peeling off and latching onto the back. When you draft like this, by tucking in close behind another rider, you expend less energy, with up to 27 percent less wind resistance.

The Physical Benefits

You may think that all sitting on a wheel does for you is to allow you to pedal easier. While this is true under certain circumstances, such as sitting on a wheel for an endurance or easy ride, you can also ride much harder while drafting when the group is going full-tilt. You will have more periods of time where you are soft pedaling or coasting, but that will then be followed with pedaling harder than you otherwise would.

If you have a power meter, your power profile will look like your heart beat profile; spiky up followed by spiky down. If you have been riding on your own a lot and then hit up a local group ride or race, you will be able to tell that your legs aren’t used to the high/low effort. In addition to the spiky profile, you will also most likely be spinning at a higher cadence.

The more you ride in a group the more your muscles are going to get used to this type of riding. In addition to getting used to it, you are also going to generate more speed in your legs. You legs will simply be used to pedaling faster. When riding on your own, this translates to faster speeds. Your muscles adapt to the load that they’re placed under. If you ride at a steady effort all day, then your legs will get really good at that but when you try and go harder, your legs aren’t used to the effort and can’t do it again and again. Building the muscle fibers to be able to handle the up and down efforts will help your cycling all around.

The Psychological Benefits

Drafting in cycling on group rides or in races also plays tricks on your mind. Have you ever gone out and ridden on your own, perhaps to a group ride, and felt like you couldn’t push yourself? And then when you get on a group ride, you feel like superman or superwoman? This is because 90% of riding is mental.

Your brain tells your body what to do and your brain tells you how your legs feel. The other people in the group, along with the speed and rush, gives your brain an added jolt of adrenaline and epinephrine which gives you an extra edge along with feeling good mentally. This psychological switch when you’re riding in a group is very difficult to simulate on your own. Up-beat music can get you part way but riding with others will always bring out your best performance.

Should You Include Drafting in Cycling Training?

Because drafting in cycling has such a large psychological and psychological affect on your body, it is recommended that you incorporate it into your riding at least once a week and up to three times a week if you are really looking to excel in group rides and races. If you are training more seriously and doing intervals, they have an important place, but in-conjunction with group rides. You are going to push yourself harder and go deeper than you ever would be able to on your own during intervals regardless of how mentally tough you are. Simply when you start to get tired your body no longer wants to push as hard as it’s capable of but on a group ride you will make yourself go cross-eyed even when you’re past being kaput.

While riding on your own can improve metal toughness and the ability to push through on your own, riding in a group brings out what you never knew was there. Riding around other people in such close proximity at high, adrenaline inducing speeds, allows you to push harder than you ever thought possible. Taking advantage of training on your own while in conjunction with group rides at the right times, even if your particular event is done solo, can bring additional benefits to your training.

The Essential Cycling Accessories

June 18, 2019 by Sarah Lauzé

Cycling can be an intimidating sport to get into, especially when you walk into a bike shop with no idea where to start. You may see a ton of kitted out riders with all the bells and whistles, but you really don’t need much to get started. The essential cycling accessories can not only be affordable, but can last you years to come.

What you need:

1. A Bike

Okay, this one is pretty self explanatory. Check out this article on “How to Choose Your First Road Bike” for more information.

2. A Helmet

The second most important piece of equipment after your bike should be a helmet. Whether you’re doing a five minute commute to work or heading out for a couple hours, never get on your bike without a helmet. There is not doubt a helmet can save your life, so ensure you get one that is a proper fit. On a side note, don’t be tempted by the UFO-looking aero helmets, unless you are a professional, you really don’t need it!

Core Accessories

These items may not be absolutely necessary, but they can definitely make cycling more enjoyable, especially when you’re just starting out.

A Bike Lock

Unless you plan on only riding from your house, and never stopping out on the road for a coffee or snack, then you’re going to need a bike lock. You may think the bigger the better, but the size of the lock is less important than the functionality. There are dozens of different bike locks on the market, so be sure to invest in one that can give you peace of mind when you have to leave your bike.

Cycling Clothing

Obviously you don’t need to go all in with the lycra to go on your first ride, but a couple staple items will make the experience a lot more comfortable. First is a waterproof jacket or shell that can keep you dry and warm even if the weather takes a turn for the worse. The second a solid pair of cycling shorts with a good chamois. These will feel awkward at first (kind of like wearing a diaper), but they allow you to feel more comfortable, powerful, and in control while on the bike. Cycling shorts will also allow you to ride for longer periods of time without discomfort or risk of saddle sores.

Many cyclists claim that you have to go with clipless pedals and cycling shoes to ensure efficient riding. True, this system does help you with power transfer, and can be a big step in improving your cycling, but you don’t necessarily need to start with them. Besides, the idea of being clipped into the bike can be daunting for a lot of beginners, so take you time and grow into the idea as you become more confident in your cycling skills.

Pump, Spares, Tools

You won’t want to have to end your ride and take your bike into the shop every time you get a flat. You’ll need both the tools and the know-how to take care of some of the most common bike fixes. A good tire pump, multi tool and spare tubes (if you have clincher tires) will go a long way to keep you out on the road. For some basic maintenance and repair, check out “101 Best Bike Repair and Maintenance Tips.”

A Water Bottle

Staying hydrated on your bike is key to both how you’ll feel and can affect your overall health. Ensure you always have water with you when you head out on a ride, whether in the water bottle and cage system, or a hydration pack.

A Saddle Bag

If something goes wrong on a ride and you’re stuck without tools and supplies, you’re walking or calling for help. It’s not so much having a tool for each and every issue, it’s about having the right tools and supplies to get you back on the road again. A saddle bag is the easiest way to carry all the essentials to keep you rolling.

Cycling Cap

A cycling cap is for both function and style. It keeps the sun out of your eyes as well as sweat and rain, and winter caps can keep you warm on a chilly day. Also, if you use your bike for commuting around town and are worried about having hemet-hair, a cycling cap can be a great lightweight fix.

Cycling Glasses

You may have a pair on sunglasses you’ll wear on those bright, summer days, but wearing glasses while on your bike can do more than shield from the sun. Glasses help break the wind when you’re riding, preventing eye irritation. They also work wonders to keep bugs, rain, and other debris from smacking you in the eyeball (which is not a pleasant experience). Many cycling glasses will come with interchangeable lenses, so you can wear the same pair no matter what the weather.

When to Shift Gears on a Bike

December 28, 2018 by Sarah Lauzé

If you don’t know when to shift gears on a bike, it can cause a whole lot of frustration. Those unpleasant clunks or grinding noises at the wrong moment mark that you’re struggling when you don’t need to be! You don’t just need to know how to shift your gears (although that is important), but also when. Learning to use your gears efficiently can make all the difference in your cycling progress.

Not only will knowing when to shift gears on a bike make you a faster rider, but it can also prolong the life of your chain. Here’s what you need to know about finding that perfect gear for every terrain.

What are bike gears?

Bike gears are the aspect of the drivetrain that determine the speed (cadence) at which you’re pedaling and the rate at which the drive wheel turns. Some bikes are fixed gear, so there is only one gear. However, the most common combination is three chainrings with nine gears in the back, for a total of 27 gears. These gears determine how hard (or easy) it is to pedal, and therefore dictate your speed.

How to use your gears

If you are totally new to cycling and aren’t sure how to physically change the gears, check out our article on “How to shift gears on a bike.” This will walk you through different types of shifters, and how each system works.

The left-hand shifter or lever will control the front derailleur, guiding the chain over the chainring by your pedals. On this front end, the bigger the chainring, to more resistance you’ll have. You want to use these sparingly, keeping them for major changes in terrain.

The right-hand shifter or lever controls your rear derailleur, guiding the chain over the back gears or cogs. On these back gears, the bigger the cassette, the less resistance you’ll have. These are your fine-tuning gears that you will be using a lot more.

Using bike gears efficiently

The most common mistake beginners make is to grind away in too hard of a gear. This is not an efficient use of energy, and you’re legs will tire a lot more quickly. The general rule is to keep a steady pedal stroke that isn’t either too slow and hard, nor too easy and fast. Finding the right gear for what you’re comfortable with along with the type of terrain your riding will come with practice.

3 Benchmark Gears

Low Gear – Also referred to as your climbing gear, low gear is the easiest the gears can be on your bike. This means your front gear is on the small chairing, and your back gear is on the largest sprocket.
Middle Gear – This is your everyday gear for rolling terrain. There is enough resistance so you can cruise at a modest speed, but not too much as to slow down your cadence too much. This means being on the small chainring on a double or a compact, and the middle chainring on a triple. The back gear will be hovering around the middle sprockets, adjusted according to any changes in terrain.
High Gear – This is for the fun parts. This will keep your legs spinning and the bike accelerating as you descend, or for pushing yourself as fast as you can on flats. The front gear will be on the big chainring, and the back will be on the smallest sprocket.

Don’t Cross the Chain

Avoid using the large front chainring simultaneously as the largest rear sprocket as this can cause your chain to slip or not shift properly. This is referred to as “crossing the chain.” Try running through the majority of your rear gears before touching your front chainrings.

The first step towards using your gears efficiently is to take a look at your cadence. Once you get a feel for what a proper cadence range feels like, you will start to pick gears that will keep you within that. Keep your eyes ahead on the road so you have plenty of time to shift down before you hit a hill. If you don’t, you may not be able to shift gears in time and you’ll end up having to walk your bike.

Learning how and when to shift gears on a bike is one of those things that you learn when starting to ride and as you ride more, you will get good at it. Just make sure to practice in a safe area, say an empty parking lot or driveway, as your focus will be on the shifting, not and traffic or other hazards that may be around.

« Previous Page