J2C Day 6: The Midlands Massacre

The day started in a blood splattered mess and ended with riders looking to spill some blood of their own.

After leaving Clifton school in Nottingham Road, we cycled along 20km of tar in thick mist – this forced the race organisers to start the race proper in the middle of nowhere only once the mist had lifted.
Riding at the back of the middle, or the front of the back, this is of no concern to me. What was concerning, however, was the black tar painted red with the blood of what appeared to be a thousand squished porcupines.

The grisly theme continued on the dirt road to Snow Top Mountain, the highest point on the race. This time it wasn’t porcupines, but rather those little prickly caterpillars; seemingly millions were determined to cross the road while cyclists attempted to power their way up the daunting 4km climb. Dodging the furry little guys definitely added an element of entertainment to the monotonous uphill slog.
And then right at the end, riders were (jokingly) baying for blood when a detour right next to the finish added almost 5km to the supposedly 97km route.

Overall, though, it was a good, hard day of mountain biking at the Old Mutual joBerg2c. Snow Top Mountain provided the first real challenge of the day, and Death Valley lived up to it’s name as the climb was done in searing heat. Every turn promised to take you to the top, but in reality it was just another short climb to another short climb.

Without my climbing partner, Jonathan, who coaxed me up every climb at last year’s event, I was nervous ahead of the challenge. But something kicked into gear at the foot of the climb and I raced (that is, doddled) to the summit. Climbing is no bother for someone with daily jaunts up Plum Pudding in his legs.
Today was my first real day of riding solo, my makeshift partner from yesterday declaring in the morning that I had “broken him” during day 5 and therefore opting out of our blossoming team.

101km is tough enough. Riding all that way alone with five days in the legs and on, what I feel is the toughest day of the race, just takes the challenge to a new level.

I was going along happily for about 50km, but around the 60km mark I realised I’d been talking to myself non stop, at first my inner voice imploring me to ration the water and then my contrary inner voice telling the first inner voice that “no, the Russians aren’t coming”. In the end, the water was rationed and shared with no Russians.

I believe for about 5km I also sang the greatest hits of the Lion King, including an uplifting version of Hakuna Matata. This, at least, is what my new imaginary friend Jim is telling me right now. What’s that, Jim? The toy cowboy is talking to you? Don’t be crazy man. Toys don’t talk.

Deliriums aside, the last 20km was tough with a rewarding finish on race organiser Glen Haw’s new farm that Sani2c riders will experience in a few weeks.

This is being typed under the stars with crickets cricking, frogs croaking, and mountain bikers clanging glasses of red wine together. That’s because day 7 is something of a rest day – two days before the end, mind – with just 79km to conquer and the promise of smooth flowing singletrack to come. Hoorah.

Read all Dave’s J2C blogs

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Understanding Lens Features in Cycling Sport Sunglasses

In addition to four things you should know when selecting sunglasses for cycling or other action sports, there are several aspects of the lenses themselves that will affect their performance and your satisfaction with them. Here's what you should understand about the different features typically available in lenses on sport sunglasses.

1. Lens grade or darkness

Sports sunglasses have a grading scale that measures the lens' ability to screen out visible light.The scale is basically 0 to 5 going from light to dark, where a a grade 0 lens is completely clear and grade 5 is very dark, as in the level of the lens used in welding goggles.

Most cyclists who ride during the day need lens grades between 2 to 3.5. For morning rides it's nice to have low light lenses which start at about grade 0.5.

Because cyclists are exposed to a lot of direct sunlight as well as light reflected from surfaces, you generally need a darker lens. I would go for a medium to dark lens grade between 2 to 3. If you're in very bright environments with no cover, or very little cloud, then you may go for an even darker lens, such as a level 4. I recently went to Australia and in that country due to its very bright and direct sunshine you need a 3.5 to a 4. In the UK and the US a grade 2.5 to a 3 will probably be sufficient.

In the early morning wear a clear lens (grade 0) or a low light lens, such as a grade 0.5 to 1.

Sometimes for convenience a cyclist may turn to a photochromic lens, which automatically adjusts to make itself darker when exposed to UV light. There is a downside with photochromic lenses however, in that they can only adjust up to about 2 grades points.

That means they may not go dark enough in bright sun. So if you buy a nice, lightly tinted base 0.5 photochromic lenses then as it gets brighter, it will only go as dark as 2.5. This may be okay for the UK, but not the Australian outback!

2. Lens Quality

At a minimum, when seeking out cycling sunglasses you should insist on polycarbonate lenses which is the most commonly used impact-resistant lens material available.

And despite what you may hear in the marketing hype from the popular sports sunglasses companies that tries to make their lenses seem different and special, most of the polycarbonate lens materials used by sports sunglasses companies are actually just the same. For example, AMO sunglasses, my company, buys its lenses from the same manufacturer as Rudy Project.

Many sunglasses companies will give you the impression they have a special technology by using clever marketing and unique names for their lens materials. The reality is that the names are really all is that unique, since the lens material largely originates from the same handful of manufacturing companies.

To be sure there are some very good polycarbonate lenses out there, largely as as a result of better quality control of the manufacturing process and more pure raw material. But it is rather difficult to tell run-of-the-mill lenses from truly excellent ones with the naked eye so sticking with a reputable manufacturer is the best way to ensure you are getting the quality and value you seek.

The best quality lenses that are generally available are NXT lenses which do have a proprietary technology based on a different manufacturing process. This is a level up from polycarbonate, and NXT lenses offer superior impact resistance and excellent optical clarity.  Additionally, they are flexible and ultra-lightweight (about 10% lighter than polycarbonate) and block 100 percent of UV rays without needing a special coating.

3. Should I go for Optional Extras or Upgrading?

The last bike I bought came with standard components, but I upgraded the gearing and the wheels. It's the same with cycling sunglasses. You get the basic solid features with your desired model and then you can see if there are any "nice to have" upgrades.

For cycling sunglasses these upgrades are typically lens coatings such as a hydrophobic coating, which repels water (useful in a hot climate),or a anti-fog coating useful in a temperate climate or in the cool morning. Where I live it's hot so I go with a hydrophobic coating. The choice is yours and with a good cycling sunglass you can have these options to make your sunglasses perform ideally under the conditions you most commonly encounter. Another upgrade is to an NXT lens as mentioned above.

Polarized lenses can be very comfortable in very bright conditions and will cut reflected glare when sunlight bounces off smooth surfaces like pavement or road.

A nice to have is a photochromic lens which that automatically darkens in bright light and becomes lighter in low light. Great for early morning rides. But beware the limitations of these, in that they might not be able to become as fully dark as you need, depending on where you live and ride.

Though these will cost you more, in the end it is worth it if it allows you to wear your glasses more often, more comfortably.

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Author Tim Hallworth is a triathlete, adventure racer and ultra marathon runner and with his wife is co- founder of AMO sunglasses.

As a special premium for readers of About.com's Bicycling site Tim is offering you an additional 10% discount on the purchase a new pair of AMO sports sunglasses. Just enter discount code "BLOG10" at the AMO Shop.

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J2C Day 4 & 5: Dusty Downhills, Descending Dave

“The descent must be one of the best in the world. Flowing trail, switchbacks tight enough to induce some squeaky bum time – but not so tight that your bum squeaks with nervousness – and glorious bumps and jumps make the section fly by.”

Day 4 at the Old Mutual joBerg2c, Sterkfontein Dam to Winterton, is the stuff of mountain biking dreams

The flat Free State is left behind as you drop off the escarpment and into KwaZulu-Natal. Last year I started Day 4 poorly thanks to a stomach bug that had ripped through the race village. This year I felt much better but ended with a bang after flying down an embankment on what is a bloody good piece of singletrack that runs down Spionkop.

Before Spionkop, though, you climb up from Sterkfontein Dam – after eating some amazing potjie the night before – and ride along the escarpment on a section called Great Wall My China. You only realise what a Great Wall it is when watching the TV highlights in the evening – it’s here that you really get the feeling of being on the edge of the world, and that one poorly timed over taking maneuver might see you plummet off that edge.

What goes up must come down, and to get down you hammer a sweet piece of singletrack called Solly’s Folly – though I noticed some route signs called him Solly and Sollie, so I’m not too sure if there are two Sollys, or if someone got confused.

Anyway, the descent must be one of the best in the world. Flowing trail, switchbacks tight enough to induce some squeaky bum time – but not so tight that your bum squeaks with nervousness – and glorious bumps and jumps make the section fly by.

Before you know it, you’re in KZN and flying down Bezuidenhout’s Pass, which this year was so dusty I was forced to pull over and wait for the dust cloud to settle before riding on.

My partner Andrew was chasing the clock for a flight back home. As soon as we agreed to part ways, I fell off the mountain, which is a really stupid thing to do when I’m here to ride mountains rather than fall from them.

After a minor scare from the doctor, I was declared fit for day 5, a ride from Winterton to Clifton School in Nottingham Road. With 112km and 2200m it’s one of the more demanding days of the race. Partnerless, and battered, bruised and jolly sore from my fall, I set my sights on a long day of lonely riding. Luckily, though, one of the highlights of this event is the friendliness of almost every rider taking part. This is a tour of the country, and most people treat it like a damn fine day of sightseeing. I was able to tag along with different groups for much of the day, cruising home much quicker than expected.

The beast of the day was an arduous three-layered climb that went up, then up, and then just for good measure, went up some more. A drop, then a steep climb towards Mooi River, then a few more drops and gentle climbs took us home to Clifton with the school bagpipers, rather fittingly, wailing out The Flower of Scotland.

Day 6 is probably the hardest day of the event – I say this only because we have to climb out of something the organisers call the Valley of Death. Never a good sign.

Read all Dave’s J2C blogs

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4 Fast Facts You Should Know About Sunglasses for Cyclists

Author Tim Hallworth is a triathlete, adventure racer and ultra marathon runner and with his wife is co- founder of AMO sunglasses.

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Not all bikes are the same You know that well. Some are better than others, and sometimes it's for very subtle reasons. It's the same with your cycling sunglasses. As a bicyclist you probably know more about your bike than your eyewear, but there are a number of important features about your cycling sunglasses that affect both performance and price and to get the best value for your money it's a good idea to understand these.

Here are the key facts that cyclists should keep in mind when shopping for sunglasses specifically for use while bike riding:

1. Sunglasses Provide Safety and Protection for Your Eyes

If you're a cop and don't wear a bullet-proof vest, most people will think you're a dope. Why pass on this easy-to-use layer of safety? The same applies to cycling sunglasses. They offer protection from the rocks and debris that can be flicked up from the, road or from the cyclist in front of you, dust from vehicles and insects. This is the same reason you see shop workers, lawn care people, etc., wearing protective eyewear.

Because of this protective function, you should wear cycling sunglasses in any weather and in any light, not just as factor of the sun's brightness alone. If it's dark choose a clear or low light lens.

While all sunglasses must meet minimum impact standards, however, plastic lenses are less likely to shatter upon impact than glass lenses.

Fashion sunglasses or lifestyle sunglasses like Ray-Ban, offer very little protection as the lenses are thin and may not be made from polycarbonate.

Top cycling sunglasses have thicker lenses (usually about 2mm thick) and are made from NXT or polycarbonate lenses, which offer better impact resistance than regular plastic.

If you're really serious about safety impact resistance, look for glasses that comply with ANSIZ87.1, which is the American National Safety Institute standard and will protect your eyes from a 1/4 inch ball bearing travelling at 150ff/sec. This is a high standard for both frames and lenses and only a few sports sunglasses can reach this standard. For comparison, a BB shot with a velocity of 45 m/s (150 ft/s) has skin piercing capability, and a velocity reaching 60 m/s (200 ft/s) can fracture bone. And BBs are much smaller and lighter than the 1/4 ball bearing referenced above.

2. Sunglasses provide UV protection from the Sun's Harmful Rays

Most sunglasses will block UV light. You know that. It's a low standard. These days UV protection can be achieved even by the cheap knock-offs from China or the sunglasses you buy in your local gas station, and does not depend on the price.

Sports sunglasses which have NXT or polycarbonate lenses naturally absorb some UV light. UV absorption is improved by adding chemicals to the lens material during manufacturing or by applying special lens coatings.

But to certain that the cycling sunglasses you are considering will give you 100% UV protection. You need that. Always choose cycling sunglasses that are labeled as blocking 99-100% of UV rays or look for a label which says "UV absorption up to 400nm." This is the same thing as 100% UV absorption.

3. Wraparound sunglasses are not just to look good

Wrap-around cycling sunglasses have been around for a long time. It is not just a marketing gimmick or current fashion trend. You need cycling sunglasses with more curved lens and that wrap around the side of your face. They cover more area than simple frontal-only facing sunglasses.

If you do not wear wraparounds it's like having a slow leak in one of your bike tires.  Sure, it'll hold air but it will still go flat over time.  It's the same way with non-wrapping eyewear as the sun’s rays and UV light will enter around the frames to reduce the protective benefits of your sports sunglasses.This wrapping around design prevents the sun’s rays from entering your eyes from the sides.

4. Adjustable Fit is Key

Bike design allows you to adjust your bike for your specific body measurements. Now there is a whole bike fitting industry built around this. It's because people -- even those who are the same height -- are not all the same size. Different length arms, legs and torsos make this adjustment necessary for more perfect bike fit.

Some, so called cycling sunglasses allow zero adjustment. Would you buy a bike where you could not adjust the seat?You need cycling sunglasses that will fit on your head. You do not want sunglasses that move around or slide down your nose.

Really good cycling sunglasses will have adjustable nose pads and temple arms, so you can mold them to fit your face.

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As a special premium for readers of About.com's Bicycling site Tim Hallworth, owner of AMO Sports Sunglasses and the author of this piece, is offering you an additional 10% discount on the purchase a new pair of AMO sports sunglasses. Just enter discount code "BLOG10" at the AMO Shop.

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J2C Day 1: How Much Mud Is Enough?

In the race packs for the Old Mutual joBerg2c every rider found a fantastic event jersey, the usual race fuels and a book titled How Much Is Enough. It’s written by one of the riders at the event and by all accounts is flying off the shelves. It was a fitting question on day one of the nine-day ride from Joburg to Scottburgh when riders were faced with long stretches of deep, gooey mud. It was bad in the beginning, but got worse once the course crossed the Vaal River.

In 2014 frustrated riders cried out to chirpier partners “don’t mention the sand!”. This year, the sand was wet after a massive thunderstorm the night before day one kicked off at Karan Beef farm in Heidelberg. It made for an energy sapping ride on an otherwise uneventful 116km of mountain biking.

By all accounts, day one is something of a slog; a neutral day for riders to fiddle with their GPS units (there are no route markings at joBerg2c) and fret for about 60km over the rickety bridge constructed at the Vaal crossing.
Last year, the middle section of the bridge started sinking as riders made their way across. This year, the bridge was split into three sections with some land crossings in between.

Riders were far happier, apart from one plucky gentleman who cycled straight off the first section in front a large crowd that had gathered to cross. Cheers went up as Mr Splashy went down. Luckily for him, he chose to take the plunge where the river was only one foot deep. He was just missing fish and loaves to complete the look as he walked off.

On a personal note, the event could not have started better. Arriving at my hotel in Rosebank – the Crowne Plaza – the day of registration, I was greeted with singing, dancing, cheering, Moët and an upgrade to the executive suite – I was the 25 000th guest for 2015.

Unfortunately, being a conscientious racer, I couldn’t drink the entire 1.5L of red wine left in my room. It’s been sent packing to Scottburgh for a celebratory red if the next 8 days go according to plan (that is, water point to water point; two beers in the evening – though I’ve had four now, so tomorrow I’ll have to have none – and eat as many marshmallows in condensed milk as possible).

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J2C 2&3: The Ride Stuff

The first three days of the Old Mutual joBerg2c are long, flat and arduous if you’re not in the right frame of mind for that kind of riding. Being a LOPPer, a Legend of Plum Pudding (self-proclaimed, of course, by the eight of us who ride up and down the steep Plum Pudding jeep track behind UCT in Cape Town), I’m not used to flat stretches of speedy riding.

In Cape Town we go up and down. At the joBerg2c you do too – eventually – but first you have to get out of the Eastern Free State. To do that, you cycle first from Frankfort to Reitz (day 2) and then from Reitz to the massive Sterkfontein Dam (day 3). Monday’s day 4 is a 114km trek from the dam to Winterton in KwaZulu-Natal.

Day 2 was fairly unremarkable; made up mostly of district road. Day 3, apart from some smashing singletrack down Mt Paul, is much of the same.

To get through the long days you need to set goals – mine was simply to get from water point to water point. To do that you need to jump on the fast moving buses of focused mountain bikers. Unfortunately, like the classic London Bus joke, there’s never one around when you need one, and then when you don’t (like when you’re sitting at a water point chomping on some serious boerewors), two come flying past.

The highlights of day 2 and 3 are definitely the water points. The local farmers go all out to provide riders with as much nosh as humanely possible. Because of that, it’s almost impossible to leave the festive tables to jump on another bus. On day 2 you also pass a wolf sanctuary where abused and abandoned wolves are cared for. If you’re lucky, they start howling as you go past.

Each day of the joBerg2c gets better as the ride goes on. Today the singletrack tasters were just a warm up for what comes on day 4 – a drop off the escarpment after riding along the top on a section called Great Wall My China. From there it’s some literal ups and downs interspersed with some of the most incredible riding in the country.

My partner, Andrew, has been strong so far and he’s basically pulled me from Heidleberg to Sterkfontein. He very generously asks if I want to go in front on the singletrack, erroneously believing I’m ready to bomb down when all I want to do is catch my breath.

The goal for tomorrow is as ever, water point to water point. Though it comes with a small caveat. Andrew has to leave the event for his daughter’s 21st – (thanks, Chloe!), so we need to be in Winterton by 1:30pm. It’s either going to be the ride of my life, or the most spectacular blow out since the Hindenburg.

Read all Dave’s J2C blogs

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Bicycle Collective

Are you or is someone you know a savvy bike mechanic who enjoys helping people discover the awesomeness of bikes?! We can use you! We're hiring a p/t mechanic to help refurbish bikes for sale in the shop and to help customers during DIY nights. Check out the attached description for more info.

If interested, bring a resume to the shop during DIY or volunteer nights or email one to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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NEW BLOG: An Epic Riding Adventure To Save Our Rhinos

For certain things the time is never right. But sometimes one has to grasp the opportunity and just make the time right. We have always dreamed of doing an overland cycling tour. Finally we are making it happen and embarking on our adventure, riding from Hong Kong to Singapore. But apart from traveling experiences, we would like to make a difference. The aim of our ‘Buy No Rhino’ Tour is to create awareness about rhino poaching in the countries we will be passing through.

On April 20th we will start our 6000km journey which will take us through the length of South East Asia, from Hong Kong to China mainland, crossing into Vietnam, continuing through Laos, back to the coast line of Vietnam, then covering Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, and finally finishing in Singapore. We have always been avid cyclists, big fans of fun rides such as the Argus Cycle Tour, but have never been loaded down by a heavily packed touring bike. The plan is to start the ride with short daily distances, allowing our bodies to adjust to this new routine, then increasing to 80-100km per day.

Vicky (35), a financial controller based in beer-loving Bavaria, Germany has taken a sabbatical and myself, Ness (30) resigned from my job as a fashion buyer in Cape Town. We conceived and planned our trip through numerous and lengthy Skype sessions. A non-negotiable was what bike we were gonna ride as my hubby is co-incidentally manufacturing Pyga bikes. Many guys opt for a steel touring bike, but since we are both lightweights we are going for an ali hard tail.

The next essential question was how to transport our belongings? After careful consideration we chose the popular, super sturdy, waterproof Ortlieb panniers and the lightweight Thule racks.

Every gram matters when pedaling thousands of kilometres. Weight and quality were essential for the choice of all gear; our 2-man tent only weighing 1,4kg, self-inflating matrasses 700g, and sleeping bags 700g. The toughest challenge will be the weight of all our must-have electronic goodies; from e-book reader, iphone, Mac, Garmin to GoPro and camera… never mind the tangled, chaotic pile of cables to charge all these devices. The continuous thought lurking at the back of our minds, what will the final weight of our bikes really be?

For the last two weeks before our departure we have been running around between bike shops to camping and adventure stores to last minute injections against some unpronounceable, rare but possibly fatal diseases like meningococcal meningitis. In between all the logistics, we got in some pedaling time. Hurting wrists and paining butts were a clear indication that our bikes needed to be set up specifically for us. After a quick trip to the boys at Revolution Cycles, our new adjustments and wider saddles are already making a massive difference.

Along our way we are hoping to inform people and create awareness about the rhino plight, specifically in Vietnam, China and Thailand, which are the key consumer markets of rhino horn. Our vision is to inspire people to make their dreams happen, as well as realize that everyone can make a difference and that they have the power to change their surroundings. Even if we cannot change a whole culture, we will sow a seed of change.

The plan is to submit a blog every few weeks, but bare with us – we’re not sure what connectivity will be like. If you have any advice for us along the way, please don’t hesitate to send it our way by commenting below!

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Hundreds ride in Mildura

Bicycle Network: Latest News

Under clear skies, more than 200 riders rolled out for Powercor Australia's Tour de Depot in Mildura.

The Mildura event included two rides - a competitive 20km time trial and 10km family ride and was held alongside a free community festival at Jaycee Park. 

30 competitors took part in the timed-event, with 17 year old Tyler Beruldsen taking out top honours with a time of 29 minutes and 21 seconds.

The event raised $75,000 for The Lucas Foundation, allowing them to provide even greater support and assistance to local families in need.

For highlights from the day, check out this video:

Image credit: Sunraisya Daily

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Bicycle Collective

Glendale Location

The Bicycle Collective is excited to announce we’re working with Sorenson Unity Center to create a stand-alone youth-specific Community Bike Shop location in Glendale, at the Unity Center. We need someone to run the inital bike program!

 

This job would be great for a supporter of the Collective who wants to be a key part of starting something. The Sorenson Unity Center Bike Collective Project Manager will be responsible for developing and maintaining a youth-oriented bicycle program at the Sorenson Unity Center, based off the successful model demonstrated by the Salt Lake City Bicycle Collective. This position will begin with building a volunteer base, teaching community youth basic bike mechanics while giving them the opportunity to earn bikes, running a weekly kids bike fix-up session with the help of volunteers, and leading a weekly community bike ride to build ridership, volunteer base, and provide a fun activity for local youth.

 

Apply here!

 

Responsibilities:

• Responsible for youth bike shop

  • Tool inventory

  • Shop organization

  • Shop maintenance

  • Inventory of new parts

  • Ordering new parts

  • Opening/closing programs

  • Maintain accuracy of bike and part pricing

  • Register

    • Donations

    • Inventory

• Responsible for youth education

  • Communicating and scheduling youth drop-in education groups.

  • Establishing and maintaining relationships with different youth programs (YouthCity, YWCA, Boys & Girls Club, Rec Centers, etc.,...)

  • Reporting and keeping statistics on youth program attendance for Annual Report / Grants.

  • Preparing youth bikes for the students with assistance from volunteers

  • Developing and modifying existing youth bike curriculum

• Responsible for Bike Refurbishing Process

  • Donation Life Cycle

  • Providing and Using Appropriate Tags

  • Quality Control

• Responsible for Volunteers in Shop

  • Overall volunteer management

  • Placement and coordination between volunteers and prospective opportunities

  • Communicate with and schedule volunteers (phone and drop-in)

  • Supervision

  • Quality Control

  • organize tasks, coordinate available times, connect volunteers with external opportunities (SLCBC), train volunteers in task completion where needed.

• Responsible for weekly youth ride

  • Communicate and publicize ride in community

  • plan routes according to accessibility and fun

  • Maintain safety and order on the rides

• Responsible for Answering Phones

• Responsible for Answering Emails

Apply here! 

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Looking for "great" stories

Bicycle Network: Latest News

The excitement is already building for this year's RACV Great Victorian Bike Ride which set to kick off in late November. The route, between Ballarat and Bendigo,takes in the historic Goldfields region with a 520km route retracing the steps of those in search of their fortunes during Australia's gold rush of the 1850s.

To celebrate riders being able to "Rediscover the Goldfields" Bicycle Network is looking to rediscover some of the stories which make the ride such a memorable experience for so many people. 

Stories including:

• Riders who met the love of their life on the ride;
• Those who are planning to take on the ride for the first time this year;
• Young friends who use the RACV Great Vic as a "great" holiday;
• Any other memorable tales from time on the ride.

Bicycle Network's General Manager of Events Darren Allen encouraged riders with a great story to get in touch and share it. 

"We're really excited about this year's event," Mr Allen said.

"We know there's some great stories to tell and we want to hear about them," he said.

Riders wanting to share their stories should email Bicycle Network's General Manager of Communications Melissa Heagney on melissah@bicyclenetwork.com.au or phone (03) 8376 8829.

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Bicycle Collective

Mark you calendars and get your bike racks ready! On Saturday, May 2nd we're hosting our 5th annual bike swap at the Ogden Bike Collective's new shop at 936 28th St in Ogden. The swap is the largest of its kind in the Weber Valley and every year we're stocked to the brim with killer bikes, components, accessories and other goodies. As you may or may not know, Ogden is home to many big names in the cycling industry including Scott, Envy, TRP, QBP and others, so LOADS of gear trades hands around here every year so much that it's not surprising to find incredible deals on top of the line bikes and components.

It's also a great way to sell your own bike! If you've got an oldie but goodie or a pile of components you're not going to get around to using, or just need some walkin' around money, bring it up and let someone new put it to use, all while supporting a great cause. 15% of sales will benefit the Ogden Bike Collective as we get off the ground in our new building.

If you have a bike to sell, fill out the attached registration form (one each per bike, or multiple components per sheet) and email it to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Then bring them up, check out the deals, and check out our new shop.

The schedule:

April 15th-May 2nd: Registration. Email registration sheets to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

May 2nd

• 7-8am: registration checkin (Try to be here before 8 if you're selling a bike.)
• 8am-1pm: Bike Swap.
• 1-2pm: Close out. Finalize all sales, wrap up, tear down.

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Are You in the Mood to Kick Some Ass?

Good news: You can train your brain to put yourself in a better mood on race day.

A funny thing happened Saturday morning as I stood on the line under heavy leaden-gray skies with nearly 500 other shivering racers awaiting the start of the much anticipated Rasputitsa Spring Classic in East Burke, Vermont. I felt happy.

True story. Though I had the usual kaleidoscope of butterflies flapping around inside, I didn’t have a single ounce of pre-race misery. No feelings of impending doom. I hadn’t spent the morning muttering to myself about why I put myself through this anyway. I was, dare I say it, stoked.

And because I have worked for years (decades?) to attain the mental state of pre-competition stoke, I was really freaking stoked to be stoked. Even better, not only was I stoked, I was confident and comfortable in my heart that no matter what the outcome (barring of course, true catastrophe, not the self-fabricated variety), I’d have a good day.

Moods and mental states are often an overlooked and underappreciated element of recreational competition. We’re not making a living at this stuff, so we shouldn’t get all worked up about it, right? Yeah. Right.

We are human. And with humanity comes emotions. We can’t pretend we’re just a floating head on a bike that is powered solely by lungs and legs. We train and race with both our actual and emotional heart. We invest time and money and hopes and dreams into training and preparing for challenging events and races. On a physiological level, all that training and racing stirs up hormones that can profoundly impact—in fact sometimes overwhelm—our moods and emotional state.

     RELATED: Your Brain on Bicycling

I know I’ve nearly packed it in numerous times because I was sick of the misery-inducing nerves. I know racers who have. But as I tell my pre-teen daughter, you can’t control how you feel, but you can control what you do about it. And actually, that’s only half correct. In the realm of bike riding and racing, sometimes you can even control both. Not surprisingly, you’ll also likely perform better if you do.

Case in point, two recent studies. The first examined the moods of a group of cyclists before and after a multi-day road race. In a nutshell, those who performed best maintained a better mood start to finish than those who performed the worst, who saw their moods go south from the beginning to the end and finished with significantly lower moods than they began with.

Yeah, I know. No kidding right. When you don’t do well, you’re not so happy. But there’s a chicken/egg question here. The second study on cyclists competing in a 161km race found that hydration has a pointed impact on your mood and that even mild dehydration sours mood, makes exercise feel harder, and amplifies fatigue and pain. That’ll make anyone get grouchy over the course of one day, let alone several in a row. It’s also well established that poor recovery leads to poor moods and, you guessed it, poor performance.

In short, we have a lot of control over how we feel from start to finish. It just takes a little know-how and practice. So I called up AASP-certified sport psychology consultant and associate professor at West Virginia University, Kristen Dieffenbach, PhD, for some expert advice.

“People like to separate their moods from their physical self. You can’t. But you also don’t want to give them too much power and control over you,” says Dieffenbach. “Instead, you should tune into them and use them to improve your performance and overall experience.” Here’s what she recommends along with some personal observations of my own.

     RELATED: It’s All in Your Head

Walk the Line:
When you’re training really hard, you disrupt your hormones and can get a bit testy. I call it dancing around the volcano. “The key is getting the volcano to rumble without making it blow,” says Dieffenbach. “That’s the point of overreaching where you make gains when you step back and recover.” The key is that recovery. It’s expected to be cranky for a few days, not weeks. Sustained bad mood is a symptom of overtraining, which means you’re stretching yourself too thin and need recovery pronto.

Be Honest About Expectations: You’ve told all your friends you just want to go out on race day and have fun. Is that really true or just the public face you’re putting on to hide your real agenda that’s terrifying you? Your hidden goals have untold power to make you miserable, says Dieffenbach. “This happens all the time. People don’t own up to their real hopes and expectations and it has a huge potential to create underlying anxiety and amplify negative emotions. It can really creep up on you.” Instead be honest. “I’d love to get top 10.” Or “I’d love to set a PR.” But be careful to not make the overall outcome your sole expectation (see next step...).

Redirect Your Focus:
So you’re all nervous because you want to do well. And you’re angsty because you’re nervous. Here’s where you need to stop worrying about your current mood and focus on what you can control, which is the process, not the outcome. So, I can’t control who else shows up to a race or ultimately how I’ll do. But I can be sure I hit all the high notes in my preparation, including getting my bike set up, doing my intervals, and developing a race plan that includes small goals like where to line up at the start and how to fuel myself along the way. “When you’re done, you can honestly say, ‘These are the things I want to accomplish in this race and winning or beating a certain time is the icing on the cake,’” says Dieffenbach.

Reframe the Feelings:
You’re going to feel nervous. If you don’t, you don’t care and what’s the point of that? But there are different ways to interpret the fluttering stomach and jangling nerves. You can think, “I’m so nervous. This is terrible. I’m doomed.” Or you can think, “I’m really excited today. It’s a good day to race.” You might have to fake it at first. I know I did. But then at some point I realized I actually was really excited to race. And that was a good thing.

Feed the Beast:
A Snickers may or may not be the solution, but the “hangry” problem is real, says Dieffenbach. “We tend to forget that our brain fuels and feeds like our muscles. When you are low on fuel, your brain function is off just like the rest of you. It’s going to make you cranky and possibly defeat you,” she says. “From a bio-physical standpoint it’s essential to pay a lot of attention to nutrition. Once you set off the biochemical spiral of bonking, no amount of self talk will bring you back.” Be sure to practice eating on training rides just as you would races so your body and brain are finely tuned to respond to being fed and performing. Personally, I know when the negative voices start creeping in, I need calories to quiet them. The same is true for hydration.

Respect Your Recovery:
Restock those muscle (and brain) stores. Get good sleep. Treat yourself to a massage. All those things that bring your body back also keep your moods from sailing south (though a little dip is natural) after a big event.

So, using this advice myself, I can say it makes a big difference. Rasputitsa went swimmingly well despite some mishaps like shelling a bottle 6 miles in (I reframed that one as ‘Well now I’m a pound lighter for the climbs’ and grabbed a handup at the next aid station) and having to run 2.8 miles on a still snow-covered, no-winter-service road (I just laughed at that one and reminded myself I used to run much further by choice; I’d survive…and I did).

I ended up with a win on the day, which of course is a happy thing. But what made me happier is that every step along the way I was in tune with and in control of how I dealt with how I was feeling at any given moment. It made me calm and content to know that no matter how the day ended up, I had succeeded in all the ways that in the end and in life at large are what really matter.

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Meet the Controversial Cyclist Fighting for Safer Streets

At 6-foot-8, Don Ward is an imposing figure in L.A.'s bike scene. He's the creator of outlaw rides and a powerful voice in the fight for more bike lanes.

BICYCLING: You once organized a race between cyclists and a commercial jet. Seriously?
Don Ward: Los Angeles shut down a section of Interstate 405 in 2011 to remove a bridge, and the city was up in arms. People called it "Carmageddon." Jet Blue created a promotional flight between Burbank and Long Beach. A friend suggested the race. We won by 77 minutes.

What did that show about promoting cycling events?
It's the same thing I learned working for an automative ad agency: Sexy and fast captures people's attention.

Does that explain the appeal of Midnight Ridazz?
Yeah. The ride grew to more than 2,000 people each month. It was a two-wheeled party. It was diverse, welcoming, and beautiful. Everyone who might have been rejected in high school as a nerd or an outcast was enjoying themselves. It was radical inclusion. That's the term Burning Man uses. But it got too big.

It attracted scofflaws.
Graffiti writers and troublemakers discovered the ride. They went into liquor stores, stealing beers, tagging. They weren't bad kids; they just did stupid stuff.

So you and your co-organizers dismantled it?
It was no longer an adventure, it was a mob. It became more trouble than fun to manage. So I put up a website where others could post their own rides. My goal was to get four a month, but now there are three or four every night in Los Angeles. More than 10,000 rides have been posted since 2006.

The Wolfpack Hustle is smaller, more like a race. But it has a similar outlaw vibe.
It's not a race; it's a fast-paced blast through the city. Hustle means negotiation: You're negotiating with traffic; you're negotiating with your friends. It's a cooperative competition. Even though we're going all-out and competing against each other, we're also inspiring each other.

You run a race team, also called the Wolfpack Hustle. Some of your riders are the same kids who caused trouble on the Midnight Ridazz rides. Cycling gave them direction?
Absolutely. They are from Koreatown and South Central. They were following the graffiti scene and fell into the bike scene. Then they started showing up to Wolfpack Hustle rides on fixed-gear bikes. A lot of them got their shit together, have sponsors, and are into racing in spandex.

Still, many of your rides are controversial. They anger drivers. What are you trying to accomplish?
To be able to ride safely in Los Angeles.

How do the rides help?
It's what we need to be effective. The camaraderie built on the rides has morphed into a sophisticated political lobby. We can dispatch volunteers to help with campaigns, phone banking, and canvasing. Candidates are beginning to seek approval from the bike lobby in Los Angeles.

So why aren't there more bike lanes?
It's a block-by-block fight. On the totem pole of importance, bicyclists are still somewhere between homeless people and parolees. Don't bother getting signatures from bike riders; you need bike riders to get signatures from home owners, developers, and business owners. That's who politicians listen to.

Sounds like you're playing the long game. How do you judge your effectiveness?
There's definitely progress. [Former] Mayor Villaraigosa took up the cause. He installed the right person in LA's Department of Transportation, Jaime de la Vega, who pushed to install more bike lanes. He's no longer there, and it's time that politicians start listening to us again. We're not going anywhere. I'm not going to drive my car more often. I want to ride my bike more and so do thousands of other people.

That's great, but how do you get politicians to listen without a deep-pocketed lobby behind you?
I just printed 200 flyers on my Brother printer, and we got 200 signatures to make a local bridge safe for cyclists. More than money, we have passion and righteousness.

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Is Coke a Good Recovery Drink?

The restorative power of Coca Cola has long been cemented in cycling lore.

There's no question that an icy cold Coca-Cola can feel like an elixir from the gods after a long day of suffering. And the 140 calories in a 12-ounce can aren't going to make or break your diet, especially if you're racking up miles. But it's not the best recovery drink.

     RELATED: Save Your Ride With a Coke Can

"Coke contains mostly high-fructose corn syrup, which is about 55 percent fructose and 45 percent glucose," explains Nanna Meyer, PhD, RD, an associate professor in the department of health sciences at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs. Though it will give you a quick boost of energy, the soft drink, says Meyer, does not have enough sodium, fluid, or protein to adequately rehydrate you, rebuild energy stores in your muscles, or repair tissue.

If you crave a Coke after a hard ride, go ahead and have one, but pair it with a snack that contains protein and sodium, along with extra water. 

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ED’s BLOG: Open Season

The first race of the season is always a nerve wracking one. After months of hard work in the off-season its the day that will answer the big question that’s been rolling around your head for the last couple weeks: how fit am I? The Tour d’ Ardeche was that race for me and the answer was yes. I was fit but far from relieved. The results were not what I wanted. The months of solitary winter training had left me badly positioned and nervous in the peloton. To make matters worse, the freezing temperatures and pouring rain amplified my short-comings. I headed home with answers to questions I had forgotten to ask.

Take a look at my video blog below:

Despite a dismal start, I am now a couple weeks into the season and things are starting to look up. The tough days aren’t behind me but I am glad the winter ones are.

À la prochaine

Ed

Read All Ed’s Blogs

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Bicycle Collective

Are you or someone you know a fast and hard-working bike mechanic looking for a summer gig that could turn into more? We can use you! We're hiring a p/t mechanic to help refurbish bikes for sale in the shop and to help customers during DIY nights in the shop. The position starts at $10-12/hr, 10-15 hours/week. Check out the posting for more info.

If interested, bring a resume to the shop during DIY or volunteer nights or email one to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Around the Bay entries now open

Bicycle Network: Latest News

Entries for Around the Bay - Ride for a Child in Need are now open for Bicycle Network members.

Around the Bay - Ride for a Child in Need is the one day of the year where Melbourne unites to celebrate cycling.

Now in it's 23rd year, Around the Bay is a Australia's largest bike ride and caters for all levels and styles of riding.

With a strong event last year, it's anticipated popular routes will sell out quickly. 

As a Bicycle Network member, you can enter Around the Bay a week before the public. Enter early so you don't miss out!

One day, one bay — this is Melbourne's ride.

 

Enter now

 

Join us

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Inside the Tour of Flanders With Velocio-SRAM

Team Velocio-SRAM battles the elements while pre-riding the Tour of Flanders course.

For a team still hunting for its first win, Velocio-SRAM didn’t seem to be in any rush.

While some women’s teams started rolling in as early as 8:30 in the morning for the 11 a.m. Tour of Flanders start, the Velocio riders casually rolled up about an hour before the race and quietly made their way to the back parking lot.

“You don’t need to be here until an hour, an hour and a quarter before,” Beth Duryea, head soigneur explained. “It’s better that the girls are relaxing in their hotels than getting stressed.”

The six-woman roster included talented riders like world time trial champion Lisa Brennauer, decorated German pro Trixi Worrack, and Alena Amialiusik, the Belarusian road and time trial champion. So who would be the leader?

“There is no leader,” Duryea said. “You don’t know what’s going to happen in Flanders.” The third stop on the World Cup circuit is known for being particularly challenging, with the women facing 145 kilometers of cobbles, climbs, and narrow winding roads.

Team director, Ronny Lauke, who has been with the team since 2008, when it was known as Columbia-High Road, said that the race would come down to the last hour. The team’s goal: To get a rider—any rider—on the top step of the podium.

“The goal is always to try and win the bike race,” Lauke said. “We have not succeeded so far this year, but that’s what we’re working towards. We’re working towards getting a victory or at least a podium.”

Helping the Velocio team pursue that aim are first-year sponsors SRAM and Cervélo. Unlike the professional men’s teams at Flanders, who rode bikes designed specifically for the Classics and had team cars with special suspension systems to make the drive over the cobbles easier, the women would be riding the same Cervélo R5s and S5s that they do the rest of the season, but with less pressure in the tires.

With little fanfare, the girls quietly exited their van, got on those bikes, and rode off to loosen up their legs before the start. Tiffany Cromwell, a constant force on the Australian national team, donned bright green and gold Oakleys. “They’re only for the most important races,” she said before rolling off with her teammates.

The women of Velocio had been looking towards Flanders since team camp in December. A win at a race so steeped in history and followed so closely around the world could be a huge breakthrough for the team.

     RELATED: Loren Rowney is Ready to Move On

As the race unfolded, the team was racing to plan. All six girls were in good standing in the group as the race slowly began to thin out. Duryea commented that a break that went before 30 kilometers to go wouldn’t stick, and she was right.

With about 50k to go, Amialiusik made it into a promising break with last year’s winner, Ellen Van Dijk, but it was quickly reeled in. With 20k to go, Worrack escaped with Elisa Longo Borghini, but the Velocio-SRAM rider returned to the pack as Borghini extended what would be her race-winning lead to over a minute.

Amialiusik managed to get herself in the chase group, but it couldn’t close the gap. She had to settle for sixth, with Worrack and Cromwell rolling through inside the top 20.

The disappointment was palpable as the girls gathered after the finish. But the riders acknowledged that they couldn’t have done much differently to change the day.

“We did what we had to do, we had to be represented and make the break,” Cromwell said. “It’s all about if you have the legs or you don’t when it comes to the to the Kwaremont, that’s when the chase groups happen.”

Top finisher Amiliusik, summed up the race in one word. “Hard,” she said. “I’m happy with it, but I would’ve been happier on the podium.”

Still, it was obvious that the riders had faith in each other. “We all believe in each other,” Cromwell said. “It’s a great group of girls, sponsors, and supporters… I’m glad that I stayed with the team for 2015.”

Although the three-time world team time trial champions were disappointed in Flanders, their winless streak may be a sign that women’s racing as a whole is on the upswing.

“The depth of riders has become stronger, more teams have become professional, and have a more professional approach to the sport,” said Lauke. “They are paying attention to little details so the competition has become tighter.”

Looking forward, the number one goal for the team is to defend its world championship in Richmond, Virginia, this September. “The team time trial is a massive goal,” Cromwell said.

It looks like they’re headed in the right direction: Lisa Brennauer scooped up a podium finish at the Energiewacht Tour, taking second place in the prologue time trial, and the team followed up with a win in the TTT, which put Worrack in the yellow leader's jersey.

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Get Free Gear Just for Riding Your Bike

By syncing your Competitive Cyclist and Strava accounts, you can get a $1.00 credit for every hour you ride.

Chances are at some point you’ve brainstormed ways to get paid to ride your bike. For those of us not gifted with the talent and drive to become pro cyclists, our lists have turned up a few imperfect alternatives—bike messenger, cycle tour leader, wandering bard.

But now you can make a little scratch on the side without spending half your ride time in a delivery elevator. Strava just teamed up with Competitive Cyclist to offer you a credit—worth $1.00 toward any purchase on the site—for every hour you spend riding.

     RELATED: The Strava Files

Here’s how it works: If you don’t already have a Strava and a Competitive Cyclist account, create them, and synchronize the two so you can start accruing the credits.

Each hour you ride is worth $1.00 in store credit in half-hour increments, so for a 1:30 or 1:45-minute ride, you’ll receive $1.50 in your Competitive Cyclist account. Your credits show up within 24 hours and are limited to 40 per month.

“You ride. We pay. It’s almost like being pro,” Competitive Cyclist promises. Well, not exactly, but for us ordinary mortals it sure helps to rack up a deep discount on stuff we need to buy anyway, like spare tubes, tools, and parts.

For more information about the program, check out competitivecyclist.com.

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Harness the Power of Hummus

Hummus may be the key to a slimmer waist line

In the past few years, hummus has rocketed to supermarket stardom. This chickpea dip takes up almost an entire section in the grocery store, even though a quarter of Americans still don’t know what it is. If you’re still in the dark about it, it might be time to turn on the refrigerator light and start dipping. A study in the Journal of Nutrition and Food Sciences found that hummus eaters have smaller waists and are healthier overall.

The researchers pulled data about chickpea and hummus consumption from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and found that hummus eaters take in 52 percent more fiber, 13 percent more good-for-you polyunsaturated fats (despite an overall lower intake of fat), and 20 percent less sugar than non-consumers. Plus, people who eat the chickpea-based dip are healthier eaters overall, packing in more servings of fruit, dark green veggies, and whole grains per day.
 


Related: All Vegetables Count

Not surprisingly, this translates to benefits you can see: Hummus fans' waists are, on average, eight percent smaller than the waists of people who don't eat the dip, the study found. They also tend to weigh less, even though they take in no fewer calories overall.

What makes hummus such a super food? It's loaded with slow-digesting carbs, belly-filling fiber, and protein to help you stay satisfied longer, the scientists say. In other words, it's pretty much the perfect snack.



If you're buying pre-made hummus, look for one made with olive oil instead of a cheap substitute. You should also be sure to watch your portion size; one serving is usually just two tablespoons, and the calories can add up fast, even though they're the good-for-you kind. Making your own? Rinse canned chickpeas before pulverizing them to reduce the sodium content of your dip, the researchers suggest.

This article originally appeared on Women’s Health.

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Speedplay Zero Pavé: Not Just for Pros Anymore

Ceramic edges on the Zero Pavé help prevent water and grit from locking up your pedals.

I like Speedplay Zero pedals—the nearly frictionless float, the low stack, and dual-sided entry. But I live in the mountains, and for several months out of the year, I encounter ice and mud on the roads. One day, while out riding after a storm, I stepped off the road for a nature break. I managed to clip in to my Zeros again afterward, but because of the dirt and ice I'd picked up in my cleats, I couldn't clip out. To stop without tipping, I needed to peel off my shoe cover, open my shoe, and pull out my foot (while rolling). From then on, my Zeros were my summer pedals.

Apparently Speedplay-sponsored pros had similar problems, because in 2006, the company started making a pro-only pedal better suited for foul conditions. Late last year, a version of the Zero Pavé became widely available.

Two changes differentiate the Pavé from the standard Zero: the cutaway, stainless-steel body and ceramic camming edges—four gold-colored plates sandwiched inside the pedal that are most crucial to its functionality. On a regular Zero, the edges are metal; twist the shoe hard enough, and these edges open the metal spring in the cleat to release. Add water, however, and the friction between the metal surfaces makes release more difficult. Add water and grit, and the pedals get really persnickety. The ceramic edges on the Pavé prevent these friction issues. The cutaways also allow more of the grime in your cleat to fall away when you step in. Surprisingly, despite its less-is-more appearance, the Pavé weighs 20 grams more than the Zero. The body is metal and not composite, putting the Pavé at 228 grams a pair. A titanium-spindle version ($499) is about 40 grams lighter.

With the Pavés, I didn't need to be as careful about stopping in the middle of a dirt road for a pee break. But one January day, I still filled the cleat with gritty mud that almost locked me in. I was eventually able to release, but it reminded me that though the Pavé is better in crap conditions, it's still not a mud pedal. I can't say this is a year-round option where I live, but it does give me more time to ride in my favorite pedals than I had before.

Price: $339
Info: speedplay.com

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Wiggins Reflects on His Career

Bradley Wiggins will race his last race with Team Sky at Paris-Roubaix.

After six years with Team Sky, 35-year-old Bradley Wiggins is leaving to ride for the team he recently created, and switching his focus from road to track. The 2012 Tour de France winner, former Cavendish leadout man, and knight will race for Sky for the last time April 12 at Paris-Roubaix. Last week Wiggins spoke with a group of journalists to share some thoughts on his road-racing career.

On ending his road racing career at Paris-Roubaix with Team Sky:

It wouldn’t be the same anywhere else. I think Roubaix is a fitting end. So many riders, Ballerini, Peter Van Petegem, have all ended it at Roubaix. It’s a nice cutoff point before the rest of the season gets underway.

Coming on to the velodrome, you get to do a bit of a lap of honor wherever you finish. It’s probably the only race other than the Tour de France where riders plug on to get to the finish, even if you’re out the back, and crashed, and down. I’d ride on with a broken collarbone just to come on to Roubaix. No other race would be like that.

On having one last go at the Classics:

I wouldn’t say I owed myself anything really. I would’ve happily stopped after the Worlds last year, that was a really nice way to end it. I hemmed and hawed about it for a good while and had quite a few drinks and thought well, do you really wanna go and ride all them shit races up there?

It’s kind of a fairy tale really, Paris-Roubaix. You finish it and because you had a good ride you forget how hard it was. But, to be honest I remember how much I enjoyed it last year. I enjoyed being there with these guys, and just enjoying being part of something, and I think that more than anything really for me as well is a big part of it.

There’s been periods where I’ve just hated it. Hated the sport, hated racing and riding my bike, and I actually really had an enjoyable season last year even though I had a few ups and downs. Well, I did end up having a quite a good year. So, yeah, that more than anything was the attraction to come back, more than I’d like to finish it through Roubaix, but then everyone starts saying “Oh, you could win Roubaix!” like this fairy-tale ending, but obviously it’s not as easy as that. I’d give anything just to be in that same position again… as I was last year, that would be enough for me, to be honest. I mean I’d love to win, don’t get me wrong, I’m not going to accept 9th place, but to have a clean run through the race, no crashes.

On the future:

I mean for the start we’ve never had four British riders that could potentially be on the podium at Roubaix—Geraint, myself, Luke, Ian. Two British riders in the last couple of weeks went into the biggest races in this period so far. Everyone was going on about the Tour de France and having a British World Champion, but now the Classics get overlooked a little bit.

I don’t remember this much media attention a year ago [before the Tour of Flanders]. I turned up today and we’ve got 20-odd staff members here this year, every hangers-on and his dog is here. The bus driver’s got his cat here! That just shows you how many people are interested in the race. That’s because we’ve got someone who can win the race. It’s obviously that with the absence of Tom [Boonen], Fabian [Cancellara], I mean everyone’s talking about Geraint Thomas. It’s brilliant for cycling. He’s British when we want him to be British, when he’s winning these races, and he’s Welsh when he’s doing something else. It’s funny how we always claim him.

On the new Pinarello Dogma K8-S: 

I did all the testing on it through the winter on the prototype — the recons of Roubaix, the difference just is unbelievable. I mean it’s really hard to describe, until you’re actually on those cobbles at 50–60k an hour and hitting the Arenberg at full tilt and the vibration that goes through the bike and everything. This thing changes the whole feel of it so much. It’s the first bike that’s specifically made to the demands of this event in terms of the aerodynamics and the comfort.

In previous years, people have added RockShox and modified the current bike, but it was never done to this degree with this investment and this time. Obviously you still have to have the legs and train for it, but just when you get to the end of 240k and you hit Carrefour de l’Arbre, everyone’s dead anyways. At those points in the race it’s an effort just to get to the end of the cobbles. That’s where something like this bike might just make the difference.

I mean it’s funny if you go back to last June when they launched the F8. As beautiful of a bike as that is, there was a lot of hoorah about that being a game changer and I think they won one race on it in four months. It just shows the bike is one part of it, you still have to have the legs. It’s not all about the bike as Lance said, you still have to physically have it and put the work in. But, add the bike it could be the difference between winning and losing.

On his legacy:

People always talk about what your legacy is going to be, and I don’t know what it's going to be in a performance sense. We have officially changed cycling in some ways. Who was the first person to start doing warm-downs on a turbo after races? It was me in the 2011 Tour. We were the first team to wear skinsuits in stage races, which everyone berated us for at the Giro in 2010, [Filippo] Pozzato in particular. He wears a skinsuit every race now. Filled in helmets. We were the first team to do that…Now everyone’s doing it and they’ve all followed suit. It’s nice to have been part of that in some way.

 

On his fondest memories:

To be honest, it’s been quite hard at times. That first year [of Team Sky], the amount of pressure and expectation of trying to win the tour and the whole Garmin saga and coming from there. For how much they paid for me, they could have bought Steven Gerrard [an English footballer].

I’ll never forget coming back from the [2012] Tour de France as a winner and going into a holding camp before the Olympic Games and seeing the response to what we’d just done for the past three weeks [by winning the Tour].

We went to a café in Surrey somewhere, and had a coffee and we’d realized things had changed and it was time to buckle up.

It was probably the moment that cycling had changed in people’s eyes. That came from a succession of stuff, not just my win in the Tour de France, but [Mark Cavendish] being world champion, what we did as a British team in Copenhagen [at the 2011 World Championships] when we rode on the front for 200k to put him in that position [to win]. Also, talking about the Champs-Elysees there, the first British winner of the Tour leading out, well there was a Norwegian in between, but leading out a British World Champion [Cavendish] to win the final stage, that was pretty special. Riding around on the front for 200k in the London Olympics, you know even though Cav didn’t win it was an incredible experience. And then, to go out for 50 minutes around the streets of London …in front of all those millions of fans and win the [Olympic] time trial, it’s never going to get bigger than that.

On being a Tour de France winner:

I still look back thinking, how did I win the Tour? Going day in and day out with all the pressure and expectation. Then that period after that of just hating being the winner of the Tour de France, hating riding my bike, hating the media for asking me questions about Lance Armstrong all the time, hating Lance Armstrong for giving Oprah that interview, and being the current winner of the Tour in that period and having to answer all the questions over it, and just being so unhappy with it all, then obviously the Giro and how miserable that was not going to the Tour that year.

Then, once that mantle had gone, and that monkey was off my back, and someone else had taken it on then it was quite nice…No one ever talks to me about the Tour anymore which is very nice because I had three or four years of it. I think that a lot of enjoyment has come since I lost that monkey off my back, which was the Tour de France.

On the possibility of winning Paris-Roubaix:

It would be bigger [than winning the Tour] in my eyes at the moment. That’s not to say that the Tour wasn’t huge, it was, but it would probably be more enjoyable. It’s one day, it’s over in six hours… I don’t ever recall there being a Roubaix that there’s been a big doping story that’s overshadowed the race.

It tends to be about the racing and there’s been a great resurgence the last few years in people becoming hooked on the history of this race…You know with all these races people are starting to embrace the history of it and people that have come before, and I think that’s brilliant for these races. All the sort of people who have fallen in love with cycling in recent years are excited to come to these races... Merckx will be around, and there’s a guy who rides down the finish straight dressed as Merckx who will have his old kit with a leather hat on. It’s all a celebration of the race that you don’t get at the Tour de France. You’re not going to have people in US Postal jerseys out celebrating in years to come. It’s great that we celebrate the history of this race.

On the hour record:

That has been a resurgence, but not just for the record, but for people who have done it before. Companies like Rapha wetting themselves over it, because they can do a T-shirt of all the people who have done it before. It is great because it’s another thing like a celebration of this incredible record that lay dormant for 20 years because Chris [Boardman] ruined it for everyone with his super bike…It’ll get broke, all records get broken.

 

 

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Chaotic planning for Castlereagh Street

Bicycle Network: Latest News

Newly available government documents show that planning for the proposed Castlereagh Street bike lane through central Sydney is beset with chaos and confusion as transport bureaucrats and consultants try in vain to design a “part-time” bike lane.

None of the advice and analysis available to the government can explain an acceptable way to combine a two-way bike lane and continuous loading zone on the same stretch of asphalt.

That’s not surprising: it can’t work.

However the Minister for Roads, Duncan Gay, is determined to push it through because he wants to close another perfectly good bike lane in College Street, and needs to be able to say he has an alternative route.

The pressure is on because the light rail projects is soon to close George Street, and so the government is looking for another alternative route to pump traffic into.

The fatal flaw in the government’s thinking permeates the document: it still thinks it needs additional capacity for vehicles even though it is planning increased capacity for trams and buses.

It seems not to have occurred to the Roads Minister or his minions that Sydney’s future will see bike, bus, tram and foot traffic increase dramatically, and vehicle traffic decline.

The role of the government is to facilitate that change, not obstruct it.

Yet its current plans will reduce bike capacity as the expense of vehicle capacity. The intent is to close the Castlereagh Street lane during most of the day so that an additional 68 parking spaces can be made available for delivery vehicles. If ever there was an indicator of the gross inefficiency of central Sydney logistics that figure is it.

The documents, obtained by the Sydney Morning Herald under Freedom of Information rules, show that there are major negative consequences to the plans, and that the government has known this since last year

Advice from transport consultant Warren Salomon was that if deliveries were important the best option would be to close a traffic lane for a loading zone.

He also suggested the retention of the College Street Cycleway: "College Street provides a better north-south connection to the proposed King Street east-west link and the gateway to the Eastern Suburbs at Whitlam Square than Castlereagh Street,” he said in the documents.

"The removal of the College Street cycleway without a Liverpool Street east-west link will sever cycle network access to the CBD for Eastern Suburbs cyclists."

A report from the former director-general of Transport for NSW, Dave Stewart, to the chief executive of Roads and Maritime Services, Peter Duncan in October last year said: "There is no precedent in Sydney for a part-time cycleway."

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Work starts on Battery Point approach

Bicycle Network: Latest News

Infrastructure is going in on Castray Esplanade on Hobart's waterfront, the northern approach to the Battery Point Route, although drivers mistakenly think its for them to park on.

Castray Esplanade is an important part of the Battery Point route that will connect the central city with the university, casino and southern suburbs. 

The Esplanade is the wide road outside CSIRO and the university's new marine research building (IMAS).

The lack of car parking around the waterfront means that more people are wanting to ride to work, increasing the need for separated routes.

Hobart City Council has finished work marking out space for car parking, pedestrians and bikes. However, the project is only partially completed because the University of Tasmania still has exterior work to do in finishing off landscaping outside the IMAS building.

Because there is more work to be done, the current arrangement of poles and paint is confusing and leading to people parking on the shared path. The cars shown in the photo are all illegally parked on the shared path.

Fortunately, the space between the building and the road is very wide, which means that the tangle of people, bikes and parked cars can be negotiated. 

The university's vision for the 'apron' around the building is a people friendly space. They plan to stop cars entering with kerbing, street furniture, and signage.

This will address the current confusing arrangement that sees cars parking across the path and even driving down the path, mistaking it for an IMAS access lane.

The designs are waiting for approval by university management and the university is aiming to have this implemented later in 2015.

The designs will be consistent with its use as a working port and will not include trees or planter boxes, but street furniture and clearer demarcation of the shared paths.

In the meantime, watch out for cars parked across the path!

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Nuun Introduces Modular Sports Drink

Plus tablets intensify the sweetness of Nuun’s Active electrolyte drink.

The effervescent tablets from Nuun have always been a good option for hydration and electrolyte replacement without lots of calories. But Nuun’s relatively streamlined nutrition profile means that it’s not a significant source of carbohydrates.

The original Nuun Active and Nuun Energy (which adds modest amounts of Vitamin B and caffeine) were always designed to intentionally split hydration from nutrition. But no one solution works for everyone (that’s why there are a bajillion energy drinks on the market). And Nuun says it heard from some athletes that such a low-calorie drink made it difficult to get enough calories on longer rides and races. So it created Plus for Nuun.

     RELATED: Best Hydration and Sport Mixes

Plus is essentially a modular add-on to Nuun, not a replacement. It uses the same effervescent tablet system, with a different ingredient list that changes Nuun into a moderate-calorie nutrition and hydration drink. It’s sold as a package of 12 tablets (six servings, suggested) for $7. There are also “complete” single-serving packets with two Plus for Nuun tablets and a single Nuun Active, for $2.

Nuun suggests using two tablets of Plus for Nuun along with a single Nuun Active or Nuun Energy tablet per 16-ounce serving. That adds 40 calories from 10 grams of simple sugars dextrose and sucrose, 50mg of sodium, 100mg of potassium, and 50mg of calcium.

Here’s how the difference would break down for calories and essential electrolytes for a reference serving of Nuun Active and with Plus for Nuun:

Nuun Active: 8 calories; 3g carbohydrate; 359mg sodium; 97mg potassium; 13mg calcium; 25mg magnesium
Nuun Active with Plus for Nuun (2 tablets): 48 calories; 13g carbohydrate; 409mg sodium; 197mg potassium; 63mg calcium; 75mg magnesium

The most innovative thing about it is the modular nature. Because Nuun is formulated as tablets, you can tinker with the right mix for your needs. You can add one tablet or three. That’s helpful for cyclists because, while Nuun’s recommendations are based on a 16-ounce serving, most bike bottles are either 21 or 24 ounces.

One interesting note about Plus for Nuun is that it doesn’t contain polyethylene glycol like Nuun Active and Nuun Energy. In those products, polyethylene glycol serves several purposes (it’s a surfactant, which helps it dissolve more completely, and is said to enhance mouthfeel in food products). It’s also the basis for a number of laxatives.

Polyethylene glycol shows up in a variety of products we consume, and Nuun says the amount it uses is small enough that it won’t cause gastrointestinal issues. That may be true, but I also know people who say they’ve experienced problems or simply won’t use Nuun in part because of that ingredient (as well as the artificial sweetener sorbitol, which is also known to cause gastric issues in some people). If Nuun can produce a tablet that doesn’t contain it, then that suggests they might be able to reformulate their older products without it. It remains to be seen if the natural sugars in Plus for Nuun could also help buffer the gastric issues some people experience from the sorbitol.

I tried the Plus for Nuun system recently during Editors’ Choice mountain bike testing in southern Utah. Conditions were pretty ideal: sunny and highs in the 70s. The tablets dissolved well in hydration bladders, leaving no grit or residue.

Even on long days that stretched to seven hours out on bikes, I never experienced trouble with cramping or dehydration. The mix was still a bit low for me in terms of calories, but supplemented with solid food I never bonked or felt like I was low on energy.

Taste-wise, Plus for Nuun on its own is almost flavorless, which surprised me given that the first two ingredients are essentially sugar. But when combined, even the extra sugars didn’t change the flavor profile much, other than to slightly intensify the sweetness.

I need more time with it, especially on hot days, to get a full picture of what it’s like, but as I mentioned above, on-bike nutrition and hydration is highly personal. Some people swear by Nuun, but struggle with getting enough calories and electrolytes on big rides. Plus for Nuun, particularly since it offers a measure of customization, offers a way to extend Nuun’s capabilities in a flexible way that works best for you.

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Know Your Wrench

Is your bike mechanic a Hopeful Pro, True Believer, Kid, or Retrogrouch?

The Hopeful Pro
Identified by a team-replica cycling cap and bulging calves, this aspiring racer looks for any advantage to cheat the wind, defy gravity, and eke out one more watt.
Best Quality: Will gladly inform you why your bike, riding position, and donut consumption are holding you back, then suggest (often without solicitation) ways to fix it.

The True Believer
You can tell the true believers by their righteous tattoos and punk-rock attitude. Their cargo bike probably has a guitar lashed to it and a sticker that reads: One less car, bitch.
Best Quality: Fund-raising for nonprofits, organizing rides, and taking on all the noble projects you don't have time to support because you're too busy riding.

     RELATED: Bike Snob NYC's Field Guide to Bike Shops

The Kid
Clad in skinny jeans, a vintage T, a studded belt, and a flat-brim trucker hat, this youngster just landed a dream job. Any lack of experience is made up for with happy-as-a pup enthusiasm.
Best Quality: This minimum-wage earner knows how to scrimp for bike parts and will steer you toward the best value every time.

The Retrogrouch
These crusty shop hands lust after blue-anodized cranks, tubular tires, and 8-speed Campy cassettes. From behind a thick beard and tattered apron, they will wax poetic about the days before Di2.
Best Quality: The only person in town willing to help you find parts for your 1980s Japanese steel samurai sword of a bike.

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Professional Cyclists Share What Their Walk-Up Songs Would Be

Baseball season officially kicked off last night, with a Sunday night game between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. In honor of Opening Day 2015, this week we consider the MLB walk-up song—that personal track each player selects to pump up the crowd as he heads toward the plate.

But why should baseball players have all the fun? While cyclists might not have the chance to blast personalized music while lining up to start a race, that doesn’t mean we don’t have our own pump-up playlists waiting in the wings. After all, a good jam can turn a lackluster ride into a triumph of the human spirit, and do for your pre-race mental state what a solid walk-up song does for a crowded stadium—crank the energy up to 11.

We asked six professional cyclists what their walk-up song would be, and this is what they said. What would yours be?

1. Georgia Gould, pro mountain bike racer—"Bust a Move" (Young MC)
2. 

 

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Turn Your Ride Into a Video Game

Draft behind another rider, and Zwift will reduce the resistance on your trainer.

When I heard about Zwift I was convinced that all of my winter fitness woes were gone. I like video games (mostly just Sonic on a GameCube, but still I can get down), and I’m competitive. So, a computer game that’s powered by me while I’m getting super fit for spring pretty much made life seem a little peppier. So, when we got to test the beta version at BICYCLING headquarters, I jumped on the opportunity.

We had a pretty nice setup in a spare office where we worked off the Wahoo KICKR. Zwift is compatible with all trainers, but works best with the KICKR and the CycleOps PowerBeam Pro.

Getting the beta version is pretty sweet because not all the kinks are ironed out so your ride gets extra interesting. Did you know that Zwift Island has flying deer? I spent a lap or two contemplating if they were related to Rudolph.

The electronic trainer definitely makes the experience. It adjusts the resistance to simulate what you’re seeing on the screen, so if you’re climbing it actually gets pretty hard, and if you’re descending you better get spinning if you want to keep your speed up. There’s a minor delay between seeing the resistance change on screen and feeling the change with your legs, but it doesn’t affect the experience.

Because it was just the beta version, at this point, there aren’t many people on Zwift and there was only one, four-mile course available for us to test. But the company plans to add a full offering of courses, and what we did see shows promise. It’s a lot harder to abandon an endurance ride on the trainer when you’re trying to beat some random rider who you may have turned into your worst enemy than when you’re riding alone and no one actually knows that you just spent an hour making snack runs to and from the kitchen.

You can win sprint, King of the Mountain, and fastest lap jerseys in the game, which are motivating, too. Every lap I found myself trying to beat my time. The opportunities to win a jersey are placed far enough apart on the course that when you’re starting to get bored you have something else to focus on.

Other cool features: You can draft off riders, meaning that when you’re sitting behind another rider in the game, the resistance on the trainer goes down. The game integrates with Strava, and you get credit not just for time and miles ridden, but also for elevation gain.

As we’ve only tested the beta version, and a single, short course; it’s too early to do a full review on the program. But I do think that Zwift could be a great tool for those of us who live places where we don’t have the luxury of riding outside all winter. It’s also a good way to get some kind of group riding going. If you and all your regular riding buddies have Zwift, you could meet up and virtually ride. And with the chat function, you can even trash talk—think World of Warcraft meets indoor cycling.

     RELATED: 5 Reasons to Ride Outside in Winter

For now, it’s hard to say whether this will be the end-all solution for indoor training, though for the people who can stay focused for hours on a trainer, this will definitely enhance the experience. Otherwise, Zwift could be a good option to mix in with other structured workouts to keep you moving on the days that you can’t get outside for your ride. When the system goes live, it will cost $10 for a monthly subscription.

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