Get out of the Training Rut

Whether you are a category 2 road bike racer or a weekend warrior, we all want to be the best road cyclist that we can be when the season starts. That is why dedicated training and regular workouts are critical. But not just any old workout will do. How many times have you felt that your training regimen has gone flat? It feels the same every time and you know deep down that you really aren’t improving. We all have had this problem. Or maybe you are a new cyclist who simply wants to get into shape for the upcoming season. Or maybe you want to keep up with those friends that have been riding longer than you have. This is why it is soooo important to get hooked up with a training program that will add variety and force us out of our hum drum training regimens into something more fun that will actually make us better riders.

We at roadbicycles.org are recommending the mycycling.com training program. This program is the best online road cycling program we have ever come across.

It includes everything from a beginners training program to secret pro sessions that will push you to higher levels of cycling and endurance. This system includes not only great training tips and tricks, but full training schedules, a tracking system with graphs and charts, and professional cyclists who can answer questions and help you along. It really is a fantastic service and one that we highly recommend.

DON’T PUT IT OFF! START YOUR NEW TRAINING REGIMEN AND TRACKING SYSTEM TODAY!

Road Bike Training

When setting up a bicycle-specific training regimen, be specific. In order to be better at a cycling, you need to train for cycling. Thus, ultimately if you want to become a better road biker, you need to ride. While this may seem very straight forward, there are many people who simply don’t get in the saddle enough. All that said, cross-training is a key component to success as well.

 

Flexibility:
Stretching will not only increase the range of motion of your limbs while riding your bike and allow for smoother movement, it will also protect against injury, minimize joint wear and tear, and help to work out the muscular tightness that one gets after a hard training day.

Strength Training:
Strength training helps strengthen your legs and enables them to manage the power demand that occurs in cycling. The ability to stand up and pedal away from other riders on a climb has everything to do with strength. This can be accomplished with weight training and dynamic exercise such as squats, lunges, and a variety of other strength movements. Protection against injury is a side benefit of strength training. For example, taking a digger over the handle bars in a crit. Weight training thickens your tendons, and toughens the tendon’s attachment to bone. This is akey to injury prevention. If using weights, workouts should include knee curls for the hamstrings and biceps femorus, knee extension for the quadriceps, and push-offs for the gastrocnemius. A good rule of thumb is 3 days of weights with 3-4 days of riding alternating. And then keep it up. It will likely take up to 3 months of consistent workouts to really see a difference. Winter is a great time to put yourself through this. Then you’ll see a difference.

Alternative Sports:
We all need variety and road cycling is no different. Things like running, swimming, and traditional sports like volleyball and basketball can keep your mind and body from experiencing bike burnout and improve your agility, focus, and confidence.

It’s important to have variety as well as intensity. Variety is what keeps things interesting and can break up the monotony of the ‘white line’ passing under your road bike for hours on end. So take the time to mix up your routine. However, keep it simple. Most of us lead busy lives and really don’t have the time to be super creative every day. Try to maintain a program for 8 weeks, and incorporate stretching, strength, and agility into your program.

Customized Road Bikes

You will find that no other bike is like one that is customized for you. It is the right fit for your body, including the right weight, height, and feel, and it is made with the right parts and components. A customized bike will be more expensive, but it will be well worth the money because it will ride better and be more comfortable.

One of the first things that you need to decide upon is the top tube. If you have a longer torso, then you will want a bicycle with a longer top tube. You can choose to get a handlebar stem that is longer, but if you do this, then you will need to sit so that your weight will be focused on the front wheel. This may affect the control and handling of your bike, so you may not want to do this. Choosing a bike with a longer top tube would be a much better choice for you.

Woman may find that longer top tubes are not very comfortable because it may cause them to have to stretch to reach the handlebar. This may cause them to turn the stem backwards or they can choose to get a seat post that is longer and a bike stem that can be raised higher.

Bicycles come in a few standard heights. The shorter height is approximately 47 cm and the taller height is 63 cm. You may find that some of the bicycle manufacturers make bikes that are 40 cm for women to ride, but the tubing is usually of a standard size, which makes the ride uncomfortable. To determine which height fits you the best, you will need to try out several of the bikes.

The frame is one consideration, but the handlebar can have a big impact upon the bike’s feel as well. The handlebar needs to be at the right depth and width so that it feels right and so that you can control the bike properly. It should be comfortable to ride during races and long distance rides as well. A 73-degree angle is the optimum angle for the head and seat tube for maximum stability.

You will also find that parts like hubs, the headset, bottom bracket, and the seat post are also important facets of your bike. By choosing more lightweight features, you will find that your bike is easier to control and it will go much faster.

Now that you have a bike that fits your body and your needs, you can also add in your personality to aesthetically make it into the bike of your dreams. Adding your own personal touches can be the most fun part of customizing your bike.

It sounds like a dream to have the bike that you have always wanted, but it can cost you quite a bit of money if you are not careful. The fitting costs and special components can cost quite a bit and add in the cost of assembling this custom bike and you could be looking at quite a bill. By making your decisions carefully, you will be able to get the bike that you want and that fits your budget.

By Andrew Caxton

Andrew Caxton is a consultant who writes on many consumer topics like cycling for http://www.bikecyclingreviews.com. Find more publications about road bike reviews at his website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Caxton

http://EzineArticles.com/?Customized-Road-Bikes&id=457761

Road Bike Riding at Night

If you are considering cycling at night or doing some long distance riding, then ilumination will of the road in front of you will be critical. This includes both front and rear lights on you and/or your bicycle.

You’ll need rear flashers to warn motorists and front lighting (headlights) to see the debris, potholes and road hazards ahead of you. Nothing is worse than an unexpected ‘cha-chunk’. Now days LED light are really the best option out there. They have relatively low watt output and therefore have long life without giving up the light intensity. There is a big difference between the functionality of these lights and things you need to consider.

Many of the smaller lights use AA Batteries and they only last 24-48 hours at a time. Some manufacturers advertise more, but generally they base this on a flashing white strobe for the run-time, which you cannot use while riding long distances. This obviously won’t work for night cycling. Furthermore, this is not evironmentally friendly and ultimately this can get costly. Who wants to shop anyway and the little suckers are added weight.

Some riders like the high-tech friction lights that work off the tires, but putting a drag on your tires slows you down. These lights are much more powerful and luminescent, but certainly not my first choice. The AA battery lights are decent and there are several brands, Trek makes one which has five LED lights and has a luminescent rating of 60, most of the 3-LED light units are 40 or less on the luminescent scale, neither of these works at speeds of 20-miles-per-hour or more on a moonless night. Now for riding in central twilight or as the sun is going down, they work wonderful and are legal in states that require bicycles to have lights if they ride at night.

There is another brand called Tri-Newt that has a LED light that scores 480 luminescent on the scale and has an ion-lithium battery, which Velcros to the top bar of the bike frame. The ion-lithium battery is re-chargeable, but this also means you need somewhere to re-charge it and you have to tote around the recharging unit. The cost of this lighting system is steep, $300-400, and the company has another similar unit that scores 200 on the luminescent scale for under $200. One cool option with these lights is that you can mount them on your helmet and run a cable to your water-backpack system where the ion-lithium battery is placed. I wish you well in all your cycling adventures.

Looking for LED lights for your bike?  Try our Bike Store.

Triathlon Preparation & Equipment

Triathlon athletes know that their discipline is unique in the world of endurance sports. Not only are these individuals fit enough to exert themselves for hours without rest, they are also trained in three different arenas. Swimming, cycling, and running are arguably the sports requiring the most perseverance and dedication to master and tri-athletes strive to do just that.

The sport also requires special equipment. For those serious about their performance here is a list of things you might want to consider.

Swimming:
Wetsuit. Preferably one made for triathlons. They are more suited for the movements of swimming than traditional suits.
Body glide or gel. This is helpful when applied before the wetsuit. It aids in quick wetsuit removal and then also reduced friction during the cycling and running legs of the race.
Goggles and Anti-fog. Good goggles are a must. Make sure they fit well and you have tested them in training before the race. Cold water swims will result in fogging which can make a difficult swim harder. Apply anti-fog before the race starts.
Swim Cap. These are generally provided for you in a specific color to denote your start wave. However, if the water is cold (say around 60-68 degrees) then you might want a thicker cap to double up with.

Cycling:
A good triathlon bike. These are different from a traditional road bike. There is no drafting allowed during triathlon races and so aerodynamics is critical. Triathlon bikes are built with different geometry to help with this. The more ‘forward’ position and ‘lower’ upper body profile reduces drag and increases efficiency. These bikes come with ‘aero’ bars that allow you to support your body in a narrower position. Traditional road bikes can be modified to work similar to triathlon bikes by adding aero bars to them.
Cycle shorts and Top. These should be slim and fit snug. This will decrease wind resistance while riding and allow you to wear them under the wetsuit. This makes for a quicker swim to cycle transition.
Aerodynamic Helmet. Again efficiency is everything on this leg of the race and every little bit helps.
Cycling gloves. A must in my mind. Crashes happen, and if you are protected it can make the unlucky setback far more bearable.
Bike mounted hydration system. You will need to drink much of your fluids and electrolytes during this leg. It is impossible while swimming and difficult while running. So, find a hydration system that mounts on your aero bars or frame with a straw-like device that makes it possible to drink while peddling.
Bike repair kit. There is no aid allowed on a race course and so if you run into bike issues it can end your race unless you are prepared to fix it. This also brings the need for a slim tool bag.

Running:
Shoes. This is the single most important piece of equipment for this leg of the race. They must be comfortable and already have gone through the ‘break in’ period. Tie them securely before starting out. Get a pair that you have used before, so that you trust them.
Sunglasses. Likely you will have used these during your ride as well. They should be light-weight and comfortable. UV protection is a must.
Running visor. While this is not a must it is nice on sunny days to have a little shade on your face and eyes.
Body mounted hydration. A great idea since it can seem like an eternity between aid stations. A soft belt or “waist-pack” like holder with a 1/2 liter water bottle will usually do it.
Clothing. Most people will run in the same clothes that they cycled in for shorter triathlons. Half-iron man and Iron man Triathlons require that a pair of comfortable shorts be changed into. Be sure to wear running socks with little or no seam. Other types of socks can result in blisters.

Being well prepared for the physical challenges of a triathlon starts with training, but on race day, equipment can play an equally critical role. I hope you found this helpful and informative. Visit our sponsor below to locate any missing pieces in your triathlon arsenal.  Or visit our Bike Store.

Next Page »