A strong fighting spirit is required to ride Grand Tour races, that\’s for sure. \”Most Combative\” rider (see Tour de France) sounds rather like someone who\’s always at loggerheads with the coach; arguing with teammates; and constantly trying to run other riders off the road. Actually, it\’s not as negative as it sounds. Most combative […]
Getting there doesn\’t always mean having to drive a car. Have you been commuting by bicycle since Hector was a pup? Or do you want to try it for the first time, but find the idea intimidating? Don\’t know how to get started? Not sure you\’ve even got the right bicycle for commuting? First, start
Paella Perhaps? Is paella, perhaps, good ride food? It’s made up of rice (carbs); some kind of meat or seafood (protein); and veggies. But I never knew that this dish is named after the shallow pan in which it’s traditionally cooked! Along with the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia, Vuleta a Espana is one
Doesn\’t making the wrong call — again — drive you nuts? The cycling lifestyle can be a balancing act in more ways than one. There\’s fitting in rides around less-than-ideal weather, which means weighing all factors. How do they balance out? Is rain expected? Is it already raining as ride time approaches, which is what
Alternatives are everywhere. It\’s human nature to think of what else we might have, or could be doing, isn\’t it? That\’s true even if we seem to have a dream job. \”The grass is always greener…\” What might I be doing is I weren\’t an accountant/barista/code-writer…? What would I be doing if I didn\’t have
Do you ever feel like you\’re starting over? Again? \”Buch der Geheimnisse\”. Book of Secrets. Is these such a tome about cycling? What\’s the secret to changing several things about your riding, and all at the same time? At a recent bike refit, I could see on the video screen that my right hip sagged downwards
Cycling comes with its own sensitive issues. I\’ve probably touched on this subject before, but it bears repeating. Chafing is always a risk factor in cycling. How do we prevent it? Proper saddle fit. Shorts that are clean and fit well. Chamois Butt\’r. In late June, I had a road bike re-fit. During the part
What is this very good idea? A universal derailer hanger! There are derailer hangers, and then there are derailer hangers. The one shown here is Shimano compatible. The people at my bike shop once said that most (all?) bicycles, at least road bikes, require model-specific derailer hangers, which makes replacing that hanger a bigger nuisance
I got lucky again this morning. Sometime during last night I half woke and heard pouring rain and thunder. This morning it was still mostly overcast, and looked like it might rain again any time. I checked the weather site. It said, 60% chance of showers and T-storms. I decided to risk it and hook
Oh, the rides you can do ! (To paraphrase Dr. Seuss…) I read about rides that sound so very tempting! Many of them nowhere near home. If I could get to North Carolina, maybe I could do one. The Coastal Ride would be my choice. It\’s flat! I can\’t seem to prod myself into doing