April 27, 2009
Masters-Juniors Omnium State Championship
Shuksan Velo Club is proud to host the inaugural Juniors/Masters Omnium State Championships. Check the events page for details.
|April 20, 2009
Orphan Ride
Fellow Shuksan Velo rider Andrew Leese and his brother have embarked on a round the world bicycle tour to raise money in support of an Indian orphanage. King 5 News even has a story! Click over to their site to see how you can help support their worthy cause:
-bryceroni
|March 20, 2009
Rarin' to Race
Racing season is underway in the northwest, but nasty weather and long drives to far away venues have kept the team from making a full assault thus far. Rest assured, though, that we're geared up for the season and ready to pounce. Stories to come as the schedule gets deeper.
-bryceroni
|January 9, 2009
Surviving the northwest winters by bike
The maritime climate in western Washington affords cyclists the possibility of riding year round. Although this winter has been particularly unwelcoming for lots of miles, it's nothing like banks of snow, cold and ice that prevents road riding altogether in the temperate climates in the interior that share our high latitude. Those inland cyclists must either suffer on a trainer or rollers all winter or travel to warmer climates in order to ride this time of year, or just wait it out for the spring thaw.
Nonetheless, if we desire to cycle outdoors in these dark months, we need to learn to cope with the unpleasantness of biting cold rain, wet roads with grit and debris on the shoulders, low visibility, and conditions that can change quickly. A number of Fanatiks have found ways to thrive and survive in these conditions, by dressing appropriately, using full fenders with "buddy flaps," choosing proper tires, bringing the right tools, and staying visible with lighting.
Here are some of our collective tips for preparing for the cold and wet, as well as wisdom for surviving inclement weather in the crowded schedule of early season races, where comforts like fenders aren't allowed.
Good fenders are essential not only to limit the amount of water you expose yourself to but to keep it off your riding partners. The lack of sunlight this time of year means the roads are wet more often than not, even when it's not raining, so a fender-less bike exposes your butt and the rider behind you to an unpleasant stream of road spray. There is a fender solution for just about any type of bike. Find some at Fanatik. Then make or buy buddy flaps that extend the fender to within a couple inches of the ground.
Without proper tires, expect a winter full of flat tires and the hassle of standing in the rain and cold changing out a tube. The grit and debris quickly wear through the softer, lightweight tread of racing and fast training tires, whereas a good winter tire can last a few seasons. The universal favorite seems to be Continental Gatorskins. I use the wire beads in 25 mm width. These tires are sketchy in corners because the rubber is a lot harder than your supple race tires, so don't get carried away on descents or sharp turns.
The wet and grit of winter causes more wear and tear on equipment so a well-stocked tool bag is imperative to prevent being stranded if something breaks or fails. I like to include a pump, tube, patch kit in case the tube fails, multi-tool, chain tool, and spoke wrench. If those fail you, a cell phone and wallet will at least give you some other options. It's also a good idea to clean your bike regularly, keep the chain lubed and replace it every 1,500-2,000 miles, and check the tightness of bolts. A loose crank arm will leave you begging for a ride unless you happen to stock a giant 8 mm hex key in your tool bag.
To stay visible, it's a good idea to keep a red blinker light on your seat post. A white flasher on front isn't a bad idea either.
Finally, the right clothing is crucial to staying comfortable in the cold and wet. In wet races there are no fenders so clothing is the only defense. The idea isn't to stay dry. Just accept that it's not really possible to be comfortable and dry at the same time while riding in the rain. Any clothing that keeps the wet out will cause you to sweat so much you'll soak yourself from the inside out anyway.
The universal advice is to protect your core with layers of fabric that provide a barrier to the wind and will wick moisture quickly away from your skin. A wool (Craft, Smartwool) or duofold-type base layer, with a long sleeve jersey and wind jacket or vest might be a good solution for 50 degrees and wet. Below 50 degrees you can either add layers or use a thicker thermal jacket.
Wear a cap or warm, thin hat under your helmet. Use booties or winter boots and wear wool socks. Find some warm riding gloves and get an extra pair to keep in a ziplock bag to have in case your hands get unbearably cold. They can add another hour of tolerance by allowing your hands to warm up before they succumb to the cold once again.
There is a diversity of opinion as to dressing legs. I prefer leg warmers anytime it's below 60, and bib tights with some insulation if it's below 50. But while racing having too much on your legs can be overkill. A compromise involves slathering your legs with a hot topical rub, sealing it in with vaseline, and then pulling on a pair of knee warmers.
If you wear glasses they get fouled up pretty easily from road spray and rain drops. Contacts aren't much better. The brim of a cycling cap can offer some protection, and glasses can be worn farther down on the nose to allow you to peer over them for a cleaner, if not clearer view.
And make sure to bring along plenty of food.
-bryceroni
|January 8, 2009
Pumping Iron
I've done quite a bit more weight training this winter, taking better advantage of my ability to venture across the street to the YMCA on my lunch hour, and so I've read up on how to put this time to the best use. There are several good reasons to incorporate weight training in the off season, among which include correcting imbalances that can occur in our leg-dominant sport, improving core strength and posture, building up bone density to be able to better survive impacts in the event they occur, and building strength and explosive power to improve sprints, jumps, attacks, big-ring climbs, etc. Here is my advice, based on what I've read and experienced, for making the best use of your time in the gym this winter:
Start slow
Before you get too serious in the gym, you need a few weeks to get your muscles and nervous system ready for this type of activity. Start by doing one exercise for each of the following: 1. pushing away from yourself, 2. pulling toward yourself, 4. pushing above yourself, 4. pulling from above, 5. pushing off with your legs, and 6, core (lower back and abs). Use relatively light weights that allow you to complete 10-12 repetitions. Do two sets of each exercise. When you feel up to it, increase the weight so that you can only accomplish 8-10 reps, and do three sets.Use free weights
The idea here is that free weights require you to engage more muscles to balance and stabilize the weight and your body than machines, which results in quicker nervous system adaptations and strength gains. For variety, switch between barbells and dumbbells and vary your grip.Do multi-joint exercises
Unless you are honing in on an imbalance or injury in a particular joint, only do exercises that move two or more joints simultaneously. No biceps curls or triceps extensions. The more dynamic multi-joint movements go along with the free weights idea of requiring greater balance and stability, and are much closer to the actual movements you will use in cycling and life in general. Examples of good multi-joint exercises are squats, bench press, pull ups, and military/shoulder press. Focus on exercises that require you to push, pull, or push off with your legs.Focus on good form
Avoid jerking the weight around, do an exercise through the full range of motion, lower the weight more slowly than you raise it, and keep your core muscles tight.Go for maximum strength
After six to eight weeks of adapting to a basic strength routine, go for maximum strength gains. Contrary to popular belief, improving max strength results in little increase in muscle mass. My weight hasn't changed since I started going to the gym in October. Muscle mass is best increased by doing many sets and exercises that focus on the same muscle group, pushing to failure, and doing a high volume of these workouts every week. Those muscles grow big, but not that strong. On the other hand, relatively slender Olympic weightlifters can fling a massive amount of weight above their heads by training for maximum strength and explosive power.To train for max strength, increase the weight so that you can only do 5-6 reps. Do 3-4 sets of each exercise. Lifting the heavier weight increases the risk of injury, so use lower weights for new exercises until you are very comfortable with the motion, especially for squats. The max strength phase can last from six to nine weeks, with patterns such as alternating weeks of heavy and moderate weights, or two weeks of heavy and one week of moderate. Aim for two to three sessions per week.
Be adventurous
A lot of the fun of strength training comes from learning new exercises. I've recently tried some variations of squatting (front and overhead squats) that place an increased premium on good form and flexibility, and it has been a challenge to work into these types of movements. Olympic/powerlifting types of movements also require excellent form and flexibility, with the payoff of being able to do a dynamic full body workout with a single exercise. It is best to have instruction before attempting these types of exercises, or at minimum, digging around the internet or bookstore for instructions, graphics, and videos.An ideal off season weight training program would begin in October, with six weeks of basic strength work, two times per week. In December or January, two months of maximum strength work would begin. Then, in February or March, the strength gains can be transitioned to the road by doing short, intense intervals between 10 seconds (full sprints) and a minute in duration. Weight training can continue throughout the season with maintenance routines once per week, particularly for older cyclists for whom it is more difficult to maintain muscle mass and bone density. It's not too late this winter to begin a basic strength program. If you can keep it up until fall, you'll have the experience to step it up a notch for next year.
I've collected a lot of good exercises I would be happy to share, and provide guidance as to technique. I know Stewart has some excellent suggestions for plyometrics exercises that translate strength gains to power, and Brian has run some team members through circuit routines. Good luck!
-bryceroni
|
