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Bike Tips & Trick

Cycling Interval Training

Cycling interval training is an important part when you build up improvements in your performance. Cycling interval training means that you train in consecutive periods with a high heart rate combined with resting periods and low heard rate.

Winning any cycling race can never happen without using Cycling Intervals in your training plan. You will be able to train even harder on the next interval training day when you train intervals combined with resting periods.

It is important to remember that it is in your recovery period that you rebuild and increase your capacity. However, your capacity cannot begin to increase until you train close to your max heart rate. With subsequent recovery you muscles compensate by further building up muscle so the muscle can handle even tougher training the next time. It is popularly called muscle over compensation.

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Bike Tips & Trick

Position Your Cleats Like a Pro

How do I position my cleats? It’s one of the questions we often get following the purchase of a pair of pedals or new cleats. Many customers want to know how they can ensure the best placement. Some customers admit they haven’t adjusted their cleat position in years and question if it could be wrong.

Lateral Adjustment

Let’s start with the lateral position, often called the ‘Q’ factor. A rider should have their legs and feet in a natural position, not forcing their body to pedal in an unnatural manner. Forcing your legs wider or narrower than is natural will elicit undesirable results. For a majority of us this means moving your cleats to the outside of our shoes, to allow them to get as close to the crank arm as possible. Riders with wider hips will benefit from moving their cleats to the center or even as far as the inside of their shoes to push their feet further out.

Angling the cleat

In many cases riders don’t ride with perfectly straight feet. To compensate for this and to take full advantage of the float, the cleat needs to be angled so that when in the natural position the cleat is centered on the pedal.

Heal out (further away from the crank than the ball of your foot) requires the tip of the cleats to be pointed away from the crank. Heal in will require the cleats to be pointed towards the crank. The amount will vary depending on how far off center the foot is while riding and it is likely different on each foot.

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Bike Info

When and How to Take a Brake

Brakes are a vital component of a bicycle’s construction. You depend on your brakes to work well and quickly. There are a few things that contribute to braking, and the following article will discuss them.

Front and rear brakes

Cycles are equipped with two brakes, one for the front wheel and one for the back. It is good for a cyclist to know how to use both, but mature cyclists most often use the front brakes. Your forward momentum shifts most of your weight to the front of the bike. Most beginners do not like to use the front brakes because there is a chance of diving over the handlebars. This is a possibility, but you can learn when to use the front brakes and how much force to apply by being attentive to the rear brakes.

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Bike Info

Bicycle Frame Geometry 101

I was discussing frame geometry with a prominent coach last week and his perspective on frame geometry struck a nerve with me so I wanted to share this topic with you.

I had been riding “stock” frame geometry for decades and the possibilities created by the combination of an unlimited fitting system and true custom geometry did not exist for me, and thus for you, until fairly recently. The time honored principles of Knee Over Pedal Spindle, (KOPS), the Lemond method, standover height, saddle height equal to hip height when standing next to the bike and scads of other techniques were developed to help people choose a bike size that would work for them.

We need to look at a bit of history because bikes were made quite differently in the 1970’s and before than they are today. The ’70’s were a time where road bikes had a much different geometry, with seat angles in the 71-72 degree range. Additionally these bikes were built in half sizes and thus had as many as 12 sizes for one model! Today’s bikes have between 3 and 5 sizes so more people are forced to “fit” a bike that will be less than perfect.

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Bike Tips & Trick

How to Choose a Bike

If you’ve already got a bike, whether it’s one you bought yourself, or one that you inherited from its previous owner, then you won’t have to choose a bike at the moment – but of course of course, when the time comes, you will need to choose a replacement. On the other hand, if you don’t have a bike, then your need to find a bike that suits you will be more pressing. In either case, and regardless of whether you decide to get a new bike or to purchase second-hand, the choice of bikes available may well appear overwhelming at first.

It’s absolutely true tht the range of different models available can be confusing, so in this article, we’ll start by having a look at some of the main types of bike on offer, and review the reasons why you might choose one type or another.

The four basic choices of bicycle that you will need to consider are: a hybrid, a folder, road bike or a mountain bike. Which of these you choose should depend on your careful consideration of a range of factors (and not just the immediate appeal of looks). Some of the things to think about include:

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Bike Accecories

Cycling Jackets

Unless you’re lucky enough to live in an area with year-round sunshine, you’re going to need clothes to keep you warm and dry when riding your bike. Clothing is of course not just about keeping warm – if you’re actually going somewhere on your bike, you’ll want to wear something that you aren’t embarrassed about wearing once you get to your destination.

In terms of clothing to wear when cycling, your jacket is one of the most important items. It serves to keep you warm and dry, and may also include reflective markings, which are an important safety measure as they make you more easily visible, especially in bad weather conditions or at night, to other road users. On the whole, if you can, it’s best to get a jacket that is specifically designed to cycling – you won’t regret it.

If you choose a jacket that has been specifically designed for cycling, you’ll notice some unusual things about it as compared to “normal” jackets. One of the main features of cycling jackets is they are generally longer at the back so that they cover your kidneys from the wind, and your bottom from road spray – the latter being something that you’ll sure appreciate if you ride a road bike without mudguards. You’ll also notice that cycling jackets are generally shorter at the front (to facilitate movement of your legs), but have long sleeves (so that your wrists are covered when reaching forward to the handlebars).

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Bike Tips & Trick

Lose Weight Cycling

Lose weight cycling is a fun and enjoyable way to improve your health and to make you feel better. Pedaling down a rural road or through a city park rouses your spirit and awakens your senses.

A regular routine to lose weight cycling can reduce the risk of serious conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure and obesity.

One of the most powerful arguments for encouraging more people to cycle is that it leads to considerable improvements in public health.

Cycling is also a good way to improve your balance and co-ordination. It enhances your general well-being and promotes mental health. Beyond the health benefits, it’s an enjoyable way to get around.

Getting on your cycling bike regularly can also be an effective form of aerobic exercise. Cycling can have positive effects on how we feel too.

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