Tell me something about cycling I don't yet know..

[c-record]

No really, I've always enjoyed the benefit of experience from other cyclists on this forum. Help me learn something new about cycling. If I already know it, I'll say so and wait for another tidbit. So, spill your hard-earned pearls of wisdom and cycling secrets! :)

[RPS]

I need to preface my answer to put it in the right context.

Just yesterday this subject came up in a round-about way. It was a cool and sunny day, and I was outside painting the back area of the house so I let my dog go out with me so he could enjoy being outdoors and sun himself. Anyway, at one point he went to lean on the siding I had just painted – not unlike he’s done a thousand times -- so I urgently commanded him to stay, at which point he coward like he had done something wrong. I asked him to move to a different spot but I could tell he was still afraid that he would mess up again. No matter how nice I tried to communicate with him the damage had been done. It took me a second to realize that his inability to understand about wet paint and the consequences of leaning on the wall had made my command seem arbitrary to him. I love him dearly and he’s very smart for a dog, but his inability to comprehend what wet paint does to fur made me seem harsh to him.

My point: We don’t always know what we don’t know, and just because someone else might know it quite well doesn’t mean we can grasp it even if they tried to explain it to us in basic terms. I doubt there is much I could do to teach my dog about why it’s not a good idea to lean on wet paint. It’s simply beyond his ability to even know that such a problem exists.

If you believe as I do that knowledge is infinite then there is more you and I both don’t know about cycling compared to what we do know. As different individuals our particular sets of knowledge are certainly different and don’t always overlap, which means there are things I could share with you that you probably don’t already know and vice versa. But why should either of us bother educating the other? If we haven’t picked it up already chances are it’s because we either can’t understand it, or don’t care enough about the subject matter to learn about it. :(


OK, back to painting.

[McQueen]

Very open ended question you ask - but when I was racing, I considered taking the test to get into the USCF's coaching program, and ordered coaching materials, and was suprised at the small things, some of which I might have done just because someone taught me a certain way, but I never knew why I did it that way..

Anyhow, I remember learning a lot from the first level of coaching materials - I think you can still order them online (whether you intend to take the first test or not) from the USCF. Simple things like how to mount your bike properly, and why you do it that way, etc. Some things you may already know, but are great if you are trying to show your spouse (who might not be a cyclist) how to do things correctly.

[palincss]

So, spill your hard-earned pearls of wisdom and cycling secrets! :)

Three variations on the same situation.

1. If you accidentally drift off the right side of the road, do NOT try to gently steer back up onto the pavement. You've got to come at the pavement edge at as nearly a right angle as you possibly can. Most of the time it's better to just stop, pick up the front wheel and put it back on the road. Much road rash has come of this situation.

2. Cross angled tracks as close to right angles as you possibly can. If the tracks are wet, that'd better be 90 degrees +- 1 or 2 degrees at most.

3. If you have to cross a crack in the pavement, do it as close to a right angle as possible. The edge of the crack will act exactly like the edge of the pavement in situation #1, and down you will go. This is particularly dangerous on concrete paving, such as the Colonial Parkway between Jamestown, Yorktown and Williamsburg. People crash there all the time.

[c-record]

RPS:

Really well portrayed. Thanks.

However, I DO want to know what you know! I certainly agree that there is a lot more to know than most of us realize-my intent is not to create a playground scuffle. Knowing helps me relate better to others and many of us end up educating those around us about cycling due to our experience.

Example: a good friend who is a lifelong cyclist didn't believe me that when descending and tucked I picked up 1 mph by riding the white paint line rather than asphalt. Just the opposite of avoiding it when wet. Still didn't believe me.

Oh well. :rolleyes:

[c-record]

Sounds like you learned with methods that really made a lasting impression??

[207 cm]

Don't trust whitey

[rugbysecondrow]

Don't trust whitey

Awesome!

[palincss]

Sounds like you learned with methods that really made a lasting impression??

Oh yes.

[Ray]

You will almost certainly NOT ever ride in the Tour De France and you will absolutely definitely and without question NOT ever WIN the Tour De France. As such, learn to enjoy your riding for what it is and don't worry about trying to be what you're not. Dig it for what you are, whatever that may be. Even if part of what you dig about it is trying to ride like you could IMAGINE riding in the Tour De France someday. Or even if it just means enjoying riding to the grocery store more than you ever liked driving to the grocery store.

You may have already known some or all of that. :cool:

-Ray

[MattTuck]

in the '99 tour, Cippolini rode the stage to Sestriere despite usually not competing in the mountain stages, because he owed it to the Italian people.

[c-record]

in the '99 tour, Cippolini rode the stage to Sestriere despite usually not competing in the mountain stages, because he owed it to the Italian people.


Ok, MattTuck got me. I knew of Cippos antics and him never being able to finish because of the climbing. I actually enjoyed his antics. Met him once in person-pretty removed and came off rather arrogant.

[c-record]

You will almost certainly NOT ever ride in the Tour De France and you will absolutely definitely and without question NOT ever WIN the Tour De France. As such, learn to enjoy your riding for what it is and don't worry about trying to be what you're not. Dig it for what you are, whatever that may be. Even if part of what you dig about it is trying to ride like you could IMAGINE riding in the Tour De France someday. Or even if it just means enjoying riding to the grocery store more than you ever liked driving to the grocery store.

You may have already known some or all of that. :cool:

-Ray


It's painfully obvious I'll never ride fast enough for that-or most Cat 3 races. Doesn't stop me from trying to mix it up on the bike though-road, mountain and definitely 'cross! :)

[eddief]

It Pays You Cash - Which is Just as Good as Money.

[eddief]

I never "ride" my bike without a helmet.

The other day I was revamping my Bleriot with a longer quill stem. When done, thought I'd go for a quick test ride. Had not cranked down on all connections as I should have. Assumed this would be a quick ride out the driveway down the block and back. Who needs a helmet?

Got on bike, went 10 feet, front wheel went 90 degrees one direction, bars went 90 degrees the other direction. I hit the concrete faster than my old brain and body could imagine. Bruised a rib, bruised my ego and could have cracked my brain. Should have double checked the binder bolt. Should not have gotten on without the helmet.

[sc53]

Somebody who knows: How do you "bunny hop" over a bad obstruction in the road, like a big pothole or rock you see too late to avoid? I've heard tales of people not crashing in these situations but I don't have a clue how you would "hop" over these things.

[Sandy]

I need to preface my answer to put it in the right context.

Just yesterday this subject came up in a round-about way. It was a cool and sunny day, and I was outside painting the back area of the house so I let my dog go out with me so he could enjoy being outdoors and sun himself. Anyway, at one point he went to lean on the siding I had just painted – not unlike he’s done a thousand times -- so I urgently commanded him to stay, at which point he coward like he had done something wrong. I asked him to move to a different spot but I could tell he was still afraid that he would mess up again. No matter how nice I tried to communicate with him the damage had been done. It took me a second to realize that his inability to understand about wet paint and the consequences of leaning on the wall had made my command seem arbitrary to him. I love him dearly and he’s very smart for a dog, but his inability to comprehend what wet paint does to fur made me seem harsh to him.



My point: We don’t always know what we don’t know, and just because someone else might know it quite well doesn’t mean we can grasp it even if they tried to explain it to us in basic terms. I doubt there is much I could do to teach my dog about why it’s not a good idea to lean on wet paint. It’s simply beyond his ability to even know that such a problem exists.

If you believe as I do that knowledge is infinite then there is more you and I both don’t know about cycling compared to what we do know. As different individuals our particular sets of knowledge are certainly different and don’t always overlap, which means there are things I could share with you that you probably don’t already know and vice versa. But why should either of us bother educating the other? If we haven’t picked it up already chances are it’s because we either can’t understand it, or don’t care enough about the subject matter to learn about it. :(


OK, back to painting.

You should have done what I did when I was painting the back of my house. I put up a sign for the dog to read- "Wet paint". My dog got quite annoyed with me, and added to the sign- "Where else? I already see you painting the house." My dog is very smart! :) :)


Sandy

[Sandy]

For road bikes ride 700x25 tires. Almost no advantage, except, accept aero, of a smaller width tire. Use psi below the maximum given on the tire unless you are quite heavy.


Sandy

[McQueen]

Somebody who knows: How do you "bunny hop" over a bad obstruction in the road, like a big pothole or rock you see too late to avoid? I've heard tales of people not crashing in these situations but I don't have a clue how you would "hop" over these things.

Hold the handlebars and jump straight up (assuming you have clipless pedals). Try it in the grass from a standstill (you don't have a mountain bike do you?) and jump straight up, so that you lift the bike with both wheels leaving the ground at the same time. Once you are able to hop the bike up an inch or two with both wheels coming off the ground simultaneously on a consistent basis on the grass, ride down a smooth surface, and while coasting, use the same hopping techique. Your momentum will cause you to continue to move forward as you are airborn and you'll be able to bunny hop obstacles in the road/potholes. (or not.. take this advice at your own risk)

[Ti Designs]

My point: We don’t always know what we don’t know, and just because someone else might know it quite well doesn’t mean we can grasp it even if they tried to explain it to us in basic terms. I doubt there is much I could do to teach my dog about why it’s not a good idea to lean on wet paint. It’s simply beyond his ability to even know that such a problem exists.

Teaching new riders isn't so different from teaching dogs about wet paint. It's hard to grasp how these kids (all Harvard students) can't just take what I say and do it, but it never happens.

A couple of weeks ago we have the training meeting for the team, one of the experienced racers (she's a cat 1 with a pro contract) had this whole presentation about setting goals and example workouts and periodization... It all makes sense to her, as it's what she does. The new riders just sat there and listened, but there was no connection to how they ride. It was like a teacher walking into a 1st grade class and teaching advanced math. You can try, but it's not going to work.

There's a axiom in design work - "testing trumps theory". That pretty much sums up coaching new riders. Anyone here probably thinks they would be damn good at it. Put it to the test - take a new rider and produce a good cyclist, it takes many, many times the amount of effort and time than you think. Somehow we all forget what it was like being that new rider...

[palincss]

No really, I've always enjoyed the benefit of experience from other cyclists on this forum. Help me learn something new about cycling. If I already know it, I'll say so and wait for another tidbit. So, spill your hard-earned pearls of wisdom and cycling secrets! :)

So, are we to interpret your silence as an indication that some tidbit or other was in fact new to you? And if so, how are you doing with all this new information? Is it helpful?

[hokoman]

Hold the handlebars and jump straight up (assuming you have clipless pedals). Try it in the grass from a standstill (you don't have a mountain bike do you?) and jump straight up, so that you lift the bike with both wheels leaving the ground at the same time. Once you are able to hop the bike up an inch or two with both wheels coming off the ground simultaneously on a consistent basis on the grass, ride down a smooth surface, and while coasting, use the same hopping techique. Your momentum will cause you to continue to move forward as you are airborn and you'll be able to bunny hop obstacles in the road/potholes. (or not.. take this advice at your own risk)

i think it should be more like - pull up on the bars first, getting front wheel off the ground, then when you're ready to get the back wheel off, you'll pull your feet up (since they are clipped it - with flat pedals, you push down then backwards oddly enough.) - and push your handlebars forward. you should not be jumping with both wheels off the ground. that's bad technique. rear wheels should hit the ground an instant before the front lands..... i rode trials for years, and although what i explained is the correct way... if i was going fast enough on a smooth surface, i would just do what you explained.

[McQueen]

i think it should be more like - pull up on the bars first, getting front wheel off the ground, then when you're ready to get the back wheel off, you'll pull your feet up (since they are clipped it - with flat pedals, you push down then backwards oddly enough.) - and push your handlebars forward. you should not be jumping with both wheels off the ground. that's bad technique. rear wheels should hit the ground an instant before the front lands..... i rode trials for years, and although what i explained is the correct way... if i was going fast enough on a smooth surface, i would just do what you explained.


Good point - I'm sitting at a desk right now, thinking about what I'd do to get to the point where I'd be comfortable just getting the entire bike off the road in one motion..

To jump a pothole on a road bike, you'd have to have both wheels off the ground instantly - no time for front first then rear, or else you'd just end up bottoming your rear wheel into the the obstruction.. but your point about trials is taken.

[c-record]

So, are we to interpret your silence as an indication that some tidbit or other was in fact new to you? And if so, how are you doing with all this new information? Is it helpful?

Well, I've commented on the Cippo TDF trivia. The other stuff I knew by lesson or personal experience. I got a chuckle out of the loose-stem test ride because of the memories it brings back for me-glad you were ok!

The white-line-good-for-1-mph story I told was what got me thinking about this. This friend has been riding racing almost as long as I have and he didn't believe me. I'm hoping when I hear tidbits like that I'll learn or try it out. If it's true then great, if not that's ok too.

[c-record]

It looks like we've helped someone out and they'll be a bunny hopping master.

Share the skills!

[Karin Kirk]

My advice on that one is not to try to learn it by reading various descriptions online. The timing is too nuanced to pick it up via a written description. My advice is to find someone who's smooth at it and ask them for some tips.

[veggieburger]

1 - Don't buy on credit unless it's a car or a house.

2 - Along the same lines as a previous post... you likely won't ride or win the TDF, so enjoy yourself. Even when racing on a club level, don't risk taking the sprint if there's a chance you're going to endanger yourself or your bike. A big man can swallow his pride. Little men shatter $10,000 bikes and collarbones to impress other riders.

3 - Are you a shop or distributor? "Exclusive" product lines or contracts are easily and often broken. For example, if you're the Giant retailer in town and you think you have a great relationship with your reps, they will dump you wihtout a second thought if buddy down the road can promise them more units sold. I've seen it happen many times.

4 - Don't eat the yellow snow.

[StephenCL]

My advice on that one is not to try to learn it by reading various descriptions online. The timing is too nuanced to pick it up via a written description. My advice is to find someone who's smooth at it and ask them for some tips.

I actually lead with my front tire when bunny hoping. Came from my BMX days when I could bunny hop trash cans standing up..then the bunny hop was a two stage lift that got the extra height to clear the can....my folks still have some old video footage of this......classic.

When I taught my son, it was all about timing. Once he understood the timing of the jump he could do it every time.

Find someone you ride with that does it well and try to follow their moves.

Stephen

[flickwet]

Weston started riding with me when 8 yrs old, I would ride slow and encourage him, If he got cold or tired we went back, its just about the fun I told him...

He's now 13, the Ohio Road racing Champion, Won the Tour d' pur and Medina twin sizzler (13-15) and a USCF Junior, top 10 in all the other Junior Races he did this year, kicks butt on the training rides with the Summit Freewheelers, and has to wait for the old man now, It's even more fun now!

[bikemoore]

Having lived in northeast Italy for nearly 5 years, I can tell you that Italian bike manufacturers, dealers, and cyclists do not get angry or think any less of you if you hang Shimano components on one of their bikes. They might have a personal preference, but they won't be offended if one of their framesets runs around with non-Campy components. I heard so many cyclists over the years in the US tell some story about somebody they knew who had a brother who knew somebody else who put Shimano on a Colnago and offended some well known Italian bike maker. After I moved there, I was pleasantly surprised to find that its not true.....Italians like Shimano and SRAM just fine and are not offended by non-Italian components on Italian frames.

That....and Italians can put together the most god-awful combinations of colors on a single bike and rider. Its amazing that a country with their sense of style can get it so wrong on bikes.

[c-record]

Weston started riding with me when 8 yrs old, I would ride slow and encourage him, If he got cold or tired we went back, its just about the fun I told him...

He's now 13, the Ohio Road racing Champion, Won the Tour d' pur and Medina twin sizzler (13-15) and a USCF Junior, top 10 in all the other Junior Races he did this year, kicks butt on the training rides with the Summit Freewheelers, and has to wait for the old man now, It's even more fun now!

At 13? Nice job. You're going to be chasing that wheel for a long time.

[c-record]

Having lived in northeast Italy for nearly 5 years, I can tell you that Italian bike manufacturers, dealers, and cyclists do not get angry or think any less of you if you hang Shimano components on one of their bikes. They might have a personal preference, but they won't be offended if one of their framesets runs around with non-Campy components. I heard so many cyclists over the years in the US tell some story about somebody they knew who had a brother who knew somebody else who put Shimano on a Colnago and offended some well known Italian bike maker. After I moved there, I was pleasantly surprised to find that its not true.....Italians like Shimano and SRAM just fine and are not offended by non-Italian components on Italian frames.

That....and Italians can put together the most god-awful combinations of colors on a single bike and rider. Its amazing that a country with their sense of style can get it so wrong on bikes.

I think most Italian bikes need something other than Shimano. When Colnago started showing most bikes in the catalog with Shimano it was just weird.

I've only seen sweet looking, glam bike paint jobs from over there so you must be lying. :D

[avalonracing]

"Actually, it IS about the bike"

[Ti Designs]

Weston started riding with me when 8 yrs old, I would ride slow and encourage him, If he got cold or tired we went back, its just about the fun I told him...

He's now 13, the Ohio Road racing Champion, Won the Tour d' pur and Medina twin sizzler (13-15) and a USCF Junior, top 10 in all the other Junior Races he did this year, kicks butt on the training rides with the Summit Freewheelers, and has to wait for the old man now, It's even more fun now!

I was racing at 16 and kicking some serious butt back then. It was everything that's good about sports, the kids had fun and the parents all took is so seriously. The advantage of being on the bike and not on a soccer field is that your parents can't see you all the time. (should I be telling you this???) I remember one race in NY, we all knew our parents were going to be in the feed zone, so as we got to the bottom of the long climb we all ramped it up so they would see some speed and effort. After the feed zone it goes around a corner, as soon as we were out of sight we all sat up, looked in the bags and started trading. I don't remember who won that race, but I still remember that part.

Keeping it fun is key, but at that age keeping them from doing something really stupid is the challenge. I look back as some of the things my teammates and I did, how did I live this long?

[Ray]

Keeping it fun is key, but at that age keeping them from doing something really stupid is the challenge. I look back as some of the things my teammates and I did, how did I live this long?
Yeah, but that's true of ANYTHING you'd be doing at 16. Bike racing is probably the least dangerous activity you could have been doing recklessly at that age. I look back at the period from about 14 to 19 or 20 (I started raising hell early and calmed down early too) and there's just NO reason to have lived through some of the crap we did. I guarantee that if I'd been spending more time on my bike and less in different vehicles and using fewer unknown substances, my odds of survival would have been better. I just chalk getting through those years up to luck, pure and simple.

-Ray

[soulspinner]

Get a bike that fits, get fit on the bike, be smooth, have fun and if you compete dont forget to REST sometimes :beer: Oh yeah, stay upright :)

[rugbysecondrow]

Yeah, but that's true of ANYTHING you'd be doing at 16. Bike racing is probably the least dangerous activity you could have been doing recklessly at that age. I look back at the period from about 14 to 19 or 20 (I started raising hell early and calmed down early too) and there's just NO reason to have lived through some of the crap we did. I guarantee that if I'd been spending more time on my bike and less in different vehicles and using fewer unknown substances, my odds of survival would have been better. I just chalk getting through those years up to luck, pure and simple.

-Ray

The sounds very familiar...good times, glad I made it...other didn't.

Regarding advice, I could shoot in the dark all day and still not find a nugget that is new to you. For me though, when I started really started enjoying riding was when I mixed it up. Mountain biking, Triathlons, Solo Rides, Club Rides, ride with one friend, some spirited, some I packed a lunch and to eat by the river, and now my fixed gear bike where all my routes are new again. Being able to mix it up kept it fresh, kept it fun and made it not about the work of "training" but rather enjoying a ride. When it 6AM, dark and cold out, training for training sake is a hard motivator, but getting out for fresh air, sunrise with coffee and an apple at a designated spot is worth it.

The only other thing worth mentioning now is to be adventerous. Take an odd path, shoot up a hill to see where it goes, maybe cut through the park and jump off-road a bit, head out to the country with no exact cue sheet or route, just take off...anything just to make it fresh and new.

For me, it is about as close as I get to being a kid again.

Opps, forgot something REALLY important, if you aren't married, make sure you find a women (spouse) who appreciates what you do not just tolerates it. My wife understands what I do and appreciates my enthusiasm. If your wife doesn't, it can be a constant battle and it might really dampen the fun of your ride and make it more stressful then even going at all.

[Birddog]

It is OK to wear black socks. In fact, it is a good idea. If somebody judges you by your socks, then there is a high probability that they are a dickhead and it's best that they are outed.

Birddog

[William]

Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.




William

[c-record]

Slow is smooth, and smooth is fast.




William


I like that one. :)

[c-record]

That's a great story. Reminds me about hearing about Alexi Grewal as a Jr. He'd start races and then go around a corner or two and hide out on the racecourse. He'd wait for the other races and then jump in with the Pro, 1, 2 field when it rolled by. The story went he was beating a lot of those guys as a Jr.

I also heard most of the Grewals had tempers.

[c-record]

It is OK to wear black socks. In fact, it is a good idea. If somebody judges you by your socks, then there is a high probability that they are a dickhead and it's best that they are outed.

Birddog

But, was it ok before Lance??

[c-record]

Lunch on a bike ride struck me as a seriously good idea. I don't think I've done anything like that since I was a kid.

That's part of what makes mountain biking so appealing to me. The covering distance off road with friends really imparts that sense of adventure.

[OtayBW]

If you insist on changing your shirt while on rollers, you will eventually fall, but only when someone is watching.

[ergott]

Your bike won't self destruct in the rain/snow.

Get out there and ride!

[fiamme red]

For road bikes ride 700x25 tires. Almost no advantage, except, accept aero, of a smaller width tire. Use psi below the maximum given on the tire unless you are quite heavy.Why not 700x28?

[c-record]

Michelin put out a little business card that shows a table for tire width/rider weight/recommended pressures. It was nice to see the lower, real-world pressures published by a tire company. A lot of riders thought you were off your rocker when you told them you don't have to run 130 psi. :rolleyes:

[Ti Designs]

That's a great story. Reminds me about hearing about Alexi Grewal as a Jr. He'd start races and then go around a corner or two and hide out on the racecourse. He'd wait for the other races and then jump in with the Pro, 1, 2 field when it rolled by. The story went he was beating a lot of those guys as a Jr.

Yeh, my racing story was a bit different. I entered the seniors as a cat 2, having won a lot as a junior. Juniors are small, thin, light, they go up hill stupid hard without a care about the hill's length or how steep it gets. But jumping in with the pros is another story. In the juniors I was one of the fast guys, so I wasn't worried about someone else putting the hurt on me. My first race as a senior was a wake up call. I remember spending most of my time in the drops hanging onto the wheel in front of me for dear life and wondering who was on the front going that fast.

There's always a bigger fish...

[sjbraun]

The consumption of large quantities of carbohydrates in the days prior to an endurance event is a good thing. But you have to get it right. For most folks, it means eating lots of this pasta

But unfortunately, last night I focused on the "hydrate" part of carbohydrate.


Gauging by how I feel today, maybe I miscalculated


Steve-riding my first fixed century tomorrow


Good carbs Fun carbs

[c-record]

Fixed century?

Let us know how that goes.

[RPS]

There's a axiom in design work - "testing trumps theory".
Ti, I know it’s not in the context you used it in, but I’d like to expand on this idea of testing versus theory.

In my opinion each has its place and value. Testing confirms what actually is rather than what it should be, but theory predicts what can be – opens our minds to greater opportunities. Without theory to guide us through endless possibilities it’s often a hit-and-miss proposition when it comes to experimenting, making improvements or fully understanding issues a slow and tedious process. And it’s more of a problem when dealing with complex issues with many variables to consider simultaneously.

Take high speed wobbles as an example. If I know the root cause of high speed wobbles at a theoretical level, then it should be easy to see how and why typically-reported conditions lead to the problem. And if the correct “theory” is being applied then it should also be possible to understand how discrete variables affect the whole, and how they interact with each other. Theory can reveal why a distinct variable may cause a problem for one rider and not another.

Try analyzing a problem like wobble based solely on test data and we’ll just end up running around in circles chasing our tails. Correct theory on the other hand places test data in the right light.

[flickwet]

Leave a bike rack on your car even if no bike is on it, I've helped a few guys out with problems and its a conversation starter.

Have a bike you can leave on a rack, you never know when you'll get a surprise ride in.

turn your cell phone off! but throw it in your pocket or bag.

never put your keys in a pocket, unless it zippers shut, same with the cell phone

Two CO2 cartridges, cuz I always screw up the first one, or a pump.

keep a twenty somewhere safe

Be kind to your LBS, and remember, good beer is good tips is great service

[Tobias]

No really, I've always enjoyed the benefit of experience from other cyclists on this forum. Help me learn something new about cycling. If I already know it, I'll say so and wait for another tidbit. So, spill your hard-earned pearls of wisdom and cycling secrets! :)
Did you know many cyclists, against all reason, want to believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny?

Same group also wants to believe that: Spending $8K on a 3-lb frameset will make them climb like LA, that a custom frame with a .25 CM shorter top tube will allow them to do a century without training, and that a 1,000-gram wheelset will offset their extra 50 pounds of belly fat.

They won’t admit it in public but it’s true.

[c-record]

Did you know many cyclists, against all reason, want to believe in Santa Claus, the Tooth Fairy, and the Easter Bunny?

Same group also wants to believe that: Spending $8K on a 3-lb frameset will make them climb like LA, that a custom frame with a .25 CM shorter top tube will allow them to do a century without training, and that a 1,000-gram wheelset will offset their extra 50 pounds of belly fat.

They won’t admit it in public but it’s true.


Bzz. Sorry, I definitely know know that all too well. I will state that I don't know anyone here well enough to be prepared for that kind of honesty.

[lonewolf48]

A quote from E.M. mostly ignored: "Ride upgrades, don't buy upgrades".

[rounder]

We have a few hand carts at work that we use for hauling things around. The tires were flat and i tried pumping them up with air inflator in a can. That worked two of them but not the other. I was gonna bring my tire pump in, but thought it wouldn't work, So I brought in a CO2 inflator. First taped up both sides of the rim with sealing tape on both sides. Hit it with the CO2...thought the tire was going to pop off the rim but it worked. Then did the other side. Both tires are way harder than on the other carts that were pumped up with the air in a can. Also, i keep Park multi tools at the office and in my car. They have both been used successfully multiple times.

[WayneJ]

When riding in a pace-line:

1. Don't accelerate when it is your turn at the front. It is something you have to fight back, because you're somewhat rested at that point (compared to the guy who just moved off the front). If you do want to increase the pace, ratchet up smoothly. Rapid accelerations result in a bungy cord effect, which makes everyone work hard when they should be resting.

2. Don't leave gaps. Gaps need to be closed (by you, which takes big-time energy), or by someone who just took a hard pull. Either way usually results in less efficiency - and more bungy effect.

3. Talk to each other. A few words to instruct (no yelling!) really help, especially when there are riders of mixed abilities.

4. Ask for help. Mention that you'd like to work on improving your pace-line technique to the experienced rider and you will be amazed. People naturally want to help those who ask, but typically get upset with people who clearly don't know what they're doing, yet refuse to ask for help.

There are many more "rules" of pace-line riding, but these are ones that popped into my head.

Remember, the goal of riding in a pace-line is to ride faster than any individual rider. If the pace-line isn't achieving that goal, something is wrong. Spot it and work on ways to improve it.