Fwd: RBR's 08/02/07 Newsletter: After the Fall

Begin forwarded message:

From: "RoadBikeRider" <RBRPublishing@RoadBikeRider.com>

Date: August 2, 2007 9:25:42 AM EDT

To: two.wheeld.freakz@verizon.net

Subject: RBR's 08/02/07 Newsletter:  After the Fall

RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
Issue No. 303 - 08/02/07:  After the Fall
ISSN 1536-4143
 
Produced almost every Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without cost or obligation to more than 60,000 roadies around the world.
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New Doping Scandal? I think NOT! It's a Cycling Report.
Learn the Training and Nutrition Secrets for Dropping
Hill-Slowing Body Fat and Adding Leg-Pumping Power!
SECRET Cycling Report from www.Cyclo-CORE.com
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Please forward this newsletter to cyclists who may not know about RBR. They too can sign up and receive a complimentary copy of our exclusive eBook, 29 Pro Cycling Secrets for Roadies, at http://www.roadbikerider.com

To subscribe, change your address or leave our mailing list, see the end of the newsletter. You can read this issue online at http://www.roadbikerider.com/currentissue.htm
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In This Issue
 
1. Weekly Dispatch
2. Best of Coach Fred:  How Should I Restart Training After a Crash?
3. Uncle Al:  Cheap Chains vs. Costly Chains
4. Body Mechanic:  Recovery from Injury
5. Scott's Spin:  Tour Troubles
6. RBR eBookstore
7. Views You Can Use:  Proper Pacing
8. Try This on Your Next Ride:  Convert Your Road Bike Into a Time Trial Machine
9. Classifieds
 
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1.  WEEKLY DISPATCH
 
We're back after an exasperating 85 hours. That's how long the RoadBikeRider.com website and e-mail were offline between midnight Friday and Tuesday afternoon.
 
The problem:  ValueWeb, the company that provides our server, was relocating from Miami to Tampa and encountered much more downtime than anticipated. The estimate was 12-15 hours, which would have been inconvenient enough.
 
We apologize for the disruption in service. If there was anything we could have done beside bitch and moan, we would have done it. Unfortunately, we were at the mercy of ValueWeb (as were hundreds of other website operators).
 
Lots of e-mail arrived when the server finally powered up again. But we aren't sure we got every message sent to RBR during the 3 1/2-day outage. If you wrote and expected a reply but didn't receive one, please resend your message.
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The Greatest Swindle?
 
We don't know about you, but we were not sorry to see the 94th Tour de France end.
 
Normally this would be withdrawal week. We'd be feeling empty after getting hooked on 20 breakfasts with Phil, Paul and dramatic stages televised live.
 
Well, many stages did have drama, but in the end the Tour left us feeling gloomy instead of wanting more. Expelled were the overall leader (Michael Rasmussen), one of cycling's biggest stars (Alexandre Vinokourov), two pieces of pack fodder (Patrik Sinkewitz, Cristian Moreni) and two teams (Astana, Cofidis) -- all because of doping-related violations.
 
(Actually, Sinkewitz crashed out before he was found to be juiced on testosterone, a test result that would have gotten him kicked out anyway.)
 
As each rider disgraced his sport, cycling became a bigger joke worldwide. Only a small minority of writers, broadcasters and other pundits bought into the argument that doping busts are good for cycling because it means controls are working.
 
We're not sure we believe that logic either.
 
Regardless, almost everyone rejoiced in the ultimate winner, Alberto Contador, the bright-eyed, 24-year-old Discovery Channel climber. He was instantly a Spanish national hero and widely hailed as the leader of a new generation of clean riders that will return cycling to credibility.
 
Or not. Barely a day of post-Tour glow was accorded Contador before a German anti-drug crusader named Werner Franke said he had documents that prove the young Spaniard has been involved in doping.
 
In fact, Contador admits that his name was originally on the list of 58 riders said to be part of a Madrid-based doping network when it was busted by the police investigation called Operation Puerto in May 2006. He has never failed a drug test.
 
"I was in the wrong team [Liberty Seguros] at the wrong time and somehow my name got among the documents, but the UCI corrected the mistake and now I've got no link to Puerto," Contador contends.
 
Franke, however, claims to have a detailed list of banned products used by the young Spaniard.
 
"He took insulin, HMG-Lepori, a hormone to stimulate the secretion of testosterone and also a product for asthma called TGN," Franke told a German TV station.
 
"In brief I have before my eyes a protocol for doping. All of this has been simply concealed and hidden under the carpet whilst the name Contador was erased from the list of suspicious riders."
 
Franke, who used Puerto records to help drive countryman Jan Ullrich out of cycling, refuses to say how he received the damning documents regarding Contador.
 
"They simply landed in my briefcase," he says. "That happens sometimes, and I promptly handed them over to [the German national police]."
 
Based on that purported evidence, Franke calls Contador's tour victory "the greatest swindle in sporting history." Given the anti-doping sentiment currently raging, it seems certain that an investigation will be launched.
 
Almost everyone else is clinging to the optimism that Contador expressed in Paris: "I hope my victory brings fresh air to cycling and that it will be the start of a new era."
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Overheard:  "I still believe that there is a minority out there who are willing to push the boundaries -- the minority all seem to be over 30 years of age, coming toward the end of their careers. I think that shows a generational thing."  -- British pro Bradley Wiggins, 27, seeing the push toward a cleaner sport being spearheaded by the younger generation of riders who haven't grown up in the old-school doping culture.
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Doper Updates
 
---Alexandre Vinokourov's B sample came back positive for homologous blood doping after stage 13. He also was positive after stage 15. The tests confirmed the presence of "two distinct blood populations" during his victory in each stage. Vino has been fired by Team Astana but he has vowed to fight the test results. In fact, he has hired the same legal team that is representing Floyd Landis in his appeal against testosterone doping in the 2006 Tour. Interestingly, UCI president Pat McQuaid shed light on how someone of Vino's experience might dope when he knew he'd be tested. McQuaid thinks the Kazakh was unaware that the French laboratory used by Tour organizers had the ability to catch him. "Up to this year, only the Lausanne laboratory [in Switzerland] was conducting tests for homologous blood-doping," McQuaid said. "But the Lausanne lab taught the French one how to detect it, and therefore they were able to test Vinokourov's sample." On Tuesday Team Astana said it has suspended operations for a month while assessing its future. Yesterday, Swiss bike maker BMC said it will no longer supply the team.
 
---Kazakhstan's cycling federation solidly supports Vino, the country's top cyclist, who says he is innocent of blood doping. So how did Vinokourov happen to test positive? "We are going to support the position that the results of the A and B samples were a direct result of the violent fall Alexandre suffered during the fifth stage of the cycling race," said the federation's executive director.
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Overheard:  "Vinokourov is accused of doing a blood transfusion, but he knew he would have been tested. It's like driving at 150 kph, while you are restricted to 80 and there are speed cameras all around you." -- Andreas Kloden, Vino's co-captain on Team Astana
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---Patrik Sinkewitz tested positive for testosterone on June 8, a month before the Tour started, but the result wasn't announced until the race was on and he'd already crashed out. This week, the 26-year-old German declined to have his B-sample analyzed and admitted he "secretly" used a testosterone gel. His team, T-Mobile, fired him and now he faces a two-year suspension and a fine equal to this year's salary. It's speculated that he may turn "state's witness" and try to have his sentence reduced by disclosed what he knows about doping in the pro peloton.
 
---Sixteenth-place finisher Iban Mayo, 29, was a late addition to the '07 Tour's hall of shame. Two days after the race, it was announced that the Spanish climber had tested positive for EPO on the second rest day, July 24. He was immediately suspended by his team, Saunier Duval. The news dimmed some of the glow in Spain, which was celebrating 6 riders in the Tour's top 10. If Mayo's B sample confirms doping, he will be fired by his team and receive the same suspension and fine just mentioned for Sinkewitz.
 
---Is cycling in "serious danger of exiting the Olympics" as one International Olympic Committee member claimed last week? Not really, countered IOC president Jacques Rogge. He says banning cycling from Olympic competition is not the answer to solving its doping problem. "You have to put everything into perspective," Rogge says. "What is happening now in the Tour de France is first of all a sign that the mentality of the athletes must change drastically, and rapidly." That opinion was seconded by UCI president Pat McQuaid, who said the Tour's doping-related difficulties are a sign the sport is successfully catching drug users and dealing with them.
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Why Cheating is a Problem
 
Because the money is big. Here's what the top 5 teams (of 18 who finished) earned in the Tour:
 
Discovery Channel (U.S.)  --  723,240 euros ($991,562)
Predictor-Lotto (Belgium)  --  235,060 euros ($322,267)
Team CSC (Denmark)  --  136,280 euros ($186,840)
Euskaltel (Spain)  --  120,840 euros ($165,672)
Barloworld (Great Britain)  --  114,950 euros ($157,590)
 
The 23 seconds that separated winner Alberto Contador from second-place Cadel Evans were worth 450,000 euros ($616,927) for the Spaniard's Discovery Channel team compared to 200,000 euros ($274,190) for the Aussie's Predictor-Lotto squad.
 
Not earning a cent in July was Michael Rasmussen, who went from leading the Tour to seeing his salary and race bonuses cancelled by Team Rabobank. This cost him 67,000 euros ($91,500) and perhaps 20 times more than that if he'd reached Paris in the yellow jersey. "If someone is fired, then they are also not paid out, that is logical," said a Rabobank spokesperson. "Rasmussen broke various rules and that means he broke the terms of the contract." Expect next to hear from the Dane's legal representatives.
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CYCLING SHORTS
 
---South African pro Ryan Cox died yesterday at age 28 following complications from a leg operation in France on July 4.  Back home, the Team Barloworld member seemed to be healing well until the main artery in his left leg burst on Monday. He was rushed to a hospital where his life was not able to be saved. Cox was one of South Africa's top riders but had been suffering leg problems for some time due to an arterial restriction. His former coach, Clint Curtis, told cyclingnews.com, "Ryan sometimes lost the feeling in the leg after cycling and had little power in the leg towards the end of some races. He then went to see one of the leading doctors in France. It was found that the artery had, as a consequence of all the cycling, become knotted as sometimes happens to a garden hose. It often happens to cyclists because they spend so many hours on the bicycles, with their legs bent while pedaling. The doctor in France has performed surgery of this type on about 600 cyclists." Cox's funeral will be next Tuesday in his hometown of Kempton Park. The service will be preceded by a public memorial ride that will pass his house on the way to the church.
 
---America's Team Slipstream, directed by ex-pro Jonathan Vaughters, is serious about becoming a major player in Europe. On Monday Vaughters announced he has two-year contracts with Scotland's David Millar (currently with Saunier Duval) and two Americans now racing for Team CSC, Christian Vande Velde and Dave Zabriskie. Vaughters also said an as-yet-to-be-identified former winner of Paris-Roubaix would race for Slipstream. "Our singular goal is to do the Tour de France," Vaughters toldcyclingnews.com. "We'll be doing the Tour of California and other major U.S. races too." Vaughters is a leading campaigner against doping, and he has made Slipstream into one of the most tested teams in cycling. Millar, a confessed EPO user who had to forfeit a world time trial championship, has been an outspoken critic of drug use since his suspension.
 
---Team Slipstream, HealthNet-Maxxis and Toyota-United have just announced they'll compete in the inaugural Tour of Missouri on Sept. 11-16. Already committed are Discovery Channel, Navigators Insurance, Colavita-Sutter Homes, Jelly Belly, BMC and the USA National Team. Another six or seven teams, including some who've raced in the Tour de France, will fill the field. Team rosters will be announced in early September. http://www.tourofmissouri.com
 
---Deutsche Telekom, sponsor of the Germany-based T-Mobile team, is still weighing its $18 million involvement with pro cycling. The company says its longtime commitment to sports sponsorship will continue but it may no longer include cycling. A decision is expected by Aug. 10. "We are taking our time to discuss this matter in a calm and considered manner," said a company spokesman. "Deutsche Telekom is conscious of it responsibilities. And that means upping the push for clean and fair sport." T-Mobile has suffered a long list of doping incidents, the latest when rider Patrik Sinkewitz was found positive for testosterone during last month's Tour de France despite the team's strict anti-drug program.
 
---Monday's USA Today had a front-page feature on "complete streets," the term used for roadways that accommodate all types of travel, not just automobiles. The concept of complete streets -- with bike lanes, sidewalks and room for mass transit -- has attracted a diverse national alliance of supporters, reports John Ritter. His article tells the story fairly and clearly in the view of the League of American Bicyclists. Read it at http://tinyurl.com/364djp
 
---Democrat presidential candidate John Edwards squeezed into a pair of Lycra bike shorts last week and mussed his pricey haircut by putting on a helmet, all to ride a piece of the RAGBRAI route with Lance Armstrong. "This is actually not hard, this is fun," Edwards said as he climbed a hill on the black Trek road bike he borrowed for the day. "The biggest problem is my butt hurts. Is that normal?" Lance is lobbying Edwards and all presidential candidates to state their stance on funding for cancer research.
 
---Levi Leipheimer and his rescued dog named Bandit are starring in PETA's first-ever Animal Birth Control (ABC) ad. The goal is to persuade people to stop bringing more unwanted litters into the world by sterilizing their dogs and cats (preferably before the age of 4 months). In the ad, Leipheimer says, "U.S. animal shelters must put to death nearly 4 million dogs and cats every year. You can help stop the cycle of unwanted animals. It's as easy as Animal Birth Control. Save lives: Always spay or neuter your animals, and never buy them from a breeder or a pet store." Leipheimer and his wife Odessa Gunn run Freedom Hill, a foundation that helps abandoned animals. Says Levi, "In the United States, there really isn't any excuse for not spaying and neutering your pets. There are low-cost spay-neuter options in almost every city and town. All you have to do is look." His ad appears at http://tinyurl.com/34py5x 
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Overheard:  "Today I had the best legs of my life." -- Levi Leipheimer (Discovery Channel) after sealing third place in the Tour by winning stage 19, a 55.5-km (34.4-mile) time trial, in 1:02:44 -- an average speed of 52.86 kph (32.76 mph).
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One From the Road -- Make a habit of picking up at least one piece of litter on every ride. Put it in your recycle bin when you get home. You'll be helping clean the road and enhance the public image of cyclists.
 
Adds Richard Lawrence of Lexington, North Carolina:  "There is something else I think we road riders should do. A lot of times, especially after an overnight rain, land turtles are crawling around. When they attempt to cross a hardtop road they are in danger of being crushed by passing vehicles. We cyclists should stop and carry these turtles to the other side and into the grass. It is important to carry them in the direction they are going. I did this only yesterday and it made me feel good to know that I had probably saved a wild creature's life."
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Now on the RBR website:  If you saw the Cervelo commercials during TV coverage of the Tour de France, you probably wonder how good those carbon wonderbikes really are. RBR tech correspondent Jim Langley rode a Cervelo Soloist for a thousand miles and gives you the straight skinny at http://www.roadbikerider.com/producttests.htm
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2.  BEST OF COACH FRED
 
How Should I Restart Training After a Crash?
 
Q:  I'm a roadie who got tangled with a car. Fortunately, I didn't break anything. I'm anticipating a clean bill of health on my next visit to the doctor. How should I start training to make sure I don't lose the conditioning and strength that I gained before the crash? -- Bob S.
 
Coach Fred Matheny Replies:  Glad to hear that you survived so well, Bob.
 
Your main concern now should be making sure you're fully recovered from all injuries. This is good advice for every rider who suffers a crash, no matter what causes it. I know it's tempting to rush back into training as soon as you get the doc's okay. But go easy for two reasons.
 
---First, following the enforced down time, you need to build back to your previous mileage and effort levels gradually or you risk injury or overtraining. Doctors tend to be conservative in their exercise recommendations, but in this case you should obey them.
 
---Second, you may have escaped serious injury, but sometimes even minor bumps and bruises can get worse if you start riding hard before they heal completely. This is especially true of knocks on the knee. A relatively mild injury could flare up several weeks down the road and sideline you again.
 
Try to look on the accident as a positive. Treat the down time from riding as a recovery period that allows you to consolidate the gains you made in previous training. Once you've healed, you should have even better reserves for productive workouts.
 
I've always been a big advocate of tumbling and body awareness drills so a rider knows how to fall when a crash is unavoidable. Those reactions have to be drilled in so they become reflexes. I discuss this further in my eBook, Fred Matheny's Complete Book of Road Bike Training.
 
(Premium Site members:  Speaking of coming back from a crash, how is RBR's Ed Pavelka doing after breaking his leg in June? You can read his update, "Long Road Back," by logging on and clicking to Pavelka's Ponderings.)
 
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3.  UNCLE AL:  Cheap Chains vs. Costly Chains
 
Q:  Can you please share your opinion on the differences between cheap chains and expensive ones?
For example, what's the difference between SRAM's $25 PC-951 and $45 PC-991 in terms of shifting performance and longevity? Do stainless steel chains like the pricey Wippermann Connex shift better and/or last longer? I'm trying to decide if expensive chains are worth the money. -- Pete W.
 
The Unc Answers:  That's a good question, Pete. Cheap chains and costly chains are not the same creature in terms of material quality and durability, but they can be pretty close in shifting performance.
 

For example, a Dura-Ace 9-speed chain ($50) will outlast a lower-cost Shimano HG chain by two to three times, assuming you keep it cleaned and lubed. I've gotten more than 3,000 miles out of a D-A, but never that much out of a cheap chain no matter how well I maintained it. You can expect the same experience with SRAM chains.

 

Quick plug for ProLink, my favorite chain lube: Some users have written to say they're getting 33% longer chain life. A group of independent chain-testers using ProLink have broken chains at 10,000 miles due to metal fatigue but found no measurable stretch. That's incredible! It reaffirms my belief that ProLink is simply the best lube to come along when used as instructed. It ain't the cheapest stuff, but the long-term savings are obvious. Still, I don't recommend you ride a chain till it breaks. 

 

If you buy better chains, are fastidious with your care and replace them when you find any measurable stretch, you'll get maximum mileage (3,000), wonderful shifting performance and longer cassette life.

 

If you buy cheap chains and take equally good care of them, at least you'll get decent performance throughout their shorter life (1,000-1,500 miles).

 

Back in the old days, I used the venerable Sedisport chain, which cost about $6. It shifted really well and wore like iron. I've never seen a chain value like that again.

 

I don't see the need in going stainless unless rust is a big issue in your riding climate. Wippermann makes the only all-stainless chain I know of. It's expensive ($100) but a great product.

 

If you have a 10-speed drivetrain, Wipperman is a good choice. No other 10s chains match Wipperman for durability, although I've heard some chain experts laugh when "10 speed" and "durability" are used in the same sentence. The 10s-specific chains from Shimano and Campagnolo certainly work well with their systems.
 
Final point:  Don't be a cheapskate and try to milk a million miles from your chain. There are those who beg to differ, but I get thousands of miles and years of use from my cassettes and chainrings, both of which cost a heck of a lot more than a good chain.
 
(Click feedback@roadbikerider.com to tell us a mechanical matter you'd like the Unc to write about. To read more from Alan Ardizone, owner of award-winning Cascade Bicycles in Montrose, Colorado, click here.)         
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Three of every four Premium Site members renew their membership when their year is up (thanks, roadies!). There are 10 great reasons, including a 15% discount on eBooks and eArticles, 3 free eBook downloads, a searchable newsletter archive, 700 Q&A by Coach Fred and Uncle Al, our exclusive Roadie Rap forum with more than 3,300 posts, 169 major and mini product reviews, plus "The Year in Training" and other exclusive feature articles -- all for 6.8 cents per day. See more benefits and become a Premium Site member instantly athttp://www.roadbikerider.com/inside.htm 
 
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4.  Body Mechanic BRAD COOPER
 
You're hurt. And it stinks.
 
There's nothing you want more than to get back on your bike. But how soon? And how fast can you ramp up after a leg injury?
 
Obviously, the first step in coming back from any significant boo-boo is to have a solid sports doc . . . and listen. He or she knows you, your specific injury, and anything that will throw a curve at the following guidelines.
 
---Fractures generally take at least 6-8 weeks to heal, but soft tissue (muscles, ligaments) may take additional time. If -- and only if -- you have clearance from your doctor, you may be able to get an early start back with some gentle indoor spinning, seated only, toward the end of the 6-8-week period.
 
---Stress fractures typically take 2-4 weeks unless you were stubborn early on and developed a more significant injury.
 
---The pool is a great option when you're down. By putting a pull buoy between your legs, you can get your cardio work while resting the injured leg. Don't like to swim? Too bad. Try it and you'll find yourself coming back quicker.
 
---As you build up, a good rule of thumb is to increase weekly volume by 10% or about 7 minutes for each day you're training. For example, if you're doing 30 minutes on four days per week (2 hours), you can increase by 20-30 minutes the next week.
 
The idea is to progress at a steady, sane pace. Be aware of any symptoms as you build up. Anything beyond general muscle soreness may need a check-up. Go get 'em (smartly)!
 
Next week:  Recovery from Illness.
 
(Brad Cooper, MSPT, MTC, ATC is a physical therapist and president of the premier national corporate wellness firm. Information athttp://www.USCorporateWellness.com)
 
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5.  SCOTT'S SPIN:  Tour Troubles
 
Now that this year's bizarro Tour de France is done -- or should I say "finished" -- I'm left not with my usual post-race glow but with many nagging questions, such as:
 
How stupid are these guys?
We've had Hamilton. And Ullrich, Basso, Rasmussen, Operation Puerto and maybe Landis. It's not like cheaters and liars, particularly in this year's Tour, didn't have warning that the anti-doping cops were getting smarter, the penalties were getting harsher, and the drug-testing was getting better.
 
Even I can see that the danger of being caught now outweighs the reward of doping. Were '07 culprits Vinokourov, Sinkewitz and Moreni too greedy, scared or driven to see the writing on the wall?
 
Now what?
I predict some lean years ahead, as sponsors flee bike racing. Fewer races, smaller prize lists and paltry TV coverage await the sport. Maybe a drop in mass participation, but not as much as some fear. We weekend warriors love the sport too much to walk, run or swim away.
 
Can we trust anybody?
Dunno. You have to assume that riders are clean until there's evidence otherwise. Still, you wonder. About everybody. Sorry, but claims of innocence and a lack of positive drug tests no longer quell my doubts. We've been burned too many times.
 
How far down does it go?
I see masters riders in their 50s getting on the podium in Pro/Cat 1-2 races, some of them in the medical profession with access to all kinds of stuff. They're probably simply dedicated and gifted, but who knows?
 
Should we give up on Le Tour?
Maybe, but I can't. Bike racing is a beautiful sport and the racers will always be my heroes. I'm in awe of their dedication, talent and guts. Which is why my heart is breaking right now.
 
(Scott Martin wrote feature articles for Bicycling magazine for a dozen years. You can reach him at scottmartin@roadbikerider.com)
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Another positive review has just been written about our newest eBook, A Rider's Guide to Building the Long Distance Bicycle, in which four experts discuss frame design, components, wheels, tires and more. Here's Adventure Cyclist magazine's bottom line in the July/August '07 issue:
 
"Just about any techno-biker out there will find this eBook a real treasure trove of information."
 
Read an excerpt ("Frame Material Matters"), see the table of contents and place your order for same-day delivery by e-mail by clickinghttp://www.roadbikerider.com/ldb_page
 
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6.  RBR eBOOKSTORE
 
The No. 1 source for "how to" eBooks & eArticles for road cyclists!
 
Premium Site annual members automatically receive a 15% discount on every title.
 
Please note:  Download codes for purchases of eBooks and eArticles arrive at your e-mail inbox with this subject line: Download code from RoadBikeRider. The code is not in the transaction confirmation you'll also receive. Delivery may be slower on Thursdays (newsletter day) due to high server volume. Check your spam trap in case your code accidentally winds up there.
 
Fred Matheny's Complete Book of Road Bike Training (eBook)
Save!  The Coach's four acclaimed "how to" eBooks, now under one cover
 
Road Bike Racing Basics (eBook)
How to avoid rookie mistakes and gain confidence for your first races
 
A Practical Guide to Wheel Building (eBook)
Build great wheels even if you've never built one before. A pro tells how.
 
Cycling Science (compact disc)
All 23 issues of this acclaimed technical journal on one searchable CD
 
Andy Pruitt's Medical Guide for Cyclists (eBook)
The original manual for professional bike fit, injury diagnosis & treatment
 
Bike Fit (eBook)
Dr. Arnie Baker's guide to frame size, riding position and lots more
 
Nutrition for Sports (eBook)
Coach Arnie Baker, M.D., halts the hype and repairs nutritional half-truths
 
High-Intensity Training for Cyclists, 11th Edition (eBook)
The go-fast bible from coach and U.S. champion Arnie Baker, M.D.
 
Coach Fred's Solutions to Road Cycling Challenges (eBooks)
Volumes 1 & 2 cover 150 topics vital to improving your cycling ability
 
Strategy & Tactics for Cyclists, 3rd Edition (eBook)
U.S. champ Dr. Arnie Baker reveals the secrets to road racing success
 
Pro Road Race Tactics for Amateur Cycling Teams (eBook)
Organize your team this spring, kick butt this summer
 
Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat (eBook)
How to choose the safest, most comfortable saddle for your anatomy
 
Plus!  13 more eBooks and 14 targeted eArticles at http://www.roadbikerider.com/bookstore.htm
 
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7.  VIEWS YOU CAN USE
 
One thing common to every ride -- and vital to longer ones -- is pacing.
 
"Pacing," as Arnie Baker, M.D., explains in the new, slightly revised 8th edition his bestselling eBook, ACE Training for Cyclists, "means going more slowly at the beginning so that you can go faster at the end. Pacing also means going more slowly at the beginning so that you can reach the end."

ACE stands for Altitude, Climbing and Endurance. Many of us are concerned with the last two as we strive to improve our road cycling performance. Coping successfully with high altitude is crucial when we travel to elevations of 4,000 feet or more for events or vacations.
 
Smart pacing often determines success when a ride is high, hilly or long. Here's a passage adapted from ACE Training, one of five eBooks in RBR's eBookstore written by Dr. Baker, a national champion cyclist and coach.
 
To read another excerpt ("Event Nutrition"), see the table of contents and order a copy for delivery today by e-mail, please clickhttp://www.roadbikerider.com/ace_page.htm
 
Excerpt:  PROPER PACING
 
In all-day century and ultra-distance rides, pacing can play an even greater role than in shorter events. Finishing such events may not even be possible without pacing.
 
Whether we plan on pacing or not, sooner or later we all slow down. The question is, is it planned? What strategy provides the best chance of finishing? What strategy provides the best finishing time? In a group, or mass start event, what strategy gives the best place finish?
 
Pacing works because you ration resources that will be needed later. Common resources are fuel (usually glycogen), fluids and heat regulation.
 
A simplistic explanation of the pacing principle may be the following:
 
---Go out too slowly and you never have the time to catch up
---Go out too fast and you run out of energy
---Go out too fast and your lactic acid levels zoom up too quickly
 
It is easier to tolerate high lactic acid levels for short periods rather than longer ones. If high lactic acid levels must be endured, it is easier to tolerate them at the end rather than at the beginning.
 
Psychologically, the natural tendency of many athletes is to get excited at big events and go out too hard. By consciously backing off just a little, this risk is reduced. Build to a crescendo rather than start with a bang and fizzle.
 
(Dr. Baker's eBook also contains the 10 ACE Ride Commandments and major sections titled Training Basics, Climbing, Mind Matters, Endurance Nutrition, Equipment, Medical Problems and Training Schedules.)
 
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8.  TRY THIS ON YOUR NEXT RIDE
 
Convert your road bike into a time trial machine.
 
Your club's time trial championship is approaching and you want to go fast. You've ridden previous time trials on your regular road bike. Now you'd like to have an extra edge to help you do your very best.
 
Here's how:
 
---Lower the handlebar and install aero bars.  Your back should be almost horizontal when you're on the elbow rests. Adjust their width so your arms are in line with your thighs, not out to the side where they widen your frontal area and catch more wind.
 
---Move the saddle forward about 1 cm.  This opens the angle formed by your hips and chest for greater comfort and easier breathing in the aero position.
 
---Refine your position on the trainer with a mirror or video camera.  Do it from the front and side. You want to see a compact shape with a flat back and no protruding body parts.
 
---Install a narrow front tire.  The front wheel is the first thing that the wind "sees." Switching from a 700x23C tire to a 20C helps you slice the air a bit better.
 
---Remove bottle cages.  You won't need a drink during a typical 10-mile club TT. Wind resistance from cages is negligible, but the bike looks leaner and meaner without them so you'll feel faster.
 
---Crumple your number.  When you get your race number, wad it into a ball. Then flatten it and pin it so it doesn't scoop air. Crumpling helps the number lie flatter against your body. (Make sure doing this doesn't violate local race regulations.)
 
If you're really serious about this and future time trials:
 
---Invest in a skinsuit.  A one-piece time trialing suit is significantly more aerodynamic than shorts and a jersey. When it fits properly (snugly), there won't be wrinkles, folds or flapping material that catch the wind. Wearing a skinsuit is a psychological boost, too.
 
---Invest in aerodynamic wheels.  They can save substantial time compared to conventional 32- or 36-spoke wheels.
 
Important:  After your bike has been modified for time trialing, do at least four interval sessions or hard rides to dial in your position. Get the hang of how the bike handles, especially when cornering on aero bars. Be cautious at first!
 
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9.  CLASSIFIEDS
 
Boure Bicycle Clothing - For Long-Lasting Performance!
Ned Overend's friendly cyclewear company in Durango, CO.
Our PRO shorts are Now on Sale at http://www.boure.com
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CycliStats - Training Log - Software for Cyclists
Ride log, season planner, and much more!
No risk - try it for free today! http://www.CycliStats.com
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CueClip - Map / Cue Sheet Holder - world's best!
Durable & Small with style. Club discounts.
See our CycleWallet too. http://www.cueclip.com
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Business Owners/Execs:  Want to save on health care,
sick time, recruitment and retention, while at the same time
helping your employees get healthier? Contact Body Mechanic
Brad Cooper at http://www.USCorporateWellness.com
for a customized, hands-on Wellness Program starting at
monthly rates of less than $10 per employee.
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ROADIE ADS (see details of these items at http://roadbikerider.com/classifieds.htm)
       
        ---Orbea Starship road bike
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        ---Wanted: RBR cycling writers
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Business owners! Your Commercial Ad will be delivered to 60,000+ road cycling enthusiasts via this weekly newsletter, and it will appear on our website with your logo or product photo. Get info at http://www.roadbikerider.com/CAbizorder.htm
 
Roadies! Sell your spare bike and gear on our website for just $5. Click to http://www.roadbikerider.com/CAperorder.htm
 
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RBR's website has 18 expert articles to help you ride with greater skill, safety and enjoyment. You're welcome to use them without charge in your club or bike shop newsletter or website. http://www.roadbikerider.com/articles.htm
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Fred Matheny, VP emeritus
1617 Kramer Rd.
Kutztown, PA 19530 USA
RBRPublishing@roadbikerider.com
 
Enjoy your rides! Look for our next issue on Thursday, August 9.
 
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