Indholdsfortegnelse for May 2013 i Bicycling

Cycling is about speed and grace. I was swooping down Couser Canyon Road, watching Brad and Ron pick their lines as we dove through a blur of avocado trees. I was smiling and my eyes were tearing and I could feel the sweat on my arms evaporating. I was there, testing bikes on the back roads of northern San Diego County, with more than a dozen editors. Small sectors of my brain were evaluating how I could carve turns from the hips on my test bike and how the asphalt felt through the handlebar, but my frontal lobe was preoccupied with the magical flow of the descent. I’d assess the brakes later in the day. Cycling is about angles and materials and colors. I was traversing a twisty, rolling road…

A relative newcomer to the Spring Classics (it debuted in 1966), this one-day race is nonetheless considered a prestigious stop on the WorldTour circuit. Here, the peloton snakes through a rare flat section on a course that winds from Maastricht to Valkenberg in Holland’s hilly southern Limburg region. In fact, the route serves up no fewer than 33 climbs over 251 kilometers of racing, including the 20 percent steeps of the Eyserbosweg. Catch the drama this year on April 14. ONE-DAY WONDERS Three more classic contests that promise spring thrills Tro Bro Leon Though it’s not officially a Classic, a course replete with cobbles and dirt makes this 13-year-old race a must-watch event. France; April 14 La Flèche Wallonne We wish that every race had as suspenseful a finish as…

For the kid who can say “Wiggins” with a British accent, Rapha’s new Team Sky Wiggo Kid’s Replica jersey is a must-have. $75 No-pedal balance bikes are a popular alternative to training wheels. For older kids, try the Strider SS-1 Super 16. $189 Whether your kid prefers mohawks or tiaras, there’s a Raskullz helmet that’s high on the awesome factor. Bonus: They’re not easy to lose. $25 Tote your cyclist-to-be inside the Chariot Cougar 1 trailer. The versatile carrier also converts to a jogging stroller and features springy suspension for a smooth ride. $660…

RIDE The inaugural Seattle Brews Cruise explores 30 miles of urban paths and quiet roads (with 15-and 45-mile options). Also on tap: visits to Schooner Exact Brewing Company and Airways Brewing Company. May 5; $40 READ Cycling journalist William Fotheringham explores the psyche and career of the sport’s winningest rider in Half Man, Half Bike: The Life of Eddy Merckx, Cycling’s Greatest Champion. The book will be available in the United States in April. $19 DRINK Looking for a preride pick-me-up—but don’t love coffee? Try a 30-calorie, green-tea Enerji shot from Celestial Seasonings: The Berry and Citrus flavors contain 100mg of caffeine (the same as a shot of espresso); Pomegranate Xtreme has 150. $3 OGLE Last year’s attendees of Bike Expo New York were treated to a BMX showcase, a…

KEY INGREDIENTS ARNICA An anti-inflammatory derived from sunflowers CAPSAICIN A hot-pepper extract that blocks pain signals from reaching your brain GLUCOSAMINE A compound, often harvested from shellfish, that relieves joint pain MENTHOL A natural analgesic derived from mint Badger Balm Sore Muscle Rub Extra Strength In addition to capsaicin from cayenne pepper, this rub contains ginger, a natural anti-inflammatory. The compact tin fits in a seat bag. Tester says: “Nice ginger smell.” $6/0.75 oz. Perform Pain Relieving Spray Relieving Spray Biofreeze devotees will be pleased that this new formula offers the same instant-cool relief but is readily available at drugstores. Tester says: “Great for hard-to-reach spots.” $15/4 oz. Corganics Relief Pain Relieving Cream The menthol scent is mild enough for everyday use but still soothes aches. A roll-on applicator keeps…

YOU PROBABLY KNOW that a strong core is key to riding better. But you may be surprised that there’s more to your core than just abs, and that relying on crunches alone won’t do the trick. Too many cyclists forget the muscles that cycling neglects—glutes, back, hips, and obliques, says Andy Pruitt, EdD, director of Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Colorado. The workout below targets those muscles to create a stable platform for your legs to generate power. YOUR 15-MINUTE POWER CIRCUIT Complete all the reps indicated, then move on to the next exercise without resting before repeating the circuit. Do the sequence two or three times a week. Scorpion Lie face down with arms out to the sides [A]. Lift your right leg and, twisting your torso, reach…

TO THE UNINITIATED, the standard road-cycling uniform, or kit, looks the same from one rider to the next: tight, shiny shorts and a bright, logo-tastic top. But for those of us who embrace the garb, every sartorial choice we make is an opportunity to express our individuality as cyclists. That choice can be awesome (Mario Cipollini in a zebra skinsuit, circa 2003)—until it goes horribly wrong (Cipo in Rock Racing kit, circa 2008). Which is why there are unofficial wardrobe rules we all should abide by. The most important aspect to be aware of? That there’s an exception to every one of them. Here’s your guide.…

h2hotel//Healdsburg California The stylish Sonoma retreat is quintessential California, from the environmental ethos (a plant-covered “green” roof and reclaimed building materials are among highlights) to the surrounding wine country to the fleet of elegant Public Bikes, built down the road in San Francisco. The hotel provides four mapped routes to pedal them on, ranging from 12 to 40 miles, with vineyard stops along the way. From $195/night Mansion Hill Inn//Madison, Wisconsin Trek purchased this stately Victorian inn five years ago and subtly superimposed its brand during an otherwise faithful historical restoration. Framed vintage photos of its early models hang alongside contemporary images of sponsored riders like Fabian Cancellara. The hotel provides passes to Madison’s B-cycle bike share, but why settle? Guests can request a spin on any bike Trek makes,…

I got the first taste of whiskey just a little after 7:30 that morning. I’d told Jimmy about it when we’d been out riding a few days before, how when the temperature was below 32 we all would put one shot in each bottle to keep the water from freezing solid, and he had laughed and asked if I was serious. Later, after we’d come off the high point of Huff’s Church and all the way down Smoketown and were in the bitter crosswind that is always there, he’d held his bottle up and it was solid and he’d said, “You weren’t joking,” and I’d shaken mine and it was slushy but you could get a sip out of it. This morning was worse, unseasonably and unreasonably so. Someone had…

Alpenrose Velodrome GRESHAM, OR Built in 1962, this 268.43-meter, concrete oval hosted the 1967 national championships. Its banks are steeper than normal (around 43 degrees). Info: obra.org/track Asheville Mellowdrome ASHEVILLE, NC This 500-meter asphalt track is gently banked (about four to five degrees), and asymmetrical (each corner has a different radius and slope). Info: ncsccyclingassoc.com Baton Rouge Velodrome BATON ROUGE, LA Built for a 1983 Olympic sports festival, this concrete oval also has a flat-track circuit. Info: facebook.com/batonrougevelodrome Brian Piccolo Park Velodrome COOPER CITY, FL This 333-meter concrete oval with 30-degree turns hosted the Russian national team’s training camp in January. Info: broward.org/parks Circulus PORTLAND, OR This 132-foot wooden velodrome is all bank, and is owned by cycling company Portland Design Works. A lap can take less than five seconds.…

Ten years and two weeks and two days after I quit smoking cigarettes and decided bicycles would replace my former life with a new life, I parked my pickup truck on a quiet, tree-lined street in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, and stepped out into a not-too-crisp morning and removed my road bike from the truck’s bed and gazed at a large older home about a block away, a home whose yard and doorways and windows teemed with skinny cyclists in spandex the way an ant colony teems with ants. The cyclists moved with skittery, herky-jerky, walking-with-cliplessroad-shoes strides and called out to each other in confident voices and fiddled with their bicycles or leaned them against trees or against the house or set them down on the grass, and no one appeared maudlin…

A HELMET IS ONE PIECE of cycling gear you hope never to use to its fullest extent. But if you do, it’s nice to know that all models sold in the United States meet the same minimum safety standards and can prevent some kinds of head injuries in a crash—no matter how little they cost. We judged these three premium options based on their fit, weight, comfort, cooling, and even how well they held our sunglasses. OUR PICK: Giro Aeon $250 Introduced in 2011, this helmet quickly became a staff favorite. Compared with the other finalists, the Aeon accommodated the widest variety of head shapes, and the roc Loc 5 retention system was the quickest to adjust—twisting one easy-spinning knob dialed in a secure fit without pressure points. The strap…

In a new column, The Shift (p. 50), MARK LEVINE will share how his bike is helping him navigate a move to an unfamiliar part of the country. “Riding and writing are extensions of each other,” he says. “They’re separate activities, but when you’re doing one you’re not necessarily not doing the other.” Levine, a professor at the Iowa Writer’s Workshop, has written three books of poems and one of nonfiction. In “Down to the Bone” (p. 80), MIKE MAGNUSON tackles a 160-mile ride while attempting to surf the line between passion and priorities. “Despite my desire to be a mellow, controlled cyclist, I am not ruling out the possibility of doing stupid shit on the bike in the future,” he says. Magnuson, a writing professor at Oregon’s Pacific University,…

BELGIUM IS SYNONYMOUS WITH GOOD BEER, great cycling champions, and grueling one-day races. Another low-country legacy: the Liège wafe, which also happens to be a delicious way to get your preride carb fix. Whether you make your own (see “Waffles from Scratch,” next page) or go for frozen, syrup and butter don’t have to be your only topping choices. Turn the page for benefit-and nutrition-packed alternatives that can elevate your waffle to a whole new level. CHUNKY CHERRY Blend until slightly chunky: 1 cup pitted cherries, 2 tablespoons honey, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract, 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves. Warm mixture in microwave and serve immediately. BLUEBERRY COMPOTE Simmer for 20 minutes: 2 cups blueberries, 1/3 cup water, 1/4 cup pure maple syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in 1…

OCCASIONALLY WHEN HE WAS RIDING HIS BIKE, Dan Freedman would find himself on a stretch of road that confounded him. It looked steep, yet he’d fly to the top. Then, when he thought he was cresting it, his legs would still be screaming. Every cyclist outside the flatlands has a story like this—but Freedman isn’t just any cyclist. He’s an MIT physicist who eventually concluded that the trouble with his hill wasn’t gravity; it was psychology. The surrounding trees grow at an angle that creates an optical illusion that fools his brain into thinking the terrain should be leveling out. “Cyclists talk about power-to-weight ratios,” says Robert Swoap, PhD, a professor of sport psychology at Warren Wilson College, in North Carolina. “But they fail to consider the psychological aspects.” Try…

TRAINING BASICS FOR CYCLISTS OF ALL LEVELS WHETHER YOU BROWSE FITNESS WEBSITES or the sports aisle at your local Barnes & Noble, you’ll find a wide variety of training advice, and sifting through it can be a daunting task. While some cyclists hire a coach to help make sense of it all, training on your own is simpler than you might imagine. The best coaches and athletes in the world adhere to these six maxims. Here’s how to make them work for you. OVERLOAD To get stronger and faster you need to gradually increase the demands you place on your body by riding longer, harder, or more often. For example, if you’re used to riding anywhere from three to five hours a week, adding 18 to 30 minutes to your…

HOW TO TALK BIKE SAFETY WITH THOSE WHO DON’T RIDE (YET) HAVE I EVER MENTIONED MY UNCLE LEO? He doesn’t ride, and he writes me off as one of those weirdos in spandex. We all have someone like this in our lives, a nonriding friend or relative who doesn’t understand or even doesn’t like cyclists. Rather than get defensive, I prefer to think of the Uncle Leos of the world as people who offer us a chance to start a dialogue about why cycling is important to us. Because we’re not just nameless, faceless jerks getting in their way: We’re people they know and care about. You can begin by demystifying some aspects of lawful cycling behavior that confuse drivers. You can also explain things drivers can do to help…

I ate an apple right before my ride and wound up with stomach cramps 20 minutes in. You didn’t give your body enough time to process it. Apples are high in fructose, a slow-burning sugar that is hard to digest—especially on the fly. Another possible culprit: the fiber-rich skin. Both fructose and fiber can reduce the flow of fluid through the digestive system, causing discomfort and cramps, says Tara Gidus, RD, CSSD. Next time, reach for a plum or peach: Both deliver fast, easily digestible energy with less fructose. If you want an apple, eat it 60 to 90 minutes before a workout, and the fructose will reward you with long-lasting fuel to stave off a bonk.…

I thought that using a pressure washer is supposed to be bad for your bike, so why do I always see pro mechanics using them on team rigs? Let’s get one thing straight. When it comes to bicycle care, pro mechanics do a lot of things differently than the average bike owner does, including performing meticulous daily maintenance on every bike they’re responsible for. That means they can get away with using a pressure washer—despite the fact that it can force H2O into bearings and cables—because they’ll catch problems right away and will grease, repair, or replace any parts that would eventually break down after long-term exposure to water. Unless you have the luxury of taking apart your bike every time you wash it, continue to use a water source…

It’s early spring and the sun is just beginning to fade. I’ve got the blacktop to myself. It’s my first time on Sugar Bottom Road, a faint squiggle on the map between Nothing and Nowhere. A sign promises twists and turns for the next 6 miles. The road is narrow, hemmed in by unruly trees and shrubs through which I can barely make out the occasional house in the distance—an old farmstead here, a McMansion there. Otherwise, I might as well be on one of those closed fantasy roads featured in car commercials. There’s a light wind at my back and I’m moving along at a good clip, rarely able to see more than 50 yards ahead before the pavement disappears into a turn. This is road bliss, I think.…

YOUR BICYCLE DOESN’T RUN ON LEG POWER ALONE. IT ALSO NEEDS A LITTLE LUBE, A LOTTA LOVE, AND A GOOD LISTEN. YOU MAY NOT KNOW EVERY REMEDY YOUR BIKE NEEDS TO LIVE A LONG LIFE, BUT YOU CAN GAIN ENOUGH WISDOM ALONG THE WAY TO KEEP IT IN TIP-TOP SHAPE AND OUT OF THE SHOP. THIS COLLECTION OF MOSTLY TIMELESS ADVICE (UNTIL ADVANCES IN BICYCLE TECHNOLOGY MAKE SOME OF IT OBSOLETE) WILL GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE ROLE OF PRIMARY CAREGIVER—SO YOU CAN LEAVE THE TOUGH STUFF TO THE PROFESSIONALS. CONTRIBUTORS: Andrew Bernstein, Tori Bortman, Brian Fiske, Jenny Kallista, Jim Langley, Mike Yozell GOOD RULES OF THUMB No. 1 Never loan tools to friends. No. 2 If it’s threaded, grease it. No. 3 You can’t properly adjust a bicycle that is…

October 1897 White racers refuse to compete against African-American champion Major Taylor at a Kentucky track and another event across the border in Indiana. January 1909 The Velodrome d’Hiver in Paris opens. Ernest Hemingway writes about it in A Moveable Feast. November 1940 At a six-day race at Chicago Stadium, German racers Gustav Kilian and Heinz Vopel are booed when they ride wearing black armbands bearing the Nazi swastika. July 1942 In a Nazi-decreed raid and mass arrest of 13,152 Jews by French police, captives are held in the Velodrome d’Hiver for five days before being moved to internment camps. 1968–1974 The Velodrome de Vincennes, a Parisian velodrome used for the 1900 and 1924 Olympic Games, becomes the finish line of the Tour de France. 1969 A horrific crash at…

YOU DON’T SPOT BIKES from these brands every day—and that’s just one of the many reasons we like them. Focus Izalco Pro WE’VE GIVEN THE IZALCO PRO our Editors’ Choice Award for best enthusiast road bike three years running, thanks to its lively handling and well-rounded performance. Not content to rest on its laurels, Focus updated the frame, aiming to make the bike lighter and stiffer for 2013. The company claims that the new version of the frame weighs 1,050 grams (an average for all sizes), which is about 100 less than the 2012 model. Like previous editions, this bike is responsive and efficient. Despite an increase in stiffness, the frame doesn’t pummel your sit bones as you race across cracked tarmac. But it’s not so muted that you lose…

PRECISE Teva says its Pivot is the world’s first mountain bike shoe designed in collaboration with a pedal maker (in this case, Crank Brothers). Look for it in a shop near you around July 1. Sometimes the best advice is the simplest. To buy the sticker, visit ninerbikes.com. INNOVATIVE When installing cleats for the first time, set them up so that the ball of your foot is directly over the pedal spindle, then slide them forward or back a few millimeters until you find the most comfortable position. When he’s not running his mobile repair shop, Pedal to the People, Chicago’s Adam Clark makes bike-part art. Even flat pedals can push tech limits: Ergon’s PC2 Evo Silver Edition has a carbon composite body and CNC machined aluminum axle cap. RIGOROUS…

FEELING CONFLICTED In our March feature “It Means Peace,” Mark Jenkins recounted his journey along Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh Trail. I was drafted during the Vietnam War but I’d never understood its effect on the Vietnamese people until I read this article. Kudos for publishing a fine piece of journalism. Jim Klein, Chino Valley, AZ Cycling through a foreign land has always been on my bucket list, but this story pushes it a few notches higher. Chris Bonner, Downingtown, PA I was unaware of how pivotal the bicycle was to the Vietnamese on the Ho Chi Minh Trail. I was impressed by the modifications to their bikes, and moved when the author gave his away at the end. Teri Nisbet, Keizer, OR While I think a ride on the Ho…

EXPOSE THEM EARLY As soon as infants have the neck strength to safely wear a helmet—usually around the first birthday—it’s okay to tow them in a bike trailer. Trailers are entertaining and nap-friendly for kids, and hauling the extra weight is a stress-busting workout for you. Look for a trailer with a five-point safety harness, a roll bar, and adjustable flaps for shade. DRILL SKILLS Once kids can ride without training wheels, find a grassy field or a parking lot to teach braking and cornering. Have a “slow race” to practice balance at low speeds. Let them slalom around pinecones and practice stopping at different speeds. Explain how to hop a curb (light hands, heavy feet). And even if they won’t be riding solo for years, it’s never too early…

DIVERT The sun may be setting later now that it’s spring, but you can still run out of daylight on an evening commute or an after-work ride. If it happens, use crosswalks at busy intersections rather than riding through traffic to the turn lane. It will take a little longer, but you’ll reduce the risk of an accident. If your route follows a busy thoroughfare, consider cutting over one block to a quieter side street. ILLUMINATE Always have the option of turning on a light by keeping two inexpensive blinkie lights on your bike at all times. Companies like Knog and Blackburn make lightweight ones that are unobtrusive and attach easily to a handlebar or seatpost. They won’t have enough firepower to illuminate your path, but the flashing LEDs will…

To get faster, work these types of riding into your repertoire RECOVERY Low heart rate; moderate cadence (80–90 rpm); effort level 1 to 3 (out of 10, your hardest). Forty-five to 75 minutes CRUISING Deep, steady breathing; 85–100 rpm; effort level 4 or 5. Sixty to 240 minutes TEMPO Rhythmic breaths; 85–100 rpm; effort level 6. Sample Workout One to four surges of five to 30 minutes, depending on fitness. Recovery: 50% of the interval time BRISK Quick, rhythmic breaths; 90–110 rpm; effort level 7 or 8. Sample Workout Three to five surges of three to 20 minutes. Recovery: 75–80% of the interval time POWER All-out; 90–110 rpm; effort level 10. Sample Workout Four to six surges of 30 seconds to 5 minutes. Recovery: 100–150% of the interval time…

CYCLING OFFERS TONS OF BENEFITS. SHARE THESE WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. It’s economical. Each mile of cycling saves $1 in health costs. While cyclists don’t damage roads, we do pay taxes to maintain them. Bike infrastructure is cheaper than any other form of transportation improvement. It reduces traffic congestion. That makes commuting easier for motorists. It improves your health. Riding is one of the best ways to offset the negative effects of inactivity, which causes 5.3 million deaths annually. Q DO I NEED TO HAVE MY DRIVER’S LICENSE WHEN I RIDE? A You don’t need one to ride a bike, but some locales, including California, require you to produce a governmentissued ID when a police officer is giving you a traffic ticket.…

FIND YOUR VEG EDGE Vegetarians take note: A study in the Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition concludes that cyclists who went meatless had to work harder (based on VO2 measurements) to achieve the same results during a cycling test than their carnivorous peers who got more protein. Round out a meat-free diet with plant-based protein sources. Aim for a serving or two of beans (about a cup) every day, as well as daily servings of soy, nuts, and whole grains, says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, director of sports nutrition at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. (Seriously?) The Belief Cardiovascular exercise builds a strong, healthy heart. And the harder you work out, the better. The Bigger Picture Actually, you can overdo it. Just as extreme exercise can cause…

FOR A PRO, TRAINING and racing are rigorous enough. Throw diabetes into the equation and it gets even harder. We asked Joe Eldridge, cofounder and rider for Team Novo Nordisk, the first all-diabetic professional cycling team, for his tips on managing the challenge. Most of his common-sense advice applies to any cyclist who wants to practice smart nutrition. HAVE A CONSISTENT FUEL STRATEGY I always eat the same breakfast, so I know how my body will react and how much insulin I need to process it. Experiment to find out the food and drink combo that works for you. LEAVE NOTHING TO CHANCE I check blood sugar constantly. I pack food so I can eat if it’s low, and insulin for when it spikes. In a race, I will force…

Most of us are at least mildly familiar with a staple of middle-school reading for the past quarter century, the Choose Your Own Adventure book series. They’re action novels, written in the second person, that offer the reader options at key moments in the plot—do you open the door or pass by? Do you try to swim or jump across the river? Each decision you make directs you to a different page (and a different outcome) so the story unfolds unpredictably even through a number of readings. Cycling is a lot like that. Each season is, to some extent, determined by us yet unpredictable. This spans the entire spectrum of racing: professional and amateur, international and domestic, and male and female, as well as weekend warriors, those whose big goal…

At the chilly, wind-whipped corner of Broadway and 49th, smack in the middle of the beleaguered downtown Cleveland neighborhood known as Slavic Village, I’m thinking about the bottomless human urge to build something where there’s nothing. ¶ I’m looking at a new velodrome, Cleveland’s first in a half century. It has recently risen from the cracked asphalt parking lot of the shuttered St. Michael Hospital, just one more last best hope; the regulars at the neighboring Bob & Sheri’s 49er diner and the Sokol Czech Cultural Center probably weren’t all that surprised when the shiny hospital lost its luster and eventually shut down, but there’s no way they could have seen this coming. The locals walking and driving by during construction were as perplexed at the saucer-shaped structure as if…

1. Sing. Loud. As you pass pedestrians, people in their yards, getting into their cars. 2. RIDE A FONDO WITH YOUR DAD, OR MOM, OR CHILDREN. OR ALL OF THEM. 3. SET YOUR COMPUTER TO KILOMETERS AND DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE IT FLASH 100KPH. 4. GET YOUR CHILDHOOD WHEELIE BACK. 5. Be the instigator on the next club ride—town-line sprints, granny-gear sprints, coasting races, you call it. 6. RIDE IN YOUR TOWN’S NEXT PARADE. 7. CUT ACROSS A CORNFIELD. FOLLOW THE POWERLINE. POACH THE GOLF-COURSE CART PATHS. (IF CAUGHT, APOLOGIZE SINCERELY AND PROFUSELY—IN A FOREIGN LANGUAGE.) 8. VOLUNTEER AS A BIKE MARSHAL AT A MARATHON OR 10K. (RESIST THE TEMPTATION TO THROW A VICTORY SALUTE AT THE LINE.) 9. Ride up your favorite descent—and down your favorite climb.…

JOHN JORDAN, 57, OF HOUSTON, wants a bike with a smooth ride that will help him quickly cover long distances. He usually pedals 40 to 50 miles on his long days, unless he is training for a MS 150—then, he’ll ride as far as 60 miles. After hearing a friend rave about a titanium bike, John wants one too. He’s willing to spend as much as $3,500. Dean El Vado Ti bikes in this price range were more common before carbon fiber came along and relegated the gray metal mostly to the realm of bespoke builders and stratospheric prices: The El Vado is one of only a few non-custom ti bikes that fit into John’s budget. It feels smooth over rough roads, yet retains a lively feel and sporty character.…