Innehållsförteckning för Issue 6 2020 från Bicycling

SHANNON LEIGH GEAR OF THE YEAR/GARAGE P. 40 When I was learning to ride as a kid, I could not figure out braking. We’d ride the Centennial Trail, and my mode for stopping was to just run into the blackberry bushes on the side of the trail. I’m glad I’ve figured out how to use brakes now! ALSO: The only thing that makes a bike great is if someone is having a blast on it! If you love riding your bike, your bike is great. DAISY HERNANDEZ GEAR OF THE YEAR/WEAR P. 50 You don’t have to have a race schedule, log hundreds of miles a week, or stick to a regimen to be considered a cyclist. Riding a bike because you love to and it brings you joy is…

At Bicycling, we believe that the right gear can transform the way you ride. The ideal tire tread, or roll of bar tape, or perfectly contoured saddle does more than meet your immediate needs; it reflects who you are as a cyclist and the type of rider you aspire to be (and that’s true whether you’re motivated by performance, style, comfort, or frugality). To help you find those outstanding products, we’ve built the largest and most experienced team of cycling test editors. They rigorously review hundreds of bikes and thousands of products each year. For this issue, we pulled from that testing to recommend—and celebrate—the 100 best products we’ve tried in 2020. It’s the largest Gear of the Year package we’ve ever created, stuffed with the clothing, components, bikes, and…

ANTICIPATE IT When in doubt, shift before the terrain changes, especially on hills. Don’t wait until you can feel the incline kick in before you shift. EASE UP When you shift, keep pedaling but lighten up the pressure on the pedals, especially on hills—if you’re pushing hard or if you stop pedaling completely, the chain may skip or fall off. DON’T CROSS-CHAIN This is where the chain is at an extreme slant either in the big ring up front and the biggest cog in back, or the small ring up front and the small cog in back. Cross-chaining not only stresses the hardware, but it also limits your options if you need to shift again. In some cases, you’ll hear a clicking noise when you’re cross-chaining.…

ADJUST TO COOLER RIDING WEATHER Lower temps mean your body needs a little more time to warm up when riding. To get your muscles ready, do an easy loop near your home. If you’re able, loop by your house or car early in the ride so you can shed any layers that seemed like a good idea before you started pedaling. If not, gear up with easy-to-shed layers such as light jackets or vests and arm or knee warmers. When it’s not super hot out, it feels less crucial to reach for your water bottle, but that’s a huge mistake. Make sure you’re still drinking around one bottle per hour, says Nanci Guest, R.D., sports nutrition expert—even if you don’t feel as thirsty as you did when it was 100…

KEEP YOUR HEADSET CORROSION-FREE Your headset bearings and stem bolts tend to be very susceptible to rusting. For smooth steering or adjusting your stem, it’s best that these parts aren’t corroded in place. To avoid that, try using a sweat cover, which attaches to your seatpost and handlebar and provides an absorbent textile to soak up sweat and prevent it from falling onto the bike. It can get super gross between washes, but it works really well. PROTECT YOUR HANDLEBAR Changing bar tape frequently is a must, even if you aren’t the sweatiest person. Any unchecked moisture that builds up over time can seep through the bar tape and corrode your aluminum handlebar to the point of failure, with potentially catastrophic results. (Carbon-fiber or composite handlebars don’t corrode.) So while…

At minimum, you need a 5x6-foot area to make room for the bike, yourself, and a surface for tools and parts. If available, 8x10 feet, or about half of a car parking space, gives you more room to work around the bike and allows for a workbench. You also need a bike stand. The ones included in this guide are awesome choices, but there are less expensive options, too. If you’re tight on space, bench- and wall-mounted stands (like Park Tool’s PRS-4W) might work better. Finally, you need storage for tools in a toolbox, on a pegboard, or in drawers. As you add tools to your arsenal, start with one of my essentials: a set of ball-end P-handle metric Allen wrenches. If I could have only one tool, this would…

71 SCIENCE IN SPORT GO ISOTONIC ENERGY GELS $11 for six Gut rot. Anyone who’s ever sucked down one too many gels in an effort to keep a bonk at bay knows the feeling of a nauseous, flip-flopping, bloated belly. The culprit: trying to fast-track more concentrated carbs into your stomach than it can shuttle into your bloodstream. Though most companies recommend you chase their gels with water, just a few sips won’t cut it. You need three or four ounces of water for every five grams of carbs. If you figure about 25 grams of carbs per gel, that means you should slug about a bottle per packet. And if you slam two or three gels an hour? Well, your belly had better be bulletproof. That’s why “stomach-ability” is…

FOUNDER CIS TRAINING SYSTEMS, BICYCLING MEMBERSHIP COACH BROOKLYN, NY A Little Bit About Me My cycling and coaching philosophy dates back to 1993, when I worked as a diversity and inclusion exec in banking and finance. During that time, I achieved Cat 2 cycling status and an advanced-level black-belt degree and two brown belts in three martial arts disciplines. In 2009, I wanted to channel my entrepreneurial spirit and love for cycling into a more fulfilling career. So I pressed forward and created CIS Training Systems, a coaching service and cycling community. I discovered innovative ways of combining the science of cycling, the art of coaching, and the principles of leadership stressed in martial arts. I teach my clients to overcome mental obstacles to create more effective long-term training behaviors. Overall,…

BRAKE EARLY On descents or high-speed turns, start braking before the turn. “If you are turning and braking at the same time, you have a higher risk of losing traction,” Henderson says. You’ll also want to think about braking earlier than usual leading up to the turn when riding in wet conditions, even with disc brakes. “It’s not just the power of the brake, it’s keeping the tire in contact with the ground, and not sliding or skidding,” he adds. Use both front and rear brakes, and feather them lightly, rapidly alternating pressure and releasing. LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO As you go through the turn, shift your gaze to where you want your bike to follow. This will help you maintain a smooth line and control where you…

Don’t own a chain wear tool? No problem. In a pinch, you can measure chain wear using a standard ruler. To do this, you should know that all modern chains have rivets every half inch and that you’ll be measuring the distance from one rivet to another 12 inches down the chain. Start by drawing the chain taut. Align the zero-inch end of the ruler with the center of a rivet, then check where the ruler’s 12-inch mark lines up. If it’s dead-center on a rivet, the chain is in great condition. If the center of the rivet is less than 1/16 inch past the 12-inch mark, then the chain is showing some wear but still has plenty of life left in it. If the rivet is more than 1/16…

MOST COMFORTABLE FOR LONG RIDES WAHOO KICKR $1,200 The Kickr has consistently been one of the most reliable and user-friendly trainers available. The newest version measures power more accurately than the 2018 edition, within 1 percent, and allows for up to 5 degrees of side-to-side movement while riding. Rubber feet are paired with three sets of plastic cups that fit over the feet to moderate that movement. The largest cups completely encapsulate the rubber feet and keep the trainer fixed in place, while the smallest leave the flexible, rubber feet largely exposed and allow the bike to sway up to 5 degrees. It’s just enough that riding feels far more comfortable than being locked in place, but not so much that the bike moves unnaturally. The ride feel is more…

50 | PEDAL MAFIA ARTIST SERIES UNICORN Jersey $129, Tech Bib $159 Pedal Mafia’s more basic jersey designs have a simple, monochromatic aesthetic not so different from some popular Rapha options. But this playful, limited-edition Unicorn Artist jersey really stands out—it’s made with compressive fabrics and has a streamlined aero cut. The Tech Bib uses the company’s high-density foam chamois, which is century-ready with a perforated poly-blend fabric that borders on magic. Wearing the jersey and bib, I didn’t melt when training in 90-degree weather with 75 percent humidity or feel too chilled while climbing mountains in October. 51 | VERGE STRIKE CARRERA SHORT-SLEEVE SPEEDSUIT $200 At the core of any great kit is a great chamois, and Verge delivers with its Strike speedsuit. The brand’s Apex chamois has comfortable…

The trend of adding protein to a variety of foods—from pancakes to pasta—is growing, thanks to the increased popularity of low-carb, high-protein diets such as keto and paleo. Those diets may work for some, but most athletes need carbs because they’re our body’s preferred fuel source for exercise. We also need protein, the basic building blocks of the body, to strengthen and repair active muscles, especially after a long ride or tough workout. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends around 1.1 to 1.4 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for recreational riders, and 1.2 to 2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight for serious athletes. But aim for around 20 to 30 grams per meal—research shows we can’t process much more than that at one…