Sports and Recreation - Cycling

By Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka You should choose road-cycling shorts based on the quality of materials and construction. But also crucial is how well they conform to your unique anatomy. Sometimes a relatively inexpensive pair may work better for you than a high-zoot model. Shorts, like saddles, are tough to recommend because of differences in butts, crotches, seats and riding positions. Every rider has to try on shorts, buy the model/size that fits snugly but comfortably, then hope for the best on the bike. It's hit or miss, and some luck is involved. Just as with saddles, there is no universal answer. That said, here are guidelines that'll point you toward better choices. * Price. Generally, the more expensive the shorts, the higher the quality. Avoid cheap shorts because the material and construction may be substandard. They may be sewn from only 4 or 6 pieces ("panels"), which won't give you the best anatomical fit. The padded liner ("chamois") ...

By Fred Matheny In cycling, it’s known as “hot foot” -- a burning pain in the ball of the foot, perhaps radiating toward the toes. Severe cases feel like some sadistic demon is applying a blowtorch. Hot foot occurs most often on long rides. It may develop sooner or more intensely on hilly courses because climbs cause greater pedaling pressure. The pain results when nerves are squeezed between the heads of each foot’s five long metatarsal bones. These heads are in the wide part of the foot (the “ball”) just behind the toes. My worst case of hot foot occurred on a 3,400-mile, 24-day transcontinental ride. With an average distance of 140 miles per day, no rest days and more than 100,000 feet of vertical gain, my dogs were smoking by the third week. My RBR partner, Ed Pavelka, remembers being in agony near the end of one 225-mile ride early in his long-distance career. It was his first experience with hot foot, and the problem plagued him that season until he changed to larger shoes. Feet ...

By Fred Matheny A saddle sore can ruin a ride. Even a tiny zit can begin to feel like you’re perched on a golf ball. Nearly as painful are crotch abrasions caused by shorts that bunch or have an irritating seam. Even the pros, hardened by thousands of miles in the saddle, fall victim to what cycling author Arnie Baker, M.D., calls “crotchitis.” Fabled tough guys like Eddy Merckx and Sean Kelly had to abandon races when the pain became too great. Most medical experts say that saddle sores are actually boils caused by skin bacteria that invade surface abrasions. Remedies have come a long way from the era when riders would put slabs of raw steak in their shorts to cushion the abraded area. Of course, avoiding saddle sores is better than curing them (or ruining a good sirloin). Here’s how: * Improve your bike fit. If your seat is too high, your hips rock on each pedal stroke and strum your soft tissue across the nose of the saddle. The result is irritated skin and a greater chance of ...

Make Sure a Newcomer Returns for a Second Ride! By Ed Pavelka If you’ve been in this sport for long, you’ve probably seen it happen. An enthusiastic person shows up for his (or her) first ride with the local club. He’s a bit intimidated by the lingo he overhears, but that’s nothing compared to his anxiety about what to do and how to do it once the ride gets underway. Before long he’s trailing behind, spooked by the interplay of bike wheels and feeling as wanted as an IRS agent in a Super Bowl pool. Do you think this guy will be back for another ride next weekend? Not likely. It’s unfortunate, but experienced cyclists are often pretty tough on newcomers. It may be intentional because of the risks that an unskilled bike-handler creates for everyone, but more often it happens because we forget how much a novice cyclist doesn’t know. If you think about it, riding a bike isn’t all that easy. Gero McGuffin has thought about it. She was 30 years old before she climbed onto a bike the first ti...

By Candis Reade Trek brand bicycles made their debut in the year 1976! During the 1970s, a new energy consciousness created a great boom for bicycles. Trek grew during this period and won great recognition in the bike market. By the 1980s, Trek had introduced a wide range of over 850 models that resulted in the ground breaking success. Effectively designed in California, the Trek bicycles started dominating the bike racing circuits and continued to grow more popular. The most striking features of these bicycles include comfortable seats, thick tires and a unique system of gears compared to other road bikes. Trek bicycles are the most renowned brand name in the United States of America. The bicycles are designed with higher end versions built with care in their headquarters in Waterloo, Wisconsin. They are among the most recognized industry brands, and manufacture a wide range of bicycles in order to meet the demands of riders across the world. During the career of Lance Armstrong, Trek...

By Joseph Devine With the recent popularity of biking phenomenon Lance Armstrong, biking in America has seen a sharp increase in popularity. More and more people are taking their bikes out onto the road and training for various races that take place around the country. In response to this recent growth, cities are having trouble keeping up with and creating the proper infrastructure to accommodate these riders. In some cities, like Austin, Texas, people on bikes are fully authorized to use public roads, so long as they adhere to customary driving law and regulations. This rather shoddy integration of bikers onto public roads sometimes frustrates drivers who are not used to the high-density population of bike riders in a city. Bike lanes and new laws that require car operators to be extra attentive when sharing the roads have helped some in ensuring driver and rider safety, while also keeping the flow of traffic moving. On top of this, the buildup of parked bikes can get in the way of p...

By Markus Skupeika Keeping a bike clean and rust free for a long time is not a very tough and time taking job if you have the right equipments and if you know how to clean a bike properly. If you are a first time bike cleaner, do not worry, it is as simple as riding the bike People often ask, what should be the frequency of cleaning a bike It completely depends on your riding habits and location. If you drive through salty or muddy conditions or if you need to keep your bike outside, you may need to clean the bike often. Normally, cleaning the bike at least once a month is always recommended. However, apart from these regular cleanings, you should also go for an end to end cleaning at least once a year. Hanging a bike from a tree while cleaning it is never a good solution; it is always better to buy a bike stand for easy cleaning. Hanging a bike by the tree makes the whole process more time consuming and tough. Apart from that you also need some cleaners and lubricants along with clean...