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Follwing is a free cycling weekly newsletter that you might find helpful. You can subscribe by going to the website: www.roadbikerider.com The area to subscribe is right up front. The two editors are training for long distance rides which you can read about in item 8. Ed Pavelka will be attemping PBP this year, I believe. I know he's done it in the past.
ROCn Website: When I get back from my business trip I hope to start the ROCn website and with some help get a page or two in Chinese. Ane webpage experts out there wanna help? Raise your hand. :o)
ROCn 200K: 10 riders, including one coming over from the U.S. are signed up. I'm gonna be very busy that day.
Enjoy
Joe
----- Original Message -----
From: RoadBikeRider
To: jkeenan0407@...
Sent: Thursday, March 08, 2007 7:42 AM
Subject: RBR's 03/08/07 Newsletter: Ideal Ankle Angle
RoadBikeRider.com Newsletter
Issue No. 285 - 03/08/07: Ideal Ankle Angle
ISSN 1536-4143
Produced almost every Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without cost or obligation to 54,432 roadies around the world.
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
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**************** Cycling's Borat ? ***************
He lived in a beat up van traveling around a country
not speaking the language chasing a dream making
you laugh and groan all the way. TheTourBaby.com
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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/285e.htm
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In This Issue
1. Weekly Dispatch
2. Best of Coach Fred: What's the Ideal Ankle Angle?
3. Uncle Al: The Liars Club
4. Body Mechanic: Weighty Wisdom
5. Scott's Spin: Smart Mouth
6. RBR eBookstore
7. Views You Can Use: Spoke Breakage
8. Ed & Fred's Training Logs: Feb. 26 - March 4
9. Try This on Your Next Ride: Turn Your Back Into a Sail
10. Classifieds (2 new)
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1. WEEKLY DISPATCH
Finally, good news (mostly) from pro road racing!
On Monday a ceasefire was reached that will allow the 2007 European season to proceed as planned. The UCI (cycling's governing body) and the owners of the sport's biggest races agreed to suspend hostilities. The truce came just in time to save the season's first major event, the Paris-Nice stage race on March 11-18.
Had the UCI and owners failed to find agreement, either cycling's biggest races would have been held without the elite ProTour teams, or teams that did compete would have been "heavily penalized" by the UCI.
Now, racing will proceed with at least 18 of the 20 ProTour teams competing in the showcase events, including the grand tours of France, Italy and Spain.
The fact that two teams -- newcomers Astana and Unibet.com -- are not guaranteed a place on the starting line is seen as a victory for the race owners. More leeway in choosing teams was a key point of conflict with the UCI, which held that all 20 ProTour teams must be allowed in each ProTour event.
Astana and Unibet.com now will need to depend on wildcard invitations. The race owners said they would consider the teams' applications "in a positive light."
That wasn't enough for Belgium-based Unibet.com, which termed its exclusion "unacceptable."
"We have invested 32 million euros [$42 million] to be a part of the ProTour and therefore to be able to take part in all ProTour events, but now they're refusing us that right," said manager Jacques Hanegraaff on Tuesday. "We are going to start judicial proceedings against the organizers and the UCI to make the most of our rights."
So some bickering goes on. But at least racing will too.
As the season unfolds, UCI officials and race owners will meet monthly to attempt to hammer out a long-term agreement. They've set a Sept. 21 deadline for finally putting this potentially crippling conflict behind them.
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Unibet.com's possible exclusion from ProTour events in France is linked to its title sponsor. The team's jersey, with "Unibet" across the chest, is seen as violating a 19th-century French law that forbids promotion of gambling (except for state-run gambling). Unibet is incorporated in Malta.
Said Patrice Clerc, president of ASO, the company that owns Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France, "I won't risk putting ASO in conflict with the law."
But in fact, Clerc was against allowing Unibet into his French ProTour events long before he began citing the old regulation. His stance ignited the season-threatening conflict with the UCI, and trouble remains if Unibet is kept out of Paris-Nice and takes the matter to court. Another gambling-sponsored team, Belgium's Predictor-Lotto, has been racing in ASO events without any issue for several years.
Unibet has told a judge it will willingly wear jerseys without the gambling name on them if that's what it takes to participate in ASO races. A ruling is due tomorrow, 48 hours before Paris-Nice begins.
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These are the ProTour events that hung in the balance as the UCI and race owners feuded. Eighteen ProTour teams are now guaranteed entry while Astana and Unibet.com must hope for wildcard invitations.
Paris-Nice
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
Paris-Roubaix
Fleche Wallone
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Giro d'Italia
Tour de France
Vuelta a Espana
Paris-Tour
Giro di Lombardia
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Landis Defense Called "Brilliant"
Floyd Landis is continuing his "town hall" meetings in the U.S. to raise money for his doping defense, and L.A. Times reporter Michael Hiltzik continues to do a great job covering the case.
We've cited this Pulitzer Prize winner's investigative articles several times. This week, Hiltzik participated in a web chat where his perspective sheds more light on the issues Landis will raise when he goes before an arbitration panel on May 14.
Landis, as you know, is fighting to keep the Tour de France title he won last year before it was found that he failed a testosterone test late in the race. He contends the testing procedure was fraught with errors, and his evidence is posted on the Floyd Fairness Fund website at http://www.floydfairnessfund.org/the-case.htm
In the chat, Hiltzik talked about Landis's so-called "wikipedia defense." Some excerpts:
---I think it is, in its way, brilliant. One of the main problems athletes have had in defending themselves in anti-doping cases is the dearth of independent experts. That's because the most experienced doping scientists tend to be employed by [World Anti-Doping Agency] labs, and under WADA rules they can't work for an athlete's defense.
---The wikipedia defense in effect drafts thousands of qualified experts in cyberspace to review the case, and I have no doubt that Landis's defense has profited from the analysis done online.
---As to whether the wiki defense has made the [anti-doping] authorities dig in their heels, I think the aggressiveness of Landis's defense in general has caused them surprise. It's much more common for an athlete to assent to a sanction or, if he or she goes to arbitration, to accept the limited document discovery that [U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] rules allow.
---It's very unusual, almost unique, for an athlete to demand discovery on the scale Landis has, much less post all the material in public. I've never seen an anti-doping prosecution laid out for public consumption like this, and I've certainly seen some responses from USADA that I would think would be considered unacceptable by a normal court of law.
You can read the full transcript of Hiltzik's chat, with his give-and-take with questioners, at http://tinyurl.com/25j48z
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Biking for Bucks
The March issue of Cycle Sport magazine investigates the annual salaries of pro road stars (generally not public knowledge) and comes up with this top 10 (all figures in millions):
1. Alejandro Valverde, 26, Spain, Caisse d'Epargne, $3.8 (2.6 euros)
2. Paolo Bettini, 32, Italy, Quick Step, $3.3 (2.5 euros)
3. Tom Boonen, 26, Belgium, Quick Step, $2.6 (2.0 euros)
4. Alessandro Petacchi, 33, Italy, Milram, $2.2 (1.7 euros)
5. Ivan Basso, 29, Italy, Discovery Channel, $2.0 (1.5 euros)
6. Damiano Cunego, 25, Italy, Lampre-Fondital, $1.8 (1.4 euros)
7. Alexandre Vinokourov, 33, Kazakhstan, Astana, $1.7 (1.3 euros)
8. Robbie McEwen, 34, Australia, Predictor-Lotto, $1.6 (1.2 euros)
9. Erik Zabel, 36, Germany, Milram, $1.6 (1.2 euros)
10. Thor Hushovd, 29, Norway, Credit Agricole, $1.3 (1.0 euros)
Greg LeMond's salary when he turned pro for France's Renault team in 1981: $15,000.
LeMond's salary in his last year with France's Z team, 1992: $2 million. He is credited with leading the entire pro peloton to higher wages.
Lance Armstrong's earnings in the final year of his career, 2005: $18 million.
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Liquid Asset
You know how it goes on cool-weather rides: You take a bottle of water but hardly touch it. You don't sweat much, you don't feel thirsty, and you don't want to create the need for bladder-relieving pit stops.
And then you wonder why you feel so blah the next day.
Dehydration could very well be the reason. It's a point driven home in a recent Train Right Nutrition Newsletter by an excerpt from CEO Chris Carmichael's new book, "5 Essentials for a Winning Life."
"I have often told athletes that the first and best response to feeling 'off' is to start drinking fluids immediately," Carmichael writes. "It's actually one of the simplest ways to improve your performance."
Carmichael also contends:
---A well-hydrated body suffers less fatigue and fewer headaches while enjoying clearer skin and greater flexibility. In general, water puts you in a better mood.
---Being dehydrated by as little as 2% can hinder performance by as much as 10%. When dehydration increases to 5% performance declines by 30%. If you're already 2% dehydrated when you start a workout, there's a pretty good chance you'll be 4-5% dehydrated during it.
---When you increase your daily fluid intake to 3/4 to 1 gallon (2.8-3.8 liters) you soon see results. You feel more energetic, your workouts are better, you focus better and you're less irritable.
---Suddenly drinking more will simply increase urine production. But as your body adapts, you'll start to retain more fluid. Make the increase gradual and top out at recommended 3/4 to 1 gallon a day.
---On a day you train, add an extra 20 ounces (590 ml) of fluids per hour of workout time, more if it's a strenuous workout on a hot day.
---To drink enough, carry a water bottle with you and, if possible, keep the fluid at a temperature you enjoy. To make drinking more pleasurable, use flavored water or add a scoop of sports drink.
(Thanks to Carmichael Training Systems at http://www.trainright.com)
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Final week on RBR's free site: Former Bicycling magazine technical editor Fred Zahradnik reviews the Garmin Edge 305HR GPS cyclecomputer. Cycling by satellite! Get the details and Dr. Z's rating at http://www.roadbikerider.com/producttests.htm
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Check RBR's newest product -- our first compact disc -- Cycling Science. All 23 issues of this acclaimed technical journal are now available on one searchable CD. Just $23.95 with shipping included worldwide. See more info and the titles of 101 articles on the disc by clicking http://www.roadbikerider.com/cscd_page.htm
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CYCLING SHORTS
---Bets are being placed on how much weight Jan Ullrich will gain by the end of the year (the over/under is 18 pounds), but maybe he intends to stay active and defy his penchant for porking. Two weeks after retiring, the '97 Tour de France winner will be riding in South Africa's Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Cycle Tour this Sunday. The annual event bills itself as the "world's largest timed cycle race" and hosts some 35,000 riders. Ullrich is riding the 68 miles (109 km) in support of two charities for children.
---It's going to be warm again someday, and when that happens this new product may be of interest. In mid April, an Idaho company called Polarpak plans to introduce a gel-cooled reservoir to fit backpack-style hydration systems such as CamelBak. The reservoir is stored in the freezer to keep the gel pack frozen. In turn it keeps liquids cool for as long as 8 hours. The gel is nontoxic and the reservoir material and hose have antimicrobial properties, which, combined with freezer storage, means it isn't necessary to clean the reservoir to prevent bacterial growth -- just rinse it out. Two reservoir sizes will be offered (70 oz. and 100 oz.) for about $30. The gel pack adds about 10 ounces to the 4.5 pounds of a full 70-oz. reservoir, according to the company. http://www.polarpak.com
---Daylight saving time begins on Sunday in much of the U.S. That's three weeks earlier than normal, and it's a good thing for everyone who likes to ride after work. But it could be a bad thing for lots of computers. We're not talking about a mess of Y2K proportions, but a New York Times article explains how the new DST date could put many computer programs out of synch. The threat is being called a "major headache" for corporate technology departments. But Microsoft's new Vista operating system is not affected, according to the article, and online software updates have been pushed out automatically for everyone running Windows XP Service Pack 2. Microsoft and Apple are also making software patches and instructions available on their websites. One concern if you're traveling to a cycling event in the next three weeks: a computerized wakeup call could come an hour later than you wanted. To read the detailed article, click http://tinyurl.com/2ud9zx
---Lance Armstrong has been chosen by the V Foundation for Cancer Research as the "Spirit of Jimmy V" honoree for 2007. The annual award is given to someone who exemplifies the spirit of the late Jim Valvano, the basketball coach and ESPN analyst who announced the formation of the V Foundation in 1994. His memorable speech was given at the inaugural ESPY Awards a few weeks before his death from cancer. Armstrong will accept the award at a gala in New York City on April 25.
---Last week's Scott's Spin offered several tongue-in-cheek ways to make hybrids and other quiet cars sound louder when they come up behind roadies. RBR reader Bruce O. from Wyoming replied with a practical solution for traffic awareness: "Instead of having every car sound like a Harley with straight pipes, why not wear a mirror? I race with a mirror and would not ride my bike or motorcycle or drive my car without one. Try a small plastic mirror that clips onto your glasses stem."
---The Versus network lists Paris-Nice race coverage for Sunday, March 11, at 5-7 p.m. ET; Wednesday, March 14, at 3-5 p.m. ET; Sunday, March 18, at 5-7 p.m. ET; Wednesday, March 21, at 3-5 p.m. ET. Also check your local listings.
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Overheard: "Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." -- Louis L'Amour, novelist (1908-1988)
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Ride Log Software CycliStats.com
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2. BEST OF COACH FRED
What's the Ideal Ankle Angle?
Question: My Achilles tendon gets aggravated, apparently by my pedaling style. If I pedal with my heel just slightly lower than normal on the power part of the stroke, it doesn't hurt. Can you suggest how to keep my heel at this "ideal" pain-free level? -- Jim L.
Coach Fred Matheny Replies: I suppose you could use a custom ankle brace or a really tight tape job. But locking your ankle like that and altering your pedal stroke might produce injuries somewhere else even if it does relieve your Achilles pain.
We naturally hold our feet in a certain position while pedaling, based on various physiological factors. There's no "correct" foot angle. Jacques Anquetil, a five-time Tour de France winner, pedaled with a pronounced toes-down position. Eddy Merckx, another Tour five-peater, had a flat-foot style. Greg LeMond, a three-time winner, was often seen climbing with his heel down at the bottom of the stroke. All three guys rode pretty well.
Most riders who try to emulate the form of a top pro -- instead of pedaling in the style that's normal for them -- will probably not ride as well and might get injured too. Manipulations to pedaling style generally create an inefficient stroke.
Be certain your saddle height is correct and that your cleats are properly placed. For expert positioning guidelines, check Arnie Baker's Bike Fit or Andy Pruitt's Medical Guide for Cyclists.
Also consider a stretching program that creates more ankle flexibility. One effective Achilles stretch is to stand about two feet from a wall and lean into it while keeping your heel on the ground. Hold for 20-30 seconds, doing one leg and then the other. As your tendons loosen, stand back a bit farther to increase the stretch. Do this short routine before and after every ride.
(Fred Matheny is the author of 8 practical "how to" eBooks for road cycling improvement -- including the Complete Book of Road Bike Training about which roadie Holmes M. says: "What a great book. My how things in the cycling training world have changed!")
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3. UNCLE AL: The Liars Club
I've warily watched the explosive growth of eBay. You've heard of this online auction house (who hasn't?) and may have even used it.
The concept is brilliant, but for those of us in the bike biz eBay has become a haven for thieves, liars and ne'er-do-wells in and out of the cycling industry.
Consider this: Current guesstimates say 60-65% of new bicycles and cycling products offered on eBay are stolen.
Bike shop employees have been busted in Colorado and California. Their thievery totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars. In these cases, shop managers of big stores were in cahoots with an "outside" man that received the hot stuff in the alley. That evening it would be posted on eBay. Hollywood couldn't come up with a slicker heist.
Another troubling aspect of the eBay phenomenon is how used bikes and products are represented.
"Ridden only by grandma on Sundays. Perfect condition!" Who'd believe that? A lot of people, it seems.
The old saying that "one man's ceiling is another man's floor" couldn't be truer when it comes to the junk bikes local people have bought on eBay and then brought into my shop. Not once have I seen a bike that matched the seller's description.
I've seen "barely ridden" bikes that could not be revived. I've also seen bikes that looked fine but had handling problems that only riding them would reveal.
My question is this: Why would a serious cyclist buy a bike on eBay, new or used, that they haven't ridden, no matter how great the deal?
The risk is disappointment and tons of hassles trying to return a bike that isn't right. And if it's been stolen, good luck. The thief will have vanished just like the bike did from the store.
Yeah, I'm a shop owner. So you know where I'm coming from. Do what you like, but keep a couple of things in mind:
---Most companies strictly prohibit internet sales of their new bikes. If a shop owner violates that part of the dealer agreement and gets caught by the web watchdogs these companies employ, he'll be looking for another brand pronto. So if the bike you see on eBay is brand new you can almost be certain something's fishy.
---Buying used bike equipment is a crap shoot at best. When your "barely used" bike shows up in a beat-up cardboard box, upside down, without any packing material and parts missing because they fell through the holes, remember your Unc told you so.
In a world with lots of stress and strain, do you want to impose more of it on yourself? The purpose of this rant is to help you on the way to a great cycling experience. Nothing sounds better than a bike customer telling me, "This was the best investment I ever made. It changed my life."
That's priceless. For everything else there's PayPal.
(Click feedback@... 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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4. Body Mechanic BRAD COOPER
Need a little "iron" therapy? Here are my four fundamental tips for helping you maximize the benefits of your weight-training program:
---Always warm up. This can involve 10-15 minutes on the bike, treadmill, elliptical trainer or your weapon of choice. Just do something. It increases your heart rate and blood flow, warming up tissues to improve your performance with the weights. It also reduces the chance of injury.
---Exercise slowly. The exception to making slow, deliberate movements is if you are incorporating plyometrics or other burst-type training in your workout. These are quick movements by design.
---Work the muscle you're working on. Sound like a tongue twister? Well, look around the gym and you'll see people who think the only thing that matters is how much weight they're moving. The most humorous example is the standing biceps curl, where most guys involve their backs so much that their elbows only go through half the range of motion.
---Keep moving. It's easy to turn a 20-minute session into 40 minutes, but why? You're an endurance athlete, so act like it. Limit your rest, go back and forth between body parts and get 'er done!
(Brad Cooper is a physical therapist, athletic trainer and triathlete who offers advice on injuries and training in his "Fitness Matters!" ezine at http://www.FullSpectrumCoaching.net.)
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5. SCOTT'S SPIN: Smart Mouth
Went to dinner with some cycling buddies the other weekend. Spouses were invited. None came.
"You guys are just going to talk bikes," said one weary life partner. "I'd rather get a root canal. With a rusty drill. In a sewer."
Oh, no -- proof positive that I've become a bike geek, incapable of engaging in normal conversation without using words like rotating weight, ceramic bearings or kilojoules.
Don't let this happen to you. Using my handy guide to dialogue for roadies, you too can learn to chat with humans about current events, culture, philosophy and other non-cycling trivia.
Heed these do's and don'ts and your next cocktail-party appearance will be a smash.
Topic: Foreign Affairs
What to Say: Anyone who thinks multilateral talks can solve the simmering tensions along the Serbian frontier need only look to the failed diplomacy on display during the Prussian renaissance of the late 19th century, don't you agree?
What Not to Say: So, Campy or Shimano?
Topic: Economics
What to Say: If you ask me, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act will sound the death knell for sheltered debentures unless fourth-quarter revenues turn this bear market around and housing starts cease declining in the face of Third World micro-lending policies.
What Not to Say: My bicycle cost four thousand bucks.
Topic: Politics
What to Say: As everyone knows, this front-loaded primary system makes a travesty of our so-called democracy by placing inordinate power in the clammy hands of activist voters in a few small, unrepresentative states where the price of hog bellies is more important than the cost of freedom.
What Not to Say: I wouldn't vote for Obama even if he rode a bike. Dude's a smoker.
(Scott Martin wrote feature articles for Bicycling magazine for a dozen years. You can reach him at scottmartin@...)
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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.) 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
Spring Training for Roadies (eBook)
Fred Matheny's 8-week program for launching a super summer season
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
Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat (eBook)
How to choose the safest, most comfortable saddle for your anatomy
Plus! 10 more eBooks and 14 targeted eArticles at http://www.roadbikerider.com/bookstore.htm
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7. VIEWS YOU CAN USE
Unsolicited eBook review by roadie Drew Knox of Wilmington, Delaware:
"Add Roger Musson's Practical Guide to Wheel Building to the RBR all-star list of eBooks.
"I've built maybe 35 sets of wheels, studied four different books, tried half-a-dozen different lacing patterns, been privately tutored, and even attended a wheelbuilding clinic. Still, Roger added to my store of knowledge with a dead-on explanation of why he laces spokes from outside-in first (his is the best way), how to find the key spoke, and he uses very clean, understandable drawings.
"The last is no small thing. Instead of photos or anatomically correct drawings, Roger collaborated with the artist to stylize the wheel so the rim holes and lacing patterns are much more apparent than from any single angle.
"I used the eBook last week to teach my friend, John, how to lace and build a wheel. I think he would have done just as well without me, which is to say the eBook is a fine teaching aid for beginners as well reinforcing or correcting old habits.
"If I had to pick just one wheelbuilding book to recommend, this would be it."
Thanks, Drew! A Practical Guide to Wheel Building contains 94 pages with 84 illustrations. The author is a pro wheelbuilder in Great Britain who contends that anyone can use his eBook to competently build, maintain and repair wheels for the road or trail.
Here's a passage that illustrates Musson's insights. You can read another excerpt ("Spoke Twist"), see the table of contents and place your order for delivery by e-mail today by clicking http://www.roadbikerider.com/wb_page.htm
Excerpt: SPOKE BREAKAGE
A spoke can break for no apparent reason with a clean break across the spoke elbow. This is due to a fatigue failure in the spoke material caused by the fluctuating load on the spokes as the wheel rotates. A fine crack will appear and start to propagate across the spoke over a period of time, ultimately leading to a fracture.
Spokes do not break due to the power exerted by the rider, it is because the spokes are already in a severely weakened state due to fatigue cracks, and an extra push on the pedals will be sufficient to snap the un-cracked remainder of the spoke. It tends to occur at the spoke elbow because this area has the greater concentration of stress.
This type of break should not happen in the first place and can be virtually eliminated by using the correct building technique described in the Building section (aligning the spokes and stress relieving).
If a spoke has failed through fatigue then carefully examine the other spoke elbows on the same wheel and you may see hairline cracks appearing on apparently sound spokes (see the photograph) -- their days are numbered too.
If only one spoke has broken then replace it but mark it with tape and monitor the wheel's progress. If other spokes start to break then it may be worthwhile rebuilding the wheel with a complete set of new spokes. With all the care you lavish on your building you cannot legislate for a manufacturing defect in the spoke material that subsequently causes it to fail, although this is very rare these days.
It's quite common to hear and read about spokes snapping. The wrong advice people give to cure spoke breakages is to use bigger spokes, either going to plain gauge (because they look stronger) or using fatter butted spokes that usually go by the name of tandem spokes with a diameter of 2.3 mm at the hub end rather than the standard 2 mm. The correct advice is to examine your building technique and make sure you stress relieve the spokes.
(Next, Musson investigates wear and damage to rims and hubs. He notes, "Rim damage is the most common thing to look out for on a wheel so it pays to check them regularly." With his instructions, a faulty rim can be replaced so easily that you won't even miss a ride.)
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8. ED & FRED'S TRAINING LOGS: Feb. 26 - March 4
Here's the weekly update on how RBR's Ed Pavelka and Fred Matheny are preparing for PAC Tour's 166-mile-per-day Elite Tour across the U.S. on June 10-26. Ed, 60, is an endurance guy who lives in eastern Pennsylvania. Fred, 61, favors shorter, faster rides and crosstraining. He's in western Colorado. They hope their training recaps and comments will help you prepare for your own long-distance rides and tours.
Ed's week: Monday, 1:15 trainer and leg presses. Tuesday, weights. Wednesday, 119-mile ride. Thursday, 52-mile ride. Friday, weights. Saturday, rest. Sunday, 126-mile ride. Total: 21.5 hours.
Comment: For various reasons I haven't often ridden this winter on the day after a long ride. And when I have, like on Thursday, I've usually felt puny. That's certainly a concern when considering the relentless 17-day Elite Tour. I think (hope) the problem is merely nutritional. On my typical 8-hour long rides, I've been eating and drinking only when I feel the need. This usually means 2 Clif Bars, a gel or 2, and about 36 ounces of water. That's 600-700 calories going in while I'm burning about 4,500. I'm fine on the ride, but the next day the deficit and dehydration make me feel like I'm pedaling a 50-pound bike. I believe the problem can be remedied if I focus on eating and drinking more than it takes just to get by. The old stage racing maxim is true even when training long, touring or at a cycling camp: You're not just eating for today, you're eating for tomorrow.
Fred's week: Monday, 54-mile ride, solo and tandem. Tuesday, rest. Wednesday, 0:20 trainer, weights. Thursday, 2:15 snowshoe. Friday, 0:40 trainer, weights. Saturday, travel day. Sunday, 87-mile ride. Total: 12.75 hours.
Comment: Windy, snowy and cold. Then I got sick. I shouldn't have been happy about last week's developments but actually it worked out well. You see, this week I'm in Arizona, coaching at a PAC Tour training camp. We started Sunday with the 87-miler from Tucson to Sierra Vista. I needed some rest leading up to 7 days of riding for upwards of 500 miles. I hate to be off the bike when it's nice outside so the wintry weather coupled with feeling puny gave me a good reason to rest (except for shoveling snow). I just hope I'm recovered enough to enjoy the sun in Arizona!
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Also on Ed's schedule is his Great Adventure, a two-day assault on the 470-mile (757-km) Blue Ridge Parkway with Black Bear Adventures. C'mon along! He's also planning his fourth trip to the 745-mile (1,200-km) Paris-Brest-Paris randonnee in France. Both rides are in August.
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9. TRY THIS ON YOUR NEXT RIDE
Turn your back into a sail.
A strong spring wind is lots of fun when it's coming directly from behind. Most roadies have learned to make the most of it by sitting high with hands on the bar tops, exposing their back to the gale like a sail.
Here's a way to get max benefit from wind that's coming from a rear quarter, more of a crosswind with a hint of tailwind. Try it when you're riding solo.
Let's say the wind is blowing from the left. The trick is to angle your back so a larger amount of its surface catches those high-velocity air molecules.
Do it by moving your left hand to the drop and your right hand to the brake lever hood. This position twists you slightly so your back faces more to the left.
Reverse the position for a right-side crosswind.
The helping hand isn't as great as when, say, drafting another rider. But it'll get you down the road a bit faster or with less energy.
(Tip credit to roadie Tom Petrie of Velimpex Marketing, who does plenty of rides in the wind on Colorado's Front Range.)
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HELP WANTED
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10. CLASSIFIEDS
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New England Classic Bicycle Tour July 14 - 20, 2007
2 days, 3 states 150 miles or 7 days, 4 states, 550 miles.
Benefits the American Diabetes Association.
http://www.cyclenortheast.org for info or to register.
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RAINLEGS - Keeps Your Legs Warm & Dry
"Top Product" award winner in Europe. "Recommended Buy."
For photos, info and ordering, click http://www.rainlegs.co.uk
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Ocean State 150 Bicycle Tour June 9 & 10, 2007
See Rhode Island's coast from the seat of your bicycle.
Benefits the American Diabetes Association.
http://www.cyclenortheast.org for info or to register.
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Boure Bicycle Clothing - For the Finest Cyclewear!
$10 Off Pre-Sale on 2007 SS & SPF-50 LS Boure Team jerseys.
More Sale Jerseys, Specials & Closeouts at http://www.boure.com
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Ride across the Pyrenees or Stay in a Chateau!
You choose...either way it's a fantasy bike trip.
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hotels & great meals. Support van. Our 34th year!
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CueClip - Map / Cue Sheet Holder - world's best!
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Roadie Ads (See details of these items at http://roadbikerider.com/classifieds.htm)
---Specialized Roubaix road bike (new this week)
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---Wanted: RBR cycling writers
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Business owners! Your Commercial Ad will be delivered to 54,400+ 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
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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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This newsletter is a product of RBR Publishing Company.
Ed Pavelka, president
Fred Matheny, VP emeritus
1617 Kramer Rd.
Kutztown, PA 19530 USA
RBRPublishing@...
Enjoy your rides! Look for our next issue on Thursday, March 15.
All material is copyright <c> 2001-2007 RBR Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Issue No. 285 - 03/08/07: Ideal Ankle Angle
ISSN 1536-4143
Produced almost every Thursday by RBR Publishing Company. E-mailed without cost or obligation to 54,432 roadies around the world.
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
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**************** Cycling's Borat ? ***************
He lived in a beat up van traveling around a country
not speaking the language chasing a dream making
you laugh and groan all the way. TheTourBaby.com
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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/285e.htm
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In This Issue
1. Weekly Dispatch
2. Best of Coach Fred: What's the Ideal Ankle Angle?
3. Uncle Al: The Liars Club
4. Body Mechanic: Weighty Wisdom
5. Scott's Spin: Smart Mouth
6. RBR eBookstore
7. Views You Can Use: Spoke Breakage
8. Ed & Fred's Training Logs: Feb. 26 - March 4
9. Try This on Your Next Ride: Turn Your Back Into a Sail
10. Classifieds (2 new)
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1. WEEKLY DISPATCH
Finally, good news (mostly) from pro road racing!
On Monday a ceasefire was reached that will allow the 2007 European season to proceed as planned. The UCI (cycling's governing body) and the owners of the sport's biggest races agreed to suspend hostilities. The truce came just in time to save the season's first major event, the Paris-Nice stage race on March 11-18.
Had the UCI and owners failed to find agreement, either cycling's biggest races would have been held without the elite ProTour teams, or teams that did compete would have been "heavily penalized" by the UCI.
Now, racing will proceed with at least 18 of the 20 ProTour teams competing in the showcase events, including the grand tours of France, Italy and Spain.
The fact that two teams -- newcomers Astana and Unibet.com -- are not guaranteed a place on the starting line is seen as a victory for the race owners. More leeway in choosing teams was a key point of conflict with the UCI, which held that all 20 ProTour teams must be allowed in each ProTour event.
Astana and Unibet.com now will need to depend on wildcard invitations. The race owners said they would consider the teams' applications "in a positive light."
That wasn't enough for Belgium-based Unibet.com, which termed its exclusion "unacceptable."
"We have invested 32 million euros [$42 million] to be a part of the ProTour and therefore to be able to take part in all ProTour events, but now they're refusing us that right," said manager Jacques Hanegraaff on Tuesday. "We are going to start judicial proceedings against the organizers and the UCI to make the most of our rights."
So some bickering goes on. But at least racing will too.
As the season unfolds, UCI officials and race owners will meet monthly to attempt to hammer out a long-term agreement. They've set a Sept. 21 deadline for finally putting this potentially crippling conflict behind them.
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Unibet.com's possible exclusion from ProTour events in France is linked to its title sponsor. The team's jersey, with "Unibet" across the chest, is seen as violating a 19th-century French law that forbids promotion of gambling (except for state-run gambling). Unibet is incorporated in Malta.
Said Patrice Clerc, president of ASO, the company that owns Paris-Nice, Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France, "I won't risk putting ASO in conflict with the law."
But in fact, Clerc was against allowing Unibet into his French ProTour events long before he began citing the old regulation. His stance ignited the season-threatening conflict with the UCI, and trouble remains if Unibet is kept out of Paris-Nice and takes the matter to court. Another gambling-sponsored team, Belgium's Predictor-Lotto, has been racing in ASO events without any issue for several years.
Unibet has told a judge it will willingly wear jerseys without the gambling name on them if that's what it takes to participate in ASO races. A ruling is due tomorrow, 48 hours before Paris-Nice begins.
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These are the ProTour events that hung in the balance as the UCI and race owners feuded. Eighteen ProTour teams are now guaranteed entry while Astana and Unibet.com must hope for wildcard invitations.
Paris-Nice
Tirreno-Adriatico
Milan-San Remo
Paris-Roubaix
Fleche Wallone
Liege-Bastogne-Liege
Giro d'Italia
Tour de France
Vuelta a Espana
Paris-Tour
Giro di Lombardia
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Landis Defense Called "Brilliant"
Floyd Landis is continuing his "town hall" meetings in the U.S. to raise money for his doping defense, and L.A. Times reporter Michael Hiltzik continues to do a great job covering the case.
We've cited this Pulitzer Prize winner's investigative articles several times. This week, Hiltzik participated in a web chat where his perspective sheds more light on the issues Landis will raise when he goes before an arbitration panel on May 14.
Landis, as you know, is fighting to keep the Tour de France title he won last year before it was found that he failed a testosterone test late in the race. He contends the testing procedure was fraught with errors, and his evidence is posted on the Floyd Fairness Fund website at http://www.floydfairnessfund.org/the-case.htm
In the chat, Hiltzik talked about Landis's so-called "wikipedia defense." Some excerpts:
---I think it is, in its way, brilliant. One of the main problems athletes have had in defending themselves in anti-doping cases is the dearth of independent experts. That's because the most experienced doping scientists tend to be employed by [World Anti-Doping Agency] labs, and under WADA rules they can't work for an athlete's defense.
---The wikipedia defense in effect drafts thousands of qualified experts in cyberspace to review the case, and I have no doubt that Landis's defense has profited from the analysis done online.
---As to whether the wiki defense has made the [anti-doping] authorities dig in their heels, I think the aggressiveness of Landis's defense in general has caused them surprise. It's much more common for an athlete to assent to a sanction or, if he or she goes to arbitration, to accept the limited document discovery that [U.S. Anti-Doping Agency] rules allow.
---It's very unusual, almost unique, for an athlete to demand discovery on the scale Landis has, much less post all the material in public. I've never seen an anti-doping prosecution laid out for public consumption like this, and I've certainly seen some responses from USADA that I would think would be considered unacceptable by a normal court of law.
You can read the full transcript of Hiltzik's chat, with his give-and-take with questioners, at http://tinyurl.com/25j48z
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Biking for Bucks
The March issue of Cycle Sport magazine investigates the annual salaries of pro road stars (generally not public knowledge) and comes up with this top 10 (all figures in millions):
1. Alejandro Valverde, 26, Spain, Caisse d'Epargne, $3.8 (2.6 euros)
2. Paolo Bettini, 32, Italy, Quick Step, $3.3 (2.5 euros)
3. Tom Boonen, 26, Belgium, Quick Step, $2.6 (2.0 euros)
4. Alessandro Petacchi, 33, Italy, Milram, $2.2 (1.7 euros)
5. Ivan Basso, 29, Italy, Discovery Channel, $2.0 (1.5 euros)
6. Damiano Cunego, 25, Italy, Lampre-Fondital, $1.8 (1.4 euros)
7. Alexandre Vinokourov, 33, Kazakhstan, Astana, $1.7 (1.3 euros)
8. Robbie McEwen, 34, Australia, Predictor-Lotto, $1.6 (1.2 euros)
9. Erik Zabel, 36, Germany, Milram, $1.6 (1.2 euros)
10. Thor Hushovd, 29, Norway, Credit Agricole, $1.3 (1.0 euros)
Greg LeMond's salary when he turned pro for France's Renault team in 1981: $15,000.
LeMond's salary in his last year with France's Z team, 1992: $2 million. He is credited with leading the entire pro peloton to higher wages.
Lance Armstrong's earnings in the final year of his career, 2005: $18 million.
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Liquid Asset
You know how it goes on cool-weather rides: You take a bottle of water but hardly touch it. You don't sweat much, you don't feel thirsty, and you don't want to create the need for bladder-relieving pit stops.
And then you wonder why you feel so blah the next day.
Dehydration could very well be the reason. It's a point driven home in a recent Train Right Nutrition Newsletter by an excerpt from CEO Chris Carmichael's new book, "5 Essentials for a Winning Life."
"I have often told athletes that the first and best response to feeling 'off' is to start drinking fluids immediately," Carmichael writes. "It's actually one of the simplest ways to improve your performance."
Carmichael also contends:
---A well-hydrated body suffers less fatigue and fewer headaches while enjoying clearer skin and greater flexibility. In general, water puts you in a better mood.
---Being dehydrated by as little as 2% can hinder performance by as much as 10%. When dehydration increases to 5% performance declines by 30%. If you're already 2% dehydrated when you start a workout, there's a pretty good chance you'll be 4-5% dehydrated during it.
---When you increase your daily fluid intake to 3/4 to 1 gallon (2.8-3.8 liters) you soon see results. You feel more energetic, your workouts are better, you focus better and you're less irritable.
---Suddenly drinking more will simply increase urine production. But as your body adapts, you'll start to retain more fluid. Make the increase gradual and top out at recommended 3/4 to 1 gallon a day.
---On a day you train, add an extra 20 ounces (590 ml) of fluids per hour of workout time, more if it's a strenuous workout on a hot day.
---To drink enough, carry a water bottle with you and, if possible, keep the fluid at a temperature you enjoy. To make drinking more pleasurable, use flavored water or add a scoop of sports drink.
(Thanks to Carmichael Training Systems at http://www.trainright.com)
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Final week on RBR's free site: Former Bicycling magazine technical editor Fred Zahradnik reviews the Garmin Edge 305HR GPS cyclecomputer. Cycling by satellite! Get the details and Dr. Z's rating at http://www.roadbikerider.com/producttests.htm
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Check RBR's newest product -- our first compact disc -- Cycling Science. All 23 issues of this acclaimed technical journal are now available on one searchable CD. Just $23.95 with shipping included worldwide. See more info and the titles of 101 articles on the disc by clicking http://www.roadbikerider.com/cscd_page.htm
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CYCLING SHORTS
---It's going to be warm again someday, and when that happens this new product may be of interest. In mid April, an Idaho company called Polarpak plans to introduce a gel-cooled reservoir to fit backpack-style hydration systems such as CamelBak. The reservoir is stored in the freezer to keep the gel pack frozen. In turn it keeps liquids cool for as long as 8 hours. The gel is nontoxic and the reservoir material and hose have antimicrobial properties, which, combined with freezer storage, means it isn't necessary to clean the reservoir to prevent bacterial growth -- just rinse it out. Two reservoir sizes will be offered (70 oz. and 100 oz.) for about $30. The gel pack adds about 10 ounces to the 4.5 pounds of a full 70-oz. reservoir, according to the company. http://www.polarpak.com
---Daylight saving time begins on Sunday in much of the U.S. That's three weeks earlier than normal, and it's a good thing for everyone who likes to ride after work. But it could be a bad thing for lots of computers. We're not talking about a mess of Y2K proportions, but a New York Times article explains how the new DST date could put many computer programs out of synch. The threat is being called a "major headache" for corporate technology departments. But Microsoft's new Vista operating system is not affected, according to the article, and online software updates have been pushed out automatically for everyone running Windows XP Service Pack 2. Microsoft and Apple are also making software patches and instructions available on their websites. One concern if you're traveling to a cycling event in the next three weeks: a computerized wakeup call could come an hour later than you wanted. To read the detailed article, click http://tinyurl.com/2ud9zx
---Lance Armstrong has been chosen by the V Foundation for Cancer Research as the "Spirit of Jimmy V" honoree for 2007. The annual award is given to someone who exemplifies the spirit of the late Jim Valvano, the basketball coach and ESPN analyst who announced the formation of the V Foundation in 1994. His memorable speech was given at the inaugural ESPY Awards a few weeks before his death from cancer. Armstrong will accept the award at a gala in New York City on April 25.
---Last week's Scott's Spin offered several tongue-in-cheek ways to make hybrids and other quiet cars sound louder when they come up behind roadies. RBR reader Bruce O. from Wyoming replied with a practical solution for traffic awareness: "Instead of having every car sound like a Harley with straight pipes, why not wear a mirror? I race with a mirror and would not ride my bike or motorcycle or drive my car without one. Try a small plastic mirror that clips onto your glasses stem."
---The Versus network lists Paris-Nice race coverage for Sunday, March 11, at 5-7 p.m. ET; Wednesday, March 14, at 3-5 p.m. ET; Sunday, March 18, at 5-7 p.m. ET; Wednesday, March 21, at 3-5 p.m. ET. Also check your local listings.
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Overheard: "Too often I would hear men boast of the miles covered that day, rarely of what they had seen." -- Louis L'Amour, novelist (1908-1988)
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Please see our "Classifieds" department below and support these advertisers that help make this newsletter free for you.
California Coastal Ride CoastClassic.org
Clothing Boure.com
Cue Sheet Holder CueClip.com
European Tours Since1974.com
New England Cycling CycleNortheast.org
Pyrenees Tours LostendeTours.com
Race DVDs BigRingFilms.com
Rain Protection Rainlegs.co.uk
Ride Log Software CycliStats.com
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2. BEST OF COACH FRED
What's the Ideal Ankle Angle?
Question: My Achilles tendon gets aggravated, apparently by my pedaling style. If I pedal with my heel just slightly lower than normal on the power part of the stroke, it doesn't hurt. Can you suggest how to keep my heel at this "ideal" pain-free level? -- Jim L.
Coach Fred Matheny Replies: I suppose you could use a custom ankle brace or a really tight tape job. But locking your ankle like that and altering your pedal stroke might produce injuries somewhere else even if it does relieve your Achilles pain.
We naturally hold our feet in a certain position while pedaling, based on various physiological factors. There's no "correct" foot angle. Jacques Anquetil, a five-time Tour de France winner, pedaled with a pronounced toes-down position. Eddy Merckx, another Tour five-peater, had a flat-foot style. Greg LeMond, a three-time winner, was often seen climbing with his heel down at the bottom of the stroke. All three guys rode pretty well.
Most riders who try to emulate the form of a top pro -- instead of pedaling in the style that's normal for them -- will probably not ride as well and might get injured too. Manipulations to pedaling style generally create an inefficient stroke.
Be certain your saddle height is correct and that your cleats are properly placed. For expert positioning guidelines, check Arnie Baker's Bike Fit or Andy Pruitt's Medical Guide for Cyclists.
Also consider a stretching program that creates more ankle flexibility. One effective Achilles stretch is to stand about two feet from a wall and lean into it while keeping your heel on the ground. Hold for 20-30 seconds, doing one leg and then the other. As your tendons loosen, stand back a bit farther to increase the stretch. Do this short routine before and after every ride.
(Fred Matheny is the author of 8 practical "how to" eBooks for road cycling improvement -- including the Complete Book of Road Bike Training about which roadie Holmes M. says: "What a great book. My how things in the cycling training world have changed!")
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3. UNCLE AL: The Liars Club
I've warily watched the explosive growth of eBay. You've heard of this online auction house (who hasn't?) and may have even used it.
The concept is brilliant, but for those of us in the bike biz eBay has become a haven for thieves, liars and ne'er-do-wells in and out of the cycling industry.
Consider this: Current guesstimates say 60-65% of new bicycles and cycling products offered on eBay are stolen.
Bike shop employees have been busted in Colorado and California. Their thievery totaled hundreds of thousands of dollars. In these cases, shop managers of big stores were in cahoots with an "outside" man that received the hot stuff in the alley. That evening it would be posted on eBay. Hollywood couldn't come up with a slicker heist.
Another troubling aspect of the eBay phenomenon is how used bikes and products are represented.
"Ridden only by grandma on Sundays. Perfect condition!" Who'd believe that? A lot of people, it seems.
The old saying that "one man's ceiling is another man's floor" couldn't be truer when it comes to the junk bikes local people have bought on eBay and then brought into my shop. Not once have I seen a bike that matched the seller's description.
I've seen "barely ridden" bikes that could not be revived. I've also seen bikes that looked fine but had handling problems that only riding them would reveal.
My question is this: Why would a serious cyclist buy a bike on eBay, new or used, that they haven't ridden, no matter how great the deal?
The risk is disappointment and tons of hassles trying to return a bike that isn't right. And if it's been stolen, good luck. The thief will have vanished just like the bike did from the store.
Yeah, I'm a shop owner. So you know where I'm coming from. Do what you like, but keep a couple of things in mind:
---Most companies strictly prohibit internet sales of their new bikes. If a shop owner violates that part of the dealer agreement and gets caught by the web watchdogs these companies employ, he'll be looking for another brand pronto. So if the bike you see on eBay is brand new you can almost be certain something's fishy.
---Buying used bike equipment is a crap shoot at best. When your "barely used" bike shows up in a beat-up cardboard box, upside down, without any packing material and parts missing because they fell through the holes, remember your Unc told you so.
In a world with lots of stress and strain, do you want to impose more of it on yourself? The purpose of this rant is to help you on the way to a great cycling experience. Nothing sounds better than a bike customer telling me, "This was the best investment I ever made. It changed my life."
That's priceless. For everything else there's PayPal.
(Click feedback@... 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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4. Body Mechanic BRAD COOPER
Need a little "iron" therapy? Here are my four fundamental tips for helping you maximize the benefits of your weight-training program:
---Always warm up. This can involve 10-15 minutes on the bike, treadmill, elliptical trainer or your weapon of choice. Just do something. It increases your heart rate and blood flow, warming up tissues to improve your performance with the weights. It also reduces the chance of injury.
---Exercise slowly. The exception to making slow, deliberate movements is if you are incorporating plyometrics or other burst-type training in your workout. These are quick movements by design.
---Work the muscle you're working on. Sound like a tongue twister? Well, look around the gym and you'll see people who think the only thing that matters is how much weight they're moving. The most humorous example is the standing biceps curl, where most guys involve their backs so much that their elbows only go through half the range of motion.
---Keep moving. It's easy to turn a 20-minute session into 40 minutes, but why? You're an endurance athlete, so act like it. Limit your rest, go back and forth between body parts and get 'er done!
(Brad Cooper is a physical therapist, athletic trainer and triathlete who offers advice on injuries and training in his "Fitness Matters!" ezine at http://www.FullSpectrumCoaching.net.)
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5. SCOTT'S SPIN: Smart Mouth
Went to dinner with some cycling buddies the other weekend. Spouses were invited. None came.
"You guys are just going to talk bikes," said one weary life partner. "I'd rather get a root canal. With a rusty drill. In a sewer."
Oh, no -- proof positive that I've become a bike geek, incapable of engaging in normal conversation without using words like rotating weight, ceramic bearings or kilojoules.
Don't let this happen to you. Using my handy guide to dialogue for roadies, you too can learn to chat with humans about current events, culture, philosophy and other non-cycling trivia.
Heed these do's and don'ts and your next cocktail-party appearance will be a smash.
Topic: Foreign Affairs
What to Say: Anyone who thinks multilateral talks can solve the simmering tensions along the Serbian frontier need only look to the failed diplomacy on display during the Prussian renaissance of the late 19th century, don't you agree?
What Not to Say: So, Campy or Shimano?
Topic: Economics
What to Say: If you ask me, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act will sound the death knell for sheltered debentures unless fourth-quarter revenues turn this bear market around and housing starts cease declining in the face of Third World micro-lending policies.
What Not to Say: My bicycle cost four thousand bucks.
Topic: Politics
What to Say: As everyone knows, this front-loaded primary system makes a travesty of our so-called democracy by placing inordinate power in the clammy hands of activist voters in a few small, unrepresentative states where the price of hog bellies is more important than the cost of freedom.
What Not to Say: I wouldn't vote for Obama even if he rode a bike. Dude's a smoker.
(Scott Martin wrote feature articles for Bicycling magazine for a dozen years. You can reach him at scottmartin@...)
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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.) 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
Spring Training for Roadies (eBook)
Fred Matheny's 8-week program for launching a super summer season
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
Finding the Perfect Bicycle Seat (eBook)
How to choose the safest, most comfortable saddle for your anatomy
Plus! 10 more eBooks and 14 targeted eArticles at http://www.roadbikerider.com/bookstore.htm
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7. VIEWS YOU CAN USE
Unsolicited eBook review by roadie Drew Knox of Wilmington, Delaware:
"Add Roger Musson's Practical Guide to Wheel Building to the RBR all-star list of eBooks.
"I've built maybe 35 sets of wheels, studied four different books, tried half-a-dozen different lacing patterns, been privately tutored, and even attended a wheelbuilding clinic. Still, Roger added to my store of knowledge with a dead-on explanation of why he laces spokes from outside-in first (his is the best way), how to find the key spoke, and he uses very clean, understandable drawings.
"The last is no small thing. Instead of photos or anatomically correct drawings, Roger collaborated with the artist to stylize the wheel so the rim holes and lacing patterns are much more apparent than from any single angle.
"I used the eBook last week to teach my friend, John, how to lace and build a wheel. I think he would have done just as well without me, which is to say the eBook is a fine teaching aid for beginners as well reinforcing or correcting old habits.
"If I had to pick just one wheelbuilding book to recommend, this would be it."
Thanks, Drew! A Practical Guide to Wheel Building contains 94 pages with 84 illustrations. The author is a pro wheelbuilder in Great Britain who contends that anyone can use his eBook to competently build, maintain and repair wheels for the road or trail.
Here's a passage that illustrates Musson's insights. You can read another excerpt ("Spoke Twist"), see the table of contents and place your order for delivery by e-mail today by clicking http://www.roadbikerider.com/wb_page.htm
Excerpt: SPOKE BREAKAGE
A spoke can break for no apparent reason with a clean break across the spoke elbow. This is due to a fatigue failure in the spoke material caused by the fluctuating load on the spokes as the wheel rotates. A fine crack will appear and start to propagate across the spoke over a period of time, ultimately leading to a fracture.
Spokes do not break due to the power exerted by the rider, it is because the spokes are already in a severely weakened state due to fatigue cracks, and an extra push on the pedals will be sufficient to snap the un-cracked remainder of the spoke. It tends to occur at the spoke elbow because this area has the greater concentration of stress.
This type of break should not happen in the first place and can be virtually eliminated by using the correct building technique described in the Building section (aligning the spokes and stress relieving).
If a spoke has failed through fatigue then carefully examine the other spoke elbows on the same wheel and you may see hairline cracks appearing on apparently sound spokes (see the photograph) -- their days are numbered too.
If only one spoke has broken then replace it but mark it with tape and monitor the wheel's progress. If other spokes start to break then it may be worthwhile rebuilding the wheel with a complete set of new spokes. With all the care you lavish on your building you cannot legislate for a manufacturing defect in the spoke material that subsequently causes it to fail, although this is very rare these days.
It's quite common to hear and read about spokes snapping. The wrong advice people give to cure spoke breakages is to use bigger spokes, either going to plain gauge (because they look stronger) or using fatter butted spokes that usually go by the name of tandem spokes with a diameter of 2.3 mm at the hub end rather than the standard 2 mm. The correct advice is to examine your building technique and make sure you stress relieve the spokes.
(Next, Musson investigates wear and damage to rims and hubs. He notes, "Rim damage is the most common thing to look out for on a wheel so it pays to check them regularly." With his instructions, a faulty rim can be replaced so easily that you won't even miss a ride.)
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8. ED & FRED'S TRAINING LOGS: Feb. 26 - March 4
Here's the weekly update on how RBR's Ed Pavelka and Fred Matheny are preparing for PAC Tour's 166-mile-per-day Elite Tour across the U.S. on June 10-26. Ed, 60, is an endurance guy who lives in eastern Pennsylvania. Fred, 61, favors shorter, faster rides and crosstraining. He's in western Colorado. They hope their training recaps and comments will help you prepare for your own long-distance rides and tours.
Ed's week: Monday, 1:15 trainer and leg presses. Tuesday, weights. Wednesday, 119-mile ride. Thursday, 52-mile ride. Friday, weights. Saturday, rest. Sunday, 126-mile ride. Total: 21.5 hours.
Comment: For various reasons I haven't often ridden this winter on the day after a long ride. And when I have, like on Thursday, I've usually felt puny. That's certainly a concern when considering the relentless 17-day Elite Tour. I think (hope) the problem is merely nutritional. On my typical 8-hour long rides, I've been eating and drinking only when I feel the need. This usually means 2 Clif Bars, a gel or 2, and about 36 ounces of water. That's 600-700 calories going in while I'm burning about 4,500. I'm fine on the ride, but the next day the deficit and dehydration make me feel like I'm pedaling a 50-pound bike. I believe the problem can be remedied if I focus on eating and drinking more than it takes just to get by. The old stage racing maxim is true even when training long, touring or at a cycling camp: You're not just eating for today, you're eating for tomorrow.
Fred's week: Monday, 54-mile ride, solo and tandem. Tuesday, rest. Wednesday, 0:20 trainer, weights. Thursday, 2:15 snowshoe. Friday, 0:40 trainer, weights. Saturday, travel day. Sunday, 87-mile ride. Total: 12.75 hours.
Comment: Windy, snowy and cold. Then I got sick. I shouldn't have been happy about last week's developments but actually it worked out well. You see, this week I'm in Arizona, coaching at a PAC Tour training camp. We started Sunday with the 87-miler from Tucson to Sierra Vista. I needed some rest leading up to 7 days of riding for upwards of 500 miles. I hate to be off the bike when it's nice outside so the wintry weather coupled with feeling puny gave me a good reason to rest (except for shoveling snow). I just hope I'm recovered enough to enjoy the sun in Arizona!
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Also on Ed's schedule is his Great Adventure, a two-day assault on the 470-mile (757-km) Blue Ridge Parkway with Black Bear Adventures. C'mon along! He's also planning his fourth trip to the 745-mile (1,200-km) Paris-Brest-Paris randonnee in France. Both rides are in August.
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9. TRY THIS ON YOUR NEXT RIDE
Turn your back into a sail.
A strong spring wind is lots of fun when it's coming directly from behind. Most roadies have learned to make the most of it by sitting high with hands on the bar tops, exposing their back to the gale like a sail.
Here's a way to get max benefit from wind that's coming from a rear quarter, more of a crosswind with a hint of tailwind. Try it when you're riding solo.
Let's say the wind is blowing from the left. The trick is to angle your back so a larger amount of its surface catches those high-velocity air molecules.
Do it by moving your left hand to the drop and your right hand to the brake lever hood. This position twists you slightly so your back faces more to the left.
Reverse the position for a right-side crosswind.
The helping hand isn't as great as when, say, drafting another rider. But it'll get you down the road a bit faster or with less energy.
(Tip credit to roadie Tom Petrie of Velimpex Marketing, who does plenty of rides in the wind on Colorado's Front Range.)
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HELP WANTED
RoadBikeRider.com is seeking an independent contractor to provide tech support on an as-needed basis. The person must have:
---strong PHP, Perl and mod_perl programming skills
---MySQL or SQL experience
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The successful candidate will also know cycling and want to help RBR improve its ability to serve roadies worldwide. Please e-mail publisher@... with your qualifications and availability.
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10. CLASSIFIEDS
NEW
CA COAST CLASSIC: 8 days/525 miles/SF to LA.
Help fight Arthritis and ride the scenic coast! Visit
http://www.californiacoastclassic.org for more info.
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CycliStats - Software for Cyclists - Try it for free!
Ride log, training diary, season planner, health
tracker, and much more! http://www.CycliStats.com
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New England Classic Bicycle Tour July 14 - 20, 2007
2 days, 3 states 150 miles or 7 days, 4 states, 550 miles.
Benefits the American Diabetes Association.
http://www.cyclenortheast.org for info or to register.
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RAINLEGS - Keeps Your Legs Warm & Dry
"Top Product" award winner in Europe. "Recommended Buy."
For photos, info and ordering, click http://www.rainlegs.co.uk
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Ocean State 150 Bicycle Tour June 9 & 10, 2007
See Rhode Island's coast from the seat of your bicycle.
Benefits the American Diabetes Association.
http://www.cyclenortheast.org for info or to register.
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Boure Bicycle Clothing - For the Finest Cyclewear!
$10 Off Pre-Sale on 2007 SS & SPF-50 LS Boure Team jerseys.
More Sale Jerseys, Specials & Closeouts at http://www.boure.com
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Ride across the Pyrenees or Stay in a Chateau!
You choose...either way it's a fantasy bike trip.
Check us out at http://www.LostendeTours.com
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Bike Europe. Five countries - 14 days. First class
hotels & great meals. Support van. Our 34th year!
Incredible selection of routes. Since1974.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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Roadie Ads (See details of these items at http://roadbikerider.com/classifieds.htm)
---Specialized Roubaix road bike (new this week)
---Mavic Ksyrium SSC SL wheelset
---Wanted: RBR cycling writers
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Business owners! Your Commercial Ad will be delivered to 54,400+ 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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This newsletter is a product of RBR Publishing Company.
Ed Pavelka, president
Fred Matheny, VP emeritus
1617 Kramer Rd.
Kutztown, PA 19530 USA
RBRPublishing@...
Enjoy your rides! Look for our next issue on Thursday, March 15.
All material is copyright <c> 2001-2007 RBR Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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