05/22...Easy Tips for Tire Changing...
Okay, now here's my easy-mount procedure:
- Place one side (bead) of the tire on the rim. That should be pretty easy. Align the label with the valve hole to look pro. Add just enough air to the tube to give it shape. Push the valve stem through the rim and feed the rest of the tube into the half-mounted tire.
- Back at the valve hole, start seating the other bead, working with both hands around the rim in opposite directions. If the tube has too much air it'll become obvious. Let out a little. Use your thumbs to push the bead onto the rim. That's what thumbs were designed for.
- At a certain point it'll become difficult, leaving a small section of tire unseated. Breathe in and let out a Ninja cry. Won't go? Squeeze the seated beads together all the way around the wheel so they go into the rim's deeper center. Let out any remaining air. Breathe deep again and try Ninja cry No. 2. If your thumbs are shot, grip the stubborn section with both hands together and try to push/roll it on with your palms.
- Still won't go? Then you must resort to the dreaded tire lever, a sure sign of weakness and a troubled childhood. When I use them (hey, I never said I had a perfect upbringing) I slide the lever (plastic preferred) along the braking surface of the rim under the bead so I don't pinch the tube, then I gently pry the bead the rest of the way. "Gently" may not be part of your repertoire at this point. Thumbs or palms are best, and patience is a virtue, but a tire lever does have its place.
- After the tire is on, push the valve stem up inside, then pull it down again. Go around the wheel, flexing the tire side to side as you look into the rim to be sure the tube isn't trapped under a bead.
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Start pumping air, then stop every 20 psi or so to check for places where the tire might be lifting off the rim. That means the tube is caught under the bead. If you ignore it, the explosion will be loud enough that you'll need to change your chamois and have your hearing checked. Let the air out and massage those sections to get the tube inside. Then gas 'er up.
This procedure should take about 4 minutes. Well, maybe 10 if you don't squeeze tennis balls.
Remember, use talc! It's truly the key to making tire installation as smooth as a baby's behind.
...Leo L.
04/10...Tune in to Your Intensity
If you want to ride as fast as you can without blowing up, you need the ability to hang tough at the effort you can barely maintain for the distance. Go harder and you'll accumulate too much fatigue and be forced to slow down. Go easier and you won't be riding as fast as you can for your current level of fitness.
When you know your lactate threshold (LT) heart rate, you can simply raise your effort to it anytime you want maximum speed without risk of a quick meltdown. A heart monitor lets you pinpoint the highest heart rate -- your LT -- that you can maintain for 30 minutes or so. This pace is usually about 90% of your max heart rate. You can learn to gauge this all-important level of exertion without relying on fancy equipment, such as a heart monitor or watts meter. Let's see how.
The term for this is riding "naked." Experienced cyclists often do it, training or time trialing without any electronic help. In fact, they won't even glance at their cyclecomputer to see how fast they're going. Instead, they listen to their body, constantly monitoring their sense of perceived exertion.
Learn to do this by paying close attention to your lungs and legs.
- Lungs. When your breathing is steady and regular, say one in-breath for every two pedal rotations, it means you're safely below or at your LT even though the effort feels hard. But if you start to pant, you've gone over the edge. Back off just enough to find LT again.
- Legs. Listen to your quads too. When the effort makes them merely uncomfortable, you're fine. But if they start to burn and throb, back off.
Once you gain the experience to ride fast this way, your mind is free to concentrate only on what's possible. You won't be tethered to a pre-determined number (heart rate or wattage) that could, if you have exceptionally good legs on the day, limit your performance...Leo L.
04/09...How Can I Survive Pack Contact?
Q: I'm pretty new to road cycling and love it, but I'm still a bit afraid of riding in a group. The other day a guy got too close and bumped into me. I swerved and nearly crashed. Is there a way to handle contact so I can enjoy group rides? -- Bobby D.
Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Riding in close proximity to others can be intimidating, but if you learn several simple skills you will gain confidence and enjoy those group rides more. Here are 5 tips:
- Anticipate. The best way to handle contact in a bunch is to avoid it in the first place. Look ahead, scan the group and anticipate riders encroaching into your space. Be especially vigilant for squirrelly bike handlers whose wavering lines and tentative body language mark danger. Move in the pack to avoid them.
- Relax. If your elbows are locked and muscles are rigid, any bump to your arms or shoulders goes directly to the handlebar and front wheel, causing you to veer and possibly crash. But if your upper body is loose and relaxed, it can absorb sideways hits without affecting your steering. Think of the bike rolling steadily ahead while your arms act as shock absorbers.
- Protect your front wheel and handlebar. Your rear wheel can take a pretty good knock before it endangers your control. Not so your front wheel or handlebar. Even slight contact can make you fall immediately. So consider the front of your bike sacred territory. Imagine a bubble surrounding it. You goal is to keep others from entering in a way that puts you at risk. Again, anticipation is key.
- Use your shoulders and arms. How exactly do you protect your front wheel and handlebar? With your shoulders, elbows and upper arms relaxed, lean slightly into the other rider. Keep him or her away from contacting your bar. In extreme cases you may need to use your head (literally) to fend off a rider. Realize, though, that this could be viewed as an aggressive move, so save it for emergencies.
- Practice! It's impossible to learn these techniques by simply reading about them. Go to a smooth, grassy field and practice with a riding companion. Ride side-by-side at a walking pace. Start by reaching out and touching each other's shoulders and arms. When you're comfortable, progress to keeping hands on the bar and bumping shoulders and elbows. Soon you'll be leaning on each other and head butting. Practice at slow speeds to develop the right instincts. You'll be much more comfortable when you get bumped in a fast group...Leo L.
02/10...May be of interest. It even has a wooden freewheel. For those who may want to know more, construction story can be seen on Lee Valley News[news@leevalleynews.com]
...Bob Allan
09/01...Hill Climbing Tip from Leo Le Couteur
How Can I Prevent Back Pain on Climbs?
Q: I know you're familiar with riding in southern Arizona, so you probably have heard of our local monster hill, Kitt Peak. Every time I do this climb, my lower back just kills me. What would you recommend to minimize the pain? -- Andy M.
Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Kitt Peak makes my back hurt just thinking about it. Did you know those aren't really telescopes on top? They're pain generators aimed at unsuspecting cyclists trying to get up the hill.
Any steep-and-long climb is likely to cause back stress no matter how strong you are or how well your bike fits. Exerting great pedaling force at a slow cadence requires your low-back muscles to work extra hard. They eventually fatigue and ache.
Check your saddle height. A seat that's a bit too high may not cause back pain in mild terrain when you aren't putting lots of pressure on the pedals. You might even unconsciously toe-down your feet a bit to compensate.
But when you push hard on a climb, your heels drop and shorten your leg/foot combination. Your saddle suddenly becomes too high. Your hips rock and your back hurts.
Also, steep climbs mean that gravity is pulling you to the rear of the saddle. Your bike is tilted up at 10-15%. This has the same effect as riding on the flat with your saddle slid way back on the rails -- something known to cause back pain.
There is no sure-fire solution. But you can do these things to reduce the stress:
---Climb more often so that Baker isn't such major trauma.
---Make sure your gearing is low enough so that steep climbs aren't like leg-press workouts.
---Alternate standing with sitting to stretch, change your back's position and relieve tension.
---Include crunches and back extensions in your conditioning program. They're key exercises for low-back strength
06/06/07...Thought I should mention the energetic and friendly service I have received at Jubillee Cycle. The support Neil Davies and his young staff provide is just what uneducated cyclists like myself need (including the generous discount they offer Velo Vets)...Greg MacDonald
06/05/07...Tuft is tough (pdf)...Casey Tolhurst
05/21/07...Velovets - Don't forget if you are using deep dish rims, be sure to check the stems on your tubes to make sure they are not too short to fit your pump when placed in the rim...Alan Rea
05/11/07...(Looking Behind) (pdf)...Leo Le Couteur
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