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Cyclocross Racing 101

Cyclocross is a specialized form of bicycle racing with events held in the traditional off season for cycling. Held in the winter and fall, cyclocross races involve several laps around a small course comprised of pavement, turf, inclines, wooded trails and obstacles that require the rider to dismount, get over or under or around the barrier with their bike, and then continue on mounted.

Cyclocross may sound like a bizarre combination of rugged terrain hiking, cycling and mountain biking; that’s exactly what it is. This wild and crazy sport has, however, been around since the 1940’s and the first world championship for cyclocross was held in Paris a short ten years later.

More popular in Europe, it is nevertheless, catching on in North America. The bicycles are similar to road racing bikes; they are lightweight with skinny tires. They need to be light in order to be easily carried across obstacles. Riders are often forced to carry their bicycles on their shoulders or back as they struggle up steep, muddy slopes or across barriers.

Unlike other forms of cycle racing, cyclocross riders are allowed to change bikes in mid course. Their crew can clean and fix up one bike while the rider continues on the course with another.

Cyclocross riders may be a certain kind of crazy, but they’re also incredibly fit. Not only must they have top notch riding skills, but they must have the strength and endurance required of both mountain bikers and extreme hikers. These riders are also a rare breed; they’re tough, resilient and leave all excuses behind.

Cyclocross, an extreme form of cycling, is certainly not for everybody. For those who do love the sport, there is little else on their minds but winning and the next race. It separates the men from the boys in the world of cycling, and while few things compare to days long road bike competitions, cyclcocross is a different breed of cycling entirely.

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Cycling Helmet Facts

Selev female cycling helmet.

Image via Wikipedia

Cycling is something that can be learned at a very early age, but even the youngest of riders should be encouraged to wear a properly fitting cycling helmet. Though a helmet won’t prevent an accident, they can certainly cut down on the chances of head injuries. The following are some facts about cycling helmets to help encourage you to wear one.

  • Cycling helmets greatly reduce the chance of serious head and brain injury, by up to 80 percent.
  • Adults wear cycling helmets more often then children. Look for cool helmet graphics to help encourage kids to wear them regularly. Children have by far many more accidents than adults; wearing helmets should be a mandatory part of cycling for children.
  • More than 90 percent of all cycling related deaths occurred with riders who were not wearing helmets.
  • Crashes with cars are often deadly, and accidents occur more often within one mile of the cyclist’s home. They occur most frequently in the early evening when the sunlight is low, on side streets and in intersections.
  • There are two types of helmet: multiple impact and high impact. Multiple impact helmets are designed for minor or low speed impacts whereas high impact helmets are designed to crush and absorb the force of a high speed impact. Always replace your helmet after any impact.
  • The proper fit of a cycling helmet is imperative to adequately protect the rider. It should be worn level on the head and always keep the straps snugly fastened.
  • Only purchase helmets that have an approval stamp from the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Any others may not meet the commission’s high level of safety standards.

There is no doubt that wearing a helmet is not only the best way to protect yourself against injury while cycling, but it is also the smart thing to do. Always ensure children are wearing properly fitted cycling helmets as well.

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Tips for Paceline Riding

A paceline is a popular formation for a group rides but all too often these formations become counter productive because cyclists are never taught the proper way to effectively ride a paceline. It doesn’t matter if you’re in double or single formation; the following are some tips to help you effectively ride a paceline.

Always keep the pace. The primary mistake made when a rider pulls to the front is that they want to show off by picking up the speed. The aim to a paceline is to keep everybody in formation. By taking a pull when out front you’re more likely to scatter the group rather than keep it together.

If you’re in the middle of the pack and you feel like you’re nearly on top of the rider ahead of you, rather than brake make a lighter stroke or two to adjust your speed. If you need to slow down, sit up and let the wind slow you down. Air braking is the safest way to slow down when in a group. If you do need to brake, then feather brake. Continue pedaling while gently squeezing the breaks.

Riding proactively will help keep you and your formation safe. Wanting to stare at the wheel in front of you is natural but unsafe. If the rider ahead has trouble you’ll have no time to adjust. Instead, keep your eyes ahead of the lead rider.

If you start to feel tired, wait a few turns before pulling again. Pull off and drifting to the back will signal the others that you need a few minutes to conserve your energy. This will benefit everybody by not having to slow down to accommodate your fatigue.

Riding a paceline is a great way to train and get a good workout. Following the above tips will help you be a productive member of the formation without creating mistakes and earning dirty looks from your fellow riders.

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The Health Benefits of Cycling

To anybody who has ridden a bicycle, the exercise benefits are easily apparent. What is less clear are the hidden health benefits that come as a result of being an active cyclist. You don’t need the latest and the greatest in cycling equipment to reap the health rewards, but being aware of all the benefits should certainly encourage you to keep on biking.

Cycling is a great low-impact workout for those who want a change of pace from the treadmill or stationary bike. Set aside for a moment the fact that a bicycle is a transportation device, and consider the muscles that benefit from a workout. Hips, buttocks, thighs and legs will all benefit from cycling. Muscles in these areas will become more defined as fat is quickly burned and replaced with lean muscle. While running might burn more calories, for those with joint pain or impact sensitivity, cycling is a viable option for burning fat and calories.

Using a bicycle in your workout regime can help you lower your blood pressure, lose weight and to reap the rewards that come from being fit and at a healthy weight. Cycling provides a good aerobic workout which increases the blood flow to and from your heart thereby increasing the health of your heart.

Cycling is also great at reducing stress and tension. A good cycling workout can help alleviate all the stresses of the day, especially if you use your bicycle for commuting to and from work.

While the health benefits of cycling are many, always be sure to include a good warm up and cool down when using your bike for a workout. Avoid injury by listening to your body and stopping when you get tired or sore. Always wear protective gear if biking outdoors and always be a safe and courteous biker.

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Online Cycling Training Programs

Unless you’re a professional cyclist or have tons of disposable income with which to hire the best cycling trainers, amateur cyclists often have to go without valuable training advice simply because they do not have access to it. Proven tips, techniques and training schedules are often only available to those in cycling clubs or professionals. Now, however, there is a new breed of training program available on the Internet for budding cyclists.

There are a variety of online cyclist training programs available ranging from free to paying a monthly subscription or flat fee. Before you type in your PayPal information, there are a few things you should look for in an online cyclist program.

First of all, do your homework on the training program being offered. Look for reviews that might indicate the validity of it, or that speak to the success or non-success of its program. Also look into who is endorsing the training program. Professional cyclists will affiliate themselves with quality and legitimate online training programs whereas mediocre programs copied from the latest issue of Bicycling Magazine will be all flash and no substance.

Look at the training program itself. High end programs will consist of weeks or months worth of pre-planned training sessions including a mix of climbing, sprints, endurance work, cadence training as well as recovery days. Good programs will allow you to tailor your program to accommodate specific needs like long-distance biking or racing.

What kind of support offered by the program is important; before you pay for a service be sure to find out if there are real life trainers you can contact to ask questions.

No matter your level of experience, a good online cycling training program can help you improve. For newbies, the training program can help them avoid common mistakes and pitfalls while training and for those who are more experienced it can save you time and effort in having to design your own training plan.

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General Cycling Training Tips

Cycling, in whatever form, is a great form of exercise. This low impact activity burns calories quickly and can tone the whole body. Mountain biking, road biking or racing, all forms of cycling can be enjoyable but getting ready for a season of biking is more than just hopping on a bike and riding off. The following are a few general training tips for any cyclist.

Knowing, and listening to, your limit is highly important. Anybody can ride for miles in one direction but you need to get back again. Listening to your body and building up stamina and muscle is important so that you avoid injury. Make sure that you cycle regularly when in training, but give your body time off to recuperate.

Staying hydrated is important in cycling just as it is for many sports. Dehydration can seriously impede a training session and can call an early end to a race or outing that you’ve planned. Lack of fluids will sap your body of energy quickly and could leave you miles from home without any clear way of returning. Always keep your water bottle full and carry a spare if possible.

Regularly inspecting your bicycle will stave off the worst of mechanical failures. Carefully and closely examining the wheels will indicated if the tread is running low, if the pressure is too low or if there are cracks in the tires. If any of these is the case, fix it prior to setting out on a training session. Look for any bend in the frame and ensure that the gears are working properly.

Cycling is a great form of exercise and an enjoyable way to pass some time. No matter your skill level, be it amateur or pro, always follow common sense training tips and you’ll get the most out of ever training session and every trip.

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Choosing a Road Bike

Road biking is an exciting sport that allows you the thrill of speed and adventure while enjoying the outdoors. Deciding to take up this sport, either as a hobby or in order to race, begins with purchasing a road bike. The following are some guidelines to help you become familiar with road bikes and to help you find the best bike for your needs.

Advances in technology have helped to modify these bikes into more sturdy and durable machines. Frames have become lighter, gear systems have been tweaked to allow for easier transition through various speeds, and modified seats allow for better seating and comfort.

The wheels on a road bike are narrow but high pressured. They are designed for road use and are engineered to offer the least possible resistance on pavement. The shocks are also designed for smooth riding, so if you choose to take your bike cross country you’re going to feel every bump and stone your roll over.

Frames on road bikes are lightweight; the lighter the frame the more expensive the bike. Unless you plan on racing, there is little need to invest in the lightest frame available. Aluminum is a popular frame material and the most expensive bikes have titanium in the frames.

Handlebars on road bikes are typically aligned to allow riders to sit in an upright position or to allow riders to reduce wind resistance by hunching over. Both the brakes and gear operations are located on the handlebars. 10 speed gear mechanics used to be the norm where road bikes were concerned, but today’s bikes can have up to 27 different gear combinations.

The sky is the limit when it comes to prices for road bikes. When choosing one for your needs, always ask lots of questions of the sales clerk and make sure that the bike is properly fitted to you. Then just hop on and ride off into the sunset.

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Tips For Choosing A Bike

Pictograms of Olympic sports - Triathlon. This...
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You’ve decided to take up bike racing — maybe even thinking of doing a triathlon. You’ve spent too much time on the couch just watching the racers, and now it’s time to actually “hit the road.” Do you know the bike that will suit you the best, and yet still give you the performance you want. You should really recognize your needs and skill level before plunking down a whole bunch of dollars.

You should examine the level of bike you really want to do. Are you just going to ride to lose a few pounds and get into shape? Or do you truly want to race in that triathlon and win?

The best place to start is through a visit to a local bike shop to determine the best size of bike for you. Then go buy that same size bike through a garage sale or some other type of second-hand outlet. This will let you start getting in shape without a huge outlay of money. This bike should still be tuned up and have a comfortable seat so you don’t get discouraged. You can ride this bike for practice until you are absolutely sure this is your new sport and then you can go out and get a higher-performance model.

How is your skill level on a bike? Your skill level will improve once you understand the proper use of your gears and proper pedal speed. You can get instruction and help through a local bike club or even classes from the local bike shop. Don’t leave out the Internet for reading up on training and riding tips as well.

When you are ready to purchase that “dream bike” do your research. Read articles, talk to other bike enthusiasts and so on. And don’t forget you can get high-performance bikes used that can save you a lot of money.

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Building Leg Stamina

Hack squat machine
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As an athlete or someone who is training to stay fit, you understand the importance of your legs. They are almost constantly in use — driving, walking, climbing and so on. These legs are especially important to athletes, who require strong legs along with stamina. This is important for sports such as running, cycling or any sport that involves long periods of exertion.

How do you go about building leg stamina? Here’s some ideas.

• First build up the strength in your legs. You can’t really build stamina if you have no strength. Perform strength-building exercises such as leg presses, calf raises, hamstring curls, squats and step-ups.

• During the day, when you’re not at the gym, wear ankle weights. This will add resistance and make your legs feel heavier. As a result, when you remove the weights, your legs will feel less heavy, giving them additional stamina.

• Run long distances. Not only will this build leg stamina, but it will build cardiovascular stamina as well. Run at a medium pace for a minimum of 45 minutes.

• Do sprints. Start with an initial warm up to make sure you don’t injure yourself. Then sprint at your top speed for 30 seconds, followed by a slower paced job for 60 seconds. Do this between 10 and 15 repetitions followed by a cool down period.

• Hills are great for building leg strength and stamina. Run up the hill at top speed and jog down the hill.

• Bike riding will build your legs strength and stamina as well. You can do all the same things as you do when you run — long moderately paced rides, along with springs and intervals.

In addition to exercising, maintain a healthy stamina-building diet to accentuate your goals for leg strength and stamina.

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