Advanced Cycling

Climbing Tips

1. Technique
   • Maintain cadence to avoid stress on your knees
   • Start in a lower gear; upshifts are easier than downshifts
   • Keep upper body relaxed; elbows in, back straight, loose grip on the bars
2. Mentality
   • Confidence will help you ride the entire hill without stopping
   • Be mentally tough and push yourself; the mind tires before the body
   • Concentrate on form and breathing; the hill will soon disappear behind you
3. Education
   • Eat before you are hungry, drink before you are thirsty; every 20 minutes
   • Rests should only last a minute or two; don't let the body think it's over
   • Practice breathing and climbing techniques to be more efficient on the bike
4. Gears
   • A comfortable gear will be a factor of your fitness level
   • Choose a gear that will allow you to spin comfortably; avoid excessive knee stress
   • Use a lower gear to avoid exhaustion during the climb
5. Endless climbs
   • Combine sitting and standing to stretch and work different muscle groups
   • Concentrate on your breathing; try to keep it at a constant level throughout the climb
   • Remember to eat and drink every 20 minutes to maintain energy output

Clipless Pedals

1. Choosing pedals
   • Many manufacturers offer pedals with different features; research your purchase
   • If you have bad knees or weak ankles, try pedals that offer free floating designs
   • Pedals are available with cage on one side and binding on other for recreational use
2. Special shoes
   • Clipless pedals require a cleat that mounts to the bottom of your shoe
   • Shoes with stiff soles and threaded inserts allow the cleat to be safely attached
   • Shop around for comfort; you might be walking a lot in the shoes so buy accordingly
3. Set up
   • Shops might help you set up your cleats if you buy your shoes and pedals from them
   • From the front to back, your cleat should be parallel with the centerline of the shoe
   • The widest part of the cleat should line up under the widest part of the shoe
4. Clicking in
   • Practice clipping in and out of your pedals; stabilize yourself on a wall or wind trainer
   • Ride the bike in a grass field, practice clipping in and out; you might fall once or twice
   • Start with the springs on the lowest tension, gradually increasing it over time
5. Riding
   • Clipless pedals have been the most significant upgrade in many people's lives
   • Greater pedaling efficiency, increased control and more connected feeling
   • Easier to get out of than clips and straps in an emergency
6. Stopping
   • Practice taking your foot out well in advance of a stop
   • After a few rides, you will click in and out without thinking about it
   • Make sure you lean over to the side that you have your foot out on

Going Downhill Fast

1. Brakes
   • Make sure that your brake pads have at least ¼" of wear left on them
   • Brake pads should hit only the rim; pads rubbing the tire can cause a blowout
   • There should be 1" or more between the lever and bars with brakes depressed
2. Speed control
   • If you do not know the road or traffic volume, ride with extra caution
   • Hazards are harder to avoid at high speed, especially while turning
   • Do not overtake motorists unless the road allows it
3. Ride predictably
   • Remain in the same portion of the roadway down a curvy descent
   • Take the lane if you are traveling the same speed as motorists
   • Take the lane if the road is narrow and curvy regardless of speed
4. Braking technique
   • Long descents require uniform pressure on front and rear brakes
   • Constant braking can overheat the rims resulting in loss of braking response
   • Brake before a curve
5. Safety
   • Riding upright will increase wind resistance and help slow you down
   • Always keep both hands on the bars; slow down if the bike shakes at high speed
   • Slow down for wet rides; ask ride leaders about general road conditions

Group Riding

1. Be predictable
   • In a group, your actions affect those around you, not just yourself
   • Riders expect you to continue straight and at a constant speed
   • Signal your intention to turn or slow down before you do so
2. Use signals
   • Use hand signals to indicate turns and point out hazards to others
   • Left or right arm straight out to indicate left or right turn
   • Left arm out and down with palm to the rear to indicate stopping
3. Give warnings
   • Ride leaders should call out right turns, left turns and stops in addition to signaling
   • Announce turns before the intersections to give riders a chance to position themselves
   • Try to avoid sudden stops or turns except for emergencies
4. Change positions correctly
   • Slower moving traffic stays to the right; faster traffic to the left
   • Pass slower moving vehicles on the left; announce your intention to do so
   • Announce passes on the right clearly as this is not a usual maneuver
5. Announce hazards
   • Most cyclists do not have a full view of the road while riding in a group
   • Announce potholes and other hazards so others can avoid them
   • Call out the hazard and point down to it, either left or right
6. Watch for traffic from the rear
   • The last rider should frequently check for overtaking cars
   • Announce "car back" clearly and loudly
   • It is also helpful to announce "car up" on narrow roads or when riding two abreast
7. Watch out at intersections
   • Leader should announce slowing or stopping at intersections if necessary
   • Cyclists should not follow others through intersections without scanning
   • Each cyclist is responsible for checking cross traffic; if you must stop, signal
8. Leave room for cars
   • On narrow road or during climbs, leave space between every three or four riders
   • Motorists will utilize the shorter passing intervals to pass the group
   • Good relations with motorists is the responsibility of every cyclist
9. Stop off road
   • When stopping for mechanicals or regrouping, always move clear off the road
   • Only if conditions permit should you move back onto the road as a group
   • Always yield to traffic in the roadway
10. Ride single file
    • It is illegal in some areas to ride more than two abreast
    • Ride single file between intersections; double up when the group stops
    • When taking the lane, double up and take the whole lane

Lights at Night

1. Visibility
   • By law, you must have a front white light and red rear reflector in most states
   • Motorists are familiar with white meaning front and red meaning rear
   • Front lights can illuminate your path or simply make you visible at night
2. Wattage
   • Inexpensive lights seldom light your path; at about 3 watts, they make you visible
   • Lighting systems are available that put out 45 watts with a halogen bulb
   • Most full-time commuters use at least a 10 watt system with a rechargeable battery
3. Power sources
   • From AA batteries to nickel-metal-hydride rechargeables, the options are endless
   • Self-contained, rechargeable batteries have the best life and brightest light
   • Simple AA powered lights have lower initial cost but frequent battery replacement
4. Helmet vs. bar mount
   • Helmet mounted lights allow your to get the attention of motorists by looking at them
   • Bar mounted lights make you look more like a vehicle but only point forward
   • The ideal situation is one helmet light and one bar-mounted light for safety
5. Rear lights
   • A red rear blinking light is much more conspicuous than a passive reflector
   • Make sure that your light is visible to motorists and not pointing up or down
   • Clear obstructions from the back of the bike that would block the light

Nutrition

1. Basics
   • Your body needs fluids, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates to work
   • While riding, your body needs more of these than it can store
   • Replacement of energy that you have used is necessary
2. Preparation
   • A balanced diet will do wonders for your body
   • Start drinking more water than normal two days before a big ride
   • Do not do any hard riding a few days before the event
3. Before the ride
   • Eat a low-fat, regular portion breakfast such as cereal or pancakes
   • Drink at least one waterbottle of water or sports drink that morning
   • Stretch for at least five minutes just before the event
4. During the ride
   • Maintain your body's water level by drinking often; one waterbottle per hour
   • Consume low-fat snacks such as fruit or energy bars
   • Avoid eating a big meal during the ride
5. After the ride
   • Continue to hydrate; your body will be working overtime for up to 24 hours
   • Replace lost energy stores by eating proteins, carbohydrates and sugars
   • Relax and enjoy your accomplishment; give your body time to repair itself

On-Bike Stretching and Exercises

1. Reasons to stretch
   • Reduce tightness and strain in your neck, back, shoulders, arms and face
   • Ride longer with less fatigue; recover faster with post-ride stretches
   • Always warm-up muscles before stretching; cold stretching can cause injury
2. Be careful
   • Never attempt these stretches while riding in a group or paceline situation
   • Check for traffic, slow down and maintain control of your bicycle
   • Attempt only on smooth, flat, dry pavement
3. Lower and middle back
   • With one hand on the bar, reach back and place your forearm across your lower back
   • Twist your upper body toward the hand that is behind you; hold for 5 seconds
   • Look over your shoulder and move that shoulder back while moving the other forward
4. Shoulder and neck
   • Reach across chest to opposite shoulder as far as comfortable; hold for 5 seconds
   • Lift shoulders towards your ears until you feel tension
   • Hold for 5 seconds, then slowly roll back to original position
5. Fingers and forearms
   • Place hand on hip, palm down, fingers up; straighten elbow to stretch for 10 seconds
   • Place fingers on handlebar and push down to stretch forearms; hold for 5 seconds
   • Bend hand back as far as possible; rotate wrist back and forth; hold for 5 seconds
6. Face and jaw
   • Open your mouth in an "O" then move your lips right to left to stretch cheek muscles
   • Open your mouth wide to stretch jaw muscles
   • Never clench your teeth while riding
7. Back
   • Arch your back while lowering your head slightly
   • Then straighten your back and lift your head up to straighten your spine
   • Hold each for 5 seconds; perform both stretches consecutively
8. Legs
   • While coasting, straighten one leg in the 6 o'clock position and drop your heel
   • In the 3 and 9 o'clock position, stand and drop both heels; switch feet and repeat
   • Hold each stretch for 10 seconds and repeat

Pacelines and Drafting

1. Drafting
   • Following closely behind another rider cuts down on wind resistance
   • Only draft off of someone whose riding style or experience you trust
   • Always inform the rider in front that you are on their wheel; between 6" and 18" back
2. Paceline
   • A group of riders drafting off of each other is a paceline; the leader dictates pace
   • Front rider must communicate obstacles to riders behind; last rider watches traffic
   • Pay close attention to those ahead and behind; be able to react safely and quickly
3. Rotation
   • Riders in a paceline take turns 'pulling' the group along through the wind
   • To move from the front, check traffic, pull out to the left and move to the back
   • The second rider is now the leader and provides draft for allotted time or distance
4. Signals
   • Lead rider must signal debris and hazards in roadway as well as stops and turns
   • Point in direction of hazard and announce 'grate' or 'gravel' for other riders
   • Rear rider is responsible for signaling intentions to following traffic
5. Dangers
   • Do not draft on high traffic roads or roads with frequent intersections
   • There is very little room for error when riding very close to others
   • Crashing in a paceline has a domino effect, which may knock down riders behind you

Surviving a Thunderstorm

A PREPAREDNESS GUIDE for severe weather is published by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration/National Weather Service. The following is our adaptation of that guide to specifically address cyclist concerns. National Weather Service has reviewed and approved this adaptation.

In general . . .

• Cyclists on the road are most at risk from thunderstorms if they are under or near tall trees, are on or near hilltops, or are themselves high points on flat terrain (such as crossing an open field).
• Lightning often strikes outside of heavy rain and may occur as far as 10 miles away from any rainfall.
• Rubber-soled shoes and rubber tires provide NO protection from lightning.
• If you can hear thunder, you are close enough to the storm to be struck by lightning. Look for safe shelter immediately!
• When skies darken, look AND listen for increasing wind, flashes of lightning, sound of thunder
• Lightning remains a danger even when a thunderstorm is dissipating or has passed by.

When thunderstorms approach . . .

• If you are on a hill with exposure to the sky, try to head downhill, seeking out an overhanging bluff or a valley or ravine where you can lower your exposure.
• Move to a sturdy building or shelter if there is one within reach (such as an underpass, a large barn, a store or railroad station). Do not take shelter in small sheds or under isolated trees.
• However, get to higher ground if flash flooding is possible where you are (such as by a creek bed).

If caught outdoors and no shelter is nearby . . .

• Find a low spot away from trees, fences, and poles. Make sure the place you pick is not subject to flooding.
• If you are in the woods, take shelter under the shorter trees. (Lightning is more likely to strike the tallest trees.)
• If you feel your skin tingle or your hair stand on end, dismount fast, get away from your bike, and squat low to the ground on the balls of your feet. Place your hands on your knees with your head between them. Make yourself the smallest target possible, and minimize your contact with the ground.

Suspension for Road and Mountain

1. Benefits
   • Suspension takes some of the sting out of riding on road or off
   • It allows you to maintain more consistent contact with the ground, increasing stability
   • Suspension allows you to ride longer with less fatigue
2. Front
   • A suspension stem or fork can be used to suspend the rider or bike, respectively
   • Front suspension allows you to keep the front wheel in contact with the ground
   • Wrists, hands, elbows, forearms and shoulders all benefit from front suspension
3. Rear
   • Suspension can be achieved with a seatpost or a full suspension frame design
   • Most of the weight on a bike is over the rear wheel via the seat
   • Suspension will be most noticeable on the rear wheel or seatpost
4. Road
   • Riding on the road requires minimal suspension if any
   • Try shorter travel seatpost or stem suspension for long, bumpy riders
   • Some manufacturers make suspension forks with minimal travel for road use
5. Mountain
   • Weight conscious riders stick to about 2 ½" to 3" of travel on hardtail bikes
   • Many bikes come with 4 to 6 inches of wheel travel for comfort or aggressive riding
   • For weight and performance, try minimal front and minimal-to-no rear suspension
6. Drawbacks
   • Suspension almost always adds weight to the bike, making it a bit harder to get uphill
   • Some suspension designs rob you of power while pedaling, slowing you down
   • Suspension requires additional maintenance and tools for servicing