Coaching: Don’t Fear the Group Ride (podcast)

By | Published December 2, 2012

grouprides Coaching: Dont Fear the Group Ride (podcast)Some recent commentary on being afraid of "not having the fitness" to participate in group rides (along with some comments that I was a little critical of group rides in my last podcast) has inspired this week's podcast.  This week I'll be discussing the skills necessary to succeed in group rides, even if the group happens to be stronger than you.

I'll be discussing some techniques and skills that will help give novice group riders and riders with lesser amounts of fitness a fighting chance of hanging with the group and accomplishing their group ride training goals.

I'll cover the following:

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A Pedal For Your Thoughts?

By | Published July 21, 2012

A Pedal For Your Thoughts?How many times have you heard the expression "a penny for your thoughts?"  

While it's true that life can be complicated, the idea of paying for someone's thought process (especially the valueless penny) seems odd to me.  No, I propose an amendment to that phrase, offering up a pedal for your thoughts.  But what can a pedal give you that a penny can't?  

How about solace and freedom?

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Choosing Crankset Gearing

By | Published April 7, 2012

Now that winter (what winter we had) has given way to spring, riders are storing their trainers and heading outside to ride on their favorite roads once again.  Spring is also the time in which many people consider upgrades to their bike, and one discussion I've seen relatively frequently is the "compact vs standard crankset" question.  What are the benefits of either?  Which should you use?  Let's explore the question of choosing crankset gearing and help you figure it out.

 

cranksets 300x225 Choosing Crankset GearingWhat's the Difference?

Standard and compact cranks differ in the size of chainrings they mount, which is intrinsically different because they have different BCDs, or Bolt Circle Diameters.  This measurement refers to the spacing of the chainring bolts on the arms, namely how large a diameter circle they are spaced.  Looking at the photo to the left, you can see the much smaller circle of bolts (and the shorter spider arms as well) on the compact crank on the left.  Compact cranksets use a 110mm BCD while standard uses 130mm BCD (135mm BCD for Campagnolo standard.)

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Posted in climbing, components, spring, wrenching | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Good Customer Service: RoadID

By | Published January 25, 2012

Good customer service is hard to find these days.  Typically, we hear more complaints about Local Bike Shop service than anything else, but in reality a lot of us purchase items online.  This is where customer service really can fall flat quickly, so a great experience is worth talking about.

I’m here to tell you RoadID will take care of you.

Back story:

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Nuances of Route Planning

By | Published January 9, 2012

Screen Shot 2011 12 25 at 2.47.21 PM 300x147 Nuances of Route Planning

Route planning is something every cyclist eventually has to tackle.  While the idea of just going out and riding whatever roads strike your fancy that day is exhilarating, sometimes planning a route may be a necessity.  Maybe you have a few friends joining you, maybe you have a club ride to plan or maybe you have some training that you need to plan a route for.  In any case, planning a good route is more than just putting (virtual) pen to paper, and we’re going to explore how to ensure a good plan and a good route.

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Posted in climbing, group riding, Road riding | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment
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