Frivolous Distraction, or Useful Social Platform and Training Tool? Road cycling has always been fraught with technical controversy, for as long as I can remember. Back when we all rode 5-speed freewheels (not cassettes, mind you), the newfangled 6-speeds came out. Riders were divided and highly opinionated as to the efficacy of this new “gimmick.” Soon after, some of us…
Category: Road Racing Tips
Just Ask Rocco, Volume III
An Informal Question and Answer Feature with Retired World-Class Italian Bike-God, Art Critic, Philosopher, Musician, Epicurean, and Narcissist, Rocco Vaselino Greetings, my American friends, and, especially, you road biking enthusiasts. Since moving to Southern Utah a few years ago, I must say I have enjoyed riding in the fine weather, exploring the many interesting chip sealed roads, gasping through thick…
Road Bike Maintenance that you ALWAYS Forget About
You can avoid many inopportune mechanical failures and make your road bicycle function much better if you’d only remember to do some simple, routine maintenance. But…you don’t. Most of us would rather ride than wrench. The modern road bicycle is a wonderful, efficient machine that needs minimal upkeep to be reliable and enjoyable to ride. But just because road bikes…
Proper Weight Distribution
The Importance of Proper Weight Distribution in Road Cycling This overlooked aspect of cycling has an effect on comfort, freedom from pain and fatigue, and your ability to go fast… It would appear to be very simple. Your body weight on a bicycle is supported by any combination of three things; the saddle, the handlebars, and the pedals. But how…
The Dreaded High Speed Wobble
A Few Thoughts on “The Dreaded High-Speed Wobble” Most of us have experienced this terrifying phenomenon at least once while descending. Today we’ll take a look at what likely causes it, what probably doesn’t cause it, how to avoid it, and how to survive it when it happens. You’re at the top of Snow Canyon just passing the north ranger…
Road Wheels and Tires…Clincher or Tubular?
There was a time when you trained on your heavy clincher wheels, and you saved your super-zoot, lightweight, fast, big-bucks tubular wheels and tires for race day. But times have changed… Nearly all of you reading this article ride on clincher wheels and tires, and I may be the only one in Southern Utah left riding tubular tires, or as…
Good Drafting Technique Saves Energy
There are quite a few variables in drafting, but if done correctly, you can use between 10% and 40% less effort to cover the same distance at the same speed. Whether you’re a sport rider or a racer, knowing how and when to draft can keep you with the main group to the end of the ride. Drafting a rider…
Road Wheel Stiffness
You picked a fine time to leave me, loose wheel… It seems as if most road bicycles these days feature carbon frames, and stiffness is consistently high and no longer an issue. Steel bikes were suppler and typically not quite as stiff, aluminum was rigid and could be somewhat harsh, and titanium frames (I have owned five) were quite often…
Power Meters vs. Heart Rate Monitors
Should you train using a power meter or a heart rate monitor? The discussion has gone on for decades, and both technologies have improved and become more accessible. So which of these training tools should you use? The short answer is “both.” Okay, let’s end the article here and go for a ride, m-kay? Ah, if it were that easy….
Encountering Other Cyclists on the Road
Cordiality, camaraderie, posturing, and humiliation… There is a tradition among Corvette owners called “The Wave.” If you’re driving a Corvette and you see another Corvette approaching, you wave to the driver. That’s just how it is. On occasion a driver will not reciprocate, for whatever reason, (they’re zoning out, they didn’t see you, they’re texting, they’re too cool, etc.), but…