For the Love of Bikes

Life is better on a bike!

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Planning a Bicycle Tour

February 11, 2011 /

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It may seem too cold and snowy to think about bike touring, but this is actually a great time of year to research, plan and book a bicycle tour.

Bicycle touring is gaining in popularity as more people ride bikes in general, and as more of us discover what a wonderful way biking is to travel and experience new places.

Nowadays there are many options with bike tours — from local to cross country tours, from self-supported to fully supported, and from easy, beginner tours with daily mileage of 25-40, to intermediate tours with daily mileage in the 50 – 75 range along with moderate hills, to the most difficult tours with high mileage and hilly terrain.

There is a bicycle tour to fit everyone – including beginners, children and older enthusiasts.

Broadly speaking, there are two types of bicycle tours: supported and self-supported. Among supported bike tours there are a wide range of options and services, from the most basic to the most luxurious – and everything in between.

With the basic supported bike tour, the company may only carry your luggage to each lodging site and everything else – bicycle, helmet, meals, snacks, and mechanical support – is yours to handle.

Fully supported tours typically include everything – bicycle, helmet, most meals, mechanical support, snacks, drinks, transfers, and lodging. Sometimes other activities are even included in the tour price, such as winery and museum tours. Generally, the more support and amenities included in the tour, the higher the cost.

If you have not toured by bicycle before, you may want to play it safe the first time and go with a supported tour. Remember, there are basic, no-frills supported bike tours where the costs are reasonable.

With bicycle touring becoming so popular there are options for all budgets and skill levels so shop around and do your research.

As you become more experienced you may want to venture into touring on your own, which means carrying your own gear and relying on your own ingenuity and abilities to travel from place to place.

Regardless of what type of bicycle tour you choose – traveling by bike makes for a great vacation.

To Train or Not To Train

January 28, 2011 /

It seems to be easier to exercise/train every day than to take a day off.  At least that’s what I’m finding.

One day off, leads to two days, then three days… then pretty soon you’ve stopped altogether.  Even if it’s just 15-20 minutes, a little is better than nothing and the exercise habit is intact.

Besides, what starts out as a plan to work-out for 15 minutes may lead to a full hour of exercise.  Getting started is the hardest part of training. 

Bicycling is the same way.  The getting ready to go can be an ordeal, especially in the winter when you have to dress like an Eskimo to keep the cold out.  The wind chill effect is very obvious on the bike – and to be avoided.

There is however, the risk of overdressing, where you’re comfortable when you first go out, but 20 minutes into the ride you’re too warm.  Just as bad if not worse than being cold.

That’s why I use the spinner for cycling in the winter.  None of those issues and I can ride for about as long with the same mileage of one of my average rides in the summer – 30 to 40.

The fact is that 2 hours on the spinner is equal to 2.5 – 3 hours on a real ride.  There is no break while spinning, no coasting, just constant pedaling.  For variety you have to mix up the ride – going hard and then easy, pushing a harder gear and then working on spinning, using a video such as Real Rides or just riding to a variety of music and riding “tempo”.

It all serves you well when spring rolls around and biking outdoors begins in earnest.

At least that’s what I keep telling myself.

Sarcastic smile

Tour Down Under Over

January 24, 2011 /

Congratulations to Garmin – Cervelo’s Cameron Meyer on his win at the 2011 Tour Down Under.  It was nice to see a Garmin rider win, especially since 2010 was such a difficult year for them.  With the merging of Garmin – Transitions with the Cervelo team, the new team should be very strong and competitive in 2011.

Cameron Meyer

Meyer took the ochre jersey as it were, the leader’s jersey, when he won the 4th Stage.  He held on to win the Tour Down Under by 2 seconds over Matt Goss with HTC-Highroad.

Meyer is Australian and appears to be quite the good find for Garmin – Cervelo.   He was last year’s Australian cyclist of the year after winning three world titles on the track and has been the national time-trial champion the past two years.

In other news, Matt White, Director Sportif for Garmin – Transitions and this year, Garmin – Cervelo, was fired after the team took the TDU championship.  The reason given for White being fired was that he broke team rules when he referred Garmin rider Trent Lowe to Dr. Luis Garcia del Moral in Spain.  Interestingly, he was the U.S. Postal team physician from 1999 – 2003.  White sent Lowe to Moral without the approval or knowledge of the Garmin medical staff.  Garmin has the strictest anti-doping rules of probably any professional cycling team and the physician referral rule is part of that. 

There may be more to the story, but for now that’s the story that’s being reported.  Kudos to Garmin – Cervelo for adhering to team rules and making what had to be a difficult decision in an apparent effort to ensure their riders race clean.

Oklahoma Legislative Bike Advocacy

January 23, 2011 /

As promised, Oklahoma State Senator Andrew Rice (D), has introduced three bills in an attempt to make bicycling safer in Oklahoma.  The bills are a result of local advocacy efforts along with the outcry from the cycling community last year after three cyclists were killed on Oklahoma roadways.

Senate Bill 443 – Would require the Department of Public Safety to include bicycle safety on the driver examination in Oklahoma.

Senate Bill 487 – Creating the Oklahoma Bicycle Safety Awareness Act, would establish the Oklahoma Bicycle Safety Awareness Revolving Fund, to be used by the Department of Public Safety “to provide awareness to the road traveling public of the presence of bicyclists by any media promotions, publications or signage.”  The funds would come from voluntary donations made at the time a driver license or state I.D. card is obtained or renewed.

Senate Bill 951 – Would amend existing state statute which requires that motorists maintain a minimum 3 foot distance when passing bicyclists by adding the language; “of the right side of the motor vehicle, including all mirrors or other projections, and the left side of the bicyclist” and stipulates the same for traveling on a one-way street.   The bill would establish a fine of not less than $500 when the minimum of 3 foot distance when passing bicyclist is not maintained, and was observed by a police officer.

Additionally, the penalty for hitting and injuring a bicyclist would be raised from $500 to $1000, and if a bicyclist is killed the fine would be raised to an amount of not less than $5000 (the law presently states not more than $1,000), in addition to any other penalties prescribed by law.

Further, Section 11-1111, which relates to throwing or dropping objects, would be amended to add bicycle to the application of law.

Another bill, HB 2049, was introduced by Oklahoma State Representative, Lewis Moore, designating Route 66, between the Sapulpa city limits and the Edmond city limits, as a “Historic Bike Trail”.   The bill stipulates “suitable permanent markers to be placed upon the highway bearing that name. Contingent upon the availability of funds, the Department shall provide a shoulder lane designated for use by bicycle traffic on the Historic Bike Trail.”

I encourage you to contact your local representatives in the Oklahoma House and Senate and ask for their support of this legislation.

Tour Down Under

January 15, 2011 /

The Tour Down Under kicks off the 2011 UCI Pro Tour season.  Hoorah!

The Tour Down Under is also the last bike race outside the U.S. for legend, Lance Armstrong.  Because of that the race is getting more coverage than in previous years – although that was also true when Armstrong rode in the TDU in 2009 when he started his comeback.  At any rate, we the viewers and fans of professional cycling, are the beneficiaries of this increased interest.  Thank you Lance.

Although I don’t need any special reason to watch and enjoy professional bike racing, I have to tell you an even better reason to watch the TDU besides Armstrong’s swan song, will be the duel between sprinters, Mark Cavendish, HTC-High Road and former teammate, Andre Greipel, now riding with Omega Pharma-Lotto.  Greipel has won two Tours Down Under, in 2010 and 2008.  Both men are elite sprinters, past (competitive) teammates and for the first time, we will get to see them race against each other.

It has been reported in the past that there was no love lost between Greipel and Cavendish, but to add fuel to the fire, former Cavendish lead out man, Adam Hanson, is now riding for Greipel’s team.  The competition will be tense and the viewers will get to enjoy what no doubt will be fierce sprints between the two and their teams.

My personal hope is that Robbie McEwen, now with Team Radio Shack, will be able to take advantage of the personal rivalry between Cavendish and Greipel and win at least one stage.

Another bonus, it just gets better and better doesn’t it – is we get to see the new teams, and see which riders are on which teams (it changes year to year just like all other sports)  plus the new kits (uniforms) and bikes.

The fun starts tomorrow with the Cancer Council Classic, a 51 km criterium race.  Stage One of the Tour Down Under happens Tuesday, with the final day of racing next Sunday, January 23rd.

  *If you are new to following professional bike racing, you might find my Tour de France Primer helpful.  Different tour – but basically the same strategy.

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