3 Must-Haves for Night Riding Season
August 7, 2008
You don’t have to give up your weekday rides after work just because daylight is fading! Night riding is a great way to maintain your technical skills and keep you fit, regardless of Earth’s orbit. Here are three “must-haves” for riding after hours:
- Light & Motion’s Arc head lamp. It’s like riding around with the moon strapped to your forehead. If you can afford the $400 price tag, this super-bright HID lamp will not let you down. The halo is brightest in the center but includes ample fill light. The battery is lightweight and fits easily into my pack (charge time is 3.5 hours for about 5 hours of light). I don’t have any complaints after four years of night rides on all types of terrain, from pavement to rocky singletrack. For a less expensive but dimmer option, try the Night Rider MiNewt X2 LED Bike Light for about $200. TIP: Run the cord through one of your helmet vents and out the back instead of letting it flap around outside your helmet. With the cord under wraps, it’s less likely to get snagged on a branch and ripped out.
- Clear Glasses. Bugs love a bright light in the woods. Keep your eyes gnat-free with a pair of sport frames that have interchangeable lenses for any light condition, like Smith’s Toaster Sunglasses. Lenses come in gray, yellow, amber, and clear.
- Arm warmers. When temperatures start to drop at night (or early in the morning on the way to work), arm warmers are the ideal transition layer. Push them up for just enough extra warmth, or down to cool off, without having to dismount. Ladies, try a women’s-specific design for smaller arms, like Pearl Izumi’s Women’s Seamless Arm Warmers.
Ladies: Why You’ll Love the CamelBak L.U.X.E.
August 1, 2008
It was painful to watch my M.U.L.E. die. We’d spent six years together—biking, hiking, skiing—and the M.U.L.E. schlepped it all, from spare tubes to arm warmers to cans of PBR. But when the last zipper broke and no amount of washing could erase its stench, I knew it was over. Still, I hoped safety pins might keep it intact for a few more rides…
My fiancé had been watching my pathetic display of loyalty to this stinky, disintegrating day pack and decided to take action. For my birthday, he surprised me with a new CamelBak: the L.U.X.E. “It’s the women’s-specific version of the M.U.L.E.,” he said, grinning. He could tell from the way my face lit up that he’d done well.
After only one ride, I understood why the L.U.X.E. is dubbed “the women’s mountain bike pack by which all others are judged.” Here are five reasons why you’ll love it:
- Curved, narrow shoulder straps. I have a smaller torso than most guys, so I appreciate the LUXE’s close-set shoulder straps. Even better, the straps are designed to follow the contours of a woman’s body (i.e.: they don’t squash your chest).
- Higher sternum strap for greater stability, with a woman’s body in mind.
- MP3 player pocket located just behind the neck for easy access. The fleece-lined pouch is also perfect for a digital camera, and is protected from the elements by a weatherproof zipper.
- Cargo Space. Like the M.U.L.E., the L.U.X.E. has a 100-ounce bladder and 500 cubic inches of cargo room. With two zippered pouches for dry storage and two open compartments for easy access, I have space to carry all I need for a full day’s ride in any climate.
- Cool color scheme. The black/beetroot is just plain sexy (also comes in blue/silver and brindle/silver). CamelBak added reflective piping on the outer pack for greater visibility at night.
3 Easy Upgrades for Faster, Safer Downhilling
July 24, 2008
Switch to a Skinny Saddle
On a steep descent, your center of gravity needs to be toward the back of your bike—otherwise, you’ll flip over your handlebars. This means getting your butt behind your seat. You can’t do that if a bulky saddle is in your way. Go narrow and you will also shed weight, which you’ll appreciate on the climbs. Before you buy, read reviews carefully and consider a gender-specific version that is designed to match the contours of your body. Two great saddles to try: the Terry Fly or the Women’s Specialized Ariel.
Get a Grip: Wear Full-Fingered Gloves
Sweaty fingers can mean slippery brake levers—the last thing you want on an intense downhill. Secure your grip by wearing full-fingered gloves, which will absorb sweat and help protect your hands if you fall. Concerned about the heat? Try Fox’s lightweight and breathable Incline Gloves, available in men’s and women’s versions for about $20 a pair.
Brake Smarter, Not Harder with ‘Shorty’ Brake Levers
Short-reach brake levers, in conjunction with disc brakes, can revolutionize your downhilling world. Small-handed people love “shorty” levers (also called S.R.L.s) because they literally shorten the “reach” between lever and handlebar, decreasing the time and effort it takes to stop. My hands aren’t small, but I love my Hayes S.R.L.’s because they give me the confidence to use one finger on each brake instead of two. This frees my middle fingers to grip my handlebars—which gives me a stronger hold on the bike and increases my confidence and control on steep downhills.
Mental Tricks for Mountain Bikers
July 19, 2008
Physical fitness is essential, but it’s only part of the picture. What’s going through your mind when you’re only halfway up that grueling, two-hour climb? What do you tell yourself to keep focused? Last weekend I asked a group of seasoned riders which “mental tricks” they use to get through the toughest challenges:
Eyes on the prize. Set a goal beforehand, whether it’s “win the race,” “beat last year’s time,” or simply “finish without wrecking.” Not only does goal-setting keep you motivated, but it also helps you focus on the big picture instead of getting bent out of shape over specific obstacles along the way.
Be prepared. You’ve cleaned and tuned up your bike. You’re hydrated and well fed. You’ve checked the weather. You’re carrying a flat repair kit, multi-tool, phone, map, food and water. Okay, so being prepared is no “mental trick;” it’s common sense. But it will give you peace of mind so that you can focus on more important things, like your goals, the trail, and enjoying your ride.
Check your form. Run through this list when you feel your mind wandering:
- Breathing. Inhale deeply, all the way to your abdomen. Exhale hard. Find a steady rhythm that jives with a favorite song. Sing to yourself, if it helps.
- Core. Keep your back flat and your stomach/core muscles engaged.
- Arms. Relax your shoulders and keep your elbows bent. Loosen your grip on the handlebars.
- Pedal stroke. Pedal in clean, even circles. Lift on the upstroke, don’t just mash on the downstroke.
- Feet. Keep heels down (no pointy toes). Use your whole foot, like you would doing leg presses at the gym.
Smile. This sounded silly to me, too. But smiling has two important benefits: it encourages positive thoughts (a welcome distraction on a hellacious climb); and it relaxes the muscles in your face. The less tension, the less energy wasted. Try it. You might be surprised.
Think positive. When I start to feel discouraged, I tell myself:
“At least I’m not sitting behind a desk.”
“I’m getting stronger.”
“When I finish this ride, I’ll reward myself with a cold beer.” (Tip: imagine the frosty glass. Now try smiling.)
Remember Your First Mountain Bike Ride?
July 12, 2008
I was a sophomore in college. My riding partner—an experienced mountain biker I was secretly in love with—took me on an “easy” trail in Virginia’s George Washington National Forest.
When I arrived at the trailhead I almost didn’t recognize Ian. He could have been plucked from the cover of Bike magazine. He was decked out in black lycra, a colorful jersey, and special shoes that clipped into his pedals. He took a sip of water from a blue plastic tube that connected to his backpack.
“You ready?” he said.
I carried nothing. One of my tennis shoes was untied and my helmet was so loose that it tipped backwards on my head. I could barely lift my bike, a 40-lb. purple hardtail I bought from a friend’s dad for $75.
“Ready!” I said.
Ian looked hesitant. He walked over to me and leaned in close. I thought he might kiss me. Instead he grabbed the strap under my chin and yanked. “That’s better,” he said, jerking my head as he tightened my helmet. Then he pulled a pump out of his pack and added air to my tires. He lubed my chain, raised my seat two inches, and handed me an extra water bottle.
“Now we’re ready,” he said.
“Let’s do this,” I said, ignoring the realization that I was in way over my head.
On the climb, a steep pitch littered with rocks and roots, I had to stop every 25 yards to catch my breath. Why do people do this to themselves? I wondered, gasping for air. I watched in disbelief as Ian sailed effortlessly over logs and rocks the size of footballs. When I tried to mimic him, I fell—repeatedly—until my legs were dotted with scratches and purple welts. I went at a snail’s pace on the downhill, death-grip on the brakes, paranoid that I would flip over my handlebars.
The five-mile loop took us two hours. When it was over, I felt like someone had beaten me with a baseball bat. “Thanks for the ride,” I told Ian, trying to sound positive. “But I don’t think mountain biking is my thing.”
“Trust me,” he said. “It gets easier the second time.”
Eleven years and hundreds of rides later, I’m glad I listened.
Crank Brothers Pedals
July 11, 2008
The best gear is the kind you don’t have to think about. You know you can rely on it to do it’s job and you won’t have any issues with it. Apparently, Crank Brothers agrees with me.
The Crank boys know how to make a great bike pedal. I’ve been a fan of Crank Brothers since I started biking for their simplicity and versatility-they’re east to use, but kick butt when it comes to the trail or the road.
The egg-beater design makes the pedals way handy to get into, no twisting or forward push, just step down on the pedal and you’re in. It’s hugely convenient because you will clip in just by hopping on and pedaling. They provide a very secure feel, and just as important, they exit just as quickly. The clips disengage with a half twist of your foot, making it easy to intentionally unclip, but without it happening when you’re trying to charge up a hill or something.
Their open design never seems to clog up with mud or debris, and both pairs that I use have stood up to some severe bangs on rocks and stumps, and the egg beaters have survived a 25-foot tumble down the Sacramento river’s Nutter Butter downhill-another time when the easy disengage saved my butt.
I use the egg beaters on my road bike and the mallets on my mountain bike. The mallets are a combination of the egg beater style and a largish platform for sketchy situations where you may want to ditch the bike.
The egg beaters are great on my roadie, because they’re small, simple, and the four-sided entry speeds up the click-in process.They are very minimal, lightweight and actually do bear a stiking resemblance to egg beaters. The secure fit makes the upstroke just as effective as the downstroke, improving the efficiency of every ride.
I love the mallets on my mountain bike, as the platform comes in handy when you’re tying to get started uphill quickly. They are big enough to pedal on until your clips engage, and when you need to drop a foot around a curve, you don’t have to worry about clipping back in right away, you can just use the platform.
With Crank Bros’ mallet and egg beater pedals, I love the fact that you don’t have to think about clipping into the bike, you can just get on and go, freeing up more time to enjoy what I’m doing.
And that’s what it’s all about.
Give them a look at Crank Brothers’ website, or at REI.com.
More on Biking for Gray Hairs
June 29, 2008
Our first real mountain biking adventure was at a local park that had created advance, intermediate and beginner mountain bike trails. Our kids had warned us off all but the beginner trails. So, with jeans’ legs tied up with shoestrings, we set out. It’s amazing how fast trees can move. Even if you reach part of a trail with no trees, suddenly, there they are, taunting you to fit your handlebars between them. Hurtling through the woods, following a trail, more aptly described as a dim path, we found that riding around the parking lot bore absolutely no resemblance to this. Roots the size of wrestler’s arms lay right in the middle of the path. You avoid something like this, don’t you? No, the boys chimed when we related our first adventure. This is what mountain bikers live for! Roots! Preferably big, fat ones! You’ll learn to love them.
Love them we did not. But, eventually, we found a couple of trails that did not require dodging trees and rode these consistently and our flickers of confidence grew. Now, our sons decided, we were ready to do some “real” mountain biking. We met one of our sons at another trail, different, but still a beginner’s trail . . . or so they said.
We needed to ride faster, he instructed. Hit the roots with speed and you’ll bounce right over them. Pedal really hard around the twisty curves. Brake sharply on the hills, but don’t slide the tires. Don’t poke along on the trail looking for squirrels. Go! Go! Go!
Sharing The Wealth
June 20, 2008
Having a spouse or significant other that enjoys the same activities as you do can be an incredible experience. No matter what you’re into—hiking, biking, rock climbing or stamp collecting—sharing the activity(s) you love with the one you love is a great experience. It’s also the difference between spending your weekends and spare time out in the wilderness and meticulously checking items off of the wife’s chore list.
I’m a lucky guy—my wife is very willing to try things out and has really gotten into my two favorite sports: snowboarding and mountain biking. I have begun to learn some valuable lessons about how to nurture her growth and make it fun for the both of us. It can be challenging; I have been involved in both of these sports for around 15 years so obviously we are not at the same level. The rewards of spending time together while doing something that we both love are well worth the little efforts, however.
Here’s a couple of lessons I’ve learned. (I’m going to assume that it’s a guy taking out his wife or girlfriend mountain biking for grammatical ease and posterity. However, it could obviously work the other way around with a completely different activity too—although a woman’s job is even more difficult, what with the fragile male ego to contend with.)
Let her pick the ride. If you pick out a ride and it turns out to be too strenuous, long, steep or technical, chances are good you’re going to hear about it the whole day and it is going to diminish the experience for both of you. If it’s her first ride, you may be back to weeding the garden next weekend. Worse yet, you might have to make an appearance at the ballet. Don’t let that happen. Pick out some easier choices that would be suitable for a beginner and let her pick out the one that appeals to her. Don’t worry, you can still hammer out those grueling climbs and huge descents, but save those for your riding buddies or yourself.
Find rides that offers something your wife/girlfriend might enjoy. If she loves flowers, pick a trail that rolls through patches of wildflowers. Or find a trail that offers a great scenic view or place to have a mid-ride picnic. There are plenty of trails out there, find one that will really spark her interest enhancing the overall experience.
Encouragement goes a long way. It can be very frustrating for someone when they constantly struggle or can’t do things as well as you. Watching other riders, particularly you, ride with ease while she struggles can be very perturbing. However, that’s not what it’s about. She’s not going to catch up with you or other riders in the matter of days. It takes a while for anyone to get the hang of it and get into shape. Constantly, encourage her and the accomplishments she makes—finishing a climb without walking, doing a longer ride, etc. Make her feel good about herself. She’s earned it.
Offer constructive pointers only if she wants them. This is crucial. Don’t be the guy who is the consummate pro— tediously doling out advice that no one really wants, just to demonstrate your own expertise and knowledge. No one likes that guy. At all. Try to offer only positive advice and keep it at a minimum. Praise her for what she’s doing right, while gently suggesting something that might make riding easier/more efficient. If she’s having problems, wait for her to ask questions. Finally, pick your battles. Don’t point out every tiny mistake; rather, save your advice for major issues that could really help. Don’t just start throwing out criticism and never get frustrated with her—this will guarantee that it will be your last ride and you might quickly find yourself eating Hungry Man dinners and sleeping on the couch.
If your spouse is really resenting you for dragging her into your world, try something she’d like to do. Have your spouse pick out a new activity she’d like to try. Hopefully, it’s something you’ll enjoy also, but even if it’s not, you’ll make it a two way street and reward your spouse’s efforts. You’ll also be doing something brand new together where you’re both struggling to learn. If nothing new, perhaps you could show interest in one of her hobbies. Just cross your fingers that it’s not meringue lessons.
There’s nothing wrong with having your own interests, but sharing interests with your spouse ensures that you’ll spend plenty of time doing what you love. There’s no need to compromise on activities when you both share the same passion. If you play your cards right, you might tap into something that your spouse likes as much as you. One day she might even kick your ass at it. But that’s a whole different topic for another time.
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