The Bicycling Thread

[wildbears]

[wildbears]

Tour de France poster from 1953.

[wildbears]

[wildbears]

Recent Cycling Race Podium...

[wildbears]

Female cyclists, in the USA women’s race, claim they were never told the trans winner would be competing: ‘It was hidden from us’

https://nypost.com/2025/07/02/sports...-cyclist-wins/

[wildbears]

Shoe Size and Nerve Damage

If your shoe size is too large, you run the risk of nerve compression and damage to nerves near the metatarsal heads.
This is due to the cleats being too far forward and moving the pedal axle relationships forward relative to the metatarsal heads.
Due to the location of the cleat attachment points, an increase in US shoe size of 1/2 moves the cleat positions forward about 3/8 inches.
This is enough to cause issues, especially if you have long toes. Longer toes move the metatarsal heads and associated nerves further back in the shoes.

Note: If your shoes are too long so that you can't get the cleats far enough back, adding heel cups or pads will move the foot forward and may help.

[wildbears]

Climbing Technique

Here's a video about Pogacar's climbing technique: "The Steep Climbing Techniques That Tadej Pogacar Used to Win Fleche Wallonne"....https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FTgXF2rNRmM
Note the difference in techniques between being in the saddle and out of the saddle. Also note the "kicking" technique previously described.

("Increase Your Pedaling Power Stroke Effort." Pros put power into the pedals starting at the 3:00 to 3:30 o'clock position of pedal rotation while mere mortals start at 4:00 o'clock. To increase your input, use a kicking/forward motion as your pedal approaches 3:00 o'clock. Rather than just a downward motion beginning at 4:00 o'clock.")

[wildbears]

Cooling off, vintage TDF....

[wildbears]

[wildbears]

When cranking the pedals in the saddle, it helps some cyclists to sit further back on the saddle and pedal with the toes more up and the heels more down. This allows further extension of the legs and thus more power to the pedals at a slow rpm.

Cranking RPMs are much slower than spinning RPMs and require a different pedaling technique.

As with spinning, one can "consciously lift the knees" before starting the down-stroke.

"Lift the knees, don't pull. This engages the quads and the qlutes that are stronger and have more endurance than other muscle groups. It allows an earlier pedal down-stroke (starting at 3 o'clock rather than 4) and promotes pedaling in circles rather than squares."

For high torque cranking, remember toes "UP" and knees lifted "UP".

[wildbears]

Cranking is about torque and spinning is about horse power. Like a HD V-twin and a BMW S 1000 RR. Long piston throws for torque, quick short ones for high HP.

[Lee]

I have Vespa legs

[wildbears]

A very different kind of saddle....the Infinity NX-Chrome. Haven't seen any independent reviews yet. https://infinitybikeseat.com/shop/nx..._3ZujqpTj89bTA

[955i]

Damn! I have gotten my saddle caught up in my bibs before, but if that tang-dealie thing hit you right, you'd be singing soprano!

[wildbears]

It has Medieval torture vibes.....

[wildbears]

Bonking is probably not a good weight loss strategy. Some evidence suggests that going into a calorie deficit during riding puts the body into starvation mode. And this results in compensatory over eating and even weight gain.
It's considered better to pre-ride-carb load, fuel during extended rides, and refuel within a couple of hours after riding. Protein needs to be included in the latter to maintain and repair muscle mass.

From a previous post.....

Bonking And Weight Loss
Bonking occurs on a ride when your body runs out of glucose, which is needed to power your muscles.
When the sugar is gone, your body starts burning fat to produce ketones. The ketones are then used to power your muscles and brain cells.
On a vigorous ride, the ketone production can't keep up with the energy demand and you bonk.
But you can keep riding at a slower speed and keep on burning internal fat.
This is similar to how intermittent fasting burns internal fat.

[955i]

I don't know if I have ever really "bonked." A couple of my riding buddies when they become totally exhausted, almost become comatose. It's obvious they need to get off the bike NOW and get some nutrition, even a Coke and a Snicker will do. In 10 minutes, they are okay and can at least ride a steady pace on to the finish of the ride. These guys are better riders than I (and younger). It's strange and almost scary to watch this unfold.

I've done about a dozen 100-mile gravel races. There is one where I was knackered at the end. I suppose that day might have qualified as a bonk. I was just pedaling squares the last 10 miles. I felt worse than that at the conclusion of one of Wichita Falls's classic Hotter-N-Hell 100 road bike events. It was 105 from noon onward. I sat in the middle of the sprinklers for 20 minutes at the end. I didn't even go get a cold FREE beer.

[wildbears]

TDF, 1962.....

https://www.facebook.com/reel/3108166555998952

[955i]

They forgot to grab some bagettes! A hunk of Brie would have been nice, too.

[wildbears]

Some Baguettes on Bastille Day....

[wildbears]

No, That would make this race the Giro de Italia.....

[Susan]

He's on vaca!

[wildbears]

Could be he's there to watch the Italian rider, Milan. First Italian to win a TDF stage in many years.

[wildbears]

Optimal Gearing When Spinning

Using the technique previously posted, optimal gearing can be determined by feel. The knees should be coming up in a controlled fashion and with minimal effort. With gearing that is too low, the knees will flop up and/or wiggle.

This spinning technique might result in the best HP output for the amount of effort expended.

(For a given HP output, higher pedaling RPMs require less of the rider's energy when compared to lower RPMs but higher torque.)

[wildbears]

Mr. Bean for the breakaway.