Gearing Up for Summer Cycling!
a post about cycling from a girl who loves cycling, March 2023
So, how many of you reading this are cyclists? I don't necessarily mean that you put on the spandex and you ride the roadie on the drops and you eat food that comes in a little squeezable tube. (But if you do all those things, hey, welcome!) I'm talking, do you love being on your bike? Do you bring your bike when you go on vacation? Do you ride at least once a week all season (and maybe even in the off-season)? Do you even have an indoor bicycle in your basement ... that you actually ride during the colder weather?
Are you a cyclist?
- Yes!
- Nope.
- I'm not quite sure. Am I? Maybe? I have a bike!
In this post, I'm going to talk a little bit about the upcoming cycling season. As someone who has been bike addicted since about age 3, but who only recently took up the sport a bit more seriously, I would like to share some recommendations for those of you who, like me, may be finding yourselves getting a bit more serious about your two-wheeled friend.
ALL THE PRETTY HORSES (IN MY STABLE)
Speaking of two-wheeled friends, here are my best buddies, going back to 1992 in Columbus, Ohio, where I received a Giant Allegré very similar to the one above (picture 1). At 56cm, this bike is actually too big for me (my best size is a 52cm), but that's what they had in stock at the time, and I didn't know any better. His name is Danny Boy, or, more often, just Danny. Note the shifters on the downtube—classic!
At the start of the pandemic, I had my drop bars replaced with a flat bar and added half-clips like these to make it easier to keep my feet on the pedals without needing a full toe clip or a clip-in system.
For the next 28 years, that's the only bike I had, unless I count the cheapo mountain bike I bought at some local reseller in Brodheadsville back in about 2017. I still have Danny; he's hanging out in the garage. When I got back into cycling in summer 2020, I rode Danny all summer, but I quickly realized he was getting old and his components were not the best. He was, I'm sorry to say, slowing me down.
So, it was not without some guilt (but also a great deal of excitement) that I got my first brand-new bike in almost 30 years, in 2021. This new ride is a Trek Verve 3 Disc in Mulsanne Blue (picture 2). It seemed logical to continue the tradition begun with Danny and name this bike with a D-name as well, but I decided she was a girl, so she became Dela (for the Delaware River, where we live).
Dela and I had many adventures that summer. My goal was to be able to ride 20 miles straight without any discomfort; by the end of that summer, I was riding longer! Unfortunately, my season ended in late August when a wasp stung me in the face just past my driveway. Until then, I had believed I was allergic to bee and wasp stings, so I freaked out when it happened. Fortunately, though, I was okay once the initial pain and swelling subsided; however, I was terrified to get back out on the road.
But that fear could not be allowed to stand. So, in 2022, I determined that not only was I going to get back out there, but I was also going to invest in a really nice road bike that would make my rides go faster and feel more fun. I started with the idea of buying a Trek Domane AL 2 Disc, an aluminum road bike in a gorgeous red, but bikes were damn near impossible to get hold of due to the supply-chain problems that came with the pandemic. As the weeks went on, I gradually went from the AL 2 to the AL 4 and, finally, to the SL 5, which is a carbon bike. In other words, I upsold myself through sheer impatience!
By late April, I was the proud owner of a matte black Trek Domane SL 5 (picture 3), whom I named Dakari. My favorite cycling coach on Apple Fitness+ is Bakari, but all my bikes' names start with D, hence the name Dakari. He's my best friend!
(At left: Fitness+ cycling coach Bakari Williams, borrowed from his Instagram page.)
On the road, that is... on the rails-to-trails, I was beginning to get the sense that poor Dela just wasn't quite up to the task of going 30+ miles over gravel, through mud, and over tree roots and rocks, all while dodging the occasional bear, deer, or possum. It was last fall when I started to think I needed a gravel-specific bike. (That's a lie. It was last summer!) Dela is a wonderful bike, but she is, I realize now, a beginner's bike—jill-of-all-trades, master of nothing in particular. She's solid, but she's also heavy (33 pounds!) and a bit clumsy on the trails.
Last weekend, I put a new bike on layaway at Trek in Easton: a Trek Checkpoint AL 5 in Satin Nautical Navy/Satin Red (picture 4). The AL model is aluminum, so while it's not quite the featherweight the Domane SL 5 is, it's still about 12 pounds lighter than the Verve 3. This baby is ready for the trails! It feels incredibly similar to my Domane, just with wider, gravel-friendly tires and components that are better suited to dirt, grit, and abuse than the gear on my roadie.
I don't know what her name is going to be yet. Any ideas? Remember, it has to start with D, and she's a girl (I don't know how I know this...I just do).
SEASONAL PREP
And now for the reason you are reading this blog post: advice on how to prepare yourself for the cycling season.
I will divide this advice into two areas: (1) how to prepare your bike, and (2) how to prepare yourself.
How to Prepare Your Bike
The easiest way to prepare your trusty steed or filly for the upcoming season is to call your local bike shop and ask about spring service specials. For instance, my local Trek shop in Easton offers a $50 off special on their Level 2 and Level 3 services beginning in late December and running to the end of February, which gives you the chance to get your bike in before the spring rush.
In the Poconos, you'll find that Pocono Bike Company gets excellent reviews, and they will work on any brand of bike.
If paying someone else to service your wheels is out of the budget or against your cycling religion, you can certainly learn to do many basic maintenance tasks yourself. (I don't, but hey, I'm lazy and don't especially like bike grease!) YouTube is a great place to find instructional videos on pretty much anything bike-related you need to do.
Here's a list of tasks to get your baby in great shape for the season:
Wash that baby. A clean bike is a happy bike.
Clean the chain with an appropriate degreaser or chain cleaning tool, like Park Tool's model.
Check the chain's lifespan (this handy Park Tool chain tool is a great option), and tighten or replace it if necessary. Lube the chain and crankset. (Dry lube goes on wet but dries to a waxlike finish, meaning it picks up less dirt.)
Check your seat height while sitting on the seat (holding yourself up by a wall if need be) and ensuring you have the right amount of bend in your extended leg. Adjust and tighten the seat if necessary—they can sometimes slip down over the course of a season, which can cause you to work harder than need be to pedal.
Adjust the derailleurs and shifters to spec, and check your cables to make sure they're tightly connected. (Check YouTube for how-tos.)
Carefully examine your bike tires for any sketchy spots, and patch well if they need it, or replace if they have bare spots or leaky patches.
If you're running a tubeless setup, replace the sealant per the manufacturer instructions.
Fill tires and make sure air pressure is appropriate for the tire capacity and for the type of riding you do. Generally, a fuller tire rolls faster but offers little grip on the road; a less-full tire gives you better road traction but slows you down and can make punctures more likely to happen.
Check your brake levers and discs or pads to make sure the system is operating at its best. The last thing you want is sketchy brakes!
Check your spokes. If your wheel seems a little off, your spokes my need tightening. Don't overtighten!
Examine your safety equipment and make sure all is in order: reflectors, bike lights, helmet.
If you'll be taking some longer rides this season, consider adding an accessory to your bike to enable you to mount your smartphone or a GPS unit. Apps such as Strava or Map My Ride are fantastic for cyclists who just want to relax and enjoy the scenery while letting some(thing) else do the hard work of tracking and guiding.
How to Prepare Yourself
Of course, you can have the best bike in the world, but if you're not ready to ride it, it's not going to be the fun workout you remember from childhood. To help get yourself prepared for those long mile sin the saddle, try these tips:
Start cleaning up your diet. Add in foods that provide lean proteins and complex carbs, so you can start building muscle and endurance.
Get your lower body in decent shape. Begin incorporating daily stretches (check YouTube for some great yoga videos especially for cyclists) and maybe some body-weight strength, like sumo squats, calf raises, and lunges.
It's not all about lower body, though—upper-body strength is important, too. Try bent-over rows, lateral raises, tricep dips, and similar exercises to build strength in your mid-back and shoulders, which take a lot of stress while cycling (especially if you're a roadie).
A strong core helps keep you from slouching on the bike, which can lead to back and neck pain. Incorporate basic core exercises like planks and push-ups, and maybe add in some crunches, to get you started.
If you are lucky enough to have an indoor bike, but you haven't been on it all winter, now's the time! Apple Fitness+ has excellent cycling workouts you can try (best if you have the Apple Watch), but you can also get a trial membership or two to one of the many cool cycling apps, such as Rouvy, FulGaz, Zwift, Wahoo X, or MyWhoosh. It's going to take some time to get used to that saddle again.
Remember that it may take a month or so to get to where you're really feeling it on your bike. The first few rides will probably leave you saddle sore, if not hobbling a bit with achy legs. Don't give up! Before you know it, you'll forget the discomfort because you'll be having so much fun.
The season is almost here!
I hope you found this post useful, if nothing else than for getting you in the mood to get out there on the road or trail this season.
Happy cycling, my friends! And remember, take only what you brought with you; leave nothing that wasn't already there.
See you on the trails,
Holly