I’m guessing this was shot a few years before the first Sturgis Motorcycle Rally… Courtesy of Sturgis Motorcycle Museum & Hall of Fame The Sturgis Motorcycle Rally looks pretty hot for a 79 year old and I have to admit, I’d totally hit it. Although the Black Hills Motorcycle Classic gets overcrowded every year these […]
This post has been created in partnership with Schwinn, all thoughts and opinions are my own. Over the summer I found it really hard to stay motivated with running. I had hit all my major running goals for the year: completing my first marathon, and getting a sub-two hour half marathon. After that I found it hard to come up with a new goal that I wanted to tackle. I have a lot of friends here in Utah that regularly compete in triathlons, and all of a sudden I had a huge drive to take up cycling and workout with them in the early mornings. It's been a huge learning curve getting ready for my first century ride the last several weeks, so I thought I'd impart some recently acquired knowledge for anyone else looking to get started too. Also, be sure to head to the bottom of the post for more information and a fun video! Picking The Right Bike: I had a mountain bike that I had purchased a few months prior, but mountain bikes, and road bikes are definitely not the same thing, and I knew if I wanted to be serious about cycling, I was going to need to get a road bike. I was really overwhelmed by all the brands and options out there for road bikes. When it was time for me to choose which bike I wanted to ride, I went to Schwinn because they were a brand that I already knew and trusted. My mountain bike was a Schwinn, and in addition to that, I'd ridden on several Schwinn bikes as child. Carbon road bikes are super popular because their light frames make it easer to maneuver and go faster. When I saw that Schwinn carried the Fastback Carbon Road Bike, I knew that it was going to be the perfect bike to get me ready for my first century ride that I'm doing at the end of this week. The Fastback Carbon is the perfect entry level road bike because it gives you a desirable carbon frame, with upgraded components such as Shimano 105 shifters and derailleurs, which aren't common among other entry level bikes. Finding The Right Training Plan: Once I picked which century I wanted to do, I knew that I had eight weeks to prepare. This might not be enough time for some people to get ready if you haven't been active for a long time, but I had already done a marathon this year, and had been consistently running through the summer, so eight weeks seemed like the perfect amount of time for me to get going. I typically would do two shorter rides during the week, and then a longer ride on the weekend. The weekend rides would get longer and longer each week, to help build endurance. During the week I would do one ride at a pretty steady pace, and then the other ride I would incorporate more speed and sprints into my ride to help me get faster. On the days I wasn't riding, I would typically do 30+ minutes of cross training, like running or swimming. Finding The Right Nutrition Plan: Fueling your body while riding can be a tricky thing to learn! For my rides during the week I typically don't take anything more than a water bottle with me. For my rides on the weekend though, it can get a lot more complex. I typically will carry two bottles on my bike, and will start drinking around the 30 minute mark. After an hour of cycling, I'll take an energy gel, and then take those every 45 minutes until I'm finished with my ride. When I get to the half way point of my ride, I'll likely take something more substantial like a granola bar to tide me over and keep the hunger away!
Depending on your ultimate fitness goals, we determine whether biking 100 miles a week is really enough!
Getting professionally fitted to your bike can be a costly business. Is it really worth it — or can you sort your own set-up quite adequately for free?
30-mile biking plan for riders with heart condition.
It's Bike to Work week and we took part by organizing fun events at our school playground. The families started by decorating their ...
Prepare your mind and body for your next cycling challenge with our 60-mile bike ride training plan “This 10-week training plan is going to gradually build up your time in the saddle from 60 minutes a day to three hours,” explains leading strength and conditioning coach Jonny Jacobs. “The one long ride per week will ensure […]
It doesn't have to be complicated for children to learn how to use bike gears. Here are the bike gears explained, just for kids
Here are 7 tips to help you train for a century, as well as a super simple 12 week century training plan.
Last updated April 2019 - We curated the ultimate list of hilarious motorcycle memes, quotes, & sayings. Check out 29+ memes & get ready to laugh!
Clock 100 miles with this guide.
Depending on your ultimate fitness goals, we determine whether biking 100 miles a week is really enough!
In line with Bike Safety Month, I did a story time on bikes! We have some incredible rail-trails here in the mid-west, and I have been turned on to biking ever since I discovered them. Biking is something I love to do, so I thought it would be great to do a story time about it. The Best Bike Ride Ever - James Primos Bonny O'Boy REALLY wants a bike! That's all she could say for a week until her parents bought her one. Bonny then goes on a fantastical adventure on her new bike as she learns about riding and bike safety first hand. Show and tell - Biking Safety Encouraged by a former supervisor, I learned that show and tell works great in story time. I have brought in some instruments from around the world, tools, and even a squash! This break from books and songs is more conversational and the kids seem to really like it. This time, I brought all of my cycling gear. My gloves, funny shorts, jersey, ID bracelet, water bottle, click shoes, sunglasses, water bottle, and my helmet. We talked about what all of this gear is for and how together it all keeps me safe. When you do a show and tell, be prepared that kids want to touch everything, so make sure to bring in things that can safely be out of your hands for a moment, or be ready to show them HOW to touch. The moms were thankful I talked about bike helmets because some of them struggle to get their kids to wear them. Everyone Can Learn to Ride a Bike - Chris Rashka This book is super short, but a perfect little book about learning how to ride a bicycle, safety, and persistence. You are sure to recognize Chris Raschka's drawings. Finger plays and Song My Bicycle--finger play One wheel, two wheels on the ground (revolve hand in forward circle) My feet make the pedal go round and round (pedal with feet) Handle bars help me steer so straight (pretend to steer) Down the sidewalk and through the gate! Song: My Bike--song (sung to "The Farmer in the Dell") Pedal round and round, (roll hands around each other) Pedal round and round, I steer my bike (pretend to steer bike) To where I like. Pedal round and round. Go! Go! Go! - David Goldin Check out this funny bicycle race! The words "Go - Go - Go" are repeated throughout - the perfect opportunity for audience participation and word recognition. Duck on a Bike - David Shannon This was a quick, alternate book I used because I had some really interested listeners! It isn't a very long book, but the kids love the expressions on the animals as Duck glides around the farm on his bike. I also used this book for a StoryWalk. What is a StoryWalk you ask? Well, I think it is a great way to encourage family reading outside of the library! Click HERE for more about StoryWalks. Craft I have to explain my crafts this week. At the time of this session, I had a lot of 5 year olds ready for Kindergarten who had their younger siblings with them. So I had two crafts available. One could be done at home with guidance, and one in house. First up for the older kids, we had a TANGRAM. I used this image I found below to create shapes on colored paper that could be used to finish the puzzle. These were easier to scan from white paper, but I did have them on colors. The older sibs could take them home or do them in house. I supplied glue as well if they wanted to keep it as a finished picture. Scissor practice before Kindergarten is ALWAYS a good idea in my book. In fact, scissor use is a common answer when asking Kindergarten teachers what the one skill they wish incoming students had. We also used dotters to decorate a bicycle helmet! Have you ever used dotters for crafts? Safe, clean, and totally fun times in the library. They can be expensive but will last a long time if you take care of them. The littles just love this way of using 'paint' and the parents appreciate the light cleanup. Well, that is it for Bicycle Month! Hope you enjoyed this story time - I think I hear the trails calling me right now - Be Safe! and Thanks for stopping by!!
The first time I went to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, I didn't know what to expect. Here are the things you must see, must do & must put on the bucket list.
We take a look at 11 bikes that changed the sport of cycling and the way we think about bike design
by Fred Matheny “If only I had more time to train, I’d be in super shape.” Ever overhear that comment on the club ride? I bet you have. You may have even said it yourself. It ranks way ahead of other cycling “if only’s”—wishes for more power, a faster sprint, or a lighter bike. Give […]
Two events this week will highlight kids’ cycling in Sitka — the inaugural National Bike to School Day on Wednesday, May 9, and the Sitka Bike Rodeo on Saturday, May 12. On Wednesday, schools…
A Power Zone aficionado knows how to mix it up for a holistic weekly Peloton routine.
If you are a new rider you may want to consider an early morning bike ride. It comes with a lot of great benefits. It helps mood and me time.
Hills are hard. Hills hurt like hell. But hills can transform you—if you let them
