Do You Fit Your Bike? Does Your Bike Fit You?

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 19 Jun 2013 00:39:42 +0000

A proper bike fit may well provide a solution if not. I’ve just recently published a newsletter, looking at the question of whether I would buy my bike online. The suggestion I made in that newsletter was that beginners would be better served, in my view, when buying their first road bike, to go to [...]

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Would I Buy My Bike Online?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 04:00:24 +0000

Online bike shops might offer attractive prices, but………. I get questions from readers quite regularly, and usually I’ll reply personally, however today I wanted to share a reply that I’ve recently made to a reader’s question with everyone. The question was whether or not I would buy my bike online. I think that is the [...]

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Basic Bike Maintenance Tips. (You Should Be Doing Some Bike Maintenance Yourself)

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 14 Jun 2013 02:36:51 +0000

Do you do your own bike maintenance? Like many I do basic bike maintenance myself. I don’t tackle more complex bike maintenance tasks, but I’m willing to find out if a maintenance job on my bike is one I can do myself before I send it to the bike shop. For example one of the [...]

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Cycling Makes You Happy

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 02:48:05 +0000

As little as 10 minutes on the bike can improve your mood I love my cycling. I get out on the bike as much as I can, though less that I would like. Life always gets in the way of good cycling. One of the regular rides that I do is midweek in the early [...]

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Would You like a Serious Cycling Challenge? (A REALLY Serious One?)

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 12 Jun 2013 03:26:05 +0000

Here’s a cycling challenge for only the most committed cyclist Cycling challenges exist for all of us. Whether it’s learning how to ride in a group, how to ride with clipless pedals, how to climb better or perhaps how to do a serious cycling event, there’s so many things that challenge us on the bike. [...]

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Today It’s About You!

Over 40 Cyclist — Sun, 09 Jun 2013 23:08:52 +0000

I’d like to know what you want to read about I enjoy writing my website, it’s not a chore jumping online researching about subjects related to cycling. It’s fun and it gives me an excuse to tell my wife I’m working when I’m sitting here reading about cycling. However my website is not really about [...]

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There Is a Correct Pedalling Technique When Cycling. Here It Is

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 01:44:54 +0000

The right cycling pedalling technique involves more than just pushing down. Like in all sports, there are techniques to cycling. And one technique rarely thought about is to learn about correct pedalling technique. Most people just jump on the bike and start pedalling. If you push down with your feet the bike moves forward. If [...]

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Riding For Life. How Cycling Changed The Life Of An Epilepsy Sufferer

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 04:09:48 +0000

Has cycling changed your life? One of the things I love about cycling is that it has the power to change your life. Of course that’s not just restricted to cycling, there’s lots of things that can change your life, cycling is just one. It just happens to be my favorite. For many people, of [...]

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What Are the Health Benefits of Cycling?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 04 Jun 2013 01:27:42 +0000

There’s physical benefits of cycling, and mental benefits as well As you get older your body gets older. We all know that. You look older and your performance drops off. Exercise can help reduce the effects of ageing. For me it’s cycling, but as long as you’re getting out there and doing your exercise you’ll [...]

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The Plank Abdominal Exercise Helps Develop Core Strength For Cycling

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 05:14:36 +0000

Doing the plank abdominal exercise can help improve your cycling and your health. You’ve probably heard about the plank. No I”m not talking about building here, but about an abdominal exercise called the plank abdominal exercise. One of the best ways to build your cycling ability is to improve your core strength. In fact that’s [...]

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Are Carbon Fiber Bike Wheels Weak? Will They Break?

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 31 May 2013 01:16:46 +0000

Carbon fiber wheels for bikes just look weak. But are they? If ever you’ve thought you’d love some of those carbon fiber cycling wheels, but have also thought to yourself that they look a little fragile, then think again. You know the ones. They look great, they look fast, they’re expensive, and you want them. [...]

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Can You Clean Your Shifters (And How)?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 28 May 2013 03:37:14 +0000

Cleaning your shifters and gear cables is an important part of bike maintenance The gear levers (shifters) are a very important component of your bike. If your gear levers aren’t smooth then shifting gears isn’t smooth and riding your bike becomes a chore. Your shifters, and the cables which run between your shifters and your [...]

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How Not to Buy Your First Road Bike

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 27 May 2013 01:26:09 +0000

Buying a bike isn’t easy, particularly if it’s your first road bike. Something that many road bike purchasers often do when buying their first bike is to talk to the local bike shop, get some great advice, then go online and start researching. The first thing that you’ll find if you do that is that [...]

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Do Road Bike Helmets Really Protect Your Head?

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 24 May 2013 00:55:21 +0000

Quite a number of times over the last few months I’ve talked about what is one of my more passionate subjects. Bike helmets. More recently I’ve talked about some of the road bike helmets for sale in the bike shops around me. You’ll see a massive range of different road bike helmets for sale, ranging from [...]

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Can You Lose Weight Cycling? And What Does Stava Have To Do With It?

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 23 May 2013 03:32:14 +0000

Can Strava play a part in losing weight cycling? In the past I’ve talked about both Strava and also about losing weight cycling. I love Strava, I think it’s one of the best things to visit cycling in quite some time. If you Strava you’ll probably find that it motivates you to ride harder, and [...]

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Should You Wear Gloves When Riding? (And Why?)

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 21 May 2013 23:44:34 +0000

There’s powerful reasons to wear gloves when cycling. One of the people who cycles in our bunch regularly gets on the bike without gloves. This is commented on sometimes, as everyone else wears a pair of gloves. Fingerless gloves in the summer and, at least in my case, ski gloves in the winter. (Just this [...]

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Harris Hickman, Over 60 Cyclist. Ride Day.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 21 May 2013 04:00:10 +0000

This is the second instalment of Harris Hickmans story about his epic 170 mile ride across Florida. For part 1, if you missed it, click here. Ride day…. The ride started at 0700 just as the sun was peaking up over the Atlantic on the beach. For the first ten miles we were escorted by [...]

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How Visible Are You Cycling at Night?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 21 May 2013 00:47:43 +0000

Cycling at night can be seriously dangerous. One of the things that most concerns road cyclists is cycling safely. Almost every week you hear a story of a cyclist hit by a car. And it can be seriously dangerous cycling at night. Bicycle safety is a serious issue. Unfortunately when a car hits a cyclist [...]

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Great Tips For Beginner Road Cyclists

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 20 May 2013 03:39:45 +0000

There so many things for a beginner road cyclist to learn Taking up cycling is fun, but like lots of sports and hobbies it’s surprising how much there is to learn. If fact again like lots of things beginners to road cycling are just at the start of a lifelong learning process. But there’s so [...]

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Changing Gears On A Road Bike. Not Easy For Beginners

Over 40 Cyclist — Sat, 18 May 2013 06:48:18 +0000

Beginners can struggle with shifting gears on a road bike. One of the things that beginners find difficult about learning road cycling is changing gears, after all there’s just so many of those damn gears. And gear levers and chain rings and so on. For a beginner it can all just get a little too [...]

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Can You Repair A Carbon Bike?

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:34:42 +0000

The a lot of people assume that a carbon bike might be a great bike – until you crash it. That you can’t repair a carbon bike. I’ve heard a lot of people say that the biggest downside of a carbon bike is just that, repair. Because everyone crashes their bike sooner or later, and [...]

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What More Can Be Done To Encourage Cycling?

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 15 May 2013 22:58:17 +0000

Cycling is on the rise. The last few years have seen a rapid upsurge in the number of people taking to cycling. Of course, the health benefits of the pursuit are very well documented – not only is cycling good for your physical health, but it’s good for your mental health as well. Millions of [...]

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How To Clean And Lubricate A Bike Chain

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 15 May 2013 00:47:50 +0000

Cleaning and lubricating a bike chain regularly will save you money (Click to Tweet) Cleaning and lubricating a bike chain is a relatively simple process, but despite being very simple it is extremely important. Fail to clean and lubricate your chain and you will increase the rate at which your chain wears, meaning that you [...]

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Turning 60 And Feeling Like A Cycling Challenge

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 14 May 2013 04:00:53 +0000

I love hearing about the exploits of other older people on the bike. I know what it’s like to do long hard rides, I’ve done some. What is long and hard differs from person to person, but I think almost all of us would agree that 170 miles is long and hard. This newsletter is [...]

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Group Riding Etiquette Explained

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 13 May 2013 04:14:15 +0000

Group riding etiquette can vary from group to group, but there’s some constants One of the great delights of road cycling is group riding. But group riding etiquette needs to be learned, it takes a while to get to know how to ride in a group. And group riding etiquette can also vary from one [...]

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What To Look For When Buying A Bike

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 10 May 2013 23:45:36 +0000

Buying a bike, or bike equipment, isn’t easy Buying a new bike, or for that matter bike equipment, can sometimes be a little traumatic. Knowing what to look for when buying a bike is essential, or you will end up with the wrong bike. The marketing hype surrounding the latest greatest carbon bikes can be [...]

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Getting Technical About Cycling Cleat Positioning

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 09 May 2013 23:25:17 +0000

Your bike cleat position can be quite important Last year I had a cycling related injury, basically pain around the kneecap of my right leg. I tried the doctor, I tried acupuncture I tried physio and eventually went to a sports practitioner. After a distinct lack of success I tried changing the cleat positioning on [...]

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Cycling Apps That Make You Ride Harder

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 07 May 2013 23:08:49 +0000

Some cycling apps can improve your performance I’ve talked about Strava before, it’s a great cycling app and one that I use frequently. Currently I’m keeping track of one particular once or twice a week. It’s done on a group ride, so don’t seem much point in looking at any of the segments that we [...]

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The Risk of Cycling Can Be Reduced

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 07 May 2013 04:31:28 +0000

There’s some simple cycling risk management strategies. Here’s one. There is no doubt that there is a risk of cycling. Cycling is not a risk free sport, in fact a risk free sport probably doesn’t exist. I’ve come off the bike before, and whilst my cycling injuries weren’t serious that’s not always the case. There’s [...]

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How And What Do You Eat On A Long Bike Ride?

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 03 May 2013 03:25:39 +0000

Can you train your body to burn fat on a hard ride? If you got a long ride coming up, or a particularly hard ride, then you’ve got to consider how you’re going to fuel yourself. It’s a little more complicated than just taking along a couple of sandwiches in your back pocket. You have [...]

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How To Stay Cycling at 57. Tips From a Senior Cycling Champion

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 02 May 2013 02:50:30 +0000

You don’t need to be young to be a world cycling champion (Click To Tweet) Ned Overend is one serious cyclist. He’s a world-class athlete who has won world class cycling events, including Mount Washington Auto Road Bicycle Hillclimb in 2011. He is also the current World Masters Cyclocross Champion. Ned doesn’t take any prisoners. However Ned Overend [...]

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How to Monitor Chain Wear and Clean and Lubricate a Bike Chain

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 04:00:44 +0000

Some simple bike chain maintenance will save you money and irritation One of the most essential pieces of equipment on a bike is the bike chain. Without a chain your bike is not going anywhere. However a chain is not a set and forget piece of equipment. In fact you will probably need to pay [...]

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Road Bike Gearing for Beginner Cyclists

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 01:14:43 +0000

How to use your gears can be confusing for a beginner road cyclist For a newer road cyclist listening to more experienced cyclists talking about gears can be a little confusing. What’s a 12-25? How about a compact crank? Should you be in the big ring or the small ring? For new road cyclists one [...]

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Cycling for the Over Forties – Thoughts from an Old Timer

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 02:57:18 +0000

Guest post by Richard Oddy from Pedaltours, for a full bio see below. As the years slip by it is inevitable that kilos will be added to the waistline and likely that there will be less free time for our favourite sport, which for many will be biking. There is both good news and not [...]

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How Do You Know When To Replace Your Bike Chain?

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 00:11:37 +0000

Here’s a simple video on monitoring bike chain wear Without a chain your bike goes nowhere. A bike chain is an essential piece of equipment on any and every bike. Your bike chain, however, is a consumable. In other words it is one of the items on your bike which needs to be replaced regularly. [...]

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Do Sports Drinks Improve Your Cycling?

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 02:13:10 +0000

Or are sports drinks just a fad? I’ve always wondered whether sports drinks are an unnecessary fad offering little in the way of real benefit, or whether they are a genuine way to improve your performance on the bike. I have no doubt that manufacturers will happily manufacture a product that is basically worthless, as [...]

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Core Training Can Improve Your Cycling

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 23:43:00 +0000

There’s no doubt about the value of core training for improving cycling When you ride a bike you use muscles. Of course. Like your quads. After all who hasn’t seen those shots of track riders with huge quads? But there’s also muscles that are very important to your cycling that you’ll never see, like your [...]

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How Do You Know The Right Tire Pressure For Road Bike Tires?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 04:00:24 +0000

Don’t just pump your tires up to the max Many newer road cyclists are a little confused about what tire pressure to use when pumping up the tires on their road bikes, so today I’ll look at tire pressures. Because it isn’t quite as simple as pumping your tire up to the recommended maximum pressure. [...]

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How to Teach Your Children to Ride a Bike

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:22:43 +0000

Here’s the right way to teach cycling to your children Many of us older cyclists have young children, including me. And it’s highly likely that the kids will love to ride just as much as dad or mum love to ride. My kids have learnt to rid now, I’ve already taught them the basics of [...]

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Winter Cycling. How To Stay Warm On The Bike

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 14:17:54 +0000

Winter is coming where I live – winter cycling isn’t fun I hate winter, it’s cold, dreary, miserable and rainy. But the cold is the worst. I get really cold cycling in the winter. We’ve even had days when the water in our water bottles has frozen. I suffer from cold hands and cold feet [...]

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Are Hydraulic Brakes Any Use On A Road Bike?

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 23:56:46 +0000

Hydraulic brakes for road bikes are on the way here. Sram have released hydraulic brakes for road bikes. They’ve been working on them for quite a while. But are hydraulic brakes for road bikes of any particular benefit? Are they better than traditional brakes on a road bike? What are the positives and what are [...]

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Is An Expensive Helmet Better Than A Cheap Bike Helmet?

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 05:31:29 +0000

You can buy cheap bike helmets for $20. Are they any good? And you can pay hundreds for a bike helmet. So what’s the difference between a cheap bike helmet and an expensive bike helmet? Good question. Why pay hundreds for an expensive bike helmet if the cheapie works fine? Fascinating article about the process [...]

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How To Move The Cleats On Your Cycling Shoes

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:34:31 +0000

Don’t move your cleats before you take a record of where they were Recently I had to move the cleats on my cycling shoes. I was involved in an HPV (human powered vehicle) race. It was a 24-hour race and was a lot of fun. Most of the running gear on the vehicle was simply [...]

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Drafting In Cycling. How Much Effort Do You Really Save?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 04:00:34 +0000

How much benefit do you get from drafting in cycling? I’ve always wondered about the benefits of drafting in cycling. In other words how much value do you get from riding close behind the cyclist in front of you when you’re riding in a cycling bunch? There is absolutely no doubt at all that drafting [...]

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Climbing With Clipless Pedals. What Happens If You Have To Stop?

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 23:46:43 +0000

Sometimes on a climb it gets too hard, but if you’re clipped in…………….. One of the scariest aspects of road cycling for new cyclists is clipless pedals, and for that reason many people don’t try them, which is a shame as transitioning to clipless can be eye opening. It’s so much better. The scary aspect [...]

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Do You Use Compact Cranks?

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 03:07:01 +0000

I use compact cranks. Why not? A while ago I wrote a newsletter about compact cranks. Whilst there are plenty of people who would class you as a wimp for riding compacts, for the average older road cyclist like me compact cranks are perfect. I’m not planning to ride in the Tour this year (and [...]

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How to Reduce the Risk of Flat Tyres. 5 Simple Beginners Tips

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:45:00 +0000

A flat tyre is one of the most irritating aspects of road cycling One of the most irritating things about cycling is flat tyres. Especially when you’re in a group getting a flat disrupts the entire ride. If someone in our group gets a flat we all stop. It’s just bad luck, and we don’t [...]

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So You’re Looking for Your First Bike Helmet. Where Do You Start?

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 03:58:30 +0000

A good bike helmet is essential equipment for a cyclist I’m a huge fan of wearing a helmet when cycling, and I’ve written a newsletter about the benefits of helmets for cyclists. I know they aren’t a legal requirement everywhere and I know not everyone agrees that a bike helmet reduces your risk of injury. [...]

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10 Tips for Beginner Road Cyclists or Commuter Cyclists

Over 40 Cyclist — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 01:50:01 +0000

When you’re just starting out cycling there’s plenty to learn It’s easy, when you’ve been cycling for a while, to simply take some things for granted. Like changing down gears before you come to a stop so you don’t have to start in the wrong gear. But a beginner can take quite a while to [...]

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10 Of The Best Cycling Apps

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 23:54:15 +0000

There’s dozens of cycling apps. Which are the best? I’ve recently done a newsletter about cycling apps, specifically about Strava. I love Strava. But of course there’s many more cycling apps than just Strava. For instance there is apps available so that if you have a mechanical problem you can dial up your app and [...]

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What Does 200 Calories Look Like?

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 16:38:09 +0000

We’re all interested in eating up those calories Losing weight is a simple (though not easy) formula. It’s all about calories in versus calories out. In other words, for a cyclist, how many calories go in your mouth compared to how many calories go out your legs. And sometimes it can be a little depressing finding [...]

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How To Tell If Cycling Has Taken Over Your Life. Have A Laugh

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:56:48 +0000

There’s nothing wrong with having a laugh at the expense of cyclists It’s not hard to poke fun at cyclists and cycling. You find people having a laugh at cyclists all over the net. And there’s nothing wrong with that. So have a laugh and read this great article about whether or not cycling has [...]

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Lots of Cyclists, Including Older Cyclists, Set Goals. Including Weight Loss

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:55:27 +0000

Weight loss is a major goal of many cyclists One of the advantages of cycling for older people is that regular exercise is one of the more important aspects of losing weight. And as we can to put on a little weight as we age losing weight can be a very important goal. And it’s [...]

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How To Climb Hills Better

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:49:40 +0000

Can you improve your hill climbing? Just about every road cyclist I know wants to improve. And if they’re honest thing they want to improve most is climbing. I’m no exception, I would like to climb hills better, I hate seeing half the bunch (or more) strung out ahead of me on a hill. Here’s [...]

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Cycling Explained To A Cycling Newbie (With Warning)

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 02:37:38 +0000

Wonderful funny cycling video. Watch it with caution Note: STRONG LANGUAGE. If you’re in doubt don’t watch. But if you do it’s a great laugh. How do you go about explaining your cycling to a non cycling partner? You might, or might not, like to explain your cycling like this.

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Bonking. Cycling’s Equivalent To Hitting The Wall

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:24:05 +0000

Bonking while cycling is no laughing matter Do you remember that running event in the Olympics years ago when one runner was staggering all over the track from exhaustion? In cycling terms it’s called “bonking”. Cycling is a tough sport if you ride hard, and even recreational cyclists can experience bonking. I know because it’s [...]

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How To Remove The Rear Wheel On A Road Bike – Fast. The Hubdock

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 04:00:55 +0000

Is removing and replacing your rear wheel your most hated cycling task? If you’re anything like me you’ll know the frustration of taking one or both wheels off your bike and replacing them. It can be an awkward, frustrating and greasy experience. Particularly removing the rear wheel of your bike, and putting it back. Doubly [...]

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Which Are The Top Cycling Apps?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 04:00:38 +0000

The best cycling apps? Well it all depends. Here’s my favourite cycling app. I was recently asked about the top cycling apps, and gave that person a simple answer that didn’t really satisfy the questioner. Clearly the person who asked me about the top cycling apps wanted to know which were the best ones. My [...]

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Compact Chainsets (Compact Cranks) Explained.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 04:00:14 +0000

Should your bike have a compact crank? Cycling, like many sports, can be a little confusing when it comes to the jargon. And some of the most common jargon in cycling centres around what can be called the “compact chainset”, or “compact cranks”. So let’s consider exactly what a compact chainset, or compact crank is, [...]

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How Many Calories Does Cycling Burn?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 04:00:36 +0000

How many calories do I burn cycling if I want to lose weight? So many of us older cyclists (including me) want to lose weight by cycling. So one of the obvious questions to ask is how many calories does cycling burn? Because losing weight, at its simplest, is just a matter of using up [...]

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Carbon Fiber Bikes vs Aluminum Bikes. Which Should You Buy?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 26 Feb 2013 05:00:33 +0000

Carbon VS Aluminum bikes. The big question for road bike buyers. If you’re in the market for a new road bike you’ll be very familiar with the fact that you have some important decisions to make. And one of those decisions will be between buying an aluminum or carbon fiber road bike. Carbon fibre vs [...]

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7 Reasons To Start Interval Training (For Beginners)

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 05:00:24 +0000

What is Interval Training, and will it improve your cycling? Interval training is a great way to improve your cycling performance. But whilst many road cycling beginners have heard about it fewer know what it is and why they should consider doing interval training if they wish to improve their road cycling performance. The article [...]

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Helmets Revisited. Should You Or Shouldn’t You Wear A Bike Helmet?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 05:00:36 +0000

New evidence emerges about the safety value of bike helmets Today’s newsletter is about a subject I’ve talked about before. Helmets. Should you or shouldn’t you wear a helmet when road cycling? I know there is a fierce debate about the issue, with committed advocates of both sides. I’ve read plenty of opinions, and have [...]

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What’s coming up for Over 40 Cyclist readers in 2013

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 05:00:00 +0000

Plans for the Over 40 Cyclist Newsletter 1. Apologies from me and thanks 2. Into 2013. What’s coming. Hello all Over 40 Cyclist subscribers. It’s not your normal newsletter today, more an apology and a look forward to what’s to come in 2013. The apology is from me for a lack of newsletters in January. [...]

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Saddle Sores. You Don’t Want Them

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 04:00:43 +0000

If your butt hurts you might have saddle sores Today I’m looking at a subject that might, if you suffer, be dear to your heart. Well it may be dear to something a little lower than your heart. It’s saddle sores. Probably one of the most irritating and upsetting problems that can afflict a cyclist. [...]

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How To Choose Your Road Bike Saddle.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 04:59:03 +0000

Did you try your bike saddle before you bought? When you bought your last road bike what was it that occupied the majority of your attention? Was it the price, or was it the brand? Perhaps you spent a lot of time focusing on which groupset to buy. Maybe you thought that expensive wheels might [...]

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Are You Suffering from Cycling Boredom?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 04:00:11 +0000

How to spice up your cycling. My cycling week goes like this. Saturday, 730 a.m, 50 to 60 mile ride. Lovely ride, 3 long climbs (for me), one slow descent where we get to barrel along as fast as we want, beautiful scenery (I live in the country). 10.15 – 10.30-ish, coffee and relax. Sunday [...]

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No Cycling Tips Today. But Please Read Me Anyway.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:00:15 +0000

Today’s newsletter, strangely, has nothing to do with cycling. Well it does in a rather oblique way, but there won’t be any cycling tips today. Today’s newsletter is slightly different. I need your help. Of course you all know about my website The Over 40 Cyclist. My hope is that over time we can all [...]

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Correct Braking Technique. Using Front, and Rear Brakes Effectively.

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 20:00:05 +0000

Do you use the front brake or the rear brake on a road bike? Today’s newsletter is about a subject raised by one of our readers, Neale, thanks Neale. It’s about braking, and specifically the relationship between use of the front, and rear, brakes. It all begins before braking. Learn to anticipate. In fact almost [...]

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One Simple Tip to Removing an Annoying Front Wheel Noise.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 20:00:04 +0000

Wheel noises can drive you nuts There is an annoying bike noise I’ve experienced whilst cycling. It’s happened to me a number of times, and so I thought I’d pass on a simple tip that might, (or might not) help get rid of it. Each time it’s been the same. I’ve been riding along just [...]

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3 Tips To Help Avoid Flat Tires.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 02 Oct 2012 20:00:13 +0000

A flat tire can ruin a good ride. How do you avoid flat tires? Just imagine this. It’s 6 am, dark, cold because it’s winter but you’re having fun riding with a friendly bunch. Then you get a flat. Everyone has to stand around getting cold watching you trying fix a flat in the dark. [...]

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How To Train For Cycling – Off The Bike.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 06:00:15 +0000

6 tips to help improve your recovery, and improve your fitness. Many cyclists, including us over 40 or over 50 or 60 cyclists, or (impressively) even older, want to ride better. There’s always someone in the bunch who is older than us, and who always finishes in front of us. So anything that might help [...]

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What’s A Cycling Safety Bracelet? Why Should You Have One?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 20:00:23 +0000

Road Cycling can be a little unsafe. That’s why you need a cycling safety bracelet. Today I wanted to talk about cycling safety, and explain what a cycling safety bracelet is. I’ve mentioned cycling safety a few times lately, that’s because I think that riding safely is an essential matter to discuss. When you’re on [...]

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How To Measure Chain Wear Using a Bike Chain Measuring Tool. Simple Bicycle Mechanics Explained.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 20:00:08 +0000

It’s not as difficult as you may think to measure chain wear. And useful too. Many components on a road bike wear out over time, and your bike chain is no exception. So knowing how to measure chain wear using a bike chain measuring tool is very useful. Of course you can always take your [...]

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Presta VS Schrader. Bike Valves Explained.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:00:34 +0000

Presta VS Schrader? What’s the difference between Presta and Schrader bike valves? I know that this is one of the things that confuses beginner road riders because it confused me when I started cycling. Presta VS Schrader, what is the difference between the 2 types of valves and which ones have I got? And what [...]

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What’s The Best Exercise For Women Over 50? (Or Men)?

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 04:52:18 +0000

The best exercise for women over 50 is……well read on. There’s no doubt that one of the most important things older women or older men can do for their health is to start exercising. The evidence is in that exercise is one of the single most important aspects of overall good health, and that applies [...]

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Fat And Unhealthy At 60. How Cycling Ended All That.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:00:11 +0000

How resuming cycling at 60 changed my life. Today’s newsletter is written by Malachi O’Doherty from Ireland. At the age of 60 he resumed cycling after a long layoff, and took charge of his life, weight, and health. For a full bio of Malachi, and details of his book, see the foot of this newsletter. [...]

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Pulling Up On The Pedals. Right – Or Wrong? (Part 2)

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 20:00:05 +0000

Part 2 of should you pull up on the pedals – or not? Last week the newsletter featured part 1 of this wonderful article about pulling up on the pedals by Emma Colson, (for Emma’s full bio see the bottom of the article). Part 1 discussed the biomechanics of pedalling and concluded that more is not [...]

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Aaaaargh, My Fingers And Toes Are Frozen. Winter Cycling.

Over 40 Cyclist — Thu, 09 Aug 2012 04:50:11 +0000

Cold extremeties when cycling are no fun Sometimes I wish I lived in the tropics. Cycling under palm trees, comfortable in the warmth with the feel of the sun on my back and the breeze in my ears. Coconuts for when you stop for a drink. I hate winter cycling. But sadly I don’t live [...]

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2 Great Bicycle Maintenance Resources, To Keep Your Bike Running Smoothly

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 05:04:18 +0000

Almost anyone can tackle simple bike maintenance tasks, (and save money too). One of the great joys of cycling, as an older cyclist, is getting out on the bike with a bunch of friends. However cycling isn’t just about getting on the bike, just like driving isn’t always about getting into your car. Just like [...]

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Pulling Up On The Pedals. Right – Or Wrong? (Part 1)

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 20:00:23 +0000

Do you pull up on the pedals as well as push down? Is pulling up REDUCING your pedalling efficiency? Today’s newsletter is about a subject that I’ve debated with others for a while. Pulling up on the pedals. Should you or shouldn’t you? It’s a little longer than usual, so I’ve broken it up into [...]

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Are You A “Need To” Or A “Love To” Exerciser? (Or Neither)?

Over 40 Cyclist — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 23:22:33 +0000

I love cycling. I need exercise, but I want to cycle My name is Peter Crump, and at the age of 50 I was sedentry, getting fat and heading down the road to a heart attack. Maybe that describes you. You’re in your 40s, 50s or maybe even 60s or older and it’s years or [...]

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7 Tips for Safe Cornering, the Most Crucial Part of Descending.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 31 Jul 2012 20:00:54 +0000

Fast cornering can be challenging, scary and dangerous for newer, older cyclists One of the most challenging aspects of road cycling for new, and older, cyclists, is cornering. And in particular cornering during a descent, particularly a fast descent. The younger cyclists amongst us go at corners like a bull at a gate. Like in [...]

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Can Cycling Keep You Young?

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 02:45:47 +0000

Is cycling the perfect exercise and activity as you get older? The sad fact is that as we age our bodies start to decline. Beginning from our relatively early years, roughly in our 20s, we are in a state of gradual physical decline. This is normal, and is a part of the ageing process. No [...]

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Cycle Touring Is Booming. But Beware.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 20:00:37 +0000

There’s one precaution that you must take if you go on a cycling holiday Today I wanted to recount a small personal story, and a warning. It relates to a friend of mine who I spend a lot of time riding with. Over the last decade cycling has become hugely popular, especially with the older [...]

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Do Your Feet Hurt When You Ride?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 20:00:44 +0000

Good cycling comes from happy feet Cyclists, like many athletes in other disciplines, can often suffer from sore feet. Not only can they suffer from sore feet but they can also suffer from a range of other foot discomforts and problems. Do you get hot spots under your feet on a long ride? Maybe your [...]

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6 Simple Safety Tips For New Road Cyclists.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 20:00:39 +0000

Road cycling can have it’s risks. In my view road cycling is one of the best activities for the older person looking to add some exercise and fun into their life. It’s easy to do, so just about anyone can take it up successfully. It’s low impact, and so is easier on the body, especially [...]

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Why Is A Good Bike Fit Essential.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 03 Jul 2012 20:00:23 +0000

Fitting Body & Bike Together Today’s newsletter article is from Dario Fredrick. For a full bio of Dario see the foot of this article. You ride a bike, perhaps for transportation or for sport, for work or just for fun. In each case, the simple integration of body and machine provides a wonderful opportunity for human-powered [...]

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Cycling: My Barometer of Life.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 20:00:36 +0000

How does your cycling relate to your life? Today our article is contributed by David Ertl. For Davids full biography see the foot of the article. If you’ve read Lance Armstrong’s book, It’s Not About The Bike, you discovered that the title refers to the Tour de France. He writes that the Tour de France is [...]

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How to Battle a Ferocious Cycling Enemy.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:00:54 +0000

And it isn’t your fitness, or lack thereof Most of us have a few cycling enemies. Whilst of course they vary from person to person there’s a few which are common to many of us. We weigh a little more than we would like. We are not as fit as we would like. We don’t [...]

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You Have A Responsibility As A Cyclist.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 12 Jun 2012 20:00:56 +0000

Because the cyclist always comes off worst Today I wanted to address an issue which arises, or has become more prominent, because of the phenomenal rise in the last few years in the numbers of people hitting our roads on a bike. Because cycling is on the rise, and more and more people are taking [...]

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How Do You Inflate Your Tires?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 18:00:23 +0000

You’ve got 3 pump options, what are they? Today we wanted to talk about the different options that you have to pump up your tires. It’s not just as cut and dried as buying a pump. Road bike tires are pumped up to a much higher pressure that tires on other types of bikes. Whilst [...]

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What’s Your Most Important Piece Of Cycling Equipment?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 29 May 2012 02:55:25 +0000

Your helmet is more important than your bike Everyone assumes that their bike is the most important piece of cycling equipment that they can have. They spend hours agonising. Which wheels? Which brand? How much to spend? But in my view your bike isn’t the most important piece of cycling equipment you can own. Your [...]

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Ladies You Too Might Damage Your Sexual Health Cycling.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:00:38 +0000

The risk of cycling to our sexual health doesn’t just affect us men A couple of newsletters back I talked about the risks of cycling to the sexual health of men. Now it’s the turn of the women. Just to refresh your memory, there was evidence that cycling can cause impotence in men. Whilst there [...]

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One Simple and Cheap Tip To Improve Your Cycling.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:44:36 +0000

What’s the best way to improve your cycling? Perhaps it’s from more training. Maybe it’s from buying those superexpensive deep dish carbon wheels. Maybe it’s from just buying a new bike. Then again have you considered the possibility that something as simple as maintaining a correct tire pressure on your bike may well improve your [...]

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Sooner or Later the Day Will Arrive. Going Clipless.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 01 May 2012 20:00:13 +0000

The positives and the negatives of going clipless Many older road riders have got back into cycling after many years off the bike. I’m a good example of that. Up to the age of 25 I rode regularly on a good racing bike, though I was commuting. Between the ages of 25 and 50 I [...]

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Guys, Is Cycling Ruining Your Sex Life?

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 20:00:41 +0000

Is your bike saddle causing impotence? Over the last decade and a half there has been a raging debate about whether or not cycling causes impotence, or specifically erectile dysfunction, in men. So, if you’re a man and a cyclist, should you be worried? This issue first arose after an article was published in Bicycling [...]

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How To Fix a Flat Tire Explained (Video)

Over 40 Cyclist — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 05:12:36 +0000

Fixing a puncture is a crucial skill to learn. Once you’ve taken up road cycling there is one problem that I guarantee will afflict you sooner or later. Flat tires. Everyone gets a flat tire from time to time. There’s ways to minimize the likelihood, but there is no way to eliminate the problem entirely. [...]

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How Do You Counter Osteoporosis In Cyclists? Vitamin D Can Help.

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 20:00:54 +0000

More Vitamin D might help counter Osteoporosis, and improve your cycling In our last newsletter we published an article by Alan McCubbin about one of the potential risks of cycling, namely the depletion of calcium in your bones, and the possibility of osteoporosis. If you’d like to read that newsletter you can do so here [...]

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How To Put Your Chain Back On When It’s Dropped (Grease Free)

Over 40 Cyclist — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 07:10:40 +0000

Fixing a dropped chain doesn’t have to make for greasy hands You know what it’s like. Or at least you do if it’s happened to you before. You’ve dropped your chain. In other words it’s fallen off one or other of the chain rings at the front, it’s hanging loosely, and you’ve had it. You’re [...]

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