Bicycling Issue 1 2021

my bicycling life

JOËL NANKMAN LOGISTICIAN WILL RIDE ALL DAY—LITERALLY 24 HOURS+ WITHOUT STOPPING PRODUCTS I’M USING RIGHT NOW 1 / Tioga Undercover Stratum Saddle $125 Has a flexible deck and feels comfortable during full days. 2 / Pearl Izumi Sun Sleeves $30 I have a skin allergy to pinetree sap. If I know I’ll be riding somewhere I might hit it, I wear these arm sleeves. 3 / Lupine Piko Helmet Light From $350 A small, mighty light that makes it feel like daytime in the middle of the night when on. I can't praise it enough. BEST CYCLING ADVICE I’VE RECEIVED Anyone can go fast. Can you go slow and enjoy it? GREATEST RIDE OF MY LIFE (SO FAR) Riding mountain bikes for 24 hours with my wife, Jessica, on some of the most challenging terrain in Pennsylvania. (Even our dog,…

my bicycling life

RILEY MISSEL CONTRIBUTING WRITER CAN ALMOST DO A PRETTY GOOD WHEELIE, SOMETIMES PRODUCTS I’M USING RIGHT NOW 1 / Topo Designs Bike Bag $49 This fits everything I want to carry (including a water bottle!) for a casual cruise, without making me more sweaty. 2 / POC Sports Ventral Air SPIN Helmet $250 Super comfy, breathable, and also happens to look awesome with POC’s Aspire sunglasses. 3 / Lezyne Alloy Floor Drive Pump $80 I’ve had this for years, and it’s super sturdy. Plus: It has a flip-flop nozzle for both Schrader and Presta valves. CLIMB OR DESCEND? Descending, of course. When was the last time you climbed smiling like a lunatic? GREATEST RIDE OF MY LIFE I spent a week riding across Iowa with my friends on RAGBRAI, and I’ve never had so much fun (or so much corn)…

my bicycling life

LYNN SHARPE-UNDERWOOD SANDIEGO HAVE FUN AND WATCH OUT! WHEELS, WEDDING, WHEELS When my husband, Thom, and I got married in Canada in 1980, we biked from Jasper to Banff. We decided that our adventure together needed to start with a wonderful adventure. We both were into cycling, so we pedaled 148 miles from Jasper to Lake Louise, where we got married on August 17—in our bike shorts! After the wedding, we rode the final 37 miles to Banff. TRAVEL, REIMAGINED Now that I’m over 60, traveling means being prepared for anything—we need to choose places that have all the amenities. Thom and I used to ride, camp, and then ride some more, but now it’s ride, hotel…and ride as much as possible, on e-bikes. But as long as we’re outside, we’re happy! PIECE OF GEAR I CAN’T…

on the transformative power of a big bike trip

It was no accident that it happened. We did not win a trip, we did not get an invite, we were not raising awareness for anything. We were inspired, we planned, and a few months later, Chris, Nate, and I made it happen. We got dropped off in the coastal town of Florence, Oregon, and ceremoniously dipped our rear wheels into the Pacific Ocean before aiming our bikes east. Not too long into the day, we took a break in the parking lot of a post office. A woman came up to us and asked, “Where are you going?” She laughed at me as if I was lying when I told her Avalon, New Jersey. Over the next 78 days, everywhere we went, several times a day, we would get the same questions:…

maintain healthy eating habits when travelling

PLAN AHEAD “I try to plan my meals as much as possible when traveling,” says cyclocross racer Courtenay McFadden. “If I leave in the morning, I’ll pack myself a breakfast I can eat at the airport, or at least healthy snacks. I also generally have layovers in the same airports, so I’ve spotted where the healthy food options are.” KNOW SOME GO-TO’S Even the most health-conscious eaters are often reduced to searching for fast food on the road. “Know what restaurants you can go to quickly and easily so you’re not spending time while you’re hungry trying to find somewhere that works,” says 15-time National Cyclocross Champion Katie Compton. “My favorites for that are Chipotle or Whole Foods.” MEAL PREP “I try to bring my own food on travel days; it takes…

perfect your sprinting form

A well-executed sprint is the checkmate of cycling. For maximum speed, you want to position yourself on the bike for optimum power and aerodynamics. Here are the basics: GET IN THE DROPS // Placing your hands here balances your weight, improves your traction, increases your aerodynamics, and puts you in the position to throw the bike to the line. Keep your elbows bent to give the bike freedom to move beneath you. RISE OUT OF THE SADDLE //Standing up lets you put all your weight into propelling yourself forward, leveraging gravity to put maximum power into your pedals. FLATTEN YOUR BACK //Most of your energy in a sprint is fighting air resistance, so getting low and aero helps you go faster. KEEP YOUR CHIN UP AND EYES FORWARD // Now is not the time…