Innholdsfortegnelse for July/August 2019 i Bicycling South Africa

IT TOOK JUST A WEEK TO CHANGE THE WAY I FELT ABOUT RIDING MY BIKE.The challenge wasto ride on every day that the riders atthe Giro d’Italia rode a stage. It was my personal Giro, and a desperate attempt to find some consistency in an otherwise disjointed year of riding. My own measure was just to ride every day, and not define my ride by any distance, time or speed. It was a homage to Eddy’s “Ride as much or as little, as long or as short asyou feel. But ride.” When the day looked busy,I hopped on the indoor rollers inthe early morning, and sweated it out as the rest of the family slept. // WHEN IHAD A GAP AT LUNCHTIME, I’DSNEAK OUT FOR A QUICK HOUR TO BREAK…

EVERY DIEHARD CYCLING FAN, SITTING ON THE SOFA’S EDGE WHILE THEIR TOUR DE FRANCE FAVOURITES SUMMIT A SAVAGELY STEEP ALPINE CLIMB, PICTURES THEMSELVES BATTLING THE SAME SERPENTINE ROADS. THIRTY-SEVEN-YEAR-OLD LAWYER JONATHAN CANFIELD CERTAINLY HAS. “I CAN JUST ENVISION GRITTING MY TEETH AND HAVING TO DIG DEEP TO PUT IN AN EFFORT THAT WOULD PUSH ME – ACYCLING MORTAL – TOMY ABSOLUTE LIMIT,” WROTE CANFIELD IN HIS APPLICATION TO TEAM ALPECIN, AN AMATEUR BRANCH OF ALPECIN CYCLING. THIS (EUROPEAN) SUMMER, CANFIELD WILL GET THAT CHANCE. HE’S THE FIRST AMATEUR SELECTED TO JOIN THE GRAN FONDO TEAM – WHICH HAS BEEN SUPPORTED WITH ELITE-LEVEL GEAR, NUTRITION, AND TRAINING BY THE GERMAN CAFFEINATED HAIR-PRODUCT MANUFACTURER FOR THE PAST 12 YEARS. ON 21 JULY, THEY WILL RACE THE 135-KILOMETRE STAGE 20 OF THE TOUR…

BELLY FAT IS BAD NEWS. WHILE RESEARCHERS STILL DEBATE THE REAL HEALTH RISKS OF HIGHER BODY MASS INDEX (BMI), OR OF HOLDING ON TO A FEW EXTRA KILOS, EVERYONE AGREES THAT CARRYING TOO MUCH WEIGHT AROUND YOUR WAIST IS VERY DETRIMENTAL TO YOUR HEALTH. RESEARCH SHOWS THAT A WAISTLINE OVER 100CM FOR MEN AND 90CM FOR WOMEN PUTS YOU AT RISK OF HEART DISEASE, EVEN IF YOU’RE NOT TECHNICALLY OVERWEIGHT AND ARE OTHERWISE IN GOOD HEALTH. BELLY FAT HAS ALSO BEEN LINKED TO HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE, HIGH CHOLESTEROL, HIGH BLOOD SUGAR, AND DIABETES. AGAIN, BAD NEWS. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT YOU ALREADY OWN THE BEST TOOL FOR SHEDDING THAT BAD-NEWS BELLY FAT: YOUR BIKE. THE KEY IS PERFORMING A VARIETY OF WORKOUTS THAT BUILD YOUR FAT-BURNING ENGINE, REV YOUR…

Double Up: Your muscles get stronger on recovery days; so don’t make the mistake of lifting during off-the-bike days. Instead, double up by lifting immediately after a short, hard ride or later that day, which is even easier to do with super-short sessions. Make Smart Substitutions: Piling strength training on top of riding may weigh your muscles down. It’s better to substitute some gym time for endurance time, especially in the winter months and shoulder seasons, when many of those kays are trainer kays anyway. Research on trained competitive cyclists shows that those who swap some (up to 37 per cent, in one study) endurance training for strength training improve their max power and time-trial performance without compromising their endurance. Skip Excuses: Another big benefit of quick strength training is…

Mike Sinyard, Specialized: • The founder and CEO of Specialized is sometimes called the bike industry’s Steve Jobs. Such comparisons can be dangerously facile, but in Sinyard’s case, it fits: like Jobs, Sinyard demands constant innovation; bike lines are constantly refreshed. Like Jobs, he has a clear, unerring sense of what a Specialized product should look and feel like. And like Jobs, he doesn’t directly design or create Specialized’s products; but he’s the driving force that made Specialized into one of the biggest bike companies in the world. Would Steve Jobs have built a wind tunnel if he thought it would make better iPhones? Of course. Mike Sinyard doesn’t make bikes, or wheels, or helmets. But nothing Specialized does would be possible without him. Wayne Stetina, Shimano: If you’ve ever had…

POWERTUBE BATTERY BOSCH’S INTEGRATED 500WH POWERTUBE BATTERY CAN BE CHARGED ON AND OFF THE BIKE. 350-WATT MOTOR BOSCH PERFORMANCE LINE SPEED MOTOR OFFERS PEDAL ASSIST UP TO 45KM/H. INTEGRATED LIGHTING INTEGRATED FRONT AND REAR LIGHTS ARE POWERED BY THE BATTERY – NO CHARGE REQUIRED. ISOSPEED TECHNOLOGY TREK’S DECOUPLER TECHNOLOGY IN THE SEAT POST MAKES ROUGH TERRAIN LESS LIKELY TO CAUSE FATIGUE. 4 ASSIST MODES EXPECT TO GET ABOUT 80-100 KILOMETRES OUT OF THE DOMANE+ WHEN IT’S IN ECO MODE.…

1 medium salmon (wild, if possible) fillet 1 Tbsp olive oil 2 Tbsp minced, fresh Mediterranean herbs (dill, rosemary and thyme) Salt and pepper 1. Coat the salmon with a layer of olive oil, then sprinkle the herbs over the top. Let sit in the fridge for 30 minutes. 2. Fire up your braai or charcoal grill to medium-high heat. Just before placing on the grill, sprinkle the salmon with salt and pepper. 3. Place the fillet, skin side up, over the heat and cook for 2 minutes per side, until the meat is tender and flaky. 4. Chef D’Ercole recommends pairing with a side dish of vegetables such as asparagus.…

FOR DECADES, CYCLISTS (OFTEN AT THE ADVICE OF THEIR COACHES) WOULD STEER CLEAR OF STRENGTH TRAINING. THEY HAD THEIR REASONS: THEY DIDN’T WANT BULKY MUSCLES THAT WOULD WEIGH THEM DOWN RATHER THAN SPEED THEM UP; THEY DIDN’T WANT TO WASTE TIME IN THE GYM WHEN THEY COULD BE OUT RIDING THEIR BIKES; THEY JUST DIDN’T WANT TO DO IT. BUT THE MOST RECENT STACK OF STRENGTH TRAINING RESEARCH, INCLUDING A NEW STUDY PUBLISHED IN Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, PUTS ALL THOSE REASONS TO REST. THERE’S GOOD EVIDENCE THAT RESISTANCE TRAINING PUTS MORE POWER IN YOUR PEDALS, IMPROVES YOUR EFFICIENCY, AND WORKS FAST. WE MEAN really FAST: YOU CAN START GAINING STRENGTH IN LESS TIME THAN IT TAKES TO SWAP IN A NEW SET OF CLEATS –JUST 13…

Mounting evidence shows that cyclists should strength train year-round for whole-body health benefits, including: STRONGER BONES Due to the low-impact nature of the sport, cyclists are at risk for low bone density, and new research shows that a few months of strength training a year isn’t enough to make up for 10 months of all low-impact exercise. A HEALTHIER HEART As little as one strength training session a week slashes your risk of heart disease and dying from a cardiovascular event by 40 to 70 per cent, whether or not you get the recommended amount of cardio every week. BETTER BODY COMPOSITION Muscle starts slipping away after age 30, and that loss accelerates over time. Strength training helps you maintain more muscle, and is linked to a lower body-mass index.…

THE VIBE ONE OF CAPE TOWN’S MOST CYCLING-FRIENDLY COFFEE STOPS IS SITUATED 47KM FROM THE FINISH OF THE CAPE TOWN CYCLE TOUR OR CYCLE TOUR 364 ROUTE. IF IT’S A MIDWAY STOP YOU’RE LOOKING FOR ON A TRIP AROUND THE SOUTHERN PENINSULA, THEN THE VILLAGE HUB IS THE PLACE. YOU’LL FIND LOADS OF CYCLING PARAPHERNALIA AND POSTERS, AND EVEN A SHOWROOM FOR THE WOODEN BIKES BEING BUILT BY LEGENDARY SURFBOARD MAKER DAVE STUBBS (THAT’S HIM ON PAGE 27). IT’S FRIENDLY AND LAID BACK, WITHOUT THE FRENETIC BUSY-NESS AND NOISE OF COFFEE STOPS CLOSER TO TOWN. SINCE IT’S A LONG WAY FROM JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE IT’S THE ‘GO TO’ PLACE TO VISIT IN THE SOUTH, AND HAS HOSTED EVERYONE FROM PRO TEAMS SUCH AS DIMENSION DATA TO INTERNATIONAL CYCLING TOUR GROUPS…

A lot can happen over three weeks of Grand Tour racing; but there are a few things we know ahead of TDF 2019. We know the route, for example, with its uphill bonus sprints and finale in the Alps. We also know that several top contenders are expected to compete. Team Ineos (formerly Team Sky) will bring the defending champ, Geraint Thomas, as well as his teammate, four-time Tour winner Chris Froome, to chase record-breaking titles. Movistar’s Nairo Quintana will join them, as will AG2R La Mondiale’s French contender, Romain Bardet. But aside from this, plenty can change between now and July. Louis Will Make A Comeback MAKING HIS FOURTH APPEARANCE AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE AFTER A DNF BECAUSE OF SICKNESS IN 2015, AND THEN EIGHTH PLACES IN 2016…

SELENE YEAGER BICYCLING’S ‘FIT CHICK’ IF I FEEL A TWINGE SOMEWHERE, MAYBE IN MY KNEE OR HIP, I LIGHTLY STRETCH AND ROLL BOTH SIDES OF MY BODY, NO —FJUST THE SPOT OF THE DISCOMFORT. OFTEN, THE FEELING IN ONE SITE IS THE RESULT OF TIGHTNESS OR KNOTS SOMEWHERE ELSE – LIKE WHEN A TIGHT RIGHT HIP CAUSES LEFT KNEE PAIN. ANDREW JUSKAITIS EXPERT / IT’S TEMPTING TO BE THE FIRST ONE TO OWN THE LATEST-AND-GREATEST PRODUCT, BUT IT’S WISE TO WAIT A YEAR OR TWO TO MAKE THE PURCHASE – FIRST-YEAR PRODUCT CAN OFTEN REVEAL ANOMALIES THAT MACHINE TESTING AND FIELD TESTING DIDN’T CATCH. IT’S NOT A SAFETY ISSUE, BUT USUALLY A LITTLE DETAIL LIKE A CREAKY PIVOT THAT PROTOTYPE TESTING DIDN’T CATCH. DAVE STUBBS BIKE DESIGNER / THE MIST…

Among Team Alpecin’s top-of-the-line bikes, kit and accessories, Canfield believes this gear improved his performance most. CANYON ENDURACE CF SLX DISC 8.0 DI2 / With 4 500m of climbing in just 135km, L’Étape riders need a bike that’s both light and comfortable, ready to battle the Alps’ ups and downs. ALPECIN ICON KATUSHA KIT / Mesh side and back panels on the jersey feel great on summer days, allowing heat and moisture to escape. WD-40 BIKE DEGREASER / A major difference between a World Tour rider’s bike and yours? Theirs is crazy clean. And it’s not just for looks – a sparkling frame and chain boost performance. Pair the degreaser (though Team Alpecin uses the European brand Holmekol), for the drivetrain and brakes, with dishwashing liquid, for the frame and…

1 ADJUSTABLE DUMBBELLS / You can do an infinite number of exercises with dumbbells. This unique dial system makes these weights lighter or heavier, depending on your level of progression. 2 NIKE TRAINING CLUB APP / This app features more than 185 workouts for nearly every goal imaginable, with clear audio and visual guidance. It’s like having a personal trainer in your pocket. 3 KETTLEBELLS / Swings, squats, and other basic kettlebell exercises build your lower powerhouse muscles and improve endurance. 4 MEDICINE BALL / Medicine ball moves build balance, stability, and a rock-solid core. Look for one with a thick rubber exterior, to withstand slams and give you extra grip.…

I always carry a Leatherman when I venture far from civilisation on my gravel bike or my old steel tourer. I’ve used the file to scrape dried mud out of arim brake, and I’ve used the pliers to bend aspare spoke into a kind of mud scraper to prevent that brake from clogging up again. I’ve also used the pliers to pull various sharp objects out of tyres, and I’ve used the point of the can opener to make space for a tyre plug. Most importantly, I’ve used the knife blade to slice farm-stall biltong – an integral part of any gravel ride! If you’re carrying a Leatherman and a standard bike tool, you can sort out almost any mechanical – or culinary – emergency. The Wave is Leatherman’s most…

Specialized Exos R6 000 You have to hold these 150-gram (each) shoes in your own hand to experience just how shockingly light they are. The upper is very supple, but has less support than most race models; light shoes are great, but not if your feet slide around. These shoes have just arrived, but we’re already pushing them hard to see whether there’s enough support for all-round use. – Matt Phillips Engineered to Last In our recent test of mini-pumps we found a few exciting new options, like the Bike Tube Air Handler Mini, an inexpensive pump with an aluminium barrel that outperformed more expensive models. Our favourite, though, is still the R4000 Silca Pocket Impero. It’s expensive, but the best we’ve tried. It’s small, feels solid, and pumps…

THE HUGE CLIMBS OF THE PYRENEES AND ALPS DWARF THE HILLS OF THE MAGALIESBERG ON WHICH 27-YEAR-OLD DIMENSION DATA RIDER LOUIS MEINTJES TRAINED AS A YOUNG RIDER. BUT IN JULY THIS YEAR, HE WILL NEED TO CONQUER THEM – AND THE PLANET’S BEST RIDERS – TO STAND A CHANCE OF ONCE AGAIN FINISHING AMONG THE TOP 10 OVERALL. IN 2018 THE YOUNG CLIMBER ELECTED TO MISS HIS FAVOURITE EVENT, THE TOUR DE FRANCE, BECAUSE THE COURSE DIDN’T SUIT HIS RIDING ABILITIES. INSTEAD, HE TOOK ON THE GIRO D’ITALIA; AND FAILED TO FINISH, AFTER NEVER REALLY CHALLENGING THE LEADING CONTENDERS. BUT NOW THE LAID-BACK MEINTJES IS BACK, AND HOPING TO RE-ESTABLISH HIMSELF AS ONE OF THE WORLD’S BEST CLIMBERS – ON THE GREATEST CYCLING STAGE IN THE WORLD. Bicycling: Last year…

All good artists work on their insides as much as their outsides, and this is also the case with Colnago’s flagship model, the C64. Whether or not the bike falls into one’s taste, the insides of the lugs and tubes are objectively stunning work. There aren’t really words to describe running your fingers over a ribbed carbon surface. Even on the outside, the bike has details like a Ferrari has details. Meaning, it’s the little things. And it feels like Colnago has squeezed the last drop out of this design now. The seat cluster has been integrated into the seat tube, where before it was a lug of its own. Colnago claims the new design is stiffer and lighter than using a lug. But in using it, Colnago has had…