Cycle Oregon Blog
This is a guest post from Cycle Oregon veteran rider, Robert Holler. To read more about Robert’s bent bike adventures, visit http://hollerit.blogspot.com.
They might be a bit slower going up, but they are fast going down
There are more bicycle options today than ever. As you begin your training for Cycle Oregon, the main piece of equipment to nail down is the bike you’ll ride. If you’re interested in taking a trip on the wild side, you might try out a recumbent.
As a recumbent cyclist, a common question I get is, “Why do you ride that thing?” There is an urban legend that recumbents are for people who can’t ride “normal” bikes. This is wrong on all levels. Riding a recumbent is an experience – fast speeds with less effort, in complete comfort. Maintaining speed in a headwind is easier with the built-in aerodynamics. Plus I was never a fan of sore hands, arms, rear, neck or back, or of smearing a cold, creamy substance in my pants each morning before breakfast.
There have been great strides in the development of recumbents. These are not all garage-builder bikes anymore. Recumbents come in a variety of models, ranging from entry-level to well-equipped touring models to high-end carbon fiber speed-haulers that rival the weight of lightweight diamond frames. The components on a recumbent are the same as any other bike, so weight weenies still have a plethora of options.
Riding a recumbent is just as easy as any other bike. Techniques like maintaining cadence apply to recumbents just as with diamond frames. A “negative” that is pointed out to me quite often is the inability to stand on the pedals during a climb. This is not such a loss, in my opinion, since continual standing on the pedals is a real energy-waster. I prefer to spin, spin, spin. Getting aerodynamic on a recumbent is simple: just sit down and go.
We don't ride recumbents because we have to, we ride them because we want to
The 2010 week ride will be my seventh Cycle Oregon by recumbent, and I can’t wait. An “IMAX-stunning” view, curvy “fighter jet” downhills, and fast and easy flats will be mine. Indeed, the climbs may be a bit slower, but is arriving at the top 20 minutes later than my diamond-frame companions much of a difference? Not when the white plastic beer-garden chair you sit in on the layover day only creates a longing for the comfortable seat of the recumbent.
Should you decide to “recline,” there are several online resources to get you started, such as bentrideronline.com. If you have specific questions, there are others on the Cycle Oregon Forum and the Facebook group who ride recumbents. I imagine any of them would be happy to help out.
Podcasts have been around for several years, yet had never been of much interest to me. But last month I discovered The FredCast, and that has all changed. The FredCast focuses on anything and everything cycling, including gear reviews, news, advocacy, professional bike racing, training, safety and myriad other topics that anyone reading this blog is sure to find compelling.
I like The FredCast so much that I’ve gone all the way back to the first episode from December 2005 and started working my way forward. In a few short weeks – and a number of long plane rides – I’ve consumed two years’ worth of shows. Much of the content is timeless and is just as relevant today as it was then. The pro racing news is dated, but I’m finding it interesting (though a little depressing) to hear about the feats of racers like Tyler Hamilton, Floyd Landis or Jan Ullrich days or weeks before they get caught up in their various doping scandals. It’s also fun hearing the host rave about things like the first Garmin GPS-enabled cycling computers. I get very excited for him because I know full well how awesome the later versions of this particular product have become.
Just in case you don’t have the time to go through every single show, here are a few episodes that riders getting ready for Cycle Oregon might find particularly helpful:
Shows #5 and #7 feature tips on getting ready for your first century. Most of these tips apply directly to training for Cycle Oregon.
Show #29 features an inspiring story about a young cyclist who is winning the fight against cancer, and has the very real potential to bring you to tears. There is also a good segment about the value of professional bike fitting.
Show #51 features a long and informative discussion about nutrition with cycling trainer Graeme Street.
How to Listen
If you’ve never experienced a Podcast before, you’re in for a treat. There are lots of ways to listen to the FredCast. All of them are easy, and all of them are free. iPod or iPhone users can go through iTunes. MP3 users can download shows directly from the FredCast Web site. You can also access episodes directly from your PC. For more details on how to enjoy the FredCast using any of these methods, click here.
The event itself is only part of the journey. That journey begins today.
Now that we all know where we’re headed, I’m sure many of you are already counting the days until we converge in Elgin and begin what’s bound to be another epic adventure. But, as veterans of this event already know, in reality Day One of Cycle Oregon doesn’t happen in September – Day One happens today.
That’s because Cycle Oregon rises above the cliché – it really is about the journey and not the destination. It’s about a commitment to a lifestyle, and months of training, preparation and hard work. It’s about the great days in the saddle as well as the not-so-great days where you need to reach deep to keep on going. It’s about celebrating the rural Northwest and reveling in one the most beautiful places on Earth. And it’s about old friends, new friends and being part of a unique community with a shared passion.
So, whether you ride year ‘round or you’re just getting ready to get back on the bike for the first time this year, welcome to a new riding season – and welcome to Cycle Oregon 2010.
If you’re new to Cycle Oregon, one question you might be asking yourself right about now is, “Can I do this?” The answer is easy: Yes, you can. I know this because I’ve done it. And if I can do it, so can you. Even if you’re currently out of shape, overweight and a total cycling novice, you can complete Cycle Oregon and have a great time in the process – provided you begin preparing today.
Here’s how:
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Commit – Step one is making a commitment to yourself that you want to do it, you can do it and you will do it. Before you can make this commitment, understand that it will involve setting aside several hours each week to train, including enough time for one or two extended rides. It may involve an initial investment in equipment. It might also involve making some significant dietary and lifestyle changes.
This first-timer was a bundle of nerves at kickoff. By April, she was hard to catch.
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Do your homework – You’ll learn a lot as you develop as a cyclist, but there are a few things you need to know right off the bat. These include the rules of the road, how to ride safely in a group, proper bike handling and the fundamentals of nutrition.
Fortunately, there are lots of places you can learn these things. You can pick up any number of great books on endurance cycling, read publications like Bicycling Magazine, or find a fitness trainer who specializes in cycling (I highly recommend STRADA for both in-person and online training programs).
Another great resource is the community of experienced Cycle Oregon riders. Visit the forums, subscribe to this blog and look at the Facebook fan page. The Cycle Oregon family is very good about welcoming new members into the tribe, and is always ready to help new riders – all you have to do is ask.
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Gear up – If you’re just getting started, you’ll want to invest in the right gear. This normally includes a decent road bike, cycling-specific clothing, bike shoes, a helmet, water bottles and some basic tools. There’s a huge value in building a relationship with a good local bike shop with experienced sales staff that can help you figure out what you need (and what you don’t). If you are in the Portland area, the Bike Gallery, one of Cycle Oregon’s biggest supporters, has an annual spring sale and is already posting great deals on its website for close-outs and 2009-model bikes.
Having the right gear makes a big difference.
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Make a plan – September will be here before you know it. Plan your training now. Figure out how many miles you want to ride before the event and what you need to do to get there. Most people recommend a minimum of 1,000 miles, but more is always better.
Begin working on cardio fitness ASAP, with aerobics, indoor cycling or anything that gets your heart pumping. Strength training and core training are also extremely helpful. Core training will make the hours in the saddle a lot more comfortable and make you a much better rider.
Of course, one of the best ways to train for cycling events is cycling. Start off on flat terrain and focus on learning to “spin” by using low gears and pedaling at high RPMs (80 to 100 is ideal). Commuting by bike also pays huge dividends.
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Celebrate success – There are lots of ways to track your success. Log all your miles. Monitor your average heart rate and maximum heart rate on each ride (and watch how it drops throughout the season). Listen to your body. At the beginning of the season, a 30-mile ride might wipe you out for the rest of the day. Before you know it, a 60-mile ride won’t even faze you. That’s significant progress.
Crossing the finish line of your first Cycle Oregon is something you never forget.
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Stay positive – Keep in mind that there will be days when you feel great and there will be days when training seems downright miserable. Don’t get discouraged. If you can, try to figure out what caused the bad day. More often than not lack of supportive nutrition, dehydration or high temperature is the culprit.
Over time, the great days will far exceed the miserable days. Also know that, during the big event, your body WILL rise to the challenge. You actually get stronger as the week progresses. Your average heart rate may decrease substantially. You’ll feel better and stronger than ever, and you’ll be able to do things you couldn’t do even a few weeks before. It is nothing short of amazing.
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Train with friends – Training with friends helps keep you motivated and just makes the whole experience more enjoyable. If you don’t know any other cyclists, seek them out. Attend organized rides throughout the year. If you have to, organize your own rides and invite others along. If that doesn’t work, find virtual partners online.
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Visualize success – Get a clear picture in your mind of what it will be like to cross the finish line on the final day of your first Cycle Oregon. Think about how good it will feel to know you can do something like this, to know you are an athlete and a true cyclist. Refer to this mental picture on the difficult days. Chances are, when you actually do cross that finish line, the feeling will be better than you imagined.
And after Cycle Oregon, keep training. Maintain that level of fitness you’ve worked so hard all season to achieve.
The Cycle Oregon Green Team helped make the composting program a huge success.
One of the challenges for Cycle Oregon each year is how to keep things fresh. There’s always something that can be done to make the event even better. For example, last year we instituted the Cycle Oregon Green Team volunteer group and worked with Zero Hero to recycle and compost as much material as possible on the Week Ride. (And we cut our garbage total by 79%!)
This year – as you obviously know since you’re reading this – we’re venturing into the world of social media, to give people even more ways to connect with, be part of and follow our event. It’s a never-ending quest to refine the event for everyone involved.
One of the main focuses as we continually assess and improve the event is “How can we help first-time riders?” Veterans of Cycle O notice and appreciate our efforts to improve, but a lot of what we change is aimed at making it easier for first-timers to get excited about, and ready for, the event. Here’s an example: This year we’re adding an interactive site map of a typical camp site to www.cycleoregon.com. The idea is, if you’ve never been around this traveling two-wheeled circus, you probably have no idea what it’s like to be in our sprawling, bustling camp. So we came up with idea of creating a generic map, with rollover pop-ups to explain the main resources and elements of our camp site. It’ll give you an idea of the breadth of services available, and give you a mental image of how things typically lay out.
And one more thought on this topic: A lot of what we implement has its roots in feedback from riders. So if you have a good idea for what we could do to make the event even better, let us know.
