| Title | Description | Author |
| Handlebars Deep or Shallow | For years my road handlebars were a normal or deep drop (140-150mm). Shallow drop bars were hard to find and primarily marketed for women. They also almost always came in in a traditional bend do to the limited amount of space in the drop. With the invention of variable radius bars this allows companies to make a shallow drop that mimics a closer feel to a ergo bar while providing a shallow drop. I decide to see what all the hoopla was about and decide to give the variable radius bar a try. I am 5'6" and really find them to be very comfortable. I find that I spend more time in the drops than before but not sure if that is do to the shape of the bars or the drop. Either way I am happy! | Wallace Wormley |
| Handlebars Traditonal vs. Ergo | In the early 90's when ergo or anatomic bars came out I was thrilled. On paper it seemed like a better idea and when I went to the local bike shop and felt a pair in my hands it seemed better too. For me the traditional bend just never seemed all that comfortable. When I was sprinting.
However I did notice after riding for a few hours on them that only the one position in ergo bend was comfortable. With the traditional bend I had more hand positions but was not comfortable in the one most important one. Deep in the drops when hammer hard for a sprint. Recently companies like Easton, 3T, Bontrager, and FSA have come up with a 3rd option. It called a few names but for this article I will use Bontrager's name variable radius bend. It has a similar angle to the ergo but without the sharp transition For me it the best of both worlds! | Wallace Wormley |
| Phone Apps (part 2) | The other phone app that I have been using on my smart-phone this year is Sportypal Great free tool that tracks my ride and my ride statistics. At the end of the ride I can then download the trip to my online account. It shows my stats and overylays them over my route on Google maps. I have found it to be very accurate. You can can also be use for for hiking, running and other outdoor activities. | Wallace Wormley |
| Phone Apps (part 1) | I use a tool on my smart-phone that is part of Google maps called Latitude. It allows anyone I want to see where I am. I turn this on when I go riding so my significant other knows can find me in case of an accident, mechanical, or just plan late getting home. | Wallace Wormley |
| Midwinter Checkup (Electronic accessories) | Whether you have a cyclecomputer, heart monitor, GPS or power meter (or all 4), check the mounts. Road vibration can crack them over time, letting a device bounce off during a ride -- and maybe into a wheel if it's connected by a wire. Gently pull and twist the mount to find fractures or loose bands or ties. | Jim Langley |
| Can a shoe be too stiff | In November I purchased a new pair of Shimano R215 shoes on closeout. I made sure they fit and even wore them for 2 hours while watching TV in the den. They felt great, no numbness or hot spots. On my first ride the stiff carbon soles were noticeable right out of the driveway. It felt like every ounce of power was going right to the bike. Could have been just a placebo affect. After only 3 miles into the ride the outer blades of my feet were killing me. When I got home from my 30 mile ride it felt like I had two broken feet. I am not a podiatrist but I believe my problem was that the shoes were actually to stiff for my feet. It took Sidi several years before finding a carbon layup that was the right blend of stiffness without being too stiff. Other companies like Northwave and Specialized offer several high end carbon soled shoes in different stiffness to address this issue too.
I probably could have tried orthotics in the shoes but I just thought shoes should not hurt that much and that quickly too. I decided to go back to my old shoes the next day and listed my Shimano's on eBay that very night. | Wallace Wormley |
