(FOR INTERNAL TEAM CIRCULATION ONLY. ADVANTAGES OF CHAIN WAXING TO REMAIN WITHIN)
A few people have asked me about chain waxing recently, and as someone who's a relatively recent convert, I want to try and make a step-by-step simple guide for you all to follow. Before I do that though, I should probably answer the WHY you want to wax your chain.
If you don't believe me, take a peek here (Zero Friction Cycling). They go into much more detail (like.. too much detail) about chain waxing, but I hope to save you all the time by summarizing the steps below.
Okay, so here are the things you'll need to get started.
Alright, now you've all your essentials. This stuff should get you through the entire season or more. Here's now what you do:
STEP 1A: Prepare your jars. My recommendation is to start with a brand new chain, because properly cleaning a used chain is a pita. Label your four mason jars. The first two jars will be half-filled with mineral spirits. The 3rd jar will be half-filled with degreaser. The 4th jar will be half-filled with alcohol.
STEP 1B: Clean your chain. Place the new chain into jar 1, shake vigorously, and ideally leave for 30 minutes+ to soak. Longer the better. Remove chain, and drop into jar 2. Shake vigorously and leave for more time. Remove chain, and drop into jar 3 (degreaser). Shake vigorously. Leave for 10 minutes. Remove chain. Drop chain into jar 4 (alcohol). Shake vigorously. Remove right away and set to dry. You can also wipe chain with clean microfibre cloth. Make sure chain is completely dry.
STEP 2: Pour half the bag of Silca Hot Melt Wax into your crockpot. Flick to LOW. Wrap chain onto an old spoke or coat hanger as seen in photo, and place into the crockpot. As the wax melts, the chain will drop into the wax. Swish the chain around a bit. Remove chain and let hang. Excess wax will drip back into the pot.
STEP 3: Once the wax has hardened, your chain will be solid and you'll need to break the links apart to get them moving. I usually just wrap the chain around a plastic dowel or a railing. Then, re-install the chain back onto the bike (using a quick-link), and go for a quick spin. The wax will still continue to flake off, so your shifting won't be perfect to start, but within 10 minutes the chain will be running smoothly and with very little friction ;)
For continued maintenance of your waxed chain:
That's it. It may seem daunting at first but truly, once you get it set-up, you'll wonder why you didn't do it before. If you have questions, reach out.
One thing to note: If you ride in rain, just be sure to dry the chain as quickly as you can after the ride. I always just bring a few microfibre cloths with me when I travel.
]]>Friday, August 6th
Stage 1: Criterium
Distance: 36km
Average Speed: 46.3km/h.
Number of Riders: 109
Recap: Each of us had a few different goals for this one. Matt and Adam were looking to mix it up and see if they could get into some moves. Geoff and I were just going to play it safe and get through the stage. I had some ambitions in future stages, and had no GC aspirations, so I didn’t really feel the need to press at all in the crit. Adam and Matt were buzzing around the front for a while, but this race never really broke apart as the speed was so consistently high-speed. Raphael Auclair from Pivot Cycling took the win, and Matt was our best finisher in 17th.
Saturday, August 7th
Stage 2: Time-Trial
Distance: 15.6km
Recap: None of us came with TT bikes, so we basically sand-bagged it. Matt, Geoff, and I made an agreement to ride 300w and see who would get the fastest time. Geoff cheated and did 337w, but I still got him by 5 seconds. Matt also cheated at 313w, but worked on his “riding on the tops' ' position so he came in about 1min slower. Adam was the real winner here, deciding to go after the Lanterne Rouge position, and he was almost successful (100th/106 starters).
Stage 3: Mass-Start Uphill Finish
Distance: 12.5km
Average Speed: 36.2km/h
Finishers: 108
Recap: This was the stage I had been eyeing all along, and felt really nervous heading into it. The parcours was 7km along the flat valley road, then a right turn onto a very steep climb (1km @10% with pitches up to to around 20%. For those familiar, similar to a Rattlesnake effort). After that, it was still 4km to the finish, with an average gradient of 4.5%. My plan going into it was to move my way up the group on the steep pitches, be at the front of the group as we got over the top, and then to do a long-range attack around 2km before the finish. Here’s what ended up happening: I took a caffeine pill for the first time in two years, and man are those things effective. Geoff led me into the bottom of the hill perfectly, dragged me halfway up the berg, and then flicked me through. I got to the front much faster than I thought, adrenaline got the best of me, and I attacked as hard as I could. I didn’t look back until I had crested the hill, but when I did, I was kind of hoping to see that I had dragged a few others along with me. Instead I looked back and saw nobody. Eventually, when I hit a longer, straighter section, I looked back and saw that I had about 30 seconds, but it was a really big chase group. This was also when it started to set in exactly how hard I had gone on the hill, as I was unable to do much more than 350w. The meters ticked by in slow-motion, and the group took forever to reel me in. Finally, inside 1km to go, Ethan Sittlington flew by, followed by the rest of the group with 400m to go. I stood to sprint but had nothing. I ended up 24th, gutted. Consolation prize was setting a new 5-min power best, and blasting through all my peak HR numbers. Pivot Cycling took another win on this stage. I really think I could have gotten this one had I played my cards better. There’s no video replay, but this link will give you a pretty good idea of what happened: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCdreJx2pM8&ab_channel=GlobalCyclingNetwork
Sunday, August 8th
Stage 4: Road race
Distance: 125km
Elevation: 2,200m
Average Speed: 39.3km/h.
Finishers: 92
Recap: We knew this one was going to be really hard. The profile was just up and down all day, with a major climb at 100km. It was also really hot out, and the previous stages were adding fatigue. Adam and Matt wanted to get into the days’ break, and they did a damn good job at buzzing at the front for the first 40km. Unfortunately, nothing really stuck until after a pretty punchy climb at 55km which really tore the field apart. Matt and I made the front group, which basically stayed together until the foot of the big climb at 100km. A break of 5 had been up the road with some of the races’ strongest guys, but Pivot and Hustle had guys in our group with GC ambitions, so they were forced to chase, which was good for me. I got over the big climb relatively comfortably, and the group was now reduced to about 15. I got a bit overly confident at this point, and skipped the feed zone with 20km to go. Two guys attacked the group and I bridged to them with about 15km remaining. Only me and the Desjardins rider were taking consistent pulls, while the third sat on. At the time I didn’t care. I felt really good, they seemed fatigued, and a few kms later, the Desjardins kid said he wouldn’t sprint at the end if I would continue riding (if he could get to the finish before the group chasing us, he would win the GC). With 5km remaining, all the climbing was done, and it was all downhill to the finish. As we crested the final little hill, both my legs completely cramped up. I almost fell off my bike, had to double unclip, and stretch my hamstring. I watched the other two guys ride away. It then became a total death march to the line. I was moving slower than some of the grand fondo riders who were also on the course, pedalling when I could, but mostly, just coasting and hoping I could get to the line. I ended up losing a 2 minute lead over 4km to the chasing group, but fortunately held them off for 3rd place. It was disappointing to not make it to the line for the sprint, but holding onto third was a good consolation prize. Matt ended up 26th on the day, and Adam finished up with the main group.
All in all, it was a great weekend. We would have loved to do GMSR again this year, but with border restrictions and quarantine rules, we couldn’t swing it. The Charlevoix weekend kind of worked to scratch that stage race itch. Some of us will continue racing, others are focusing on some gravel and CX events this fall. Most of us will appear at a Midweek crit or two in the coming weeks. Dylan is over in Europe doing his thing. Carson is also preparing for the track, and is rounding into really good shape. It’s really exciting to see racing happening, and I look forward to a more normal 2022 with a full racing calendar.
]]>For the past month, Dylan has been over in Belgium racing bikes with the Cannibal Team, one of the top European development squads. He’s already picked up a few podium finishes, which is extremely impressive for someone doing their first stint of European racing. Do we take some credit for his rapid development? Maybe. Here we ask him a couple questions as he prepares for some of the biggest races of his life.
]]>
I was inspired to write this post after riding in Toronto last weekend. It was amazing to see how many cyclists were out on the roads, and notably the amount of women and visible minorities on bikes. Really good stuff. With all the extra people on two wheels as a result of COVID, cyclists have never had as much leverage to push for things like bike infrastructure and laws that will help keep us safe (we’ve already seen lots of positive change with initiatives like ActiveTO, kudos Brad). With that, however, comes the added responsibility to be good ambassadors and generally not piss drivers off. Here are 10 rules I (try my best to) follow while on my bike:
That’s it. Generally, don’t be an asshole. Remember that every time you get on your bike, you’re representing something bigger than yourself. We’re in the process of chipping away at decades of car-culture and car-centric behaviour, so just try your best to be a good ambassador out there.
]]>(By: Adam Millar)
(Note: Shout out to Tyler Johnston for encouraging us to do these again)
Okay, it’s been a while since the last blog. But to be fair, in the world of bikes and local bike racing, not much has happened (rest-of-world notwithstanding). Winter came, bludgeoned us, and it seems like it is finally a thing of the past for 2021. With the onset of decent weather, I’ve had the opportunity to safely catch-up with some people on the bike outside, and have heard one line of questioning more than any other: “What are you training for? Are there gonna be races this year? What’s been motivating you?”
The pessimistic answers to those questions are easy: “No racing, nothing to train for, no motivation”. And sometimes I do catch myself feeling that way. But I try to snap out of it quickly because I don’t ride a bike with the intention of being miserable about it. If anything, this prolonged period of eventless bike riding has allowed for a bit of a reset. Stop me if you’ve heard this before, but “it’s reminding me why I started riding a bike in the first place…”. That’s something of a cliche these days, but there’s some truth in it.
I’m not a veteran of bike racing, haven’t been doing it for decades or anything. I’m pretty new. I’ve been into bikes for nearly ten years, but it started as a refuge from a more demanding and stressful sport - for me that was rowing. The bike was freedom, speed, and only hard work if I wanted it to be. I really looked forward to bike rides, and started to make more time for them in my schedule. This story has been experienced and told in many ways by many people, but stay with me because I swear I have a point.
I retired from rowing, rode bikes more. I used Strava and went hard for local segments, but I was actually really enjoying how it wasn’t a competitive outlet for me. Years spent competing were stressful, and it felt good to do something just for fun. But time wore on, I joined some group rides like Morning Glory and The Donut Ride in Toronto, and the competitive spirit within me rose from the ashes. Pretty soon after I was eyeball-deep in Ontario bike racing and couldn’t get enough. I made some great friends along the way, and my competitive nature was as strong as ever. As you may have read in some of these blog posts last year, I kinda whimsically went to Europe for the winter with the plan of returning home in the spring and competing in as many bike races as possible in summer of 2020. Plans, meet curb.
It wasn’t all bad though - along with some great company, I was able to do some bike stuff that I might’ve never otherwise done. Summer came and went. It started getting colder and friends weren’t as readily around to ride with. And maybe everyone can relate to this a bit, but with a dark winter ahead, I was having a hard time writing down some goals to train for. On top of that, I was still trying to figure out what to do with my life after doubling down on bike racing, but bike racing was cancelled.
In short, I reverted back to my original approach to cycling: a refuge, a way to have fun, get fresh air, elevate my heart rate, and explore some new places around me. My (lack of a) schedule allowed me to ride almost solely outdoors over the winter. I rode without a power meter or heart-rate monitor, and tried to spend as little time as possible on pavement. It was just fun. I crashed a bunch of times, got better at handling my bike, sometimes I pedaled really hard, and sometimes I didn’t pedal at all. It got me out of the house, and I was excited to get on my bike every single time I did. I didn’t compete against a single person, and hardly even went after Strava segments because it was usually -5° with snow on the ground. But I had so much fun.
Now, decent weather is rolling around and this is typically the time of year when Ontario road (and gravel) racing is getting into full swing. That’s all still on hold for now, and I don’t really have anything on the calendar by way of a goal or target - which is fine. I get on my bike because I want to. I ride hard or do intervals because it’s rewarding. I still make time to ride off-road, sometimes hard, sometimes easy, just as long as it’s fun.
In terms of motivation, the biggest thing for me is having a group of friends to ride with. Whether that be side by side on the road, or just keeping in touch virtually. Lately, I’ve been doing some hard paceline efforts with Jeremy and Mike, and it really brings back that feeling of racing. We push each other hard, and get the best out of each other. Once the effort is done, there’s a bit of that “post-race euphoria” feeling - which is hard to come by these days. Don’t tell them this, but I train hard on my own so that I don’t get dropped by those guys.
But contrary to that, Strava is a big help for my motivation - and not in the way of just blasting up a hill for a 30 second KOM. I can see my friends in all different places doing hard rides, and it inspires me to do the same. I’ll check the weather app, see rain in the forecast, and get discouraged from riding. But then I’ll see that Tim McClure did 3 hours outside that morning and I can’t let him get a competitive advantage over me, so I go out and ride. Keep your friends close, but your enemies… just follow them on Strava. It’s a great way to siphon some motivation from others, and they’ll never know it even happened. Unless you write a blog about it.
This is just what’s been working for me in this ongoing limbo period of bike racing. Lots of people are seeing great success with virtual training, or taking on other sports and activities, or just taking time off the bike altogether. The best solution is what works for you. In the meantime, cross your fingers that we can pin on some race numbers before another season is lost completely. I’m feeling pretty hopeful at this point, and I’m motivated enough to hopefully survive that first bike race.
]]>(Photos: @bobbybicycles)
(Written by: Jeremy Rae)
In my opinion, the Hamilton area's got some of the best cycling in Ontario, as it sits right along the scenic Niagara Escarpment. While we may not have the huge climbs that can be found out West (or even out East), we’ve got a diversity of roads that are easily accessed from the city centre.
Disclaimer: This is not a list of the most popular climbs, nor is it comprehensive. This list will also surely change based on my levels of fitness and motivation, as some of them are pretty challenging. I also generally don’t like climbs with lots of traffic, and with the exception of one, these are all pretty quiet.
Next time you're in Hamilton, consider hitting some of these climbs (but don't go faster than my KOMs, please):
5. Mt. Albion Road. This one’s got a place on the list for me because I start about half my rides there. It’s the shortest and easiest of the one on this list, but the last 1.5km of it is closed to cars, notably the steepest part, which allows for some serious mail-man-ing. It also crosses the Bruce Trail near the top (what can be taken from this list is that the Bruce Trail is seemingly everywhere in Hamilton), and from there you’re very close to the open, flat roads that lie to the South of Hamilton. From there, go south towards Caledonia, or East towards Grimsby. https://www.strava.com/segments/14942631
4. Binkley Rd. This one is closed off at the bottom, and you technically can’t access it from Governors anymore, making it very quiet and hardly ridden (you need to access it from Concession 2). It’s got three very steep kicks (over 20% at times) that make it pretty tough. It’s also completely covered by a tree canopy, and you go under a really cool train bridge near the bottom. (Edit: This is @bobbybicycles favourite spot to shoot in the area). https://www.strava.com/segments/1895819
3. King Road. Technically Burlington, but I said Hamilton area so... This one and Kerns are essentially the same profile, but King is now closed at the top, making it extremely quiet. It also doesn’t have stop signs all the way up like Kerns does. Halfway up King you go by a dog park that has a great view of Hamilton Bay, and then the last 300m are viciously steep. King is known to have some sort of magnetic hill phenomenon, where right near the top it seems as if you’re going downhill but you’re still going up. In the spring you may also catch some salamanders running across the road. https://www.strava.com/segments/710983
2. Old Dundas/Old Ancaster. This is the only climb on the list where traffic can be an issue, but in my opinion, it’s worth it. What I like about this climb is the constantly changing gradient and direction, meaning there’s some respite built in. You start downtown Dundas, pass by the Monarch and Bruce Trail, go through a tree covered switchback, and end up in Ancaster. Stop for a rest at the Ancaster Mill, it’s a beautiful old restaurant along the Ancaster creek. If it weren't for the traffic, I'd probably give Old Ancaster the top spot. This segment, along with others on this list, has recently been under siege by national team rider Derek Gee and local strongman Mark Brouwer, but trust me when I say it'll be back in Ascent hands soon :) . https://www.strava.com/segments/1460392
1. 50 Road. Right at the top of the list is one of the most challenging hill around. Difficulty isn’t everything though; it’s at the top of the list because it’s a beautiful climb. It features two switchbacks and goes through a tree canopy. Halfway up you’ll see the Bruce Trail crossing, and as you crest the climb you get one of the best views of the Hamilton/GTA area. They also recently repaved parts of this climb, which makes the suffering a little more tolerable. This hill is one of the better ones around for those thinking about an Everesting. https://www.strava.com/segments/734395
Notable others: Sydenham, McNeilly, James Mountain, Snake Rd.
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Almost every cyclist is familiar with Strava these days, even if you’re not a regular user. It’s become ubiquitous in our cycling community and serves many different functions for many different people. I use the platform multiple times a day, and it’s a huge part of bike riding for me. That said, Strava isn’t the best at communicating their features and functionality, and there’s a lot that can be done with Strava that maybe isn’t obvious. Here’s a few of my favourite “hidden” features, and insight into when, why, and how I use them. Some of these require a Strava Premium subscription; I’m sorry if that’s a sensitive subject for you, but that’s an entirely different discussion.
Sauce for Strava
Route Building
Strava recently overhauled their Route Builder, and made it a feature available to Premium subscribers only, sorry not sorry. Like most things in this blog, Route Builder is best utilized on the desktop version of Strava. Here’s a quick list of things that have changed:
Personally, I make routes for almost all of my rides, even when I know the roads very well. I love knowing what’s on the menu before clipping in. It’s also an easier way to explore the area around you without getting lost or ending up on a bad road. And when it comes to traveling or riding in a new area, routes are paramount. Here are some of my tricks for making the most of your rides in unfamiliar places:
When heading out for a ride in somewhere completely new to you, route options could be endless. One process I’ve adopted is to:
Flybys (Desktop only)
These are projects that Strava began work on but never truly released them to the masses. Sometimes they can be pretty wonky and glitch out, because they’re not refined. Try refreshing the page, clearing your browsing history and cached data, or using an Incognito window if the feature isn’t working properly.
Sadly, one of the coolest projects in my opinion, never seems to work for me. Achievement Map is intended to show a geo-clustered representation of where your KOM/QOMs have been achieved. I’m not sure if it’s just me, but I can never seem to generate a map display. Let me know if you can figure it out!
Each time you record an activity on your Garmin/Wahoo, or other device, it’s captured as a .fit file. This website has a handful of tools to help you alter, fix, and merge files together. THis isn’t a website you’ll be visiting every day, but sometimes our files get corrupted or other weird things happen, and this website proves ever-useful. Here are some of my favourite uses of fitfiletools.com:
Ayrton: Scarlett Road Hill. It’s so nostalgic because I grew up in the neighbourhood. The west side is tree-lined and runs alongside a golf club. Now has a bike lane! https://www.strava.com/segments/733937
Adam: Mount Pleasant Cemetery. Awesome, quiet place to ride with a few friends, but not the place for intervals. https://www.strava.com/segments/4762234
Connor: Indian Road. Great spot for intervals, and most of it has a bike lane. If you do right hand turns, it’s a pretty safe loop. https://www.strava.com/segments/13201556?filter=overall
Geoff: Glen Manor/Pine Crescent. Really cool neighbourhood near the Beaches that you should definitely check out. Go up Pine Crescent, it’s a brick climb, then come back down Glen Manor. https://www.strava.com/segments/737018
Ian: Redway. Likely the steepest hill in Toronto, and it’s super quiet, so a really good spot for short intervals. https://www.strava.com/segments/671342
Jeremy: Brimley Road. It’s a beautiful spot with a nice marina, and oh ya, the biggest hill in Toronto. https://www.strava.com/segments/668552
Matt: Toronto Zoo. Really, this is a pretty big area to explore, and could have been just summarized as “Rouge National Park.” Some of the roads you need to explore are Twyn Rivers, Old Finch, Reesor, Sewells, or any of the nearby roads. https://www.strava.com/segments/714415
Mike: Exhibition/CNE. The new HP. If you beat my best lap time, I’ll buy you a beer. https://www.strava.com/segments/2463948
Myles: Humber River/Old Mill. The Kingsmill loop may be one of the better, less frequented city loops going. Home Smith Park is A+. Also, ride up Halford Ave- it’s nice and cobbled. https://www.strava.com/segments/1218359
]]>I had to peel myself out of bed this morning. Saturday’s Everest was the hardest thing I’ve ever done, by far, and it’s left every muscle and tendon in my body completely wrecked today. Some of the feedback I keep getting though is “ you made it look so easy”, and I’m here to tell you it wasn’t. From about hour 5 onwards, my body was rebelling against me, but for the entire 10 hours I had a huge grin on my face. Yesterday was the best day I’ve had in a long time, maybe since I broke four minutes in the mile for the first time, and it was all because of the people who showed up and rode with me, cheered me on, supported from the sidelines with food and bottles, took photos, and provided me with finish line beers.
I could go on and on about dozens of individuals who did small things that made a difference yesterday. Chris Monette spent all day on that hill taking video and photographs, and I can’t wait to see how it all turns out. My parents were absolute weapons in the feed zone, never once missing one of my requests. My Ascent teammates, almost all of them riding in from Toronto to ride numerous reps with me. Ian, who closed his bike shop early and drove to Hamilton just in time to ride the last five reps with me. My friends David and Richie, who came early in the morning, rode some reps, went to work, and came back after their shifts to ride more until the end. My friends from my running days, Reid, Anthony, Andrew, and Taylor, two of whom did some major dusting off their bikes to join for some laps. Reid even ran alongside for a few, which was awesome. Alex Hoch crushed a half Everest. Dylan Bibic wheelied all the way up Sydenham (probably a record in itself). Leah Kirchmann came for some laps in the morning, and then again in the afternoon. Local strongmen like Derek Gee, Martin Rupes, Nick Diniz, Ed Veal, and Mark Brouwer all showed their support. Numerous local cyclists, from Hamilton, Niagara, Guelph, Brantford, and the GTA, all rode some laps. People brought their families. Neighbours stood on their porches and rang cowbells. It was truly an awesome experience.
Two more people I’d like to shout out. My girlfriend Maddy was a rock star all day. She helped with everything from feeding, to Instagram contributions, to even riding the last few reps of the day when everyone else was pretty much cooked (the last few reps of the day were also some of my fastest too, so extra kudos to her). And lastly, gotta give a shout out to Adam who helped put this thing together with me. The guy started at 4:30am, Everested in about 11 hours 10 minutes, which was the fastest ever Canadian performance until I surpassed it, and then continued riding to 10,000m (he’s the 5th fastest all-time to 10,000m, and the fastest Canadian by far). He was my biggest inspiration out there when I was suffering.
Sydenham is far from the ideal hill to Everest. You’d want something straight, super steep, with a very fast descent. Lachlan Morton just broke the world record, and every downhill he was averaging 95km/h. We were lucky if we averaged 60km/h yesterday. Maybe one day I’ll chase a faster time on a better hill. However, setting records wasn’t really the focus yesterday. It was about bringing the community together, and raising some money for organizations that we believe in. We haven’t done a final tally yet, but I can safely say that our initiative led to several thousands in donations, which I’m so proud of. Sydenham was chosen for exactly this reason. It was the only place around where we could safely invite people to come spectate, join for some reps, and generally enable inclusivity.
We’ve got a bunch of merchandise from our sponsors that we’re going to be giving away to people who participated in the #AscentChallenge, but I’ll need a few days to sort this all out. To sum it up, the feedback from yesterday was amazing, and I’m really happy with how it all came together. If you’re still interested in participating, check our fundraising section of the site to see how you can do so. If you weren’t mentioned above, you were certainly not forgotten, as everyone played a huge role in making yesterday a success, so thank you!
______________________________________________
(Written by: Adam)
Have you ever done something that, 6 months earlier you said was “stupid and pointless” and you “have no interest in ever doing”? Okay good, me too. I like riding my bike uphill as much as anyone, but yesterday was a bit much. Since Jeremy already touched on all the gratitude and warm feelings that we have after the day at Sydenham, I’m here to describe some of the torture and regret. Herewego.
I woke up at 3:30am and drank two of those Starbucks canned espresso things. I drove to the Sydenham Lookout and tried my best to shove pasta into my mouth at 4am, which might have been the most difficult thing I did all day actually. I put lights on my bike, turned the Wahoo on, and thought to myself, “Well, once I press Start Ride, I’m into it and can’t go back…”. Honestly, there was a moment of wondering if I should actually start or just go back to bed. But then my former Midweek nemesis, turned friend, turned hero, Steve McKee was waiting for me at the bottom. Alright Steve, let’s get it then.
Steve did the first 5 reps with me, which was perfect. He went back home, and I got to settle into a rhythm for about 3 hours or so just riding alone. Riding solo through the sunrise, when the legs still felt great, really was special. It wasn’t until Chris Monette showed up around 7am to start shooting film and photo that I started to realize, “Oh I’m gonna be out here all. day.”. My strategy was: take a short pit-stop every 15 laps (~2 hours), even if I don’t feel like I need it. I would get a new bottle, gulp down caffeine, refill pockets with food, stretch the body out for a second, and get back on the bike in just a few minutes. This ended up working until Lap 75 when my feet hurt so bad that the pit-stops came a bit more frequently.
Laps came and went. The lap times got slower. Legs began to tighten up a bit. Stomach started to feel weird. Luckily there were no gastro issues, but the fear of one existed inside me. People would ask me “How many metres ya at?!” and I’d say “6300” and they’d say “Nice only 3700 to go!”, like I wasn’t already counting down each metre myself. When I came through 8000m and Wayne Rae kindly let me know I was in the “Death Zone”, it all started to make sense. I had no desire to eat or drink anything, but it had to be done. Eclipsing 8848m and, for the time being, holding the Canadian Everesting record maybe made me feel warm and fuzzy for a few seconds but it was quickly back to the aforementioned Death Zone. The final 10 reps, I don’t even really remember. Myles and Geoff were the guiding lights and I just kept rolling over the gear until it was over.
A lot of people have been asking me about the fuelling strategy, so here’s the breakdown: “When was the last time I ate something? Can’t remember? Okay eat something.”. I ate my first Xact Fruit2 after Lap 5, and must have consumed close to 30 of them over the entire day. The diet was made up of: ~30 Xact Fruit2s, 6 bananas, 6 homemade oat bars, 1 espresso from Cafe Domestique, 4 Cokes, 4 Monster Hydros (sponsor me please), 8 bottles with Xact electrolyte tablets, and a Collective Arts Dry-Hopped Sour after the finish. I had muscle cramps galore in the last 2 hours, but I don’t think I could’ve fuelled much better. Xact Nutrition really kept the entire day bonk-free.
It’s been said by myself and Jeremy a few times now, but there is absolutely no way either of us would have made it to the proverbial summit without all the friends riding alongside us. And the people out to cheer, ring cowbells, yell words of encouragement, and just take in the sight of crazy people on bikes going up and down this hill all day. Whether they were friends of ours, or just locals perhaps unaware of the lunacy of Everesting, they made time on their summer Saturday to show support and make the day a little bit better for us. If anyone I saw on the side of the road yesterday is reading this, thank you.
(Photos by: Sean Pollock)
]]>In the 2000’s racing was thriving. The overwhelming support and interest in cycling was bursting at the seams. Sponsors were jumping head first into the sport by supporting teams and races whenever and wherever. The whole world would tune in once year to marvel at the Tour De France. While many would openly idolize the legendary Lance Armstrong at his peak of notoriety, there were those that would be secretly rooting for the Ullrichs, Mayos and Vinos of the world.
Fast forward to the current day sport of cycling and the public will see a completely different image. Whether it is good or bad, the majority have forgotten about Lance. The popularity of bicycle racing has plummeted in North America.
The prosperous times of the 2000’s were full of events, with more added to the racing calendar each year. Participants were aplenty as categories were overflowed. Now, it feels like a desperate attempt to squeeze categories together to even provide a field for some races. Cities and regions no longer seem willing to offer race organizers the opportunity to provide a space for such a historic sport. It’s almost as if the concerns over the liability and closing roads are outweighing the chance to nurture athletes and grow the sport. The financial support that once was has also diminished significantly.
Looking back on it, for myself and many others, preparation for the season ahead would start in November - after a mandatory month of no biking prescribed to you by your coach. Sitting down to design a detailed plan around next year’s racing calendar was the norm during this time. Now this has been replaced due to the ease of communication and study of week-to-week responses of your body.
Designing a proper training program was vital. However, it could be said this is even more important in present day racing due to fewer races being offered. In the past, your season would begin in January and end in September. It was not as important to show peak fitness during the beginning of the season. You would have a long spring campaign to allow you to drag your body through the hard days which would ideally set you up for the remainder of the season. It was quite possibly the perfect training camp.
Training tools were different. Off seasons were usually filled with living down South in a warmer climate. Now we can stay home and skip the experience of the harsh winters thanks to smart trainers and Zwifting. In the past, quite a few of us Canucks would choose Tucson, Arizona due to the amazing route choices, incredible climate and massive amounts of elevation gain to crawl up. This was my routine for four years. Based on the long season ahead we would start the campaign in December. Each year we would pack up the car and take the thirty-plus hour pilgrimage down to the promised land. Our home away from home, one of the greatest cycling meccas in North America, Tucson! (Thirty plus hour non-stop drives are a whole other story in general, and that can be saved for another time.)
It wasn’t a necessity to be in warmer climate for training; but it was an unspoken agreement that those who wanted to get faster would meet and rip each other's legs off, day in, day out -until the season starts. Nowadays our daily lives can continue normally, enjoying virtual camaraderie from the comfort of our basements or garages without the concern of getting skin damage from the lack of sunblock.
Once we were settled in Tucson we got to work. Over the next few months we got in the base miles. Day after day, week after week and until the first race on the calendar this was the routine. Unlike California, Arizona, Texas and many other southern states, we did not have year round racing. Our time was spent building and preparing for our desired goals of the year.
Typically, a training week would consist of a bunch of long rides followed by an equally important two-hour easy ride to the café and then repeat. To elaborate on this, a typically hard week would look something like:
Monday, 2-hour recovery ride (50-60kms)
Tuesday, 5-6 hours (160-180kms).
Wednesday, 5-6 hours (160-190kms)
Thursday 5-6 hours (160-190kms)
Friday, 2-hour recovery ride.
Saturday, bang bang!! The infamous Shootout plus Madera Canyon (190kms 5-6 hours).
Sunday another 4-6 hours (130-190kms) *depending on how roughed up you were from the gun slinging event from the day before.
Each day would have intervals of different sorts. You would split the days into 2-a- days based on TT, climbing or sprinting efforts. Yes, I swear!! I always did my TT workouts. Wink-wink, nudge-nudge. Overall, a week would consist of anywhere between 28-35 hours of riding. It was all dependent on getting the miles in the legs, with the intervals when needed, topped off with the masochistic efforts of motor pacing at 50-55 kph's until your legs could not spin anymore.
Power-based training was new for most of the peloton. I had a power meter on my bike, but I could not tell you what I was looking at the on the original SRM and Powertap screens, nor did I care. Half the time, if you rode in the rain, the device would stop working. Nowadays trying to have a conversation with someone who races/rides without mentioning FTP or w/kg is a victory in and of itself. Numbers overwhelmingly drive today's training approach and protocols.
Machines, sorry I mean cyclists, can be manufactured anywhere now. Which is a good thing but also detracts from the overall draw to the sport which comes down to how exciting and fun racing can be.
But I digress; back to the training and modern-day differences. Tucson was extremely popular among North American pro cyclists to isolate themselves for a few months and use each other along with the whispers of certain times up climbs as yard sticks. With no Strava and no Zwift to contextualize our efforts, we had to have face-to-face encounters or someone there to confirm it took place.
Many of us would train without helmets thinking it was the cool thing to do, and rightfully so, am I right? Like what could happen? We ride our bikes for a living and its very unlikely that the guy in front of you will rub wheels in a pace line at 45kph and take you all out right? Very unlikely… We’ll ignore the picture attached showing the evidence of me being attended to by local EMS/FIRE. The day after I was reamed out by our team DS for not wearing a helmet no less. Something along the lines of it “being a sponsor obligation so you better smarten the f*%$ up and wear a damn helmet!” Moral of that story, always wear a helmet. It’s not about how good of a bike handler you are. It’s about not being able to predict what will happen around you.
After sharpening our tools, we were ready to put them to use. The calendar consisted of a whole whack of racing. The highest racing in North America was labelled as the National Racing Calendar (NRC) and it was loaded with different levels of races ranging from coast to coast. These races also tied into the UCI America’s Tour, which much like the current World Tour, consisted of top tier races offering points while also rewarding the leader’s jersey to the current leader to be worn at all races.
Back then, it was often Svein Tuft who had the honour. Most of the other big name North American riders had spent most of their time in Europe and were unable to accumulate enough points. Since there was a large following and appreciation for racing there were stage races, criteriums, double-header weekends, circuit races, and superweeks all over the place.
Typically, after getting your feet wet at a few local races, it was time to get yourself ready for the gathering of the masses and head to California for the real season to start. San Dimas Stage Race, Redlands Classic, Sea Otter Classic were all stacked and waiting with twenty teams of six to eight riders ready to show their off-season gains. No matter how prepared you were, it hurt.
Early breakaways would go which would often be filled with off-season rider pickups who wanted to make an instant impression. Or the young guy on the team, like myself, would have it as their job to get in it and make it stick for the day. The main idea behind this is to help your teammates by giving them a free ride behind those who will eventually need to chase. As the young guy on the team you are buttered up and told that, “Hey maybe you’ll get lucky today,” or “Every now and then these stick; you’ll sneak away and surprise everyone.” Well that never happened for me, but yes it does happen! It would often just result in being caught by the well-oiled and timed catch of the wise peloton only to be quickly shot out the back. Classic OTF to OTB move. Not that racing has lost this cat and mouse excitement but there are not enough racers to provide the same captivating pursuit.
As a result of this, there is less structure to racing now. Often teams are not large enough to pull back a breakaway single handedly for their sprinter or control the race for their well-timed attack. Racing now seems more like a roll of the dice when lining up. You can still play it smart and follow the wheels of the stronger guys while biding your time to hang on but, with it being such a mixed bag, any move could be the right launching pad.
Within the peloton, racing, results and positioning, were often built on merit and seniority over strength and ability. I remember once it was coming down to the typical battle of sprint trains between BMC, Healthnet, Navigators, Toyota-United and the bad boys of cycling, Rock Racing, as everyone else tried to eat the scraps. Five teams setting up with one goal in mind. Get their man across the line first. That meant you had approximately twenty-plus guys foaming from the mouth with less than five kilometres to the finish line.
I thought; “Okay, I have shown a decent sprint so let's see how our early season fitness is”. I looked to get one of two wheels that I thought would be in perfect position for the battle. My choices were with either fellow Canadian Gord Fraser or Aussie fast man Hilton Clarke. When I said merit and seniority was needed, I meant it.
There I was, 138 lbs, being bounced around between the likes of Karl Menzies, Nathan O’Neil and Juan Jose Haedo. Trying to hold my own while all at the same time trying to stay upright. Finally, during this game of pinball, a hand grabbed my jersey pocket and I was swiftly launched backwards out of the fight as the words “Not this team kid, beat it” were yelled by someone on Healthnet. I won’t name names, but…oh well who cares, it was my buddy and fellow roommate in Tucson Matt Crane who provided the nice gesture.
Today, the yelling and screaming of a peloton has switched and can certainly be appreciated. No one plans or desires to crash. However, the smallest movement or slight bumping in a controlled environment between cyclists always result in a choir of displeased racers yelling at the culprit.
That was just the beginning of the season and it only would get longer and harder. We would slowly move across the States heading to the Valley of the Sun Stage Race, Tucson Bicycle Classic and on our way to the Tour of Gila. I recall during the TT of the Tour of Gila where Nathan O’Neill blew past me at the halfway point in a 26km TT losing a total of 8 mins. In my defense, I hate TT’s with a passion and he was a 6x time Aussie TT champ and top 10 time trialist in the world. So, I will take that in stride.
Often, at some point of the year all the big names would come and go through Tucson. The likes of Sayers, Danielson, Hamilton, Landis, Zaijcek, Clarkes, Creed, Moninger, Fraser, Hincapie, Zabriskie, Baldwin, Lee, Zirbel, even Lance himself, has used Tucson for training. The cycling community was strong and full of talent that was willing to meet and ride together in a shared and soldiering effort together.
Most of us are aware of the stigma that surrounds cycling and this is where things get a little dark. We know cycling has seen its shadows cast over the sport and as a young rider this became increasingly evident. Often you would be training with these guys as well as sharing laughs, going out for coffee, dinners or just hanging out with them in general.
However, in training, there were many times you would be neck and neck with some but then a month later they would blow your doors off leaving you scratching your head asking, what’s wrong? I am younger and fit; I should be recovering faster as well!?!? Well, it quickly became clear that doping was present. Compared to the big leagues, everyone knew who was taking what. Either you did it to compete or it was evident that you slugged along hoping for a glimmer of hope and chance for glory.
However, doping in North American cycling was insidious and often went unnoticed to the public eye. Many cyclists got away with it for years. The ‘bad boys’ of cycling could come and race fresh off a suspension due to a rule in place allowing them to drop down to a Division 2 (Pro Continental) or Division 3 (Continental) Pro team for 2 years before returning to the World Tour proving that they are now racing clean.
I am not suggesting that everyone was doping but there were more than a handful of riders taking part in the underworld. At best, the races in North America had weak doping control and at worst, doping control was nowhere to be found. Along with that, random doping visits were extremely rare unless your name was Lance…and/or another World Tour rider.
As a young cyclist was there temptation? You bet your ass there was! Knowing that a simpler path towards being faster as well as getting better results would be tempting to anyone. Often, to make the leap towards racing in Europe, teams would not even take you on without some “suggestive” conversation of getting on their program. I cannot assure you that this guaranteed whether that meant doping or not. There were countless amounts of cyclists that competed in Europe from all over the world that were clean and hugely successful. However, during that era, it was hard to go down a list without crossing someone’s name off. I decided to stay in North America as it held the reputation of being ‘the clean version of racing’.
I was never able to stitch together a bunch of results that would put me in this scenario, but at times you would hear the whispers and see the efforts of others were weighing on riders. These whispers were not congratulatory for having achieved a strong showing. They were harsh assumptions that, “Oh, he is looking strong; he must be doping.” “Did you see ‘so and so’ last race? Yeah that guy is on the juice there is no way he is clean.” Shockingly enough, those guys that were linked to the rumours were more than likely busting their ass and doing it clean. The ones that quietly sat in the background collecting results here and there consistently were not.
So, I often catch myself reminiscing about the days of racing in the not-so-distant past. After a small hiatus from the sport I ask myself what has changed over the years when comparing the likes of racing in the early 2000s to the present day? Will we ever get back to that peak and popularity of sport or will the sport peter out and fade away? The answer to that is simple. Yes. Cycling itself is more accessible than ever to everyone and anyone. There are more cycling clubs than ever. There are more grassroots programs than ever as well. However, the wall that needs to be broken down is the one linking cycling back to being a mainstream sport in North America, and more specifically, Canada. There are some incredible athletes currently racing in Canada, both female and male. My hope is they will inspire the next group of young cyclists; just like a certain ‘Head and Shoulders’ hair model who occasionally rode around the track very fast did for me.
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Hey friend/pal/buddy,
Really cool to hear that you want to get into road cycling. I won’t lie, it’s not the easiest thing to get into. There’s lots of equipment involved that will stop working, it’s expensive, sharing the road with cars can be frustrating, and your body will hate you after your first couple rides. To help you navigate this process, I’ve asked some of my teammates to share the biggest mistakes they made, and what they’d do differently if they were in your position.
Visit Your Local Bike Shops - People often look for a “great deal on a used bike” - but unless you know exactly what you’re looking for, it won’t work. Don’t enter the cycling world through Kijiji or Craigslist. Before you buy anything, visit a handful of local shops and find one with friendly staff and bikes that suit you. Helpful and honest employees will make the initial (and inevitable follow-up) bike shop visits something to look forward to. And if you can, bring a friend who knows a thing or two about bikes to help you through the process. There was a time when I was looking to upgrade bikes and visited 6 shops before choosing which one I wanted to work with. The relationship with a bike shop can really help you get the most out of your new bike, and they need our support too! (Adam)
Don’t Buy Cheap Bib Shorts- On that topic. Buy bib shorts. They’re essential to comfortably riding a bike. Don’t think you can get by with just athletic shorts, because you’ll chafe in all sorts of terrible places. I bought my first bibs off AliExpress for $15, and they didn’t fit properly, didn’t last, and were marginally better than not wearing bib shorts at all. Do yourself a favour, and spend some money on some nicer bibs that fit properly. It’s likely the most important piece of equipment you can buy. (Jeremy)
105-11 Rule- While you can buy a bike for as little as a few hundred dollars, you shouldn’t. Bikes, up to a certain point, get substantially better as you spend a little more on them. My first bike was an 8 speed with a Shimano Sora groupset, and I spent more time fixing and finding parts for it than it was worth. My advice: Stretch the budget and get a Shimano 105-level*, 11-speed bike. 11-speed parts can be found at any shop, any time. Lower level Shimano bikes are often 8, 9, or 10 speed, and local shops rarely carry those parts. Additionally, in the event you don’t ride this bike as much as you thought, selling an 11-speed bike is much, much easier. (Jeremy)
Keep Your Bike Well-Tuned- A working bike is often more important than a fancy bike. Spend the effort making sure you stay on top of cleaning and repairs. If you buy your bike from a local shop, they will sometimes offer discounted servicing for a while, so take advantage of that. Also, chains need replacing after a while. Don’t do what I did and use a chain so long it ruins everything else in your drivetrain. (Ayrton)
Clip In- Yes, those clip-in shoes seem daunting, but once you get past the inevitable low-speed topple, it’ll allow you to go further and faster than before. I refused to buy cycling shoes, preferring toe straps for the first few months of road cycling. When I finally made the switch, I felt like an idiot for having gone without for so long. (Jeremy)
Where Should I Ride? - "Waterfront Trail" is probably a great place to ride a bike, but those places can get crowded and sometimes dangerously busy on those beautiful summer days. Asking the staff at a bike shop where they like to ride is an easy way to find new routes nearby. I worked in a shop for a while, and really loved helping others explore their own city by bike, and then hearing how their ride went the next time they stopped by. (Adam)
Learn to Clean Your Bike- Youtube is your friend here. There are tons of good videos online that show you how to lube a chain, clean one, how to fix a flat, etc (This is a good one!). I raced right up to the national level on midline parts, and 32 spoke Mavic wheels. They had external nipples so I could true them myself without taking off tires, and they lasted for years. (Rolston)
Eat, Lots- It may seem weird, but as you get comfortable riding more, bring some food and water with you. As a beginner, I never brought food with me, and I bonked so bad one time that I had to stop and lie in a ditch on the Niagara Parkway. Tip: bring more food than you think you need, always. The goal is to get home and still have leftover snacks in your pocket. (Jeremy)
Get a Bike Fit- Most local shops offer this service, many times free of charge with a new bike. Taking the time to ensure that your position on the bike is tailored to your body will be time very well spent. A proper fit improves comfort, will help avoid injuries, and make you faster. Our pal Ian Manning at Detour Cyclery is an expert bike-fitter who is always happy to help. (Mike)
Buy a Bike You Like: After getting a proper fit, and keeping the above criteria in mind, buy a bike you want to ride. If this works as it should, you’ll be spending a lot of time riding, and you’ll want to feel good about doing it. I could have saved money earlier on by avoiding a bike/bikes that I perhaps spent a little less on or were ‘convenient’ to buy, but that I didn’t actually love. (Myles)
Strava.com- You’ve likely heard about it as a place to upload your activities, but one of the most useful parts of Strava as a beginner cyclist is following some local riders to see where they ride, and being inspired to reach new levels. I remember following a local who did 50km a day and thought he was insane! (Jeremy)
A collection of some of our first bikes:
Sherar:
Jeremy:
Ayrton:
Adam:
Myles:
Mike:
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If any of these apply to you, or you feel attacked, this is for you. Let’s keep in mind that we choose to ride bikes for many reasons, but the majority do so to keep in shape, be social, to get from point a-to-b, or to explore. Considering the trying times that we’re going through, we can all make a better effort to be courteous to one another and not tear each other down. So if you’re out on the roads, nod or wave to other cyclists. If you’re choosing stay indoors and on the trainer, awesome, but don’t stress too much about Zwift results and what other people are doing. Remember, you’re doing this because it’s fun and it’s good exercise. And when this is all over, come join us at Morning Glory skills sessions that we host once a week. While you may think you know everything there is to know about riding a bike, even our old dogs like Ian Manning admit to learning new things about cycling from time to time.
(Written By: Jeremy Rae)
]]>(Written by: Mike Little)
I Miss Bike Racing
To start with, I wanted to write a blog about travelling to an empty Canadian Tire Motorsports park on Good Friday to have a nice, long, solitary cry… but i felt that it may not make for an interesting read. So, I’ll keep that story for another day. While in the midst of these unprecedented (in our lifetimes) times - my mind frequently wanders to bike racing. The idea of bike racing. I miss it, we all miss it. Not the suffering, per se, but the entire experience. It is just great. The suffering, too, I guess.
While most of us toil away on Zwift, smashing ourselves to the point that sleep becomes somewhat difficult even hours after our virtual Midweek crit...I think back to outside racing. With real humans. Remember outside? Don’t get me wrong, I love Zwift as much as the next guy...but not as much as some guys who get really mad about it. It feels like real bike racing...the suffering, at least. However, it’s just different. It’s a video game, and in order to be “good” you need to understand the game...something that takes some time. Like real bike racing, but...different.
I am happy that virtual racing exists to somewhat quell that competitive urge that bubbles up a couple times a week. But, there is something super special about riding your bicycle fast outside, with other people. Something about the all-consuming, exhausting act of pushing your limits and going way too fast while wearing a super nice Lazer helmet and what could pass for underwear in any other situation.
Things I love about real bike racing:
I love everything about riding, and racing. The happy and the sad. We all work so hard to be able to put all of our self-worth into our last race result. I personally cannot wait to beat myself up again over a split-second decision I made while my heart rate was over 190 bpm. I’m sure we all feel the same.
I look forward to seeing everybody, in real life, as soon as is reasonably possible. Until then, I’ll happily take part in internet races and continue to do my part to help flatten the curve.
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(Written by: Adam Millar)
Things About Bike Racing That We’re Longing For:
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(Written by: Jeremy Rae)
What's Really Important?
We’re headed into the end of April, and in normal circumstances we would have been a few races into our season. After many solo miles, and countless hours thinking about the good and bad of bike racing, it’s funny the stuff that you remember, or the things that end up being most notable. One of the best weekends of the year for me last year was GMSR, and while performing well as a team was definitely a highlight, it’s the small things that I remember most:
Junior life at the Velodrome
Many are relatively unfamiliar with the concept of track racing. Featuring banked corners, fixed gears and funny helmets; the world of velodrome racing is certainly a different monster than the road - and not just in the nature of the racing.
I’ve always found it interesting when riders from outside of the track racing discipline come to try the track for the first time or simply come to visit the pits. The scene is a whole lot different than what you’d see at your average road race and their feedback always reflects this.
It is this fact inspired this article, as I thought it might be cool to share some of the things that don’t come to mind right away but are so very important at the velodrome.
Let’s start with the bikes - most are familiar with the concept of a fixie; one speed, no coasting, no brakes. This makes track racing a lot safer as no one can simply slam the brakes, which would only result in them slipping off the banking (you can only go so slow) and causing a massive pileup. But that is not too hard to conclude when you really think about it. So what about some other facts? The fixed gear drivetrain means all gear changes are manual. You cannot do this in a race, but there is always time in between events to do so. The riders you see at the World Cup all have team mechanics with all sorts of fancy accessories to change gears. However, us juniors have no such luxury. For that reason, we all have to carry a pretty extensive tool kit. The chainring is simply removed by loosening the 5 bolts via Allen-keys, just like on a road bike but changing the cog is a different story. After loosening the 2 bolts that attach the wheel to the bike (track bikes do not utilize quick release), you can remove the chain and slide the wheel out of the special horizontal track-dropouts (just like you’d see on some TT bikes). Once the wheel is free, you use a chain-whip to loosen the cog off the threaded hub. Some riders use a lock-ring, which is like an emergency fail-safe to stop the cog coming loose while riding - this has to be removed first before you can loosen the cog. It is at this point I pull out my gear bag, where I can choose between many different cog and chainring combinations to best suit the upcoming race. Other mechanical duties throughout the day can include wheel and cockpit changes. The type of event determines the bar and wheel combination such as a TT bars and double discs for Pursuit versus drop bars and rear disc for bunch events. Again, you must plan to do this in between races.
At the track, you cannot take food or water with you on the bike. Because of this, you really have to consider your nutrition leading up to right before you get on your bike. In most cases, our events are spread out throughout the entire day (a track race generally lasts from 30seconds to 30minutes, allowing for multiple races in one day) so you have to essentially plan an entire day of nutrition and hydration from 5am to 11pm, taking into consideration timing and recovery for races (and yes, those are my actual hours from the Provincial Championships). This is of course all in contrast to road racing, where you have to think about what and how you are going to refuel on the bike. Related to nutrition, you also really have to consider your recovery and how you will spend your downtime. Remember, you’re essentially camping out in this building all day and if you’ve ever spent some time in a velodrome, you know that the fluorescent lights and dry, 25degrees climate can really do a number on you if you don’t try to mitigate the effects. Sometimes all it takes is stepping outside for 5 minutes after a race, but proper rest is hard to come by so it takes a bit of creativity to totally relax. I don’t know how much I’d get away with this at the World Championships next year, but I always take my inflatable couch outside of the pits where its cooler and take naps ;) - and yes, wearing sunglasses indoors is OK at the track!
Finally, let me give you a quick summary of a general pre-race routine. Once you have yourself all set up in a pit, warmup is almost always done on rollers. Some people even bring their road bike for warmup. This is so they can put their track bike through bike-check (something which all riders must do before every race) right at the beginning of the day as you cannot remove it before the race, otherwise you have to put it through again. This just ensures everyone is playing by the rules (bike position, gear restriction etc.). I prefer warming up on my track bike, so I just have to plan an extra 5 mins of time to do bike-check after rollers. Once warmup is done, it’s time to head to staging. Here, they will order you on the bench based on where you are in the race. Then it's up the ramp and to the rail on the home stretch. Riders all climb to the top of the track and hang onto the rail at the top. When the whistle blows, there is typically a formation lap and then the race is on! There are some races where the procedure is different, like in timed events where riders enter onto the track individually or in a team and start from a stand-still with an automatic start gate or just a holder - this all depends on the type of race. From there its the race itself, a cool down and then rinse and repeat!
I hope this post did a good job of giving you a glimpse into the world of Velodrome racing and some of the little things that you have to plan for and think about while at the track that are somewhat unique to this discipline. Once the world starts again, I recommend that everyone reading this go try the track. There are plenty of beginner lessons and certification courses you can take to get yourself up to speed. Not only is the track a great break from the trainer in the winter, but can also serve as a source of excitement for all you adrenaline junkies out there.
And with that I sign off… dropbars, not bombs. Cheers!
Today’s post is brought to you by Lazer helmets. Dylan and I were given some Lazer Victor TT helmets to wear during the track season and they were super fast. The aerodynamic profile gave both of us an edge over the competition and the design for optimized airflow reduced the wind-noise to zero, allowing us to focus on the race. Maybe, if we're lucky, they'll get some usage at some crits this summer.
]]>(Note: We've linked to Youtube videos, and many of them don't show the full race. If you're crafty/resourceful, you'll know where to go to find the full content.)
Carson Mattern:
I have always loved watching this race and I am always at the edge of my seat when other track races play out in a similar fashion. With only a few points to his name and less than 4km to go, Cam Meyer makes a late-game move. If he takes the lap, he is World Champion but if he doesn't make it around, he finishes in the bunch. This is a do-or-die situation and with the stakes so high, it makes the whole thing that much more exciting!
Dylan Bibic:
Steve Bauer has been my greatest inflence. This race had a very intense finish.My 1st love is Road then track, this race combines both.
Matt Sherar
I think it was Cavendish that said this race is the easiest of the classics to finish and the hardest to win. While the vast majority of the race is uneventful, the finish certainly makes up for it.
Adam Millar
Tried to go for an alternate choice that you may not have seen before. The bulk of the race is pretty average, but the finish is incredible. No spoilers here; just watch it all the way to the finish line. I'll admit, it's my dream to win a bike race like this guy does.
Geoff Chambers-Bedard
I can't pick a favourite, but the 2015 Amstel Gold Race is a strong contender; narrow roads, hundreds of kooky corners, short and sharp climbs, cross winds, and wacky Dutch road furniture make this a thrilling event. The 2015 edition was no different, but is an example of reduced bunch sprinting masterclass by one of the best tacticians in the professional ranks.
Jeremy Rae
I come from a track & field background where the Olympics is king. There's something special about an event that happens once every four years. The finish circuit in this race proved to be absolute carnage.
(Full race replay can be found HERE)
Connor Gregory
Love this race, suits a wide range of skill sets, and the finishing group of this race is exactly that. Pure racers finish, only thing missing is bad weather.
Ayrton Dick
Countless moments of excitement, and an unlikely victor
Mike Little
One the first races I got really into. I was watching a great online series at the time, "Beyond the Peloton" which is still one of the best series to watch as a bike racer.
(This blog brought to you by: Squirt Lube. Tired of getting chain grease everywhere? Worried about losing precious watts to your rivals? Appreciate the look of a clean drivetrain? Squirt lube is what you need. Yes, this all sounds cliché, but the stuff works, it's wax based so it keeps your chain clean, and you can find it pretty much anywhere. Go pick some up!)
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(By: Adam Millar)
Impromptu blog alert. Last week I touched on the subject of COVID-19, and how I wasn’t able to be a spectator at the beloved Strade Bianche in Siena, Italy because the race was cancelled. Well, in the space of a week, things have escalated to unprecedented levels, and the world is in for it now. Here’s what I've experienced over here in Italy.
The morning of Sunday March 8th, I left Tuscany en route to Sanremo in the province of Liguria, just 20km from the Italian border with France. My route required taking a bus, three trains, and a taxi from Colle di Val d’Elsa - Florence - Pisa - Genoa - Sanremo. Honestly, I tried to remain calm about the virus situation; I would just wash my hands and be careful. But that morning, Italian Prime Minister Conte announced a lockdown of Lombardy and the 14 surrounding provinces. That scared me a bit, but Liguria was relatively unaffected by the virus in comparison.
My parents were quick to suggest I make a bee-line for the Nice airport and fly home. I figured that my area was far away from the lockdown zone, and relatively unaffected, so I’d not make any rash decisions and see where things go. As you know, Prime Minister Conte then announced that the entire country of Italy was to be on lockdown. He ordered all businesses and restaurants to close in effort to curb the virus spreading. This changed things quite a bit.
Currently, the streets of Sanremo and the Ligurian Coast are almost completely deserted. Supermarkets and pharmacies remain open, but that's all. You can often spot groups of five to ten people outside a pharmacy, waiting for their prescriptions to be filled. Anybody that you see walking on the sidewalk has a mask on, which is responsible. Cars are infrequent, even in the usually-bustling city centres of these beautiful beach towns. I would describe it as a similar feeling to being out on your bike at 5:00 in the morning - a few people about but really quite deserted. It’s like this at every hour of the day right now. And weirder still, the roads up in the surrounding Ligurian mountains are E M P T Y. I’ve gone hours without seeing a car or human being. I haven’t seen a fellow cyclist in three days maybe, can’t recall the last one I saw. It might have been Mark Cavendish actually.
Before anyone jumps up and yells at me for not following Prime Minister Conte’s lockdown order, let me explain my situation. I’m in an Airbnb by myself, three kilometers above Sanremo in the quiet hills. I leave the building once a day to go for a bike ride by myself, during which I most certainly do not come within one meter of anybody. If this isn’t self-isolating, I don’t know what is. The scary thing is that the Carabinieri (government military police) are out en masse to make sure people are staying home unless for necessary reasons like health or work-related tasks. I don’t actually think I could be arrested or fined for riding my bike alone, but who knows.
Right now, my plans to carry on to southern Spain and the UK have been scrapped. My mom’s side of the family was due to rendez-vous near Calpe to visit my aging grandparents, but that’s obviously not happening. Today, Justin Trudeau announced a warning against all international travel and is limiting inbound flights to Canada as part of a series of measures to limit the spread of COVID-19. My stance is that I’m here on this trip, in a fantastic place, living in isolation - why would I fly home? The impact of COVID-19 has only just begun in Canada, so there’s no sense in me flying into the fire all over again, crossing paths with hundreds if not thousands of people in the multiple airports along the way. The thing I’m currently dealing with is trying to cancel my three remaining flights, but my phone doesn’t have any minutes left on it to call the airlines. The Vodafone store in Sanremo is closed by law, and the website isn’t cooperating in my effort to add minutes to my phone plan. A comedy of errors.
I would be remiss if I did not share these thoughts with my fellow Canadians. I’m far from a scientist, but I’ve seen first hand the impact that COVID-19 is having on Italy. The devastation and disruption here has been so bad in large part because Italian citizens didn’t take this seriously at first. I cannot imagine the sadness and grief and hopelessness that the families and medical professionals are feeling here. Canada has only just begun to be shaken by this thing, so everyone needs to prepare and not underestimate the potential severity. You may be a healthy individual who can shake off a respiratory infection with ease, but there are countless people who cannot, including your loved ones. Stay at home if you can. Wash your hands. Make sure your elderly loved ones do the same. There’s a phrase circulating Italy right now, “Andrà tutto bene”, everything will be alright. I hope so.
I’m currently on a cycling conquest. Three months in Europe with my bike. Not like, bike-packing or randonneurring; I’m not that resilient. But going to places I’ve always wanted to go to, just to ride my bike. The idea of doing something like this bounced around in my mind for a couple years, but it had always seemed a bit careless to me. Then I realized: not getting any younger, I ran out of reasons not to do it.
The initial intention I had was to fly to Europe, and figure it out as I went. Turns out my type-A personality didn’t allow for that, and within a few weeks I had an itinerary mapped out. Weirdly, I didn’t really give the plan much thought — it was like I already knew where I wanted to go and what I wanted to do. I gradually booked flights and accommodations, and strung it all together: Barcelona, Mallorca, Tuscany, Cote d’Azur, Costa Blanca, England.
Whenever I type out “a day in the life,” it seems rather uninspiring. The inspiring things can’t be summarized in that way; really, it’s difficult to put them into words at all. Each day I’m here, I must think “wow that is incredible” upwards of 10 times a day. Landscapes, roads, passing through isolated villages that you could hear a pin drop in; daunting coastlines lining the seemingly infinite Mediterranean Sea; the sounds of pedalling my bike along a hillside population of grazing cows, cowbells clanging sporadically; waiting for an espresso in a bustling pasticceria full of screaming Italians at 9am; seeing my cycling idols ride past me, and exchanging friendly waves as if we’re equals. These are sights, sounds, feelings, and experiences I have dreamed about for years. Every day is like this.
Now, time to get a little philosophical and cliché. I understand that not everybody is able to simply put life on hold and undertake a life goal, just because it feels like the right time to do it. But I have to recommend it. Nobody is going to fulfill your dreams and goals for you, so just do it and figure the rest out afterwards. Chances are you won’t regret it. Buy the ticket, take the ride.
I’ve been here 7 weeks now - just over halfway through the trip - and these have been my five favourite rides thus far:
This was as peaceful as a ride gets. Nothing dramatic, but just 100 steady kilometers through the rolling vineyards of the Chianti wine region. As Tuscany is, always going either up or down a hill, never any traffic to deal with, and ever-twisting roads. It’s kinda still winter here, so there were no grapes on the vines, and most of the restaurants were still closed for the season. Otherwise I would’ve stopped for a glass of wine or 7.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3159202982
Sa Calobra has to be the most famous climb on the island of Mallorca, and for good reason. The climb is 9.4km at 7%, but the nature of the road is like nothing else. It was built for tourism, and is a dead-end at the bottom so you descend down the hairpins and rock-cuts, then 180° and go right back up. This ride I went from my base in Palma, out to Inca and up the Coll de sa Batalla, down and up Sa Calobra, flew down possibly my favourite descent ever Puig Major, then up and over the Coll de Sollér back to Palma - 125km and 2600m of perfection.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3105462047
I spent 2 weeks in Barcelona, and very thankfully made friends with the guys at local bike boutique Velodrom. They kindly invited me to their first Saturday shop ride of 2020, with the promise that it would be quick. We left Velodrom at 9am for 150km and 2500m in the hills and valleys northwest of the city. There were no major climbs, no attacks, no sign sprints; just hard riding with a couple regroups over the 4.5 hours. It was a fantastic group ride with great people, and a big thank you to David and Javi at Velodrom for the invite.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3041719789
Former Canadian U23 Champ Ed Walsh was in Mallorca the same time as me, and he let me in on his plan to do a local race one Sunday. I was finishing up a 3 week block of volume, and figured this would either be a great way to end it, or be the absolute death of me. We kitted up and rolled out at 7:30am for the 50km ride to Manacor. Obviously made a wrong turn somewhere, took an unnecssary detour, met up with a Belgian club team also heading to the race, and made it to the start line with precisely zero time to spare. They were doing call-ups and we still hadn’t gotten our race numbers. Ed and I were only there to get the racing feel back in our legs and our nerves, not trying to do anything special, but we had both spoken about “trying something”. We coincidentally found each for a two-man bridge move up to the breakaway, and were promptly ejected from said breakaway as soon as we made it across. We rolled the rest of the race easy in the bunch, and noodled the 50km back home for a fat TSS day after 217km and 2100m.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3085636488
So everyone knows about coronavirus and bike races being cancelled. It’s true that I planned to be in Siena to watch Strade Bianche, which didn’t happen. I did get to ride a large portion of the famous white gravel sectors however. I was staying around 30km from the start and finish of the race in Siena, so I rode in, then hopped onto a loop that took me across most of the gravel sectors, and all of the most decisive ones. Words, photos, videos, nothing will ever do justice to the experience of riding on these roads… but I will attempt. They are not smooth - there are potholes and rainwater ruts everywhere. There are 15% climbs and even worse, 15% descents, on a gravel surface that has you unsure about every corner at any speed. The famous sector named after 3-time winner Fabian Cancellara is over 11km long and goes up and down what felt like a hundred times. Granted, I stopped to take a few photos, but the 11km took me close to 40 minutes to ride. This terrain is absolute brutality, but indescribably beautiful at the same time. I was hopelessly counting down the kilometers back to Siena, until I made it to the (in)famous Santa Caterina climb where Strade Bianche has been won and lost so many times. I rolled into the Piazza del Campo quite unceremoniously. Tourists soaking up the sun, pigeons everywhere, no trophies or crowds or celebrations. A quick bite to eat and I tiptoed my way home. Not only was this my favourite ride of this trip, it was one of my favourite rides ever. Stats were 218km and 4055m, just over 8h30m ride time.
https://www.strava.com/activities/3153927962
More Photos:
Today’s post is brought to you by Lazer helmets. We’re fortunate to be wearing two models this year; the Bullet 2.0 and the Genesis. I brought the Genesis with me to Europe because it’s light, comfortable, looks sharp, and the MIPS keeps me safe. Lazer also claims it provides 108% ventilation, meaning you’re cooler with it on your head than no helmet at all.
(Photos: @bobbybicycles)
(By: Jeremy Rae)
As we’re entering the depths of winter here in Ontario, we’ve put together a list of our favourite trainer workouts. Each of us find different ways to get motivated. Some rely on apps like Zwift and Training Peaks. Others choose to just blast some good music and ride to power or heart rate. Regardless of how you do it, putting in quality work during the winter is critical to being in shape for spring races (or the Tuesday morning group ride world championships).
Here are the workouts. Feel free to follow any of the riders on Strava to see more details on how they stay fit.
Carson Mattern: Dirty Thirties. I really like this workout as it is quite versatile. It can be done once or twice a week as a complement to shorter, harder efforts or be used as a starting point as you build towards a big event.
Dylan Bibic: I've never actually done the same trainer workout twice, but a good one is:
Matthew Sherar: My go-to trainer workout is 4x8'. It's simple, not as painful as shorter intervals, but not as tiring as longer ones, and it works both your v02 and submaximal threshold systems. Plus there’s some scientific backing to support the effectiveness of these intervals (https://tinyurl.com/vpdj8th)
Adam Millar: This is a workout I repurposed from my days as a rower. We did it slightly differently then, but with the same intended sensations and outcomes. I really like intervals that include variations in power output, as I find it helps me get through them mentally a bit better. This one involves starting out each 10’ interval at a firm but sustainable pace below FTP, and rising up above that FTP number by the end. Being able to step up in power can be useful in a race situation - think about these intervals playing out over a 10-minute climb where the pace keeps going up and up.
You shouldn’t be at max HR or falling off your bike by the end, but breathing hard and ready for that rest period. If you’re feeling good by the third interval, make that final minute even harder and see if you can squeeze out an extra 50w.
Geoff Chambers-Bedard: One of my favourite workouts that my coach, Ben Perry, has me do is an easy recovery ride at high cadence with some one legged pedalling thrown in. Active recovery is really important between hard sessions or blocks of training. People have a tendency to overdo it on easy rides, so it really needs to be recovery pace. Go easy/slow to go faster! One-legged pedalling is good for identifying weaknesses in your stroke or help muscular imbalances.
Jeremy Rae: I have a hard time doing intervals based on time, especially on the trainer, so I trick myself using hills or segments on Zwift. If I want to do 20-minute efforts, I find a hill that'll take me about 20 minutes to complete at the target watts.
Myles Lane: This workout allows me to accumulate effort at superthreshold effort with minimal recovery. It also simulates crit race type situations where you're surging and recovering
Connor Gregory: My favourite workouts are V02 or high effort intervals ranging from 1 - 4 minutes with equal rest between, but because I’m naturally better at these I gain the most from longer threshold or sweet spot efforts on the trainer. I really enjoy the ability to focus on weaknesses during the off season, using the gym and specific on or off the bike training that I generally neglect during the outdoor riding season. My go to workout if I’m feeling frisky:
Ayrton Dick: I like low cadence lactate shuffles, as prescribed by Andrew Randall at The Cycling Gym.
Ian Manning: Long gone are the days where I have infinite time to train in sunny and warm weather. Now, being pressed for time, my focus has shifted towards pure quality when convincing myself to climb aboard for another dreadful trainer session. One of my favourites includes a good mix of zones and can help create a well-rounded cyclist. Give it a shot.
Mike Little: For short power training, I like doing "2 minute drills": They're ramps in power that simulate the last few minutes of criterium racing.
This post brought to you by The Cycling Gym. Owned by Andrew Randall and Steve Neal, they offer online training as well as in-person sessions at their state-of the art facility in Toronto. Ascent has been fortunate to join The Cycling Gym for some workouts during the indoor season, which are always fun and highly competitive. Check out their website for more information.
]]>As the 2020 road racing season rapidly approaches, we at Ascent Cycling feel that there is ample value in reflecting on the year that was. That year was…was…2019. So, settle in and get ready for the thrill ride that was 2019, or as I like to call it, “2019”.
The season began with some significant changes for our little bicycle racing team. First of all, our roster had changed considerably from our first two seasons which meant that we were approaching a racing season with a relatively new roster which would take some getting used to. We said goodbye to some original teammates and partners and welcomed new elite teammates, partners, and an entire master’s squad. To begin the year with such a large shift from where our team was in its first two years was a challenging, yet exciting experience and I must say that I believe that we are better for it.
At this “elite amateur” level of bicycle racing, we are all involved because we love racing our bikes, and value the experiences and friendships that this obscure hobby has provided. We have all come to be involved in this team through getting to know one another out on the road or at races and truly appreciate riding our bikes, racing our bikes, talking about riding or racing our bikes, and talking about other people riding and/or racing their bikes. To that point, we also want to encourage other people to get out on the bike, and to see how enriching (not monetarily, it can be somewhat expensive at times) it can be.
Enter our exciting partnership with Morning Glory Cycling Club (MGCC) for 2019. As one of the largest cycling clubs in Canada, having the opportunity to work alongside MGCC for the season was incredibly exciting. We worked to develop the training and racing program, had huge amounts of fun on group rides, and led weekly skills and drills clinics throughout the summer. It was a great experience working such a diverse group of cyclists during the skills and drills sessions – cycling really introduces you to people who you may otherwise never meet, and being able to help fellow cyclists build their skills and confidence on the bike while also meeting new people was a great experience. On alternating weeks, we would lead skills sessions from either High Park or Leaside on Wednesday mornings, and we were very happy with the attendance and have even bigger groups in 2020. I feel that unfortunately sometimes getting into road bikes can be a little bit intimidating, and that vibe can scare people off. Speaking from experience, I know that I was scared off from a few group rides in my early days on the bike after being shouted at by a grumpier, more experienced individual – hopefully we have been able to make that a little better, and that these skills sessions feel accessible and inclusive. We are always working to improve and get better, so 2020 will be even better for skills and drills!
Some of us also volunteered Monday evenings at Learn to Race (LTR) with Midweek Cycling. The positive, inclusive, and encouraging group of coaches are doing a lot for the cycling scene in the Toronto area – they make the “cost for admission” into bike racing a lot more affordable.
In 2019 we also partnered with Shatterproof, an initiative that our team strongly believes in. Shatterproof works to end the stigma around addiction, helping those impacted by the disease recover, and reversing the addiction crisis. We hope to raise awareness of Shatterproof, to advocate for their initiatives, and to do our part to reduce the stigma and secrecy associated with addiction. Addiction truly is a disease, and the shame and stigma felt by those impacted needs to end. We aim to do even more in 2020 to spread the message of Shatterproof, and are incredibly honoured to be working with them again,
Beginning the race season in early April always has its challenges and 2019 had one of the most challenging season-openers in recent memory. The Mosport Classic began with the E ½ field standing in the rain in freezing temperatures to ensure we were adequately saturated and cold before we got to go very quickly down a hill in the wind. It was savage day out, and the rate of attrition was high in the field – Ascent only had one finisher that day, the wunderkind Dylan Bibic. Needless to say, our experience at Mosport left much room for improvement throughout the rest of the season. We were racing with more or less an entirely new roster in 2019, and we had to learn how to race together as a cohesive unit if we wanted to be successful throughout the rest of the year.
We set about doing what we know works best – we raced our bikes together. Every Tuesday at Midweek, on group rides (sorry), and throughout Ontario and the Northeastern United States on weekends, we raced. Things began to come together as the season wore on, culminating in some nice results along the way.
There were some top tens, top fives, podiums, and wins throughout the year. Dylan had multiple impressive wins, winning junior provincials, and an impressive E ½ win at the KW Classic – ultimately, he can be counted on to perform in any race, and he’s got a really bright future ahead of him. Adam had an amazing ride at the Detroit Cycling Championship, coming away with third place after a daring attack formed what would be the winning move. We won two of three stages and the overall at 2 days of Buffalo for a second year running, and had a whole lot of fun along the way.
One of the most notable long trips our group had in 2019 was labour day weekend in Vermont – Green Mountain Stage Race. Geoff managed second on stage two in a chaotic bunch sprint, and Jeremy rode to a dazzling second place on the penultimate stage up App Gap, with a spicy send up the final climb. Jeremy rode to fifth overall in the race, and it was a great way to cap off the season. We had a lot of fun staying at a beautiful mountain top chalet, eating ice cream, swimming in rivers, and enjoying some of Vermont’s finest bubbly water. However, the MVP of the weekend was David Bibic who drove down to join us and was an invaluable member of the team, taking care of feeding duties during the race and at the house. Bringo.
There was also much to be learned during our Vermont adventure. For example, sending it downhill into a blind corner less than a minute into our first ride may not be the most ideal stage race preparation. As well, you CAN catch back onto a huge group if you absolutely need to stop for a nature break alongside a couple other mutually-determined chasers. And, uphill relatively-slow crashes are a thing, but that is okay.
We had a lot of experiences in 2019, but the most prevalent aspect of it all is that we had fun. Our team is cobbled together from a relatively small area in Southern Ontario, and after all was said and done in 2019 we worked very well together. Obviously, there is work to do, but that is what makes it fun. We have now set our sights on 2020, with some old and new faces, partnerships, and opportunities.
I am not certain of the best way to finish this, so I will leave you with a tidbit of wisdom: nobody needs to know if you peed in your bibshorts.
See you on the road.
]]>Here are some guidelines that helps me get through the several months of Onterrible winter. Ontario Cycling schedules almost all of their road races in April-June. This means that if you’re not on top of things during the winter, you won’t be ready to go when it matters.
This blog post is brought to you by Morning Glory Cycling Club. They're the biggest cycling club in Toronto, and offer rides catering from beginners to elites, every day of the week. Find us on the "A" rides, or join us for the skills sessions that we host in High Park and the Bridle Path.
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