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What to Wear in Various Weather

What to Wear Cycling in Varying Weather, a Conversation with Coach Ertl This article began one December when I started trading emails with Coach David Ertl. Coach Ertl lives and rides in Iowa. I grew up in neighboring Missouri and can attest to the terrible weather (and the 100-degree-plus extremes — in normal years!) possible in […]

Dictionary of Cycling Lingo

A List of Common Terminology to Decipher the Sometimes Arcane Patois of Road Cycling Ever wonder what cyclists are talking about when they start throwing around weird slang? We’ve created a bicycling dictionary for you, with definitions of the most common phrases and words related to cycling. Did we miss a word? Leave a comment […]

Quick Tip: Add a Pinch of Salt to Your Bottle on Hot Rides

If you finish summer rides with white streaks on your helmet straps and salt crust on your jersey, here’s the cheapest hydration upgrade in cycling. Add a pinch of table salt to your bottles. Sodium is the biggest electrolyte you lose in sweat, and many riders lose more of it than their drink replaces. Sweat […]

Why Every Masters Cyclist Needs Strength Training

By Ric Stern In a previous column we discussed how training harder can help maintain or improve fitness as we age. Today I want to take one of the things I touched on there — strength training — and dig into it properly: how it helps you as a cyclist (or triathlete, or runner), how […]

Is testosterone replacement therapy acceptable for recreational cycling?

Question: Is testosterone replacement therapy acceptable for recreational cycling? —Allen J. RBR’S STAN PURDUM REPLIES: I assume you specified “recreational cycling” since in professional competitive cycling, using testosterone is considered an anti-doping rule violation. Cycling authorities strictly prohibit its use, and age-related decline in one’s testosterone level is not grounds for a medical exemption. 

You Can Raise Your VO2max at Any Age. Here’s How.

By Ric Stern VO2max, nice little acronym, bandied around all the time in cycling circles. You’ve probably seen GCN mention it, and most likely every cycling magazine you’ve ever read. But what is it, what does it mean, and more importantly than the physiology if it’s so important, can you improve it? In reverse order, […]

What if my prostate-specific bike saddle is uncomfortable in other areas?

Question: I am a road cyclist, though I haven’t been at it very long. But I’m old enough that I have a few prostate problems. My urologist says I’m not ready for surgery yet, but he suggested that I purchase a “prostate saddle.” I did that, and found that it’s designed not to put pressure […]

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