Recent content by bikebike

Rainbike - I've dealt with clinical depression and racing. In my experience, the two are not compatible for several reasons: (1) clinical depression is debilitating. It uses up an enormous amount of mental energy, and the amount of cortisol flying around in your blood stream, the sleep...

I would have thought dropping back to the commissaire's vehicle and inserting your person into the back window was a fairly assertive method of 'taking' authority... still, I agree with you - the peloton acquiesced in the final moments by refusing to sprint. That was equally disappointing.

I agree with waiting for GC contenders, although I didn't consider Andy Schleck a contender anymore after his prologue. But on the other issue, why shouldn't riders learn to deal with a bit of oil on the road? When you're travelling on 3000km+ of public roads, what are tour organisers to do -...

You’re missing the point, SpartacusRocks. It’s not cheating, it’s just pointless. Ordering a go-slow on a descent to allow GC contenders to catch up is one thing, and sporting. Ordering the neutralization of a sprint at the end (on completely flat road) is in service of...what? The maillot...

I do a lot of trainer work indoors, especially through winter - from steady state stuff to specific intervals. I also find that its a little harder to get my heart rate up all round when indoors (but the concentrated effort with no interruptions it gives is worth the limitations). I'm no...

Beware self-diagnosing vitamin and mineral deficiences - excess through supplementation can often be toxic. Natural foods are a far more effective source of both, unless you have a serious, medically-diagnosed deficiency. Replacing lost fluids after a ride with electrolytes is important.

I agree with Alex – what are the intervals for? IMO, if your goal is to increase your max power output, then you should be attaining the same power output per interval – or higher – and you could achieve the same effect with shorter intervals (i.e <30s) and greater recover time (e.g. 10mins)...

I'm not a physiotherapist but i'd recommend seeing one. Pain in your big toe could be cramped feet from tight shoes - or it could be referred pain from a pinched nerve problem as high as your spine.

I'm a female cyclist who started out on a sora-equipped road bike. I have small hands and short fingers - and I remember definitely feeling 'insecure' in braking at first with only being able to reach the brakes with index and 3rd finger. Four years later and I still only brake with index and...

Unfortunately, the only solution is rest, rest, rest :mad:. I've had the same problem myself, and rest was the only thing that allowed the tendon to heal properly. Physiotherapy helped, as did taping to restrict movement in the foot, but pushing through and aggravating the tendon can lead to...