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The Long and Boring Road

Sheila Ascroft

I love cycling but sometimes it is boring. There, I said it. Boring with a capital B. Cycling an ever-so-straight road can be tedious, a mental slog as much as a physical. Let’s not even talk about biking into a headwind.

There’s nothing to see but endless fields of corn or

Read more . . . The Long and Boring Road

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Take It Inside!

By Clair Cafaro

The end of your riding season is a great time to reflect, rest and recharge. Thinking back on how you felt both physically and emotionally will help you know what to change, or what to do more of for next season. One of the most critical components

Read more . . . Take It Inside!

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How Effective is Slow Riding?

By Fred Matheny

Question: My boyfriend is doing a 300-hour regimen of slow riding (recommended by a coach) to build capillaries. The coach says if he rides harder during this period, he will prematurely destroy the budding capillaries. He rides three times a day — at dawn, lunch and dusk. Great for

Read more . . . How Effective is Slow Riding?

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Time to Refocus Your Cycling

Sheila Ascroft

Sheila Ascroft – Cycle for Sight June 2011

I’ve had a lousy cycling season.

First a hip injury then a respiratory virus and a new puppy took away most my chances for some great long summer rides. I didn’t even come close to my usual mileage, managed only one charity event

Read more . . . Time to Refocus Your Cycling

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Good Curry And A Spicy Conversation, Canadian Women Cyclists Unite In India For Dinner

By Loretta Henderson

Meet Hana, Melissa, Loretta, Robin and Kate

The Canadian flag can be hung high and proud this evening for Canadian female cyclists. Five thousand miles from home, five Canadian cyclists meet by chance in a church court yard in Shimla, India. We immediate say hello and decide to

Read more . . . Good Curry And A Spicy Conversation, Canadian Women Cyclists Unite In India For Dinner

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Saddle Discomfort—Solutions for Women Cyclists

Q: What are the most likely causes of female genital pain while cycling?

Mary Paterson: Saddle comfort can be the deciding factor between an enjoyable ride or a miserable one. It can stop some women from riding their bikes all together, it’s that painful. Why can the saddle be such

Read more . . . Saddle Discomfort—Solutions for Women Cyclists

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Nutrition for Century Rides

Q: I’m doing my first 100km ride this fall. How do I know how much and how frequently I need to eat before, during and after the ride?

Beth Mansfield: The Best Energy Booster for the event day is a Carbohydrate-Rich DIET!

* Prevent the need for quick

Read more . . . Nutrition for Century Rides

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How Can I Remedy a Weak Leg?

Question: While riding, I sometimes feel my left leg drop off significantly in its contribution to powering the bike. Is there a training technique for dealing with this? — Don B.

Coach Fred Matheny Replies: Yes, and you don’t have to use a leg-press machine or any other

Read more . . . How Can I Remedy a Weak Leg?

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The CycleSkirt

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

There are probably times when you’d rather not walk around in your cycling shorts. Maybe you want to get off your bike to explore a village, or stop for a coffee with your friends after a long ride, or attend a post-ride lunch, as I did in August when two of

Read more . . . The CycleSkirt

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A Bike Ride to Remember—and Repeat! Kiwanis Colour Cribbage Ride

By Sheila Ascroft

There weren’t many cyclists at the Picton Fairgrounds for the first Kiwanis fall Colour Cribbage Ride in 2002. Maybe a dozen of us left for the 100 km route, 40 or so set out later on the 60 km. As Bill Miramontes of the local Kiwanis Club recalls, “it rained something

Read more . . . A Bike Ride to Remember—and Repeat! Kiwanis Colour Cribbage Ride

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Protect Your Cycling Gear

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

Cycling gear—everything from shorts and jerseys to gloves and sun glasses—is expensive. The better quality you buy, the more you’ve shelled out for it. Here are some simple steps that you can take to extend the wear of your gear and get the most out of your investment.

Read more . . . Protect Your Cycling Gear

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Ask The Experts

To answer your questions about sports nutrition, training and bike fit,we’re pleased to announce a new column “Ask The Experts.” Starting this September, we’ll be partnering with Beth Mansfield, a registered dietitian, and exercise physiologist from Peak Performance, and Mary Paterson, a registered physiotherapist and bike fit professional

Read more . . . Ask The Experts

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Hydration for Cyclists

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

It’s complicated being a recreational cyclist these days. Questions about what to eat, and what to drink, before, during and after a ride used to be the territory of the pros. Not anymore. If you ride frequently and for longer than 1 ½ hours, knowing how to fuel

Read more . . . Hydration for Cyclists

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Cycling Balance: the No-hands Manoeuvre

By Sheila Ascroft

Meredith Miller (photo: Carson Blume)

Can you ride a bike no-hands? Should you? Well, I believe it is a useful skill—even for us recreational cyclists.

Professional cyclists often raise their hands in victory crossing a finish line, but I’ve never had the occasion to do that! I do go “no-hands”

Read more . . . Cycling Balance: the No-hands Manoeuvre

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Great Chain Tips

By Jim Langley

It may not look like much, but the chain is among the most important components on your road bicycle. Forget to lube it and pedaling is significantly hampered. Break it, and unless you’re prepared to fix it, your featherweight wonder is almost useless. Choose a quality chain and take care of

Read more . . . Great Chain Tips

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Trek Women's RL WSD Short and Jersey

RL WSD Short

We get a lot of comments about cycling shorts on the website. Many women find that the padding in them is often so excessive that it causes genital discomfort. Some take extreme measures and cut out the centre of the chamois to be more comfortable. Shorts manufacturers who design

Read more . . . Trek Women’s RL WSD Short and Jersey

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Cycling Safely in the Heat

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

The return of summer is especially welcomed in northern climes where long months of winter leave you craving hot weather and unbroken days of sunshine. But, like most things in life, too much of a good thing can quickly turn bad—stay out too long in the summer heat and the health

Read more . . . Cycling Safely in the Heat

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Flat Tires: Another Lesson Learned (the hard way)

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

In the last six years I’ve only had two flats. That’s probably because I’m fanatical about checking my tires and keeping them pumped up and I’m lucky to have fairly good surfaces to ride on. The only downside is that there’s been plenty of time to forget how to fix one.

Read more . . . Flat Tires: Another Lesson Learned (the hard way)

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Cycling Gloves and Socks

RL WSD Fusion GelFoam Gloves

You don’t need to sacrifice femininity to have a robust glove that protects your hands on the bike. The RL WSD Fusion GelFoam Gloves from Bontrager does both. With its multi-coloured top mesh—available in white, black or mint green—Fusion GelFoam gloves are sleek looking but also pack

Read more . . . Cycling Gloves and Socks

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Stupid cyclists – don’t be one of them!

By Sheila Ascroft

Is it me or are some cyclists just plain stupid?

There seems to be a street version of Russian roulette happening in my hometown of Ottawa, Ontario. I’m afraid that it is endemic in all cities. With six cylinders in the barrel and only one bullet, some cyclists seem determined to narrow their odds

Read more . . . Stupid cyclists – don’t be one of them!

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Cycling: Protect Your Skin

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

For most of my life I’ve eschewed sunscreens. The long list of chemical ingredients in them concerned me, and I always felt that using a sunscreen would encourage me to stay out in the sun too long. Instead, I got out of the sun when I’d had enough or I covered

Read more . . . Cycling in the Sun: Protect Your Skin

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Should I Go Hard on Every Ride?

Q: I’m 43 and riding 250-300 km (155-186 miles) per week, which is a bit of a challenge in the wet winter we’re having here in Adelaide. This distance is broken into one 100-km (62-mile) ride plus 2 or 3 rides of 50-80 km (31-50 miles). Some are in a bunch, some solo.

As

Read more . . . The Roadies: Should I Go Hard on Every Ride?

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Island Hopping on Lake Champlain

Forget boating, bring your bike!

By Sheila Ascroft

Being by the water makes me feel good. Biking by the water makes me feel even better! If you yearn for watery companion too, then I have some great routes for you –the Champlain Islands.

Lake Champlain is a big, beautiful freshwater lake nestled between the Adirondacks of

Read more . . . Island Hopping on Lake Champlain

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Sport WSD Short Sleeve Jersey – Trek Women

By Laurel-Lea Shannon

This lightweight, short-sleeved jersey from Bontrager (Trek Women’s cycling clothes are part of the Bontrager brand) is perfect for rides on hot, humid summer days. The Sport WSD Short Sleeve Jersey strikes a good balance between functionality—notice the 3 large back pockets for extra storage— and feminine flair—the shaped-to-your-body (but not

Read more . . . Sport WSD Short Sleeve Jersey – Trek Women

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Chamois creams: Soothe Your Cycling Butt

By Sheila Ascroft

Multi-density women's chamois

Once you’ve tried a chamois cream, you won’t want to go back to non-lotioned padded shorts. In case you are wondering what a “chamois” is, it’s the padding in a cycling short and is pronounced as “sham-me.”

In the olden days, cycling shorts pads were made of

Read more . . . Chamois creams: Soothe Your Cycling Butt

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