Clean Bike = Fast bike

A clean bike is a fast bike. Well at least a clean drive-train makes a faster bike. Over the years, I have tried various soap/water solutions, bicycle degreasers, and even engine degreasers to keep my bicycle drive-trains clean. However, recently, I have found the best bang for the buck method: an old toothbrush and some WD40. After rinsing my bike down with a hose (avoiding spraying directly at any bearing assembly’s) to remove the mud and dirt, I spray wd40 liberally on the chain, chainrings, and cassette. With the bike in a stand, I pack-pedal so that the chain moves through the bristles of the toothbrush. I continue this on the chainrings and cassette. Another quick spray of the drive-train with a hose knocks off most of the residue. I then take a clean and dry rag and wipe down the drive-train. After a few squirts of chain lube, the bike is ready for more action. Regular drive-train cleaning, especially on mountain bikes, will greatly extend the life of some very costly components.

Just a Thought

I overheard some roadies talking the other day about training. One of them was expressing his frustration over how hard it is to make a 50-60 mile "flat" ride in Birmingham. Although I didn't fall over laughing, the internal smirk still permeates. For the casual cyclists and gym crowds just looking to stay in shape, I would expect to hear something along these lines. However, for someone aspiring to be a competitive cyclist, which I would assume of anyone regularly putting in that kind of mileage, hills and “training outside your comfort zone” are a large part of the equation. Occasionally, someone will ask me about my training and what I feel is the most important aspect to improvement. Until now, I always talked about things such as consistency, proper rest, and nutrition. While those are all very important, EFFORT and INTENSITY are often overlooked (especially among the endurance sport crowd). This is one of the most critical lessons that I learned from 15 years of competitive swimming.

Final Snake Creek Gap

This past weekend marked the final Snake Creek Gap Time Trial for the year. I went into the final event feeling very strong and confident. The excitement of the final race caused me to start out much faster than usual. Unfortunately, this left my energy reserves depleted before the last 4 miles. The extreme technical difficulty and climbing in last 4 miles of this event will make or break your time. Unfortunately, it broke me this time. I ended up about 3 minutes slower than my fastest time trial on this course. However, considering all of the variables of mountain biking, that is pretty insignificant for a 34 mile mountain bike ride that takes around 3.5 hours. I hoped to take another 5-10 minutes off of my time from the last event. However, it was still a strong showing and I even won my class. In the end, this event will go a long way to ensuring a successful triathlon season. Since this ride was much more difficult than anything I will encounter during the cycling portion of triathlon races, it will serve as a great mental edge.