Their smiles were like umbrellas when it rained and their homemade posters were our tailwinds when facing the harshest headwind. The goodness of those children and their families seeped across into each and every cyclist and member of the support crew, and this created a truly unique atmosphere. One that I have never experience before.
Most road bikes nowadays have a multitude of gears, and whilst every bike rider knows that their bike has gears, many are not quite sure how to actually use them. There are a few different types of popular gear systems and in terms of ease of use they can be ranked as follows : SRAM …
The beauty of cycling is that you get to watch epic battles of the elite, the best of the best as they fight it out on the mythical mountains, and then you get to ride up and down those very mountains as a normal everyday cyclist. Scenery so spectacular that it literally takes your breath away is best viewed from the saddle behind a set of handlebars. You can feel the pain of the savage gradients of the mountains throughout your body. You can taste the salty sweat that drips down along your face. You can hear the marmottes calling to each other along with the deep breathing of those other cyclists fighting the mountain beside you.
At lunchtime today I was out for a quick spin on my bike. As I was coming back towards Clonmel on the Wood road a large truck overtook me. It did the entire process to perfection. The driver indicated and with no oncoming traffic smoothly went right over to the other side of the road …
The race begins the day before. It actually began weeks, months and perhaps years before but that longer timeframe is more about the training involved to get there and best left to your coach, training programme or club. Here we are concerned with just the race itself. The day before you will wash and clean …
One year in the Kiely Cup in Carrick on Suir a certain unnamed local rider chased another local rider when he attacked with 8km to go. I know this because they both told me all about it. One guy sees it as what would have been potentially the biggest win of his career lost due …
The key to gear selection is simple. If your legs are under pressure and your breathing feels OK then change into an easier gear and increase your cadence slightly.
If your breathing is under pressure but your legs feel OK then you need to change into a harder gear and lower your cadence to settle your breathing.
At this time you may be looking to make 2023 your best year on the bike yet. Whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting out, there are plenty of ways to up your game and enjoy the many benefits that cycling has to offer. Here are some tips to help you have your best …
Cycling is more than a sport, more than a hobby or pass-time. Cycling for those who are consumed by its freedom, and the feeling of being alive that it provides, is a way of life. At times it can feel as important as breathing.
Cycling Social media is abalze this past few days. The crash of Primoz Roglic in the last 100 meters of Stage 16 of this years Vuelta a Espagna has been dominating the cycling media feeds. Yesterday afternoon, shortly before the finish of the stage, Team Jumbo Visma sent out a press release stating the their …
When learning to cycle a bike the very first thing you have to master is balance. Lean too much to the right and you fall over. Lean too much to the left and you fall over. Relax, let the bike just flow beneath you and you quickly develop confidence and it all falls into place. …
Imagine for a moment, a young soccer fan putting on their kit and heading out onto a pitch for a training session with Ronaldo and Pele. A golfer playing 18 holes with Tiger Woods and Rory McElroy. Or a musician walking out on stage with Bruce Springsteen and Ed Sheeran. If you are a cycling …
A little over two years ago the number of people in Ireland who classed themselves as a cyclist (someone who cycles once a week or more for exercise) was 212,000. Recently the study was revisited and the current number of people who cycle a bike each week for exercise is over 500,000. With so many …
Paddy Looby is manager of one of the biggest Lidl supermarkets in the country. For the past while his top shelf stacker has been Sonny Burke. Since coming to work in Lidl Sonny had been getting on like a house on fire with Paddy. He could stack shelves better than any other shelf stacker in …
Reality also hit home. It was only a small scratch, had no effect on the performance of the bike and was something you would have to look very close to see. He was focusing on the smallest imperfection and overlooking the 99.9% that was perfect.
Gently pedalling down along the blueway I watched a small branch floating along with the current of the river. It moved at pretty much the same speed as I did and it felt as though I too was floating along the river in harmony with the current and nature itself. A commotion to my left …
At a time when many people are suffering from a lack of motivation or experiencing extra procrastination there may be a very simple solution. Just do one. A while back I was doing a Bike Fit for Grant Simmer, CEO of the INEOS Team UK Americas Cup sailing team. As we were chatting about fitness …
During these uncertain times a type of social weariness has infected people. You pass someone you know on the street and because you both are wearing facemasks there is a moments hesitation before acknowledging each other. Sometimes the chance has passed before you realise that it was someone you knew. You passed each other without …
In 1986 I had witnessed Sean Kelly win his second Nissan Classic, had saved up to purchase a Dawes Jaguar along with a red Decca woollen jersey ace matching woollen leggings. In January 1987 I joined a group spin from Ardfinnan organized by Joe Lonergan. His son Bernard was there too along with the Dalton’s …
Cycling is meant to be enjoyable. Remember that ! Riding a bike can bring you to places in your locality that you would never normally visit. It can take you back in time to places where you grew up and because you are on a bike and not in a car you can stop and …