As today’s final stage of the 2017 Vuelta blasted up the finishing straight I was reminded of a conversation that I had one day with Martin O’Loughlin. Froome had just won the overall race title, following on from another Tour de France victory. Everyone expected him to roll across the line with his hands in the …
I was chatting to a friend one day about cars and he remarked that whenever he sees a Skoda estate on the road he immediately thinks that it must be a cyclist behind the wheel, and much of the time he is right. Skoda is now the number one choice amongst professional teams when they …
Last weekend saw the 11th edition of the Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford. The weather was not ideal on Sunday but the vast majority of peoples spirits were high. On Saturday the 12k family cycle saw over 1500 take part. It was fantastic to see so many kids of all ages joined by their …
If you want to win a race, if you want to ride a 160k sportive or if you just want to improve your cycling, then the Law of Averages is for you. It is more important than your FTP or your max heart rate. It is more important than your weight, shape or size. In …
There is a lot of talk this year about the new route for the 160k Sean Kelly Tour of Waterford. With Mahon Falls and the Mauma road now excluded many have speculated that it will be easier and less of a challenge. That would probably be the wrong assumption to make. The new route takes in …
Last Sunday the 2017 Tour de France finished on the Champs Elysee in Paris. It was a short stage and a short commentary day for the TV pundits. Like many cycling fans I spend many an afternoon on the couch watching and listening to the commentators on Eurosport, and had a vision of them doing …
How to handle rain Here in Ireland we love to talk about the weather. It’s a national pastime. Cyclists are no different and will always have an eye on the weather forecast before going for spin. Ireland has some of the most beautiful scenic roads in the World for cycling. Foreign cyclists who come here …
Sprinters are a rare breed. Off the bike some can be brash and overconfident, but the majority tend to be softly spoken and gentle creatures. However, when you put either kind on a bicycle within sight of a finish line they become ferocious raging animals, gladiators fighting as if their lives depended upon crossing that …
What cycling was like before Strava : Cycling due to the individuality of the sport and the competitive nature of bike racing in general is often seen to be a discipline where to win at all costs is the only thing that matters. For sure, in the heat of battle when the line is in …
The amount of talent needed to be a cyclist Cycling, as a sport is often referred to as being addictive, or as one former Ras stage winner put it whilst under the influence of Arthur’s finest Guinness ‘you’ll never love your wife as much as you love cycling !’. This statement was replied to with …
How to ride a sportive Many cyclists take up the sport with the intention of just ‘getting a bit fit’. Within a short space of time they are amazed at how much their fitness has improved. Next up on the horizon comes the local charity cycle and very shortly after that a 100k event. Within …
At a time when cycling wristwatches are becoming more and more like laptops combined with mobile tracking and health monitoring devices it can be nice to get back to basics and to have something on your wrist the just tells the time and that you like the look of. This watch from the Camden watch …
How to go faster with less effort Most cyclists want to go a little faster, but without using any more energy or effort. Here are 7 ways to help you on your way: 1 : Increase your cadence : Many cyclists depend on their strength and power to get them around in a slightly inefficient …
How to lose weight I often hear people say that they cycle because they like to eat and cycling is a good way to burn off excess calories so they can pretty much eat what they like as long as they train enough. This poses one slight problem. Consider what happens if you put …
The Key to Success : Why are there pockets of cycling talent throughout the country? What is it that those who win races, or who achieve incredible feats on a bicycle all have in common? There must be a simple answer to these questions, and there is. Back in the late eighties, and throughout the …
At a guess I would estimate that I have probably changed over 10,000 tubes at this stage so have managed to get quicker at doing it over time. Here is an example : Barry www.thecyclingblog.com
How to deal with pain Pain in your feet : Your shoe straps are too tight. Your cleats are too far forward. Slide them back 2mm or less at a time. You may need orthotics. Pain in your achilles tendon : Your saddle is too low and your heel is dropping too much putting extra strain …
You have to own it, not bemoan it ! How many times have we all done it, made an excuse for a poor performance and blamed anything and everything other than ourselves. The list could be any of the following : If only I hadn’t punctured If only my teammates hadn’t chased me If only …
Just like most cyclists I have a range of rucksacks and gear bags. Some are souvenirs from events, others were purchased with a special purpose in mind that became soon forgotten, but I still usually find myself with one over my shoulder. Recently I was sent a Knomo Cromwell bag to try out and …
When a child gets sick everything in life gets put into perspective. When a child is hospitalised all other concerns disappear. Portlaw cyclist Dermot Cullen and his wife Louise found themselves in that situation when their daughter Layla needed to be hospitalised in Crumlin children’s hospital a while back. Thankfully Layla made a good recovery …