Types of Bikes I Ride

Types of Bikes I Ride

Let’s keep it very simple.  Later on, we can get into complexities.  There are three broad categories: (1) Mountain, (2) Road, and (3) Hybrid.

Mountain Bike

If you like to ride in the dirt leaving your buddies behind in the dust, or you like to ride rough, screeching down a mountain path gripping your handlebars and yelling in terror and glee, you need a mountain bike.

I purchased a Diamondback Response six years ago at Dick’s Sporting Goods.  I even wrecked it once on a trail, tearing up the bottom of my left arm.  It is still in almost mint condition.  I like to ride it through the unpaved park where I live.  I rode it over pavement, gravel, limestone, dirt, and mud.  It has no problem with any of these.  It is comfortable when you hit rocks and bumps – the front shock absorbers take most of the shock, and saves your bones from getting royally rattled.  The tires are wide and have well-cleated treads. 

What happens on the paved roads when you want to go faster?  You will need a different kind of bike, if you want to be efficient and take advantage of pavement.

Road Bike

I purchased a Fuji Roubaix 3.0 LE at Performance Bicycles a few months back.  I was riding in a 26 mile marathon with my mountain bike, and realized that others on more efficient bikes passed me as if I were riding a tricycle.  I said to myself, “Crap, I need something faster!”  So, after talking with friends, I decided to put money down on a road bike.

Why would you want a road bike instead of a mountain bike?  You want to go fast.  You can probably go almost twice as fast on a road bike as you will on a mountain bike.  How does this happen?  How can road bikes be so much faster?

The tires are much thinner.  And, the tires have no cleats – they are slick.  Slick tires make for more surface area contact with the road.  Thinner tires are more aerodynamic - they cut through the wind more efficiently with less air resistance.

A road bike is light.  There is not as much of a need for material reinforcement since designers assume that this will not endure the shocks of off-road use.  There are no shock absorbers either, which sometimes makes for a rough ride when hitting hard spots on the road. 

The first time I tried out a road bike at a bicycle shop, I told the clerk that when I pressed on the pedals, the bike felt like a rocket beneath me.

Hybrid Bike

Hybrid bikes, while not doing anything in particular very well, do many things pretty good.

I recently purchased a Fuji Absolute 2.1 for my wife.  Why would I want a hybrid bike?  Well, you get a little of this and a little of that.  The tires are a little wider than those of a road bike, but not as wide as a mountain bike.  The tires are not as slick as a road bikes tires – there are some cleats on them.  The handlebar is upright.  The frame seems like the shape of a road bike, but it is a little heavier.  You can go faster than you can on a mountain bike, but not as fast as a road bike.  So, with a hybrid, you can go off the trails a little bit, but not too much.  You can ride on the road, but not too fast.

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So, without diving into some of the more specialized bikes out there, those are the three broad categories: (1) Mountain, (2) Road, and (3) Hybrid.

Freddy Martini

freddymartini@earthlink.net

Hard Workout Supplements

Hard Workout Supplements

I am almost 40 years old.  I am a first season road cyclist.  I use High Intensity Interval Training.  I have ridden up to 80 miles in a week.  My longest ride was 42 miles in one day.  My goal for this year is to complete the Ride Across Indiana ride - a160 mile ride from Terre Haute to Richmond in July this year.  I should reach 50 miles in a day this coming week.  

I train 6 hours per week minimum, and as I get closer to the big ride, I have done 10 plus hours and will have to do more to get to around 100 miles in one day in preparation for the big ride.

What does a guy like me do to make sure I get the nutrients that I need for such efforts?

If you do not learn anything else in sports science, learn this: Recovery is the most important concept in exercise.  The faster you recover, the faster you can do that next workout, increasing your workload, without injuring yourself or risk burning out.  Proper nutrition is the main ingredient, along with adequate sleep and rest.  Let’s focus on supplements.

Pre Workout

My favorite is Amino Energy.  You can get this from Amazon for about $35 for 60 servings.  You get amino acids, nitric oxide, and caffeine.  It is perfect to get to going through an hour workout.  You pour 12 ounces of water in a shaker; pour four scoops of the stuff into the shaker, shake, and drink.  It mixes easily.

I have come to like NO Xplode, although it does not taste very well.  You get amino acids along with a good dose of nitric oxide.  It is good to mix up supplements, so I rotate this with Amino Energy.  Pour 8 ounces of water in a glass.  Pour one scoop of this stuff inside the glass, and stir with a spoon.  In ten minutes, you can feel the NO2 surge in your bloodstream, and you are ready to hit the weights.

NO Fury is good to supplement with Amino Energy.  I can pour 6 scoops of Amino Energy into the shaker to get more NO, but it is best for me to just add pure NO along with 4 scoops of Amino Energy.  It is a good mix for my needs.

Post Workout

I have used Amino Energy as a post workout drink, but it does not feel right probably because there are very few carbohydrates. 

300 milliliters of milk and a half teaspoon of pure cocoa is my go-to post workout recovery drink.  My wife also uses this after Zumba and Bootcamp with equal success.  The side effect is that it gives me a lot of gas, but that is a small price t o pay to feel refreshed the next morning instead of anemic.

I just began trying Elite Series Whey Protein, and I have had success.  I did 4 Power Intervals (Zone 5 HR, 2 minutes), and three Stress Intervals (Zone 4 HR, 8 minutes) the other day, and instead of just milk, I mixed in some of this stuff.  The next day, my leg muscles we so well recovered, I felt like I did not even perform a workout, they felt so fresh the next morning.  

I also used glutamine, on the recommendation of a cycling buddy of mine.  My muscles were better recovered the next day.  I think one of the basic building blocks of muscle is glutamine.

Mid Workout

For workouts lasting over one hour, eat one banana at 30 minutes and then every hour after that – at least.  If there is a break after 2 hours or so, eat an apple.

NO Fury is another go-to item for me, but for mid workout when I need some more energy in the blood.

I will occasionally take along with me Amino Energy with 2 scoops on a bike ride.

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Remember, the faster you recover, the faster you can get back to your next workout session.

Freddy Martini

freddymartini@earthlink.net

Exercise as Life Lesson: 3 Essential Pieces

Exercise as Life Lesson: 3 Essential Pieces

You heard it before. 

“No pain, no gain.” 

“That which does not kill me makes me stronger.” 

My phrasing would go as follows:

To increase his strength, a man must push against an opposing force.

So, how does exercise work, and why do we do it? 

Exercise comes down to three things: (1) Stress, (2) Damage, and (3) Recovery

 

Stress

You push your muscles beyond what they are optimized for.  If it is not stressful, you are wasting your time.

Damage

You body gets micro-injuries during and after the workout.  Muscles get micro-tears and micro-injuries.

Recovery

The point of recovery is to build back the muscle stronger than it was before the workout began.  We call this improvement. 

The finest athletes competing at the highest level have very fast recovery times, which allow them to begin the next workout sooner, and, thus, get more fit than we mere mortals.

What is the problem most people have who workout?  Recovery.  Some of us who do hard workouts for more than 45 minutes need to pay close attention to recovery.  If you workout for more than an hour, it is even more important.

What often happens from a bad recovery?

•  Sore muscles
•  Hunger cravings for bad food (potato chips, cookies, cakes, etc)
•   Headache
• Fatigue
•  Lethargy
• Mental slowness
• Next-day despondency

What to think about for improved recovery:

•  Get at least 8 hours of sleep – you are not going to improve with only 6 hours.
• Adequate fluid intake – measure your water consumption in milliliters with a measuring cup.
•  Eating before the workout – you body needs fuel!  (Try Amino Energy)
• Increase your workload by no more than 20% from previous week – do not over-challenge yourself just to prove you are a “badass.”
• After a high intensity workout (1 hour + or HIIT) you must replace your muscles’ depleted stores of glycogen.  Eat a banana or some chocolate milk if you do not have a formal plan from an established source like Chris Carmichael or Joe Friel.

Suggested Resources

The Cyclists Training Bible

The Time Crunched Cyclist

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Freddy Martini

freddymartini@earthlink.net