bike Archives - Page 2 of 3 - Tailwind Coaching

Tales Our Tape Tells

Aside from the saddle, one of the most intimate and tell-tale parts of a bike are the handlebars. Not only do they mount the “brains” of the transmission (the shifters,) but they are always wrapped in some sort of ribbon like material that gives away some key parts of the rider's personality. Is the rider single-mindedly obsessed with speed or is comfort a concern? Are aesthetics an important part of their values? Where does cleaning and neatness fit into their persona? If you stop to think about it, bar tape is an expression of ourselves as riders, as well as your bike's way of telling stories. No part of the bike is more visibly affected by daily use and the moments, both good and bad, that stand out in a season's worth of riding.

(more…)

Tags: bike, cycling, road bike, wrenching|

Good Customer Service: RoadID

Good customer service is hard to find these days. Typically, we hear more complaints about Local Bike Shop service than anything else, but in reality a lot of us purchase items online. This is where customer service really can fall flat quickly, so a great experience is worth talking about.

I'm here to tell you RoadID will take care of you.

Back story:

(more…)

Tags: bike, internet, riding|

Coaching: Base Building Endurance

The importance of base building is often overlooked by many cyclists, especially those who have ignored or ill defined their season goals. Your aerobic base is the foundation for all future interval workouts, and without it, the risk of injury and/or burnout is distinctly higher than in a cyclist with a proper aerobic base. More importantly, poor endurance will ensure you falter before the end of your chosen events, so while it may be boring and redundant, it is one of the most important parts of your training.

(more…)

Tags: bike, cycling, planning, road, training|

Nuances of Route Planning

Mapping a route

Route planning is something every cyclist eventually has to tackle. While the idea of just going out and riding whatever roads strike your fancy that day is exhilarating, sometimes planning a route may be a necessity. Maybe you have a few friends joining you, maybe you have a club ride to plan or maybe you have some training that you need to plan a route for. In any case, planning a good route is more than just putting (virtual) pen to paper, and we're going to explore how to ensure a good plan and a good route.

(more…)

Tags: bike, cycling, planning, riding, road|

Garmin Sensor Mounting

A few posts on various forums have popped up recently about the poor design of the Garmin GSC-10 speed/cadence sensor. One of the issues that people have been having is the method of attachment for the sensor itself, and some have had problems with sensors falling into the spokes and being destroyed. There must be some way to prevent this, right?

Garmin's method of attachment is a pair of simple zip ties. The sensor is (supposedly) prevented from rotating around by a small rubberized strip on the bottom of the sensor itself. While this typically works just fine, if the zip ties are not snugged down as tight as they can get or if you have chainstays that are oddly shaped, there may not be enough friction to keep it from rattling loose (especially on rough or unpaved roads.) While some people have rectified the problem by drilling small pilot holes in the chainstays and the bottom of the sensor case and screwing the sensor to the chainstay. For those of you who aren't in the business of taking a drill to your multi-thousand dollar frame there's a simple solution that costs nothing more than a few scraps of old bartape.

By simply strapping a couple scraps of bartape to the chainstay under the zip ties, the zip ties can be tightened up enough to keep the sensor from moving around. Not only does the bar tape prevent the ties from slipping, they also compress and provide extra pressure on the zip ties, ensuring they stay tight. This will allow the sensor to be positioned more precisely, prevent the speed sensor arm from being ripped off by the spokes and prevent the entire unit from rattling loose and falling into the spinning spokes.

Who ever though something so simple could be so effective (and get scraps out of the garage.)

Tags: bike, drivetrain, wrenching|