Tailwind Coaching Blog

Home/Tailwind Coaching Blog/

Planning Your Season (Podcast #30)

SMART Cycling GoalsDo you have goals for next season?  Do you want to succeed at those goals and have an even stronger season than you did this year?  Do you have a definite plan for how your season is going to go?

I'd wager that most of you want to be stronger next season than you were during this season.  If you're among one of the many who read the last question and are shaking your head, today I'm going to help you figure that out.

On this edition of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll talk you through the process of planning your season.  While I won't provide you a training plan, I'll provide you all the tools you'll need to set up your season and build your training schedule properly.  As a bonus, I'm offering my season planning spreadsheet to everyone free of charge.  I encourage you to download it and follow along as I talk about planning your season goals, races and calendar.

Click through for more after the jump:

(more…)

Tags: , , |

Specialized, (Cafe) Roubaix,and Lawsuits

Cafe Roubaix WheelsUnless you've been under a rock, you'll probably know that this past weekend has been a bad one for Specialized.  Earlier this year, Specialized issued an ultimatum to the owner of a small Cochran (Alberta, Canada) bicycle shop by the name of Cafe Roubaix.  Their letter stated that his shop is infringing on their trademark on the name "Roubaix."  The claim is that common passers by would associate the name on the sign with Specialized and more specifically, the Roubaix model.  

After this news broke, and with Specialized's history of playing the legal bully, the community sprang into action.  Particularly the online community, who have been pointing out (in no uncertain terms) that they are disgusted with Specialized's legal tactics.  But what is the story behind the Roubaix trademark and why is this making such a dramatic news story?

Click through for further discussion of why this may be the last straw for Specialized.

(more…)

Tags: , |

2014 Holiday Gift Guide

[dc]T[/dc]he holiday gift giving season is nearly upon us, and many of us are creating our own "wish lists" for loved ones to peruse.  Others may be on the hunt for the perfect gift for "that crazy bike guy" in their life.  In the spirit of the season, I'm listing some of my favorite gifts for beginners, some gifts for the hardcore racing crowd, and a few items that will suit anyone who appreciates the two wheel lifestyle.  Without further ado, let's look at some gifts for:

For The Beginner Cyclist

Chamois Butt'r Eurostyle - 8 oz tub.Chamois Butt'r

Beginners to the sport are often somewhat squeamish about the idea of wearing lycra shorts with a chamois in them in the first place.  Introducing them to the process of smearing chamois lube (in this case Chamois Butt'r) on their rear end may sound like a huge step, but once they get a couple of lubed up rides in, they'll wonder how they ever did without.  Not only does Chamois Butt'r help to prevent chafing during long days in the saddle (and thusly prevent saddle sores) the proprietary non-greasy blend is gentle on sensitive skin and easily washes off both skin and clothing.  And if the recipient does tend to suffer from saddle sores, try the Eurostyle which adds a cooling element to cut down on the soreness of long days and weeks in the saddle.  Forget the awkwardness of giving your cycling obsessed loved one some bit Butt'r, and dump a tube of lube in their stocking.  

$16/8 oz. tube or $20/8 oz. Eurostyle tube.  

http://chamoisbuttr.com/

(more…)

Tags: , , , |

Please Welcome Our New Sponsors

[dc]Y[/dc]ou may have noticed a few changes to Tailwind Coaching and The Daily Grind over this past holiday weekend.  Namely, there's a pane on the right side of the site that contains two links to new site sponsors.  RoadID and Competitive Cyclist have come on board as sponsors of the site, and specifically of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, which will help to mitigate the cost of hosting and bandwidth for future podcasting ventures.  

A little information about the new sponsors I hope you'll support:

I've long been a user of RoadID and a proponent of carrying sufficient ID and contact information with you while riding or training.  With the recent rash of injuries on the road, including the death of Amy Dombroski while training in Belgium, it's more important than ever to carry sufficient identification with you on your rides.  This is especially true when riding alone or in more remote locations.  A RoadID is the perfect tool to ensure that your identification is with you in the event of an accident.  By wearing a wrist, ankle or dogtag type ID, the chances of it being missed by emergency personnel is slim, which will result in more thorough care and quicker notification of friends or family in the event of an accident.  My partnership with RoadID will allow me to further advocate for the peace of mind that carrying ID allows for.  

Competitive Cyclist is a leader in the high end online bike retail industry.  While I'm always an advocate of shopping locally at your LBS, sometimes shopping online is necessary these days.  Not all LBS are able to stock the range of items you'll find online, and it's rare to find a LBS that carries the variety of brands that a retailer like Competitive Cyclist does.  Of course, the ability to stretch your dollar further (an important concept in these tough economic times) is always a welcome plus.  On top of the ease of buying online, from a huge selection of brands and product lines, Competitive Cyclist has one of the best customer service departments in the online retail world today.  Having purchased from them a number of times and having had to use their customer service to resolve a couple of small issues, I can safely say that Competitive Cyclist is one of the best bets for online shopping available today.

Check both links on my pages (off to the right hand side, underneath my contact/"follow Coach Rob" pane) periodically for great deals on all kinds of equipment and help support the Tailwind Coaching Podcast (proceeds from affiliate sales go to web hosting space and bandwidth.)

Tags: , |

Upgrading Your Bike (Podcast #29)

Life is short - buy the damn bikeBlack Friday is here, which means the official kick-off of the holiday shopping season.  There's no doubt many of you have bike parts, clothing and other upgrades on your holiday wish list.  But really, which of those upgrades are going to give you the most performance for your dollar?  Which one of those upgrades will actually help increase YOUR performance?

In today's podcast I'll explore all of the above and more, including:

  • Reasons to upgrade parts
  • What are most noticeable upgrades you can make
  • Which upgrades make a difference to your performance
  • Considerations for upgrading wheels, tires and components
  • How maintenance “upgrades” can be the biggest bang for the buck available

I'd also like to take a moment to welcome aboard two new sponsors of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast: RoadID and Competitive Cyclist.  I've long been a user of RoadID and a proponent of carrying sufficient ID and contact information with you while riding or training.  My partnership with RoadID will allow me to further advocate for the peace of mind that carrying ID allows for.  Meanwhile, Competitive Cyclist is a leader in the high end online bike retail industry.  While I'm always an advocate of shopping locally at your LBS, sometimes shopping online is necessary in order to get exactly what you need or to stretch your dollar further (an important concept in these tough economic times.)  Check both links on my pages (off to the right hand side, underneath my contact/”follow Coach Rob” pane) periodically for great deals on all kinds of equipment and help support the Tailwind Coaching Podcast. (Proceeds from affiliate sales go to web hosting space and bandwidth.)

If you like what you hear, go over to the Tailwind Coaching Podcast on iTunes and rate it 5 stars.  Don't forget to post any questions to the Tailwind Coaching Facebook page.

And don't forget: Tour of the Battenkill race and fondo are on April 5th and 6th.  You can get my new, revised and improved 20 week Battenkill Training Plan in my online store, and be well on your way to the podium.  Remember to save 20% with the coupon code in this week's podcast through MONDAY 12/2 ONLY!

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 46:20 — 42.4MB)

Subscribe: RSS

Tags: , , , |
Copyright Tailwind Coaching 2012-2017 | All Rights Reserved | Tailwind Coaching is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.