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Climbing: Position Yourself for Success

Climbing hills on a bike is perhaps the toughest challenge a rider will undertake.  It's no secret that the big mountains are the deciding factors in the biggest bike races in the world, and the skinny climbers that can conquer those mountains are often on the top step of the podium.  For us mere mortals, the struggle to find our way up into the clouds can be made easier by utilizing different climbing positions for different situations.  We'll explore a few of the most common and explain their uses.

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Group Ride Etiquette

Group rideFor new riders and even seasoned saddle jockeys who ride solo, the prospect of a group ride can be an intimidating thing.  Questions such as “what if I make a mistake?”  “what if I embarrass myself?” “what if I cause a crash?” “what if I get dropped?” are all common ones for new group riders.  But with a few simple guidelines, you'll be ready to roll and should have nothing to fear from your first group ride.

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Drivetrain Love: Fifteen Minute Quick Cleaning

The old saying goes “cleanliness is next to godliness.”  That's true whether you're talking about your hair or your drivetrain.  But when most people think of cleaning their drivetrain, they probably conjure up images of greasy hands and clothes, pricey chain cleaners, removing the chain and components to get in the crevices, and time spent relubing afterwards.  Not so!  A quick cleaning can be done in 15 minutes, and keep your drivetrain sparkling and extend its life in the process.

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Rest In Peace Wouter Weylandt

Giro stage three should have been a mundane day for the peloton.  A cat 3 climb summiting with about 39K to go, then descending down to a cat 4 climb with 9K to the finish.  Easy day, right?

 

Sadly, tragedy struck on the descent of that Cat 3.  Wouter Weylendt, Belgian fast man racing for Leopard Trek, crashed due to, what race officials said “his left pedal got stuck in a wall at the side of the road, forcing Weylandt to tumble around 60 meters to the ground below.)”  He was attended to by race doctors, but died on the scene from the injuries sustained in the crash.  It's a terribly sad event that overshadowed a great stage of racing, and will no doubt cast a pallor over the next few days of the race.

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Mistreated Millbrook: Cycling Through Time

Last night's group ride took me up and down the Shunpike, locally known as a hilly set of rollers in the middle of bustling Dutchess County.  It also took me past an awesome old urban ruin: the Bennett School for Girls in Millbrook, NY.

Bennett College main building Halcyon Hall

Originally founded in 1890 as a six year institution. Sometime in the early 1900s, it switched to a 2 year school, and due to poor enrollment, attempted to become a 4 year school in the 19702. Originally female only, part of it's downfall was the emergence of co-educational facilities, which was another matter necessitating the change to a 4 year institution. Unfortunately, the financial stress of adding a 2 year curriculum, campus improvements and construction combined with poor enrollment numbers, causing the college to enter bankruptcy. Plans to merge with nearby Briarcliff Manor (also in bankruptcy) never materialized and the college was closed 1978. Untouched since then, 33 years of neglect have taken their toll on the beautiful architecture of the main building.

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