Winter training is generally going to be tough. You’re either going to be riding inside and bored, or you’ll be outside in the cold, harsh conditions. If you will be outside in the cold, along with your warm clothing, you’ll need a beater bike.

A winter “beater” bike is generally heavier, slower, cheaper, and tougher than your road racing bike. That’s good. Here’s why:

1. Slower speeds are safer.

You don’t want to hit a patch of ice at high speeds and go flying.

2. Slower speeds are warmer.

As if the cold air and wind chill aren’t bad enough, you create your own windchill when you ride. But the slower you go, the less windchill you generate.

3. You won’t overshoot your headlight.

With such short days, you’ll be riding in the dark before and after work, so you’ll probably be using a headlight. A headlight will only reach so far, so you want to be riding slow enough that you still have a good stopping distance just in case a road hazard appears out of nowhere.

4. You don’t have to worry about weather damage.

If I was riding my race bike in sloppy conditions, I’d be paranoid about all the salt and gravel getting thrown at it. Then I’d spend hours cleaning it after each ride. With a cheap beater bike, you can put your mind at ease knowing your race bike is tucked in safely at home!

5. Meatier tires for fewer flats.

A mountain bike or at least a cyclocross bike is nice for winter weather. These bikes have wider, tougher tires, so you should experience fewer flats. And changing flats really, really sucks in the winter!

6. You still accomplish a tough workout.

On a heavier bike, you can still put out the same number of watts (power) as your workout calls for, but you’ll go much slower thanks to the extra weight and rolling resistance. And as I mentioned, slower speeds are warmer and safer! It’s a win-win.

Do you have a beater bike for your winter rides? Let me know in the comments!

Photo: tandemracer

Hi Coach Levi. I’m a father of two and an English teacher living in Shizuoka prefecture, Japan. I commute in the evenings by bicycle. I’m curious if you could recommend a reputable American company that produces very visible, waterproof and durable rainwear? I look forward to hearing from you.

Thanks,
Wet Willie

Hi Willie,

Thanks for the email. You’re actually not the first English teacher from Japan that has written in! Perhaps my website is popular there?

Anyway… I can’t give you all the answers to this question, because:

1. I’m usually out training or racing rather than commuting, so I don’t mind getting soaked.
2. I simply don’t keep up to date on every cycling clothing option that comes out every year.

But I’ll start by saying that as far as I know, no one beats Gore Tex when it comes to combining superb waterproof qualities and breathability. And that’s a big reason why a cycling jacket made with Gore Tex is typically going to cost $200-400.

Jackets with eVent fabric are supposed to be nice, too, with some people liking them more than Gore Tex. I have never worn eVent or seen it in action, but one of the products with it is this REI Shuksan jacket. It’s a hiking jacket but it might give you some ideas.

The one company that I never forget when it comes to rain wear is Showers Pass. They make quite a few jackets, and the one I always read about is their $120 Double Century jacket.

Speaking of Showers Pass, eVent, and REI, here is the Showers Pass Elite jacket. It uses eVent technology and is sold at REI.

Showers Pass is based in Portland, Oregon and I see they have one dealer listed in Japan. Considering the wet conditions in the Pacific Northwest, they should know what they’re doing!

Aside from those pointers, I’m not sure of any jackets that are extremely popular and well-regarded. Assos is probably a good example, but they’re not an American company. For further reading I suggest turning to the masses at RoadBikeReview in their jackets and vest review section.

Lastly, the good news is that most every waterproof cycling jacket today is going to be available in a high visibility color and will include reflective stripes somewhere.

Hope that helps you find something good, and hopefully you’re doing alright over there!

Hey Coach,

I’m in good shape at 60, & very recently rediscovered my 10 speed Lotus Excelle racing bike from 1986, my local bike shop put on new 27 x 1-1/4″ tires, and now I am currently riding solo for an hour a couple of times a week on a 3 mile oval to just get used to shifting gears, etc., and I ride weekly with local bike shop 13 mile flat/rolling rides (1 hr.)

Beginning next spring, I seek to participate in any of the plentiful rides sponsored by local bike clubs, all levels (but most of the guided rides are in the 15 mph range/ 30 miles, too much for me now). I’m told by the membership guy at one of the local bike clubs that with the new bike technology, the club rides over the past decade have just been getting longer and faster, and that I will have to consider an upgrade of bikes if I’m going to pursue riding…

But since I’ve only begun riding (I have lived in an urban area outside of NYC since I bought that Lotus and have to put the bike in the car for an 8 mile ride to get to points suitable for starting a ride… so I’ve rarely rode the bike) I’m not about to invest in equipment or clothes until I’m convinced I will continue to ride.

But I can see, while on my solo practice rides at a local popular 3 mile oval as well as the bike shop rides I have participated in, that while I’m on rolling descending hills, I can’t keep up cadence, there are only 6 gears in rear, and that I get passed by bikers who keep their cadence and really fly away from me, I could see how I could be a “problem” in a paceline at 14/15 mph rides…

in your opinion, what are the downsides, in terms of paceline rides, to my keeping the Lotus? (I’ll get to my 3 speed Rudge from 1960 another time)

Thanks,
Louis Lotus

Hey Louis,

I think it’s great you’re getting back into riding on a nice classic Lotus, not to mention getting in on the group rides where people are probably riding expensive, super light bikes.

I’m the last person to recommend a new bike in situations like this, so I would recommend keeping the Lotus. I’ll admit that a new bike would probably be lighter, feel better, and give you a more comfortable ride, but that doesn’t mean it will solve all your problems.

I also bet you have room to improve your cycling fitness, considering you “very recently” got back to riding. Especially if you’re in good shape otherwise, just give yourself some time to adapt to riding, and I bet you’ll speed up a little bit on your own. It can also take months or years to get comfortable at a variety of cadences, so cut yourself some slack – efficient riding takes a high amount of skill.

So here’s the downside as I see it… You have 6 gears, compared to the 9 or 10 cog choices you’d have on a new bike. As you noticed, you’ll have less options to find a comfortable cadence for any given situation. One gear might be a little high, but if you shift, the next lower gear might be a little low. This means you’ll have to get used to sometimes pedaling faster than you want and sometimes pushing harder than you want, in order to maintain a certain speed in a paceline. This should become less of a problem over time, though.

There are probably some other little problems if you want to nit-pick. The downtube shifters, for example – it will take you a little longer to shift than someone who has shift levers at their fingertips at all times.

Now, let’s talk about descending these rolling hills.

You’re spinning out your highest gear on descents when people pass you, so the issue is your top speed. That can be part low gearing, part not being used to spinning the pedals at 120rpm, and part aerodynamics and drafting. So having a bigger gear to go to doesn’t always solve the problem. Your big chainring is probably 52t and your smallest cog is probably 13 or 14t. A newer bike would give you an extra gear or two to help get you going faster, but if people are getting away from you on descents, a lot of that is actually skill and tactics, rather than gearing.

Having a higher gear or two will help, but you’re just delaying the inevitable. (I’ve had that same problem.) They might be group rides, but quite a few racing tactics still apply.

A big one is using the draft on the downhills. You probably know that the higher the speed, the more the draft helps. So going downhill, it is very easy to pass someone by staying in their draft and then swinging out at the last second. So for you, getting a good draft and spending most of your time in the paceline rather than at the front, should be all you need to do.

I’m not sure if you’ve been in a true paceline on this hill or just happened to be out there with others, but descending in a group usually involves lots of passing and/or braking. So you might find that actually being on the group ride makes it easier for you to keep up. And really, the people in these rides shouldn’t be trying to drop you, especially not on a downhill.

Overall, I definitely think you can go further with your current bike before investing in a new one. If you fall in love with riding, by all means, get a better bike, but more riding and practicing your drafting can go a long way!

Hi Levi. i was wondering what pedal is it easiest to disengage from. i’m currently using look keo sprint pedals and even in the lowest setting i still have a hard time specially with emergency stops. thanks!

-Disenragement

Hi Dis,

I use the Look Keo Sprint myself and love them. Most road pedals out there (Look Keo, Shimano SPD-SL, Time, etc.) are going to give you a similar release.

My #1 piece of advice here for anyone having trouble with clipping in or out: Practice!

Of course, make sure your shoes and cleats are set up properly. If you are using worn out or damaged cleats, you’re bound to have unnecessary problems!

But to answer your question…

I’ve heard that the Look Keo Classic pedals have an easier release, as they’re cheaper and aimed at beginners. I haven’t used them myself so I can’t say if it’s a worthwhile switch.

What might be worthwhile is trying the Speedplay pedals. Speedplay Zero pedals are rumored to be some of the easier pedals to engage and disengage from. You can even get a Speedplay “Light Action” pedal designed to be extra easy to use.

Speedplays can be a great choice, especially for a new rider who hasn’t adapted to a different style of system. Just be careful if you switch from Look pedals, because the way you move your foot to clip in is slightly different.

Finally, if you want to get a much easier entry/release, switch to a mountain bike cleat, such as Shimano SPD or Crank Bros Eggbeater cleats. You can get road-style pedals that use these cleats, so you get the ease of clipping in and out, but retain the larger platform of a road pedal.

Example pedals include the Shimano A530 and the Crank Brothers Quattro, although it seems the Quattro is discontinued these days. You might not have much choice there, but I’ve used the Shimano A530 on a friend’s bike before and they worked fine.

Want to continue researching pedals? Check out the pedals section at RoadBikeReview.com.

I am have a tendonitis issue with my right ankle. I have a Specialized Tarmac, Carbon shoes and ride with zero speed plays…any ideas??

Thanks,
Tender Timmy

Hi Timmy,

I don’t have any personal experience with this, but generally, ankle issues like Achilles tendonitis are caused by poor pedaling form (which could be a physiological or a bike fit issue.)

If you were having problems with both ankles, then I’d think it was most likely your pedaling style. (I answered a question earlier this year about shin splints from riding, and that was caused by poor pedaling form.) It could also be from a basic bike fit issue such as having your saddle too high or your cleats too far forward.

But, since it is only one ankle, it leads me to believe the issue stems from poor bike fit in a less noticeable way. That could be anything from a single misaligned cleat to an undiagnosed leg length discrepancy.

My plan of action would be two things:

1. Get checked out by a sports therapist, especially one familiar with runners and cyclists, to see if there is something they can do. They should be able to check you out for leg length discrepancies and any muscle imbalances that could be changing the mechanics of your right leg.

They may also be able to help out with some sort of massage, stretching, or special exercises to ease the pain you’ve experienced thus far.

2. Get a bike fit from a qualified professional that has the knowledge and equipment to do a good job. This will probably cost $250-350, but it is much, much better than the typical $50 bike fit at the average shop.

A good fitter will fully analyze your pedaling mechanics, so they will be able to diagnose any leg length discrepancies and account for them.

Hopefully you get this resolved!

[Continued below...]

I got this response:

Thank you for your response. I do have a leg length issue.. I will look for a sports therapist.

For anyone else out there with some sort of pain like this, I highly suggest getting a good bike fitting and/or seeing a knowledgeable sports therapist. I can assure you, it’s better to spend the money and get it fixed now, rather than deal with it and end up not being able to ride!

Hi Levi – I just started biking somewhat regularly a month or so ago. Been doing up to about an hour (15-18 miles) or 1.5 hrs of riding on mostly flat but some climbs. Right now I feel no soreness after my rides. Am I at risk of injury by trying a 45 mi ride in a week? what can/should I do to prep?

Thanks,
Regular Ryder

Hi Ryder,

Jumping up to a 45 mile ride so soon is a stretch, but certainly doable. If you’re young or at least have no history of knee issues or other medical problems, I don’t see why you couldn’t do the ride. I’ve seen it done before with no dire consequences.

I remember when I rode with a friend of mine in high school. One Monday he came in to class and started bragging about how he did a 52 mile ride on Saturday. I’m pretty sure he had been riding for over a month, but the distance was a pretty big jump. And he was riding a mountain bike. And it was hilly terrain.

So if you’re doing alright so far, and have some general fitness, I’m betting you can do the long ride.*

There’s not much you can do to prep this week. You could try a 25-30 mile ride during the week as a lead up to the 45 miler, but you don’t want to do too much or you risk being tired for the big day.

What you should focus on is riding well during the big ride itself.

You want to ride at a pace you can hold for the distance. Preferably, do the first 25 miles a little slower than you think you can, just to be safe. Then if you feel good, you could ride a little faster the second half.

And be sure to eat and drink during the ride. You don’t want to screw up the ride by running low on calories. (Check my articles for tips on eating during rides and what to eat before a ride.

And of course, have fun!

*Caution: Only you can know for sure if you are ready.

I suggest practicing your bike handling skills as often as possible. You can do this in your free time: it fits in on tough workout days as well as recovery days.

Here are seven drills you can do by yourself in an empty parking lot:

1. The Slow Race

The slow race is simply riding between two points as slowly as possible without putting your foot down. The only rule is, you have to ride forward at all times – no zigzagging or hopping side to side. (Read my article about doing a track stand to get prepared, because you’ll be using track stands to slow yourself down.)

Doing this drill teaches you bike handling at slow speeds, getting you ready to tackle the rest of the drills.

Drill progression: Beginners can start out by doing the slow race on a slight incline to make it easier. Then you would progress to flat ground and eventually, a slight downhill.

2. The Heel Grab

For this drill, the goal is to grab onto one of your heels and keep riding along normally.

Start by pedaling normally, then lean to your left and use your left hand to grab onto your left heel. Continue to hold your heel as you pedal.

After a few pedal strokes, return your left hand to the handlebar. Then take your right hand and grab your right heel, holding onto it while pedaling.

The key to this drill is keeping your weight centered. Since your weight will be off to one side (whatever heel you are grabbing,) you’ll have to lean the bike slightly in the opposite direction to stay balanced and on track.

Drill progression: You can start off holding your calf, then move to your ankle, then finally your heel. It gets harder, because the further down you reach, the more you must lean the bike to other side.

3. Bottle Pick Up

In this drill, you take a water bottle and set it on the ground, standing upright. Then you ride towards it so it is just off to your left. As you ride past the bottle, lean over and pick it up off the ground.

After pedaling a few strokes, lean over and set the bottle back on the ground carefully so it stays upright. This is the tougher part of the drill!

Then turn around and ride back towards the bottle; this time it should be just to your right because you will reach down and pick it up with your right hand. Then keep repeating the drill, switching hands each time.

This drill uses basically the same skill as the heel grab, e.g. as you lean down one way to grab the bottle, the bike needs to lean the other way. You won’t be pedaling though, so in this drill, you can lean even further over.

Drill progression: Beginners can start with the tall 32oz water bottles. Work you way to picking up a small 16oz bottle.

I also suggest filling the bottle at least half-way with water, which will help keep it stable.

4. The Slalom

Now we are getting into turning movements.

For this drill, you will create a slalom course using cones, tennis balls, or pebbles. You want to line up about six cones in a straight line, spaced about six feet apart.

Start by riding straight at the line of cones, and continue through the course by weaving around each cone. (You will ride to the left of the first cone, to the right of the second cone, to the left of the third cone, etc.)

The key here is to look straight ahead to the end of the course, but slalom your bike around the cones. Don’t stare at the cones.

Drill progression: Start with about 6-8 feet of space between the cones. Once you can handle that, move the cones closer together. Try it with just one bike length between cones.

5. The Offset Slalom

For the offset slalom, you use the same set-up as with the regular slalom. But this time, take every other cone and move it left or right 2-3 feet.

Now, instead of weaving around cones in a straight line, you have to take wider, sweeping turns.

To get through, you still look ahead to the finish, but you’ll have to lean a lot more to get around the cones.

6. Figure 8′s

Here’s the best turning drill of them all – figure 8′s.

The goal here is to ride your bike in a figure 8 within the smallest space possible. Ideally you will be able to do this within a single parking space (roughly a 10′ x 20′ rectangle.) Of course, you have to do it without touching the lines or putting your foot down.

Remember the counter-balance technique you picked up in the heel grab drill? You’ll need to use that same idea when making such sharp turns. As you lean the bike into the turn, you put your weight on the outside. For example, if you’re making a sharp right turn, you should focus your weight on your left pedal.

The cool thing with figure 8′s is you can do them moderately fast in a small area, or if you do them really, really slow, you can them in a very small area.

7. Obstacle Hop

Lastly, the obstacle hop. This will prepare you for those times you face road obstacles such as pot holes or road kill. The obstacle in this case will be a piece of 2×4 lumber. (Or you could use a broomstick. Whatever you have handy.)

In Part A of this drill, you will ride over the 2×4 slowly, slightly unweighting each wheel. What this means is, as your front wheel reaches the 2×4, shift your weight so most of it is over the back wheel. Then once your front wheel is across, shift your weight forward over the front wheel so the back wheel can roll over the 2×4.

In Part B, you will still ride slowly, but you will fully unweight each wheel as it goes over the 2×4. As your front wheel approaches the 2×4, push down on your handlebars, weighting the front wheel. Just before touching the 2×4, straighten your arms and pull back with your body. This puts your weight over the back wheel and lifts the front wheel slightly, just enough to get it on top of the 2×4 and roll over it.

As your back wheel approaches the 2×4, shift your weight over the front wheel and use your feet to pull up and back on the pedals. This will bring the back wheel off the ground just enough to get it on top of the 2×4 and roll over smoothly.

For Part C, use the same technique as in Part B, but do it with more speed this time. You should be going fast enough that you have to unweight the back wheel immediately after the front wheel crosses the 2×4.

Part D is where is gets tougher. This time, you have to ride even faster at the 2×4, because you are going to stay centered and unweight the entire bike so that you can hop over the 2×4 with one jump. The principle is the same though.

As you ride toward the 2×4, crouch down, putting weight on both the handlebar and the pedals (effectively weighting both wheels.) Right before you hit the 2×4, spring up into the air. You’ll use the same pulling motions as last time (pull up on bar and up on pedals,) but use both at the same time.

Personally, I think this skill training is loads of fun. But even if you don’t, I think you’ll agree it’s worthwhile once you see how much your bike handling skills improve!

What are the differences between running and cycling tops? Just wondering what the main differences are, and could I get away with just cycling in running tops without having to invest in a whole new load of specific cycling tops.

Thanks,
Topped-Off Thomas

Hi Tom,

I feel your pain. It gets annoying to buy new gear for every different sport, doesn’t it?

I tend to use the same mixture of base layers (undershirts) for running, cycling, hiking, skiing, and skating, but it’s the cycling jerseys that set themselves apart from the rest.

Here are the big differences between running and cycling tops:

1. Pockets

This is the most prominent feature of a cycling jersey – the three pockets on the lower back.

The pockets allow you to carry a cell phone, energy bars, and a little tool kit (spare tube, CO2 cartridge and tire pump, tire lever, and mini tool) with you at all times. It’s also very easy to access these items, even when riding, by reaching into the pockets.

Also, when riding, you’ll usually be out for much longer than when running, so you need to carry more food and water. You also have to take care of your machine (bicycle) if anything breaks, so you need to carry a tool kit.

Save money: It is possible to carry these items in a seat bag attached to your bicycle. It’s less convenient, though, especially when you want to grab an energy bar without stopping and pulling over.

2. Zippers

Most cycling jerseys offer half or full-length zippers that allow you to better regulate the amount of ventilation.

When running, your speed doesn’t change a whole lot. But when cycling, you could be climbing a hill at 5mph then descending at 55mph! You need extra ventilation at slow speeds to stay cool, but when going faster, you want covered up since there is a wind chill.

Save money: Zippers are overrated. Running tops are generally good, moisture-wicking garments that will work just fine.

3. Tight Fit

Every cycling jersey I own is a tight fit. They stay tight to my body when riding, rather than flapping around like a sail in the wind. This is important because you move a lot faster on a bike than on foot, and aerodynamics play a bigger role.

Some of my running tops are tight, but just as many are a loose fit. So if your running tops are all loose fit, they could get annoying when they flap around.

Save money: If you have a tight-fitting running top, you’re all set.

The bottom line:

If you can do without the extra features and conveniences, running tops will work fine for recreational cycling.

But honestly, look at my “cycling kit under $300″ article. Cycling tops don’t have to be expensive. You can get Nashbar brand tops for $20 regularly, and check Sierra Trading Post for brand name tops ranging from $10-30.

Just one jersey will go a long way.

I was wondering if you could direct me toward a new bike. I am a runner and have started biking as cross-training. I am currently using my father’s old Raleigh road bike from the 80′s. It is very heavy and I would like something lighter for longer rides. Any help you could give me would be great. Thank you

The whole “what road bike should I buy?” situation is way too common. Every spring when the weather gets nice, I get all sorts of variations on this question.

I would like to be able to answer this question for everyone, but it’s simply impossible. A lot of thought needs to go into getting the right bike for your specific needs, and sending me a little information over the internet isn’t enough.

All I can say is, “it depends.” Because really, any road bike today will fit the description of “a road bike lighter than an 80′s Raleigh.”

But, I can also give you this 5-step formula for choosing a good road bike to buy. It should help you out!

5 Steps to Picking Out Your First Road Bike

Just follow these steps in order and you’re bound to get a good road bike.

1. Determine your budget.

Determining your budget is the first step because it’s going to be a specific number that won’t change. It also narrows your search quite a bit, saving you time over the research process.

Generally you can get a decent road bike for under $1000, but you probably won’t find anything under $700. If your budget is under $700, you’ll probably want to look for a used bike.

I’d say $800 will get you a road bike that is fine and dandy for recreational riding, but if you can afford around $1300, that would get you a really nice bike that will serve you well for years, even if you start racing.

You absolutely don’t need to spend $3000 on your first road bike!

2. Think about the type of riding you want to do.

Now it’s time to think. You need to think about what type of riding you want to do, because the buying decision will be based on this information.

You might want to ride really fast on the road. You might want to race. You might want to do really long rides, maybe even bike tours where you camp out each night. You might want to ride on dirt paths and rail trails sometimes.

Once you have it figured out, memorize it, or even better, write it down.

3. Tell this to someone at a bike shop.

Once you are informed, head to a local bike shop, and tell a salesman what type of riding you want to do. Any good salesman will absorb this information and ask any relevant questions. Then, combining their knowledge of bikes and the local area, they will show you a few bikes that fit your needs and your budget.

They should also be able to tell you why a certain bike fits your needs and why a different bike would not be right for you.

4. Test ride.

Test ride all the bikes you are considering. Even though the bikes may look similar, they can feel a lot different from each other.

5. Buy the bike.

By now, you should have found a bike that looks and feels right.

If the bike is right and the bike shop is nice, trustworthy, and knowledgeable, get the bike. Otherwise, go back to step 3, try a different shop, and repeat.

This formula is simple but usually works wonders. When you have more experience and can ask or answer more detailed questions, then it’s time to do lots of research and ask people online for help. But for your first real bike, you won’t have that many options anyway, so use the 5-step formula.

I spent the winter months doing spinning classes, where 30 minutes of a 50 minute class is spent in standing position. Now I’m outdoors on my road bike (3-4 times per week) and mountain bike (one time per week). When do I stand? Is it only when necessary or should I be planning it out for certain spots? At present, I tend to stand only at steep, short parts of hills (often near the top) and sometimes on the flat to relieve my butt. I have yet to do much group riding this year to see what strategy works there. Some advice, please.

Thanks,
Planned Stan

Hi Stan,

It sounds like you’re pretty much on target right now!

Don’t be fooled by your experience this past winter. Real riding is nothing like most spinning classes; in real life, you’ll spend the vast majority of your time seated. It’s different for everyone, but even the real skinny climbers that stand a lot, still spend most of their time seated.

Basically, riding seated uses less energy, which is good for saving energy to finish a race strong, but not so good when a spinning instructor wants you to burn tons of calories. That’s why there’s such a big difference between the sitting vs standing times when you compare the two.

If you want to really compare the two, check out the “Keep It Real” ebook about spinning classes. In it, Jennifer Sage discusses how most spinning classes don’t actually help your real-life cycling.

Anyways, about good times to stand:

Short, steep hill climbs are a good place to stand. You’re better off just powering over them and being done with them quickly.

Along with the short hill climbs, the other popular place to stand when on the road is right out of corners, since it helps you get back up to speed faster.

Other than that, you’re usually standing when you want to stretch out your legs and use your muscles a little differently to prevent fatigue. And to relieve pain in your butt from staying seated!

When mountain biking, standing is usually done in order to navigate obstacles. In those situations, you usually know when you need to stand. For example, you won’t be hopping many logs while staying seated!

But if you’re on fire roads or mild trails, be sure to stand every so often to stretch your legs, just like on the road.