THE NEWBIE CORNER: THE INESTIMABLE VALUE OF GOING CLIPLESS

article from mapmyride.com. (btw: that's not me in the picture, i wish!)

You have been riding for a few months now, and you are looking to make a simple upgrade to your bike that could augment your on the bike performance. Ultimately, a newbie's upgrade decision ought to focus on this inquiry: what equipment upgrade is going to prove the most worthwhile over time, and foster the greatest improvement in my performance? Lighter wheels are always a nice upgrade. And, high end competition or race wheels will definitely cut weight from your bike, and thereby deliver you a bit more speed. Yet, perhaps the best initial equipment upgrade a newbie can make is the purchase of a clipless pedal system.

Clipless pedals offer riders a number of advantages. Most importantly, clipless pedals cultivate a more efficient and powerful pedal stroke. Notably, these systems permit you to better access your hamstrings and gluteus muscles during your upstroke. Accessing the hamstring and gluteus muscles on the upstroke in turn enables you to deliver a greater power transfer to the crank, and that increased power transfer produces a greater speed. Indeed, a rider generates far more power using a clipless pedal system than he or she would produce employing a (now almost) obsolete toe clip systems.

One often overlooked advantage of clipless pedal systems is the enhanced safety they provide. Simply, clipless pedals offer a more secure platform for foot/pedal engagement, and thereby guard against unintentional disengagements. Of course, it may take you sometime to actually appreciate the added safety of clipless pedals, for there is no doubt that the first time you approach a stoplight or intersection and slow towards a stop, you may not properly disengage your foot from the pedal, leading you to “tip over” and smack the pavement. No worries. The initial “clipless tip” happens to everyone at some point, even the most seasoned riders. (Ray: whew! i don't feel so embarassed now!)

When you are evaluating what clipless system to purchase, you will encounter a wealth of options.

Most road-oriented pedals offer a cleat entry on one side. Time, Look, Speedplay, and Shimano are some of the most common manufacturers of single entry road-oriented clipless pedal systems.

In contrast, the majority of mountain bike-oriented clipless pedal systems feature a cleat entry mechanism on both sides of the pedals. Most of these dual-sided pedal systems are targeted primarily to mountain bikers, largely because the dual-sided entry mechanism offers two points of engagement—a feature that cannot be underestimated given that mountain bikers are often forced to engage and disengage from pedals on the trail. In addition, dual-sided entry pedal systems tend to shed mud very well—another element specific to mountain biking. Shimano, Crank Brothers, Ritchey, market some of the most widely used dual-sided entry clipless pedal systems.

Even though dual-sided entry pedals may be targeted primarily towards mountain bikers, they present a clipless system that works very well for new converts. Significantly, dual-sided entry systems can deliver you a bit more confidence in your pedal engagement/disengagement, and they may even guard you against the dreaded “tip over.” Thus, even if you are an aspiring “roadie,” do not feel pressured or obligated to choose a single entry clipless system. Indeed, most newbies are better suited to entering the clipless realm by transitioning with a double entry system.

Essentially, an upgrade to a clipless pedal system offers newbies plenty of material benefits. And, after an initial “break in” period, you will no doubt come to realize the value of your investment. And, when evaluating what system you are going to initially use, do not necessarily rigidly adhere to any road/mountain pedal distinction. Instead, strive to find the pedal that is best suited to your abilities and confidence level on the bike.

drop your pants

i found out the other day that a friend at work is also doing a charity event... the Drop Everything for Cancer Research run. proceeds from this event also go to the Alberta Cancer Foundation! check out the site... looks like a whole lotta fun... and you get to run in your underwear!

her name is Denise Burgoyne and she's part of Team Brave Beavers! sponsor her too and support the cause! =)

the Alberta Cancer Foundation actually has 3 events. so plenty of opportunity to participate or donate!

1

The Ride to Conquer Cancer

2

The Weekend to End Breast Cancer

3

Drop Everything for Cancer Research

earth day

today, April 22nd, is officially Earth Day!  click here to go to the Earth Day Canada site.

Top 10 Actions for Earth Day 2009 to help Canadians reduce their impact on the environment everyday.

1.Smart shopping

Buy what you need, not what you want

Consider renting and borrowing things that are seldom needed

Buy used items from garage sales and second-hand stores

2.Simple savers

Replace incandescent light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs

Use aerators on faucets and shower heads

Weatherstrip windows and doors

3.Transportation alternatives

Walk, cycle, car pool and use public transportation

When driving, reduce idling and maintain correct tire pressure

Consider car sharing programs or renting

4.Food choices

Choose local and organic foods that are in season and support local food producers

Eat less meat

5.Washing and drying

Wash full loads of clothes in cold water and hang to air dry

6.Heating and cooling 

For summer air conditioning, set your thermostat to 24°C or 25°C

For winter heating, set your thermostat to 19°C or 20°C

Install ceiling fans and programmable thermostats

7.Close to home

Vacation, travel and work as close to home as possible

8.Bathroom basics

Take short showers instead of baths

Close water taps while brushing your teeth

9.Careful cleaning

Choose natural, non-toxic cleaning products

Make simple, natural cleaners with ingredients like vinegar, baking soda and water

10.Don’t discard

Donate, reuse and recycle items before throwing them into the trash

Harmful materials like chemicals, batteries, electronics, etc. should be taken to local hazardous waste depots or recyclers

here's a good vid i found on youtube about commuting to work on a bike:

1st RTCC group ride - North Glenmore Park

on the conquercancer.ca site there were a couple of training rides that people could sign up for. i was lucky enough to get a spot with a training group held by Deanne Jabs of Leaping Dog Racing. we all met for the firt time at the North Glenmore Park in SW Calgary on Sunday April 19th at 1pm. the weather on Sunday was supposed to be a spectacular +20 degrees Celcius, but the overcast clouds was beggin to differ. after some waiver signing she introduced herself and her 2 assistants Allyson and Don.

L to R: Allyson, Deanne, Don




Some of the other riders as we listen to Deanne go over the basics.

there were about 15 participants that attended although Deanna mentioned that 30 people had signed up. we went around to everyone, each of us introducing ourselves, how long we've been riding and our personal reasons for doing the RTCC. everyone had a different background and different levels of cycling experience. but one thing was constant amongst us... that we have all been effected by cancer in some way. there were some there that had someone close to them die from cancer, some just recently. some that knew friends and family currently battling cancer. and there were even some people there that were battling cancer or have conquered cancer themselves. you could hear it in the way their voice cracked that this Ride meant more than just cycling 200km. it was much more. just in those introductions alone you were able to feel the true meaning of why we were all there, why we were all participating in the RTCC.

Deanne and crew went over the basics: proper fit and equipment you need for your bike, road safety, nutrition, training tips... it was all good info for us beginners (like me) and a good refresher for experienced riders. after about an hour of the talking portion we finally hit the road for some easy riding. Deanne mapped out a loop on the residential roads by the park, a loop she used to do with her triathalon teammates. the loop was pretty close to 7km long so if you didn't have a bike computer it would be easy to calculate your distance. the loop started along the road by the park then went into the nice residential neighborhoods surrounding the park. it had a slight incline, with a fast descent back down to the park. i was able to capture some video of the ride on my little camera mount (i'll try and have it posted soon). me being on a hybrid bike i slowly fell behind the main group who were mostly comprised of road bikers. or maybe it was just me being out of shape and not keeping up... i'll just blame the bike for now - lol. it does make me want a decent road bike now. no sense in using extra energy over 200km during the Ride.

i ended up doing 2 loops so 14km in total. there was a short followup session afterwards where Deanne was able to give us some road safety tips afterwards, many of us not following proper road rules *guilty!*. she took whoever wanted to still ride out for another loop but i opted to head home as i was still tired from my 40km the day before. overall, i'm really glad that i signed up for the sessions... not just for the training aspect of it all but also to meet other people that are striving to support the same cause and are going through the same blood, sweat and tears as me. thank you to Deanne and company for taking their own free time to help educate and train us fellow cyclers. i look forward to the next session.

rolling rural ride

remember the last time you were at the gym on one of those LifeCycle stationary bikes? and they have all those workout programs you can choose from?... like Manual, Interval Training, Random, and HILL? well, i have discovered the real life version of the Hill program. it was on the loop that i did last Saturday when i went north out of the city on Harvest Hills road and then left on Big Hill Springs road. all rolling hills. lots of work... but very satisfying after i was done. it's nice to go on the highways cuz you don't have to worry about traffic lights and turns. just put your head down and pedal away. i'll be doing this loop a couple of more times before the big event, that's for sure.

one thing i learned after this ride... wear sunscreen on sunny days! not only does it protect you from sunburn, but it helps with windburn! my face was so dry after this ride since it was so windy out there on the open road. i looked like a racoon with the "sunglasses tan".

RayRay, exhausted after the day's ride.

route for the RTCC announced today

i received an email from the Ride organizers today:

Hello Friend,

We have great news! You’ve asked for it, now here it is... The route for The Ride to Conquer Cancer® benefiting the Alberta Cancer Foundation!

You’ll ride through some of the country’s most spectacular scenery from Calgary south along the Cowboy Trail (Highway 22), camping on Saturday night at the Bar U Ranch in the shadow of the Rockies, then triumphantly finishing on Sunday at the Sierra West Ranch, nestled at the base of the majestic Livingstone Mountain Range in southwestern Alberta. Just as in the horseback days of the Old West, you’ll hear nothing but the breeze in your ears and feel the city pressure melt away with each passing kilometre. Fresh air. Sunshine. And a good dose of visual drama, thanks to Mother Nature. The Ride to Conquer Cancer is an epic ride and there’s no better backdrop for your adventure than the big sky of the western horizon.

We look forward to seeing you on the Cowboy Trail!

let's see what that looks like on a map, shall we? =)


View Larger Map

it doesn't say where the start point is, so i'm unsure about where in Calgary we take off from. the total distance i mapped out was only about 170km. i'm not sure where they're going to get the other 30km from???

75% to goal... you guys are amazing!

"WOW"... that's all i can say. all of you are so awesome! i still have 10 weeks to go and i'm already at 75% to my fundraising target! keep it up people!

remember to check with your employer if they have any donation matching programs. sometimes companies match their employees donations dollar-for-dollar. you may need to show your donation receipt as proof (you should have received the receipt via email if you donated online). hey, why not?!... make your company work for you for once!!! =)

april newsletter

instead of sending out emails to all my friends and family i thought i'd be more creative and do up a personal newsletter! using a simple template i found online, and with the help of MS Frontpage to customize the content, i was able to create a newsletter updating everyone of my latest events. included was pictures, and links to all my different info sources. i think it turned out pretty good! click the picture below to see the full newsletter.

alone on the highway

last Monday, April 13th, i went out on another ride. was determined to get at least 2 hours on the bike. i headed north on Harvest Hills road and was able to get on the not-yet-opened northern leg of the infamous Calgary ring road. i descended east towards Deerfoot only to find out that the road ended and there was no where to go from then on. i had to do a 180 and drag my ass up the long hill which was about 2 km. i'm not sure what the incline was but it was quite a challenge especially with the wind working against me. let's just say, i really got to know my lower gears quite well tho =). as i reached the top it was a satisfying feeling looking back down the hill and knowing that i conquered that challenge. "BRING IT!" as the P90Xers say, ha!

Calgary Ring Road:

anyways, my ride took me through Panorama, Hanson Ranch, Hidden Valley and up to the new Creekside Town Center. at that point it was getting cold and dark and i almost called my girlfriend to pick me up in the car. but i dug deep, found my way on to the deserted ring road again and headed home. the wind was working with me this time and the hills not so steep. the final 5km, although challenging, went by quicker than i thought it would. my bike computer said 27.3km but after mapping my points it only said 25.7km. not sure where that other 2km went =P



weather's supposed to be nice next week. i think i'm gonna try and ride into work! crazy! i know! haha.

my first cycling vid!

well, even though i banged up my elbow last Friday i did manage to record some video with my camera. i was able to make a homemade custom camera mount for my bike as per those instructions in my earlier post. i'll try and post up some pics of it later.

my old Canon SD300 (4 megapixel) only records in 1min spurts at a time. so i have a bunch of little clips that i need to put together. but after fooling around with it on youtube for a bit i was able to come up with this sample video! Steven Spielberg i am not, but yo, not too bad! i'll try and post some more vids if i can find the time to edit them.

good friday turned bad

so last Friday, the 10th, was the start of a beautiful long weekend. Easter weekend to be exact. so on that Good Friday i thought i'd get out and do at least a 20 km ride today. i didn't have time to put on all the goodies you saw in the previous post. but i did want to try out the clip shoes. so i screwed the SPD clips to the shoes and practiced attaching them to the pedals while stationary. and practiced getting out of them stationary. no problem, no sweat, i got this. for those of you that haven't seen clip shoes before, here are mine (pic on right). there's different types and shapes of clips you can get depending on the brand, but these are my Shimano brand ones.

next, was to practice getting in an out of them while riding on the bike. so i did a lap around the block... in, out, in, out, in, out. ok... not bad, i can get the hang of this. you kinda have to put the front part in first then put some pressure down on the ball of you foot, and listen for that "click" noise. in order to get out you need to twist your heel either outwards or inwards so the pedal releases the clip. ok... i'm good to go.

i hit the first traffic light, i come to a stop alongside all the other cars, and after all that practice what's the one important thing that i forget?!.... THAT I HAVE FRIKKEN CLIP SHOES ON!!! i go to put my foot down when i stop... waitaminute, my foot's not coming out!... i'm starting to fall!.... BOOM! i land on my left side with my elbow taking the brunt of the damage. OW! i've fallen enough in snowboarding to know not to extend my arm and hand to cushion my fall as that's a sure way to break your wrist or collarbone. i get up quickly and dust myself off. i take a glance at the minivan beside me... the whole family staring at me. they had this expression on their face like they were going to laugh but wanted to make sure i was ok first. LOL. i don't know what hurt more... my elbow, or my pride. i coulda easily have turned around and headed back home. but i was a trooper and continued on my ride. too funny now that i look back on it.

here's the route i took:


there's a ravine close to my place that has some great bike trails. the official name is the West Nose Creek Park. i tried to go as far down the trail along Deerfoot as i could but my elbow started to really hurt so i turned around once i reached McKnight. all in all the ride was almost 25km. and it took about 1:30 if i cut out all my wrong turns and being lost - lol.

on my way home i noticed blood on my shirt by my waist, wtf?! i got home and checked my elbow... i was actually bleeding! the pic below looks worse than it is. that was how it looked when i took off my arm warmer. it was basically a gash from some of the gravel i fell on. an embarassing reminder of my first experience with clip shoes *shakes head in shame*.

new stuff!

so i went on a bit of a shopping spree at Bow Cycle last week. i picked up some stuff for the bike of course.

Cycling Shoes

thought i'd get some proper cycling shoes with clips. these are Specialized's MTB Sport shoe. shoutouts to Bow Cycle who threw in the Shimano SPD clip attachments for free. check out my future posts for my (mis)adventures with the clips - lol.

Gloves

i got fingerless cycling gloves already but thought i'd get these full fingered ones for the colder days. they were cheap too ($10).

Water Bottle

you get really thirsty on those long rides

Bar Ends

these helps on climbs and also for changing hand positions while you're riding. i notice that my hands start to get numb if i'm in the same hand position all the time.

Bike Computer

this is just a basic one to help record distance, time and speed while i ride.

once i get them all installed on the bike i'll make sure to post a review!

the Good Life Community Bicycle Shop

last night i attended the Good Life Community Bicycle Shop's workshop on bike maintenance. i signed up a couple of weeks ago. i thought i'd try and learn some more stuff about bikes... you know: parts, repairs, maintenance, upgrades, etc. i missed Bow Cycle's sessions back in March but they recommended my to give Good Life Bikes a call. the session was free... so that's always a good price - lol.


if you haven't been to Good Life Bikes before i suggest you check it out, it's a pretty cool place. it's located in Eau Claire Centre downtown. i heard that Eau Claire is going through a revitilization with new developers moving in to utilize the space better. i hope Good Life stays amongst all these changes. Good Life is a nonprofit, community bicycle repair, education and resource centre. it focuses heavily on the community aspect and is almost fully run by volunteers. a very cool concept.

from their website:
Our Goals:· To build community in Calgary· To make it as easy and fun as possible to choose biking· To empower Calgarians by offering skills and accessible, affordable and healthy ways to get around· To reduce environmental impact by encouraging cycling over driving and rescuing bikes from the waste stream.

i was expecting a full class since i was informed their last class was full (i think they only take 7-8 people per workshop). but i show up at 7pm and there's only me and this other girl. i guess the nice weather outside made everyone skip? i get introduced to Shannon, our instructor for the night, who is very personable and an avid biker. she leaves it up to us on what topics we want to cover since there's only 2 of us. the other girl is a triathlete so she's had some experience with basic bike repairs... me on the other hand, not so much.

we start off with brake replacement since that's a common job most people eventually have to do. we pick 2 really old bikes to work on and set them up on the bike stands. Shannon runs us through which tools to use and where everything is located in the shop. i cut the rear brake wire, take off the housing, replace the wire and housing, rewire it all back up, tighten all the screws - done! took about an hour with helpful guidance by Shannon. after all was said and done, it was pretty rewarding doing it myself i must say. i went to the workshop straight from work so i was still in my work clothes but thankfully they had some aprons there to keep my semi-clean. bike repairs can get pretty messy. brakes were messy enough, i can't imagine changing the cassette or bottom bracket. the whole workshop was only 2 hours so we didn't have much time to go over much else. i was wondering about chain and gear maintenance so we went over chain cleaning. there's a small plastic device you can put over the chain with some degreaser solution that does the job. there's also some special brushes you can use to clear the crud from the gears. after the cleaning we went over just some general questions and cleaned up our area.

overall, the session was quite informative and a good confidence builder for when i ever need to work on my own bike. youtube is a great resource for bike repair information but it's hard to get that "hands on" experience over the internet. now that i'm a member of Good Life (membership is free btw) i can bring my bike in there and use their space and tools at no charge. great for people with no garage or that don't have the right tools. i really wouldn't want to spend $30 on a tool i would only use once. this is a great place for bikers... go check it out one day when you're at Eau Claire.

first ride outside!

yeah! finally was able to get to ride outside for the first time. after work it was still glorious outside at +13 degrees and sunny. perfect.

i put all my gear on. here's some pics of the different layers i put on.
- drywick long sleeve
- cycling shirt
- fleece vest (kinda overdid it with this layer)
- cycling shell
- cycling shorts
- legwarmer tights
- shorts
- cycling gloves
- helmet

i found another good site to track cycling distances... mapmyride.com. since it was my first real time on my bike i wanted to take it easy. i also had a volleyball game at 8pm so i didn't want to go out too long. here's the route i took.



first thing i notice... it's still kinda wet outside. since all the snow is melting, there are still pathways and roads with snow and water on them. lots of spitting water from the wheels. might need to get those fenders to block the road spit. it didn't take me long to work up a sweat either. my neighborhood has some rolling hills so it made for some slow climbs in some areas. my fleece vest got too warm, i kinda overdid it with that layer. second thing, traffic... i really need to get used to the cars. my biking senses are not keen yet. it's kinda scary when there's lots of cars around! i stuck to the residential areas and stayed clear of the main roads for now since i was still getting used to my bike. i'm not too familiar with the paths in my area so as you can tell from the map, i kinda went everywhere. i was only out for about 30 min but i did manage to cover almost 10 km. i didn't get run over... so a pretty good first time out - lol.

i can see clearly now

finally! some decent weather! i need to get out for some rides this week!



Support RayRay's Ride! ---> http://tinyurl.com/conquercancerrayray

how do you like them apples?!

i'm personally a fan of street art... and now a fan of cycling as you can see. so i was stoked when i found this article about Lance Armstrong's Trek Madone road bike, nicknamed the "Big Apple", that had custom graphics designed by Trek's senior graphic artist Chad Bailey. apparently Lance Armstrong is a big art collector! full story and more pics here.

after doing some research online about this... i found out that Lance is starting an art/cycling project called “Stages” to help expand the LIVESTRONG foundation’s global anti-cancer fight. he's enlisted the help of some well-respected street artists to do more designs on the Trek Madone. so dope.

KAWS

Barry McGee

if you could challenge cancer, what would you say?

check out this powerful video from the people at LIVESTRONG...

they have a charity Ride in Seattle on June 21, 2009. hmmm... =)

broke through the 50% mark!

wow... congratulations everyone! you've helped me reach my half way point to my fundraising goal! and in a much faster period of time than i could of ever thought! i'm so blessed to have family and friends that believe in me and are willing to support such a great charity. thanks again everyone.

if you go to the main conquercancer.ca site you can see all of the top fundraisers and top teams so far. amazing what these people have raised so far!

where are you riding?

a common question i get asked is, "where will you be riding?". all i know is that it will be somewhere just south of Calgary and that they want the route to be do-able by all types of skill levels, not too difficult but also not too boring. i'm sure there will be some hill sections as i've read there were tough ones in the Toronto ride. but they have yet to announce the official Alberta route at this time.

here is their statement from their FAQ section on their website:

Q. Why don’t you announce the route ahead of time?

A. Though the location of Opening Ceremonies, Camp, and Finish Line will be announced well in advance of The Ride to Conquer Cancer, the route will not be pre-announced. This is strictly a safety precaution as the route may have to change at the last
minute due to traffic signal failures, broken water mains, or any other
unforeseen issues. Therefore, we do not announce the route.

so guess we'll just have to wait and see!

more videos

i haven't been able to find lots of videos about the Alberta RTCC as of yet. but since Toronto had their inaugural ride last year there are some great videos from that one up on youtube. it's all for a common purpose... to conquer cancer. can't wait!

tax time

it's already April?! wow.

you know what that means... it's tax season! don't forget that your donations are tax deductible. you should have received an email in your inbox with the tax receipt a couple of days after you made your donation. if you lost that email, let me know, i can always resend it to you.