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Nadezhda’s Blog
Building on the vast knowledge of our team members, we want to bring you even more great advice and information on how our writers manage their health and lifestyle, so that you can benefit in your own cycling lifestyle. Ladies cycling websites are few and together with Diane, Larisa and Nadezhda and the rest of the team, we’ll bring you articles specifically aimed at supporting ladies cycling, and in doing so become the most representative ladies cycling website globally.
Nadezhda moves on up to deputy editor to our executive editor, with the main Health & Fitness portfolio. Allowing us to give a wider and stronger forcus on both Triathlon and Health, Diane will be a key leader in this new team, as our new Lifestyle editor, bringing in her expertise as a Yoga teacher and fitness orientated cyclist.
We’ll be producing several articles, blogs and recipes, focusing on this critical area of modern life … on and off the bike. Take a look below at the informative articles from Diane and our team of athletes.
Signs and Symptons of Overtraining in Triathlon
Lenzerheide to Arosa and Chur MTB Route
Lenzerheide and Arosa is the ultimate venue for mountainbikers. The two valley sides of Lenzerheide, 'Red Peak' and 'Western Summits', as well as the foothills to the north and south are the real trail paradise for mountainbikers to visit from all over the world.
Lore One 3D Cycling Shoe
The LOREOne performance cycling shoe looks across all aspects of how the foot works, and how each aspect of the foot can differ in structure and use for various people. Rather than following the traditional footwear design, LORE scan the foot and produce an exact wrapped LORE shoe, encased in carbon, which according to their pre-production research and testing maximises performance and power outputs.
Furka Pass Cycling Route
Sean Connery took to these roads in the classic Bond Movie 'Goldfinger', and now you too can, as you ride through spectacular scenery and enjoy the breathtaking mountain roads of Switzerland.
Trail building the ELECTRIC SNAKE for Val di Sole World Championships
The UCI MTB 2021 World Championships will be held in Val di Sole from 25 to 29 August. But how is a world cup track created? Who is a trail builder and how does one become one? THOK E-Bikes asked a real guru (Italian but internationally renowned): Pippo Marani. He uses THOKs E-Bikes to move around the slopes.
Summer Cycling in a Pandemic
It’s summer, but it’s not really summer. Yes, the sun is high and warm, but we simply can’t enjoy it in the way that we want to. Our writers were supposed to be competing in and writing about the legendary Trans Alp mountain bike race this year - but covid travel restrictions put paid to it.
New Ordnance Survey Mapping
We're changing how we share Ordnance Survey mapping of our routes. From August 2021 there'll be far more mapping options available to you, and the ability to do 'fly throughs'.
Read about the reaons and benefits here.
Read about the reaons and benefits here.
Camelbak Mule Pro 14 Backpack
There are so many options for biking backpacks these days. However, Camelbak have revisited the classic Mule pack, and they've created something rather special. We took a close look at it over spring and early summer.
Elite Tuo – Summer Rescue
Summer cycling can hit and miss due to the unexpected weather. Thankfully Elite have developed interactive trainers like the TUO that aren't too concerned about the rain. Using the Elite 'My E-Training' app with the TUO, you can cycle around the world when heavy sorms and showers stop your outside fun.
Triathlon Training – Brick Workouts
Training for 2 disciplines back to back - brick training. It'stough but worthwhile, and triathlon coach Nadezhda guides you through the process with this great article.
DS Pro Dainty Blue Bib Shorts for Women
The dainty cycling shorts from dynamic young brand DS Pro are designed just for women, like everything from this stylish company. They’re the newest and hottest trends in town and look fantastic.
DS Pro Nana Blue and Black Ladies Jersey
Looking good and feeling good on the bike is important - especially to women athletes.Thankfully, DS Pro know this and their latest jerseys are designed with performance and style at their heart. Time to take a look at this chic Nana jersey deisgn then...
TRR Pro Advanced Collagen
As we get older,it seems to take longer to get over injury issues and back to training. I eat a healthy diet and I look after myself; but now I find myself looking for something else to help get back to training quicker and stay fresh for longer. Step in TRR Nutrition.
Elite Bio Green Bottles
It gives me great pleasure to ride a bike in the forest, to hear the birds chirping, to enjoy the landscapes and to see other creatures which live in the wilderness.
Thankfully, we have lots of wild and remote and very beautiful paces here in Transylvania and Romania. It’s very important to treat nature as if it were our home; to keep it clean, to take care of it and not to exploit it.
Thankfully, we have lots of wild and remote and very beautiful paces here in Transylvania and Romania. It’s very important to treat nature as if it were our home; to keep it clean, to take care of it and not to exploit it.
RH+ Ladies Elite Shorts
If you're looking for a strap free short that stays firmly in place, then these stylish performance shorts from RH+ could be the right fit for you. They're a comfortable, high performance short, with typical Italian styling.
RH+ Venere Ladies Jersey
RH+ are a stylish Italian brand across numerous sports. This summer, Diane and the team are looking at their latest designs. Here's their stylish Venere performance jersey for women, tested by Diane in the South of France sun.
Elite Summer Performance
As we reach the middle of the year, Larisa and Robert write about how their use of the Elite interactive trainers has prepared them and ensured that they've got early season smiles on the long cycling miles.
Biehler Signature Ladies Bib Shorts
Stylish performance bib shorts from German brand Biehler ,tested in the South of France by Diane - are these shorts as good as they look - read on and find out 🙂
Biehler Supreme Cycling Jersey
Biehler like to design modern cycle clothing that also perfroms at the highest level. Riding in the south of France is uncompromising, with steep hills and a hot sun, so kit needs to work well. And, as a women, it also needs to look good - so let's take a look 😉
Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast
Here’s the first of a series of healthy recipes from our Health & Fitness editor Nadezhda. It’ll get you firing on all cylinders and performing at your best all day long. Nutrition is a key element of any training plan, and these recipes from Nadezhda will help you to create your own nutrition routine.
Richmond Park to Chichester Cycle Route
How about a cycling route that takes you from London, through the Surrey and Sussex hills, with the South Downs waiting for you,as you approach historic Chichester.
This is an excellent route for a two day trip into the hills, using Chichester as an overnight halt.
This is an excellent route for a two day trip into the hills, using Chichester as an overnight halt.
DS Pro Floral Bliss Skinsuit
It's time to look at skinsuits, with the new Floral Bliss design by ladies only brand, DS Pro. This high end performance brand from Florida design kit that makes you look as good as you feel. Read Nadezhda's thoughts on this body hugging cycling suit.
Achieving Your Best Time Trail Race
A time trial is racing at its most basic level, with just you, your bike, and the time to contend with. It tests the cyclist’s and machine’s ability against the clock.
A time trial bicycle (TT bike) has a shorter wheelbase, more aerodynamic, places the rider nearer towards the front of the bike in aero position. Besides, it can have solid disk wheels. It comes with some complexity and you need to know the tricks to ride a faster time trial.
A time trial bicycle (TT bike) has a shorter wheelbase, more aerodynamic, places the rider nearer towards the front of the bike in aero position. Besides, it can have solid disk wheels. It comes with some complexity and you need to know the tricks to ride a faster time trial.
How to increase your FTP on the bike
I want to talk with you about performance - how to increase power and performance. Cycling performance depends on increasing the Functional Threshold Power, also known as FTP. If you are wondering what is FTP and how to increase it, read on to learn more. Nadezhda 🙂
Around Fertainu Peak – Romania
Take a trip with Larisa Chinces, into the beautiful forested hills and mountains in the west of Romania and Transylvania
Diane Vilarem Mont Ventoux Gallery
Mont Ventoux is one of the worlds great routes for cyclists. Take a look at Diane's ride up this legendary mountain in France.
Tour des Combins
Take on this classic bike packing tour in the Alps. If you're after a real adventure, then this could be for you. There's some bike hike along the way, but the rewards are epic.
Spring Into Action with Elite
It's spring and Larisa as making the most of the weeks since she started using the Elite Nero rollers and Direto XR interactive trainer. How has it benefited this multi sports athlete -let's find out 😉
Cleat Wear
When was the last time you checked the state of your cleats or even fitted new cleats? What is your criteria for deciding to change your cleats or the pedals? With the forces being driven through the pedals and the constant movement from the lateral float, cleats and pedals are an area which are susceptible to significant wear depending on distances ridden, intensity and trail conditions.
The Jeroboam Franciacorta 300km
The Jeroboam Franciacorta 300km is Beauty and the Beast, gravel riding redefined between the shores of lake Iseo and Lake Garda. Spectacular riding and views awaited us, but not without earning them via some hefty climbing.
Renew Not Replace – Bike Love
I’m going to take you down memory lane; to that time when you stood outside of the bike shop on the way to school and you looked at the shiny new bike, with your nose pressed to the window. I was reminded of this a few years ago at Velo Follies in Flanders, looking at a youngster eyeing up the new bike helmets on show. The truth is that we’re all kids at heart, and whatever the technical data or artistic sales description, the colour and look of the bike is still one of the key factors.
Top 5 Traits of Thriving Endurance Athletes
The success of endurance athletes is not measured by how fast they achieve something. It is about the commitment of doing something that they set their minds to do. This definition of their success is encapsulated in the say-do gap, which refers to the space between what athletes say they will do and its potential result.
Mandy Marquardt Interview
As part of her series on inspiring women athletes, Nadezhda interviewed Mandy Marquardt,from the USA Track Team. Mandy Marquardt is a professional track sprint cyclist racing for Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team and for the USA Cycling National Team. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 16.
Looking After Your Female Body
Enjoy the strength and beauty of your youth. As long as life is not pleasant to us, it passes. In 20 years, you will look at your photos with a feeling that you do not understand now. How many possibilities were open to you and how amazing you really looked.
Nadezhda Pavlova
Nadezhda Pavlova
DS Pro Chasing The Stars Cycling Kit
This dynamic brand produce stylish performance gear for women... yes, not ladies - women - allowing you to express who you are and to wear the very best performance fabrics, designed by athletes and yet remain totally feminine. Let's take a look at their latest kit, 'Chasing The Stars' and its modern and chic design.
Benefits of Indoor Cycling
We’re into month 4 of our Elite indoor training project and it’s the perfect time to examine the initial benefits and how it all fits in to the reasoning behind using an indoor trainer.
Let’s get this out of the way early then: indoor cycle training is not about avoiding cycling outdoors - quite the opposite. I’m happy to evidence this viewpoint for you.
Let’s get this out of the way early then: indoor cycle training is not about avoiding cycling outdoors - quite the opposite. I’m happy to evidence this viewpoint for you.
Winter Miles On Skis
Our team of writers are multisport athletes, and so we thought that we'd tell you what we've been doing over winter. Scott lives in beautiful Chamonix, where the snow means that he skis more that cycling during winter.
TRANSFĂGĂRĂȘAN CHALLENGE
“ I can’t describe the feeling when I’m cycling on this road, it’s something special and unique. When you are there you get amazed by the landscape and the more you climb, the tougher it gets, but it’s worth every pedal! The effort to pedal this road is really a challenge, more like a challenge with yourself."
Marcus Smith Marathon Man
Some people are just inspirational. Marcus Smith is one such person. This amazing athlete ran 30 marathons in 30 days, came back from near death and still competes. Being a good friend of Marcus, Diane decided to have a chat with Marcus and to find out more...
ALÉ Bullet WR Bib Tights
These bib tights are designed to go well with the Ale´ winter and cold weather jersey range. Thankfully, they also go well with many other jerseys and jackets from across their ranges. They’re form fitting, which means that you look great in them, and they also have good compression where needed, showing off your body and your style and allowing you to perform to your best.
DS Pro Floweral Outlines One Piece Suit
Cyclists wants to look stylish and to be confident while riding, and DS PRO has really captured this into their selection of outfits. And, as women we want and deserve to be stylish. Having examined the new DS Pro Floweral Outlines one-piece TriSuit when it arrived, it was soon time to actually put it on and get out riding into the French Maritime Alps.
Elite Jet Water Bottle
Looking across the water bottle range at Elite, we previously wrote about their award winning super lite Fly water bottle. This time we’re going to be telling you all about their Jet bottle, which takes a few of the advancements from the Fly and puts it into a more robust biodegrable bottle that’s suited for tougher riding environments.
Bike TransAlp 2021
During the Covid pandemic, sales of bikes have risen exponentially, with more and more people seeking the freedom and adventure that cycling brings. Riding our bikes takes us back to days of childhood, gives us the opportunity to explore new challenges and new places. And, if you’re looking for real adventure in spectacular surroundings in the future, then there’s only 1 Trans Alp race.
Elite Tuo Interactive Turbo Trainer
I've been using Elite Cycling's interactive home trainer 'Tuo' now for several weeks. I have to say, now that I’m further into the experience, it’s most definitely providing the levels of performance and interactivity that I had anticipated from the marketing information on the Elite Cycling website.
Alé Ladies Switch DWR Combi Jacket
New Year, new style and more fun!
The Ale´ Women’s winter jacket Switch DWR Combi looks lovely, like most of Ale’s wonderful collections, always full of bright and vivid colors, with unique designs. The one I have on test is a shade of light blue or celeste color, one of my favorites of course!
The Ale´ Women’s winter jacket Switch DWR Combi looks lovely, like most of Ale’s wonderful collections, always full of bright and vivid colors, with unique designs. The one I have on test is a shade of light blue or celeste color, one of my favorites of course!
Indoor Cycling in Winter
Winter can be beautiful. The snow falls deep and lies like a blanket. It’s super for skiing, which I love, but it means that I cannot ride outside so much. I still need to train though and I now have Elite to help me.
Selle Italia SLR Boost Lady Superflow
Saddles are important, especially to me. I don’t like it when I have to use a strange bike and the saddle is uncomfortable. I want to be comfortable on my bike, so that I can give my best performance. That means not worrying about being on a bad saddle.
Indoor Cycling – Training Through Injury
One understated benefit of interactive indoor cycle trainers, is how useful that they are when you're training through imjury. You need to ensure that you stay within performance parameters, and the data that you get from the 'My E-Training' app allows you to focus and to work at the right level. Robert writes about how Elite are helping him through such a period of injury.
Cherie Pridham Interview – Talking with friends
From being a pro cyclist to the first-ever female director in the men’s WorldTour with Israel Start-Up Nation (ISN), Cherie Pridham is here to make history.
It is only right to have female sports directors at Women's WorldTour, but this is the first time a woman leads a male-dominated peloton. Because of this, Cherie has been receiving lots of attention from the people in the cycling world.
It is only right to have female sports directors at Women's WorldTour, but this is the first time a woman leads a male-dominated peloton. Because of this, Cherie has been receiving lots of attention from the people in the cycling world.
Col de Turini from Nice
The Col de Turini is a classic route in the hills close to Nice. It's featured on the Tour de France and is a favourite formany locals riders. Read Diane's account,as she chooses this as her first ever mountain col cycle route.
Elite Fly Water Bottles
Elite Cycling from Italy don’t just make great indoor cycle trainers. They also make the most technologically researched water bottles for cyclists. We thought that we’d take a look at this critical item of cycling kit.
Art From Bike Parts
What do you do with old bikes and old bike parts? Keith fromthe north of England uses them to create awesome pieces of art, personalised for his growing customers. We loved his work so much, that we thought you'd love it too. Take a look at what can be achieved in an environmentally way to recycle metal.
Atlas Mountain Race Part 3
It's the final stages of the Atlas Mountain Race in the heat of Morocco. Scott and Mitch have adjusted well, but the riding is tough, thankfully through epic scenery. Follow their riding as they complete one of the toughest bikepacking adventures.
Atlas Mountain Race Part 2
The Cascade de Tizgui sounded idyllic for an early morning food stop, but the river was a trickle and the café not yet open! A few of us had come together by this point, all looking forward to the momentary pause. The way out was a steep hike-a-bike up the access steps, arms feeling almost useless at lugging the loaded bike after days on the trail.
Atlas Mountain Race
From mountain passes to the sea, following a route far from the tourist trail, discovering the more remote parts of Morocco’s backcountry. The Atlas Mountain Race resonates all the creativity of the minds behind the now infamous Silk Road Mountain Race. As with the SRMR, wise planning and a sense of being able to deal with remote riding would count just as much as physical ability, although the temperatures turned out to be warmer than predicted - a nice bonus.
Fitness with Gina V
We want to help our readers in their all around fitness and health. Gina V is the ideal person to guide you on the road to being healthier and fitter. Follow her short workouts and gym tips as you become the best version of yourself.
Elite Nero Rollers Introduction
Larisa is currently testing the Elite Nero interactive rollers and by all accounts they're awesome. Read her first thoughts on riding these high end technology packed rollers from this leading Italian brand.
Elastic Interface Ladies Chamois Pad
Did you know that women have a greater spectrum of bottom shapes and structures than men, it’s true. Elastic Interface have researched this, partnering with the Department of Biomedical Science at the University of Padua, Italy. After developing their First Ladies specific pads, Elastic Interface listened to the feedback and wanted to improve things, and so looked towards the scientists in order to better understand female cyclists bottoms.
Rudy Von Berg Triathlete Interview
Rudy Von Berg is one of the best triathletes in the world. Triathletes know that adding something special to training can you give you an edge, and so Diane takes Rudy on a Yoga journey and interviews him about his triathlon life.
Indoor Cycling – Not Hibernating
Indoor cycling isn't about hibernation. Instead, it's all about developing your performance to be better equipped to tackle those hills outside, bringing you more smiles when the snow and ice thaws. Elite provide the very products and apps to help you to make the most of indoor cycling.
Lake District Epic
There are some days in the mountains that are truly special. Tackling the English Lake District in winter produces such days. Follow Rich Duckworth on this epic Lake District mountain bike route and take your own adventure!
Elite Suito Interactive Trainer Introduction
The Elite Suito Smart Trainer is described as an “out of the box” solution, and it really is. For all the technology and science that has clearly gone into developing this high performance indoor cycling trainer, it’s simply itself in setting up. When the parcels arrived from Italy, I was eager to get started, making room for the myriad of trainers and accessories and planning the cycle area in the bike store.
Elite Tuo Interactive Indoor Trainer
I've owned the same turbo trainer since I met Noah in the harbour one day. A huge piece of analogue iron with steel roller and a cable attached to a gearing mechanism to provide a little change in resistance. The future I thought to myself and to be honest, back then, it probably was. It has done me proud over the years but along came my Editor one day recently, lugging a heavy box from Elite Cycling. Time for an upgrade he told me and indoor cycling life has not been the same since!
Diane Vilarem – Anjaneyasana Yoga Pose
As part of our series on 'Yoga for Cyclists', a second pose I encourage you to try is Anjaneyasana which is a low lunge pose bringing many benefits such as stretching the psoas muscle, tight quads, hamstrings, groin and hips. It is also very good for opening the chest. This pose is excellent for athletes such as cyclists or runners. I suggest you practice it after every workout.
Elite Indoor Cycling Trainers
Indoor cycle trainers should help you to improve your enjoyment of cycling outdoors. Here's our initial thoughts on the latest indoor trainers from Italy in Italy.
Why should Cyclists do Yoga
So, why should cyclists do yoga?
Not only do we spend more and more time sitting (working on a computer, watching TV, driving, etc.) but, as cyclists, we tend to adopt a posture that pushes us to arch over our handlebars and move in a forward direction. This creates neck pain, shoulder and back strain and especially tight hip flexors. In addition, sitting for hours on a saddle leads to a shorter and underdeveloped psoas muscle (if you don’t know what or where your psoas muscle is located have a look at this).
Not only do we spend more and more time sitting (working on a computer, watching TV, driving, etc.) but, as cyclists, we tend to adopt a posture that pushes us to arch over our handlebars and move in a forward direction. This creates neck pain, shoulder and back strain and especially tight hip flexors. In addition, sitting for hours on a saddle leads to a shorter and underdeveloped psoas muscle (if you don’t know what or where your psoas muscle is located have a look at this).
Embracing a Positive Mindset in the Pandemic
In an ongoing global pandemic, many athletes feel frustrated, angry and overwhelmed. This is because they had greater goals for 2020, only for news of race postponement or cancellation to hit home.
Instead of looming on despair due to the compensations we had to adjust, it would be essential to have a positive mindset to keep us going in the trials of this plagued year. Read through to see how to keep alive a positive mindset.
Instead of looming on despair due to the compensations we had to adjust, it would be essential to have a positive mindset to keep us going in the trials of this plagued year. Read through to see how to keep alive a positive mindset.
Foot and Ankle Strengthening For Runners
There is the idea that a person who includes running as part of their workout also helps the feet to exercise in the process. This is a wrong assumption. In daily routines, a runner should exclusively set time for strength exercises for the foot, knee and ankle.
Strengthening exercises helps one to maintain endurance throughout the miles that they plan to run.
Strengthening exercises helps one to maintain endurance throughout the miles that they plan to run.
Elite Real World Video
Wouldn't it be good to be able to bring the outdoors indoors - not like Zwift, good as it is, but to be able to ride interactively to real world video. Welcome to Elite Real World Video, where there's a great selection of routes already uploaded, plus the ability to film your own interactive rides too.
Common Newbie Running Mistakes
Often, the most common mistake beginner runners make is too much mileage, too fast and too soon. They go from nothing to relatively high-volume training in a short period of time. They get so excited and enthused about their running that they mistakenly think more is better. The results are injuries, loss of interest, and burn-out too quickly.
Elastic Interface Palm Technology
You’ve got to hand it to Elastic Interface, literally - you really have to. This dynamic and forward thinking Italian technological fabric solution brand have done it again. I mean, how do you reinvent a cycling glove? After all, it’s just a glove isn’t it; with bits of fabric stitched together in the shape of a hand and then pads sewn into the fabric. Well, as the saying goes: ‘the past is another country - they do things differently there!’
DS Pro Blue Floral Cycling Jersey
Designed for greatness, both in performance and how you look and feel,this long sleeve cycling jersey is for women only and it’s a technical performance orientated garment that will give you everything you ever want and more from a cycling jersey.
Taking a break from training
It’s lockdown again, although due to circumstances I didn’t really leave it earlier. With a wife working at the hospital, elderly parents-in-law and kids at university I had to stay safe, to semi-isolate. Thankfully I’m a solitary person, but at times it’s been demotivating. I need to refocus and the rollers are an excellent way to achieve this.
Nadezhda Pavlova Lifestyle
Having Nadezhda on the team allows us to bring the very best traithlon training advice and fitness training tips to you, using her internationally recognised triathlon coaching skills and her wealth of knowledge as a competing triathlete.
Tim Don Road to Outlaw X
'The Road to Outlaw' provides a looking glass insight into the life of an elite athlete during the Covid 19 pandemic. The ups and downs, cancelled races, complications of lockdown home life and how Tim managed to stay focused to build up to the famous 70.3 distance triathlon at Outlaw X.
Elastic Interface Chamois Pad
Are you sitting comfortably? It’s an interesting question, especially for a cyclist. Far too often cyclistssimply choose their bib shorts based on design or the feel and compression of the Lycra, without considering the cycle chamois pad itself. And yet, when we think about it, the pad is the most important choice.
Elite Indoor Cycle Training
I like a challenge - I’m still a competitor at heart. But the distance involved in travelling to practice and, the onset of colder weather means my training has to be adapted. Yes, I can go out into the smaller hills in my local National Park, the Dales. They’re truly beautiful, but the winter is coming. Yesterday we had snow! My wife’s parents sent a picture of it.
Yes, I’ll be back onto the rollers again I guess, spinning away and wiping away the sweat, as I try to retain my legs in readiness for spring or a crisp winter day. It won’t give me the strength though, just the stamina, which as a former distance athlete God or my parents already gave me.
Yes, I’ll be back onto the rollers again I guess, spinning away and wiping away the sweat, as I try to retain my legs in readiness for spring or a crisp winter day. It won’t give me the strength though, just the stamina, which as a former distance athlete God or my parents already gave me.
Capoliveri Legend Cup
Yesterday’s journey to my first crack at a UCI Marathon Series started about fifteen years ago, after seeing Miguel Martinez solo to a marathon win on Eurosport, having ditched his punctured back tyre and ‘rimming it’ from about 5km out. I’d been an armchair fan of Cape Epic and loved the footage of the dust covered athletes racing MTB’s in dramatic landscapes. I’m in my fifties. I still want to be that man. Tragic I know.
Voom Energy Bars
Portable, easy to eat and chew, sweet but non sticky and suuuper tasty - these are the perfect characteristics that every energy bar should have. Food is fuel. The right energy bar under the right circumstances can be crucial in a race or ride. The Voom bars are designed to provide quick energy burst during exercise, that’s why they are high in carbohydrates, which are easily digested and absorbed quickly into the bloodstream - this can be good if you are on a 3-hour bike ride or racing, and out in the mountains here in Transylvania.
Identifying Cycling Pain
Many of you are asking me about different pain issues you experience after riding a bike, such as neck pain, back pain, knee pain, hand numbness, etc. It’s hard to suggest something without seeing you, and I’m not a doctor. It may be down to an ill-fitting bike, as too often, people simply buy an off-the-peg bike and don’t have it properly sized for them. This article by Nadezhda looks at some common cycle pain issues and gives you some advice on how to avoid it.
Exercise Hydration
Sodium is a main electrolyte found in sweat and plays an important role in fluid balance in the body and in athletes' performance. Sodium loss can vary a lot between individuals and is also pretty stable within an individual too. How do you determine if you are a salty sweater and how much sodium should you consume to keep hydration levels optimized? One thing is certain, and that is the issue of correct hydration and fluid replacement for athletes, so let's examine this.
Voom Nutrition Bars
During the spring and summer of 2020 I’ve been using and testing the Voom Nutrition energy bars and their super tasty “Recovery Fudge” protein bar. Best of all, they’re more than a replacement for the Mars Bars and I’ve seen my power levels maintained on both long rides and shorter but harder rides. How can they benefit your own cycling?
Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race
Over the last thirty five years of cycle racing, I’ve often considered my peers and their contentment at riding the same disciplines, indeed the same races, year in year out. Each to their own and all that, but it’s not for me. It’s probably a Myers-Briggs personality thing. Firstly, I like new experiences; secondly, as a very average amateur athlete, I have never really found a discipline that has offered fame and fortune. Riding the same races over and over again holds little appeal.
Factor Bikes Harrogate
Factor Bikes are all about performance and technolological excellence.This young cycling brand aim high and achieve their goals, so it's no surprise that they've opened a showroom in Harrogate - the cycling centre of the UK. And, The 'Cold Bath Clubhouse' is already establishing itself as the bike place to be in town - with great coffee too!
DL Killer Cycling Shoes
To be a good cyclist, you need good shoes. This ensures that you are comfortable and able to utilize maximum power when on the bike. There are specially designed shoes to bring out the best in you!
Triathlon Final Sprint
Need a final boost in your triathlon race/at the foot of a big climb/ at the end of a run or ride? We all do at times,it's perfectly normal. You seem to have done everything, but for some reason you just feel under power. You've followed your nutrition plan, yes - but that doesn't help at this moment; so what can you do?
Altos de Letras Colombia
The longest road climb in the world is in the majestic hills of Colombia. Quite appropriate really, when you consider that this is where the best climbers come from. Let’s take a look at this amazing route and maybe inspire you to take it on.
The Mature Athlete and The Vicious Circle
Over the last thirty years I’ve raced and trained consistently. From consistent top ten finishes in the CTT British Best All-Rounder competition, through cyclocross and MTB Cross Country. Twenty to thirty starts a year on average. Under normal circumstances, I love my sport and drive home just as euphorically happy after turning myself inside out to hang onto a group in a cross race as I did to score the occasional win against the watch fifteen years ago.
Voom Nutrition for Cyclists
VOOM is a young and vibrant brand from the U.K. and it’s one that has its base firmly in endurance sports, with triathlon, fell running and cycling being sports that the brands key people participate in at a high level. There’s also some good science behind what they do, with their own scientist within the brand team. All sounds good so far then.
London Fixed Gear
I’d better open up by saying that I wasn’t on a drug crazed trip in our capital city. No, I’d simply gone down to London to spend time with our son, a photographic artist who lives in the south of the city. Yes, a man after my own heart, whose apartment is filled with bikes and bike parts, all fixed gear machines, including a folding one! He has other bikes... numerous at the family home, but London is for riding real - and that means fixed gear.
Ladies Bike Saddles Review
A bike saddle is the most personal part of your bike, and it can make all the difference in the world. That’s why getting the right saddle for road cyclists and triathletes is so important. While a good saddle is barely noticeable, the uncomfortable one will make you beyond miserable. Unless you want to make your best friend’s thigh chaff and lower parts numb, you need to find the right saddle. But what exactly does that mean?
Well, to put it simply, women-specific saddles usually have a cut-out to relieve soft tissue pressure. The use of a wider saddle helps to accommodate a woman's wider-spaced sit bones. Sit bones are the bones that make up the area in your buttocks that are the most likely to feel pressured during a ride.
Well, to put it simply, women-specific saddles usually have a cut-out to relieve soft tissue pressure. The use of a wider saddle helps to accommodate a woman's wider-spaced sit bones. Sit bones are the bones that make up the area in your buttocks that are the most likely to feel pressured during a ride.
Voom Hydration Powder
The Voom electrolyte mix aims to match what we sweat out, to replace those lost salts and to prevent cramp. A hypotonic drink with a small amount of glucose as ‘co-transport’ means faster hydration is possible when consuming both electrolytes and glucose rather than water and electrolytes or water alone. Simply drinking plain water won’t do what you need. Yes, it replaces fluid, but not the vital electrolytes.
Ladies Bike Saddles
Whether you’re viewing the rolling greens of the countryside, conquering the mountains or planning a cycle across the bustling streets, the bottom line is – your bottom is in the line. No matter what the scenery might offer, without the right saddle and perfect padding for your tush it isn’t fun and you won't be able to push as much power as possible. There’s no reason to tolerate aching muscles and pressure points when you can find a seat that goes the extra mile.
Know your body
Know your body
Cormet de Roselend France
Sitting at an altitude of 1968m the Cormet de Roselend connects Beaufort(744m) in the Beaufortain valley in the west and Bourg-Saint-Maurice(840m) in the Tarentaise Valley to the east. The climb has a rich TDF history. It was first featured in the 1979 Tour de France and ten times since. In 2019 the climb was cut from the tour as a mudslide rendered the climb impassable. It returns in 2020 for stage 18 and just happens to follow our preferred route over the Cormet!
Aeropress Coffee
I used to be a bit of a philistine when it came to coffee, coffee was just coffee and instant tasted okay. That was until I started drinking freshly ground and freshly made coffee. What a revelation and how bad instant now tastes. Far from being any kind of connoisseur, but I can now appreciate the subtle undertones of flavours in different coffees, although this has created a bit of hole for myself, demanding good coffee wherever I travel, even bikepacking.
Vitamin D Deficiency In Sport
Vitamin D is vital for growth and maintenance of the bone and in regulation of electrolyte metabolism, protein synthesis, gene expression, and immune function - lots of important things for athletes. These vital functions are essential for all individuals, and they're especially so for the elite and recreational athlete.
A few thoughts on bikefitting
Riding a bike seems a simple process. However, it's not until we start to look at the technical aspects, that we can really begin to reap the full benefits. Steve took a reluctant trip for bike fit and came back a changed rider... with lots of bikes to change too 😉
Bowland Badass Cycling Route
The Bowland Badass, whilst starting in the quiet village of Garstang, is an epic 167 mile road cycling route in Lancashire and Yorkshire, with a series of epic and tough climbs. It was run as a sportive, and we've included the route here, so that you can ride it yourself at any time, either in a one day adventure, or as a cycle tour over a weekend.
Girls Rule Cycling Kit
Designed For Cycling design and produce high technicity and high performance ladies cycling clothing. They also design the most chic and stylish cycling kit for ladies, and their Girls Rule range is typical of this high end ladies cycling kit brand
London to Telegraph Hill
Telegraph Hill in London is a secret viewpoint with one of the very best views over the city. Take a cycle ride from Central London, along the Southbank to this amazing small park.
Guide to Nutrition Basics
Nutrionist Ana, has produced an easy to understand basic guide to nutrition, which you can read as an emagazine below. If you have any cycling nutrition questions simply send us a message via our contact page.
Take a look below at Ana’s simple recipe guide for cyclists, with useful information on food types and their benefits.
TAKE A BIKECATION VACATION
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Pedalnorth Website2021-06-17 08:21:132021-06-22 11:26:36Biehler Supreme Cycling JerseyHealth and Lifestyle
Health & Lifestyle
Cyclists are people who are interested in a healthy lifestyle, often participating in several sports and activities. Watching what we eat, how we train, and taking an interest in our overall health is increasingly popular. Indoor spin classes are popular all over the world, and the computer age has led to ‘Fit Bits’ being worn on the wrist, helping to provide data on how we’re doing throughout the day.
Ladies cycling is also the fastest Area of cycling globally, and it’s time for a website to focus on being the best ladies cycling website, with articles and blogs that interest and support ladies cycling and the interests of women who cycle.
Nadezhda’s Blog
Building on the vast knowledge of our team members, we want to bring you even more great advice and information on how our writers manage their health and lifestyle, so that you can benefit in your own cycling lifestyle. Ladies cycling websites are few and together with Diane, Larisa and Nadezhda and the rest of the team, we’ll bring you articles specifically aimed at supporting ladies cycling, and in doing so become the most representative ladies cycling website globally.
Nadezhda moves on up to deputy editor to our executive editor, with the main Health & Fitness portfolio. Allowing us to give a wider and stronger forcus on both Triathlon and Health, Diane will be a key leader in this new team, as our new Lifestyle editor, bringing in her expertise as a Yoga teacher and fitness orientated cyclist.
We’ll be producing several articles, blogs and recipes, focusing on this critical area of modern life … on and off the bike. Take a look below at the informative articles from Diane and our team of athletes.
Signs and Symptons of Overtraining in Triathlon
Lenzerheide to Arosa and Chur MTB Route
Lenzerheide and Arosa is the ultimate venue for mountainbikers. The two valley sides of Lenzerheide, 'Red Peak' and 'Western Summits', as well as the foothills to the north and south are the real trail paradise for mountainbikers to visit from all over the world.
Lore One 3D Cycling Shoe
The LOREOne performance cycling shoe looks across all aspects of how the foot works, and how each aspect of the foot can differ in structure and use for various people. Rather than following the traditional footwear design, LORE scan the foot and produce an exact wrapped LORE shoe, encased in carbon, which according to their pre-production research and testing maximises performance and power outputs.
Furka Pass Cycling Route
Sean Connery took to these roads in the classic Bond Movie 'Goldfinger', and now you too can, as you ride through spectacular scenery and enjoy the breathtaking mountain roads of Switzerland.
Trail building the ELECTRIC SNAKE for Val di Sole World Championships
The UCI MTB 2021 World Championships will be held in Val di Sole from 25 to 29 August. But how is a world cup track created? Who is a trail builder and how does one become one? THOK E-Bikes asked a real guru (Italian but internationally renowned): Pippo Marani. He uses THOKs E-Bikes to move around the slopes.
Summer Cycling in a Pandemic
It’s summer, but it’s not really summer. Yes, the sun is high and warm, but we simply can’t enjoy it in the way that we want to. Our writers were supposed to be competing in and writing about the legendary Trans Alp mountain bike race this year - but covid travel restrictions put paid to it.
New Ordnance Survey Mapping
We're changing how we share Ordnance Survey mapping of our routes. From August 2021 there'll be far more mapping options available to you, and the ability to do 'fly throughs'.
Read about the reaons and benefits here.
Read about the reaons and benefits here.
Camelbak Mule Pro 14 Backpack
There are so many options for biking backpacks these days. However, Camelbak have revisited the classic Mule pack, and they've created something rather special. We took a close look at it over spring and early summer.
Elite Tuo – Summer Rescue
Summer cycling can hit and miss due to the unexpected weather. Thankfully Elite have developed interactive trainers like the TUO that aren't too concerned about the rain. Using the Elite 'My E-Training' app with the TUO, you can cycle around the world when heavy sorms and showers stop your outside fun.
Triathlon Training – Brick Workouts
Training for 2 disciplines back to back - brick training. It'stough but worthwhile, and triathlon coach Nadezhda guides you through the process with this great article.
DS Pro Dainty Blue Bib Shorts for Women
The dainty cycling shorts from dynamic young brand DS Pro are designed just for women, like everything from this stylish company. They’re the newest and hottest trends in town and look fantastic.
DS Pro Nana Blue and Black Ladies Jersey
Looking good and feeling good on the bike is important - especially to women athletes.Thankfully, DS Pro know this and their latest jerseys are designed with performance and style at their heart. Time to take a look at this chic Nana jersey deisgn then...
TRR Pro Advanced Collagen
As we get older,it seems to take longer to get over injury issues and back to training. I eat a healthy diet and I look after myself; but now I find myself looking for something else to help get back to training quicker and stay fresh for longer. Step in TRR Nutrition.
Elite Bio Green Bottles
It gives me great pleasure to ride a bike in the forest, to hear the birds chirping, to enjoy the landscapes and to see other creatures which live in the wilderness.
Thankfully, we have lots of wild and remote and very beautiful paces here in Transylvania and Romania. It’s very important to treat nature as if it were our home; to keep it clean, to take care of it and not to exploit it.
Thankfully, we have lots of wild and remote and very beautiful paces here in Transylvania and Romania. It’s very important to treat nature as if it were our home; to keep it clean, to take care of it and not to exploit it.
RH+ Ladies Elite Shorts
If you're looking for a strap free short that stays firmly in place, then these stylish performance shorts from RH+ could be the right fit for you. They're a comfortable, high performance short, with typical Italian styling.
RH+ Venere Ladies Jersey
RH+ are a stylish Italian brand across numerous sports. This summer, Diane and the team are looking at their latest designs. Here's their stylish Venere performance jersey for women, tested by Diane in the South of France sun.
Elite Summer Performance
As we reach the middle of the year, Larisa and Robert write about how their use of the Elite interactive trainers has prepared them and ensured that they've got early season smiles on the long cycling miles.
Biehler Signature Ladies Bib Shorts
Stylish performance bib shorts from German brand Biehler ,tested in the South of France by Diane - are these shorts as good as they look - read on and find out 🙂
Biehler Supreme Cycling Jersey
Biehler like to design modern cycle clothing that also perfroms at the highest level. Riding in the south of France is uncompromising, with steep hills and a hot sun, so kit needs to work well. And, as a women, it also needs to look good - so let's take a look 😉
Healthy Oatmeal Breakfast
Here’s the first of a series of healthy recipes from our Health & Fitness editor Nadezhda. It’ll get you firing on all cylinders and performing at your best all day long. Nutrition is a key element of any training plan, and these recipes from Nadezhda will help you to create your own nutrition routine.
Richmond Park to Chichester Cycle Route
How about a cycling route that takes you from London, through the Surrey and Sussex hills, with the South Downs waiting for you,as you approach historic Chichester.
This is an excellent route for a two day trip into the hills, using Chichester as an overnight halt.
This is an excellent route for a two day trip into the hills, using Chichester as an overnight halt.
DS Pro Floral Bliss Skinsuit
It's time to look at skinsuits, with the new Floral Bliss design by ladies only brand, DS Pro. This high end performance brand from Florida design kit that makes you look as good as you feel. Read Nadezhda's thoughts on this body hugging cycling suit.
Achieving Your Best Time Trail Race
A time trial is racing at its most basic level, with just you, your bike, and the time to contend with. It tests the cyclist’s and machine’s ability against the clock.
A time trial bicycle (TT bike) has a shorter wheelbase, more aerodynamic, places the rider nearer towards the front of the bike in aero position. Besides, it can have solid disk wheels. It comes with some complexity and you need to know the tricks to ride a faster time trial.
A time trial bicycle (TT bike) has a shorter wheelbase, more aerodynamic, places the rider nearer towards the front of the bike in aero position. Besides, it can have solid disk wheels. It comes with some complexity and you need to know the tricks to ride a faster time trial.
How to increase your FTP on the bike
I want to talk with you about performance - how to increase power and performance. Cycling performance depends on increasing the Functional Threshold Power, also known as FTP. If you are wondering what is FTP and how to increase it, read on to learn more. Nadezhda 🙂
Around Fertainu Peak – Romania
Take a trip with Larisa Chinces, into the beautiful forested hills and mountains in the west of Romania and Transylvania
Diane Vilarem Mont Ventoux Gallery
Mont Ventoux is one of the worlds great routes for cyclists. Take a look at Diane's ride up this legendary mountain in France.
Tour des Combins
Take on this classic bike packing tour in the Alps. If you're after a real adventure, then this could be for you. There's some bike hike along the way, but the rewards are epic.
Spring Into Action with Elite
It's spring and Larisa as making the most of the weeks since she started using the Elite Nero rollers and Direto XR interactive trainer. How has it benefited this multi sports athlete -let's find out 😉
Cleat Wear
When was the last time you checked the state of your cleats or even fitted new cleats? What is your criteria for deciding to change your cleats or the pedals? With the forces being driven through the pedals and the constant movement from the lateral float, cleats and pedals are an area which are susceptible to significant wear depending on distances ridden, intensity and trail conditions.
The Jeroboam Franciacorta 300km
The Jeroboam Franciacorta 300km is Beauty and the Beast, gravel riding redefined between the shores of lake Iseo and Lake Garda. Spectacular riding and views awaited us, but not without earning them via some hefty climbing.
Renew Not Replace – Bike Love
I’m going to take you down memory lane; to that time when you stood outside of the bike shop on the way to school and you looked at the shiny new bike, with your nose pressed to the window. I was reminded of this a few years ago at Velo Follies in Flanders, looking at a youngster eyeing up the new bike helmets on show. The truth is that we’re all kids at heart, and whatever the technical data or artistic sales description, the colour and look of the bike is still one of the key factors.
Top 5 Traits of Thriving Endurance Athletes
The success of endurance athletes is not measured by how fast they achieve something. It is about the commitment of doing something that they set their minds to do. This definition of their success is encapsulated in the say-do gap, which refers to the space between what athletes say they will do and its potential result.
Mandy Marquardt Interview
As part of her series on inspiring women athletes, Nadezhda interviewed Mandy Marquardt,from the USA Track Team. Mandy Marquardt is a professional track sprint cyclist racing for Team Novo Nordisk, the world’s first all-diabetes professional cycling team and for the USA Cycling National Team. She was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of 16.
Looking After Your Female Body
Enjoy the strength and beauty of your youth. As long as life is not pleasant to us, it passes. In 20 years, you will look at your photos with a feeling that you do not understand now. How many possibilities were open to you and how amazing you really looked.
Nadezhda Pavlova
Nadezhda Pavlova
DS Pro Chasing The Stars Cycling Kit
This dynamic brand produce stylish performance gear for women... yes, not ladies - women - allowing you to express who you are and to wear the very best performance fabrics, designed by athletes and yet remain totally feminine. Let's take a look at their latest kit, 'Chasing The Stars' and its modern and chic design.
Benefits of Indoor Cycling
We’re into month 4 of our Elite indoor training project and it’s the perfect time to examine the initial benefits and how it all fits in to the reasoning behind using an indoor trainer.
Let’s get this out of the way early then: indoor cycle training is not about avoiding cycling outdoors - quite the opposite. I’m happy to evidence this viewpoint for you.
Let’s get this out of the way early then: indoor cycle training is not about avoiding cycling outdoors - quite the opposite. I’m happy to evidence this viewpoint for you.
Winter Miles On Skis
Our team of writers are multisport athletes, and so we thought that we'd tell you what we've been doing over winter. Scott lives in beautiful Chamonix, where the snow means that he skis more that cycling during winter.
TRANSFĂGĂRĂȘAN CHALLENGE
“ I can’t describe the feeling when I’m cycling on this road, it’s something special and unique. When you are there you get amazed by the landscape and the more you climb, the tougher it gets, but it’s worth every pedal! The effort to pedal this road is really a challenge, more like a challenge with yourself."
Marcus Smith Marathon Man
Some people are just inspirational. Marcus Smith is one such person. This amazing athlete ran 30 marathons in 30 days, came back from near death and still competes. Being a good friend of Marcus, Diane decided to have a chat with Marcus and to find out more...
ALÉ Bullet WR Bib Tights
These bib tights are designed to go well with the Ale´ winter and cold weather jersey range. Thankfully, they also go well with many other jerseys and jackets from across their ranges. They’re form fitting, which means that you look great in them, and they also have good compression where needed, showing off your body and your style and allowing you to perform to your best.
DS Pro Floweral Outlines One Piece Suit
Cyclists wants to look stylish and to be confident while riding, and DS PRO has really captured this into their selection of outfits. And, as women we want and deserve to be stylish. Having examined the new DS Pro Floweral Outlines one-piece TriSuit when it arrived, it was soon time to actually put it on and get out riding into the French Maritime Alps.
Elite Jet Water Bottle
Looking across the water bottle range at Elite, we previously wrote about their award winning super lite Fly water bottle. This time we’re going to be telling you all about their Jet bottle, which takes a few of the advancements from the Fly and puts it into a more robust biodegrable bottle that’s suited for tougher riding environments.
Bike TransAlp 2021
During the Covid pandemic, sales of bikes have risen exponentially, with more and more people seeking the freedom and adventure that cycling brings. Riding our bikes takes us back to days of childhood, gives us the opportunity to explore new challenges and new places. And, if you’re looking for real adventure in spectacular surroundings in the future, then there’s only 1 Trans Alp race.
Elite Tuo Interactive Turbo Trainer
I've been using Elite Cycling's interactive home trainer 'Tuo' now for several weeks. I have to say, now that I’m further into the experience, it’s most definitely providing the levels of performance and interactivity that I had anticipated from the marketing information on the Elite Cycling website.
Alé Ladies Switch DWR Combi Jacket
New Year, new style and more fun!
The Ale´ Women’s winter jacket Switch DWR Combi looks lovely, like most of Ale’s wonderful collections, always full of bright and vivid colors, with unique designs. The one I have on test is a shade of light blue or celeste color, one of my favorites of course!
The Ale´ Women’s winter jacket Switch DWR Combi looks lovely, like most of Ale’s wonderful collections, always full of bright and vivid colors, with unique designs. The one I have on test is a shade of light blue or celeste color, one of my favorites of course!
Indoor Cycling in Winter
Winter can be beautiful. The snow falls deep and lies like a blanket. It’s super for skiing, which I love, but it means that I cannot ride outside so much. I still need to train though and I now have Elite to help me.
Selle Italia SLR Boost Lady Superflow
Saddles are important, especially to me. I don’t like it when I have to use a strange bike and the saddle is uncomfortable. I want to be comfortable on my bike, so that I can give my best performance. That means not worrying about being on a bad saddle.
Indoor Cycling – Training Through Injury
One understated benefit of interactive indoor cycle trainers, is how useful that they are when you're training through imjury. You need to ensure that you stay within performance parameters, and the data that you get from the 'My E-Training' app allows you to focus and to work at the right level. Robert writes about how Elite are helping him through such a period of injury.
Cherie Pridham Interview – Talking with friends
From being a pro cyclist to the first-ever female director in the men’s WorldTour with Israel Start-Up Nation (ISN), Cherie Pridham is here to make history.
It is only right to have female sports directors at Women's WorldTour, but this is the first time a woman leads a male-dominated peloton. Because of this, Cherie has been receiving lots of attention from the people in the cycling world.
It is only right to have female sports directors at Women's WorldTour, but this is the first time a woman leads a male-dominated peloton. Because of this, Cherie has been receiving lots of attention from the people in the cycling world.
Col de Turini from Nice
The Col de Turini is a classic route in the hills close to Nice. It's featured on the Tour de France and is a favourite formany locals riders. Read Diane's account,as she chooses this as her first ever mountain col cycle route.
Elite Fly Water Bottles
Elite Cycling from Italy don’t just make great indoor cycle trainers. They also make the most technologically researched water bottles for cyclists. We thought that we’d take a look at this critical item of cycling kit.
Art From Bike Parts
What do you do with old bikes and old bike parts? Keith fromthe north of England uses them to create awesome pieces of art, personalised for his growing customers. We loved his work so much, that we thought you'd love it too. Take a look at what can be achieved in an environmentally way to recycle metal.
Atlas Mountain Race Part 3
It's the final stages of the Atlas Mountain Race in the heat of Morocco. Scott and Mitch have adjusted well, but the riding is tough, thankfully through epic scenery. Follow their riding as they complete one of the toughest bikepacking adventures.
Atlas Mountain Race Part 2
The Cascade de Tizgui sounded idyllic for an early morning food stop, but the river was a trickle and the café not yet open! A few of us had come together by this point, all looking forward to the momentary pause. The way out was a steep hike-a-bike up the access steps, arms feeling almost useless at lugging the loaded bike after days on the trail.
Atlas Mountain Race
From mountain passes to the sea, following a route far from the tourist trail, discovering the more remote parts of Morocco’s backcountry. The Atlas Mountain Race resonates all the creativity of the minds behind the now infamous Silk Road Mountain Race. As with the SRMR, wise planning and a sense of being able to deal with remote riding would count just as much as physical ability, although the temperatures turned out to be warmer than predicted - a nice bonus.
Fitness with Gina V
We want to help our readers in their all around fitness and health. Gina V is the ideal person to guide you on the road to being healthier and fitter. Follow her short workouts and gym tips as you become the best version of yourself.
Elite Nero Rollers Introduction
Larisa is currently testing the Elite Nero interactive rollers and by all accounts they're awesome. Read her first thoughts on riding these high end technology packed rollers from this leading Italian brand.
Elastic Interface Ladies Chamois Pad
Did you know that women have a greater spectrum of bottom shapes and structures than men, it’s true. Elastic Interface have researched this, partnering with the Department of Biomedical Science at the University of Padua, Italy. After developing their First Ladies specific pads, Elastic Interface listened to the feedback and wanted to improve things, and so looked towards the scientists in order to better understand female cyclists bottoms.
Rudy Von Berg Triathlete Interview
Rudy Von Berg is one of the best triathletes in the world. Triathletes know that adding something special to training can you give you an edge, and so Diane takes Rudy on a Yoga journey and interviews him about his triathlon life.
Indoor Cycling – Not Hibernating
Indoor cycling isn't about hibernation. Instead, it's all about developing your performance to be better equipped to tackle those hills outside, bringing you more smiles when the snow and ice thaws. Elite provide the very products and apps to help you to make the most of indoor cycling.
Lake District Epic
There are some days in the mountains that are truly special. Tackling the English Lake District in winter produces such days. Follow Rich Duckworth on this epic Lake District mountain bike route and take your own adventure!
Elite Suito Interactive Trainer Introduction
The Elite Suito Smart Trainer is described as an “out of the box” solution, and it really is. For all the technology and science that has clearly gone into developing this high performance indoor cycling trainer, it’s simply itself in setting up. When the parcels arrived from Italy, I was eager to get started, making room for the myriad of trainers and accessories and planning the cycle area in the bike store.
Elite Tuo Interactive Indoor Trainer
I've owned the same turbo trainer since I met Noah in the harbour one day. A huge piece of analogue iron with steel roller and a cable attached to a gearing mechanism to provide a little change in resistance. The future I thought to myself and to be honest, back then, it probably was. It has done me proud over the years but along came my Editor one day recently, lugging a heavy box from Elite Cycling. Time for an upgrade he told me and indoor cycling life has not been the same since!
Diane Vilarem – Anjaneyasana Yoga Pose
As part of our series on 'Yoga for Cyclists', a second pose I encourage you to try is Anjaneyasana which is a low lunge pose bringing many benefits such as stretching the psoas muscle, tight quads, hamstrings, groin and hips. It is also very good for opening the chest. This pose is excellent for athletes such as cyclists or runners. I suggest you practice it after every workout.
Elite Indoor Cycling Trainers
Indoor cycle trainers should help you to improve your enjoyment of cycling outdoors. Here's our initial thoughts on the latest indoor trainers from Italy in Italy.
Why should Cyclists do Yoga
So, why should cyclists do yoga?
Not only do we spend more and more time sitting (working on a computer, watching TV, driving, etc.) but, as cyclists, we tend to adopt a posture that pushes us to arch over our handlebars and move in a forward direction. This creates neck pain, shoulder and back strain and especially tight hip flexors. In addition, sitting for hours on a saddle leads to a shorter and underdeveloped psoas muscle (if you don’t know what or where your psoas muscle is located have a look at this).
Not only do we spend more and more time sitting (working on a computer, watching TV, driving, etc.) but, as cyclists, we tend to adopt a posture that pushes us to arch over our handlebars and move in a forward direction. This creates neck pain, shoulder and back strain and especially tight hip flexors. In addition, sitting for hours on a saddle leads to a shorter and underdeveloped psoas muscle (if you don’t know what or where your psoas muscle is located have a look at this).
Embracing a Positive Mindset in the Pandemic
In an ongoing global pandemic, many athletes feel frustrated, angry and overwhelmed. This is because they had greater goals for 2020, only for news of race postponement or cancellation to hit home.
Instead of looming on despair due to the compensations we had to adjust, it would be essential to have a positive mindset to keep us going in the trials of this plagued year. Read through to see how to keep alive a positive mindset.
Instead of looming on despair due to the compensations we had to adjust, it would be essential to have a positive mindset to keep us going in the trials of this plagued year. Read through to see how to keep alive a positive mindset.
Foot and Ankle Strengthening For Runners
There is the idea that a person who includes running as part of their workout also helps the feet to exercise in the process. This is a wrong assumption. In daily routines, a runner should exclusively set time for strength exercises for the foot, knee and ankle.
Strengthening exercises helps one to maintain endurance throughout the miles that they plan to run.
Strengthening exercises helps one to maintain endurance throughout the miles that they plan to run.
Elite Real World Video
Wouldn't it be good to be able to bring the outdoors indoors - not like Zwift, good as it is, but to be able to ride interactively to real world video. Welcome to Elite Real World Video, where there's a great selection of routes already uploaded, plus the ability to film your own interactive rides too.
Common Newbie Running Mistakes
Often, the most common mistake beginner runners make is too much mileage, too fast and too soon. They go from nothing to relatively high-volume training in a short period of time. They get so excited and enthused about their running that they mistakenly think more is better. The results are injuries, loss of interest, and burn-out too quickly.
Elastic Interface Palm Technology
You’ve got to hand it to Elastic Interface, literally - you really have to. This dynamic and forward thinking Italian technological fabric solution brand have done it again. I mean, how do you reinvent a cycling glove? After all, it’s just a glove isn’t it; with bits of fabric stitched together in the shape of a hand and then pads sewn into the fabric. Well, as the saying goes: ‘the past is another country - they do things differently there!’
DS Pro Blue Floral Cycling Jersey
Designed for greatness, both in performance and how you look and feel,this long sleeve cycling jersey is for women only and it’s a technical performance orientated garment that will give you everything you ever want and more from a cycling jersey.
Taking a break from training
It’s lockdown again, although due to circumstances I didn’t really leave it earlier. With a wife working at the hospital, elderly parents-in-law and kids at university I had to stay safe, to semi-isolate. Thankfully I’m a solitary person, but at times it’s been demotivating. I need to refocus and the rollers are an excellent way to achieve this.
Nadezhda Pavlova Lifestyle
Having Nadezhda on the team allows us to bring the very best traithlon training advice and fitness training tips to you, using her internationally recognised triathlon coaching skills and her wealth of knowledge as a competing triathlete.
Tim Don Road to Outlaw X
'The Road to Outlaw' provides a looking glass insight into the life of an elite athlete during the Covid 19 pandemic. The ups and downs, cancelled races, complications of lockdown home life and how Tim managed to stay focused to build up to the famous 70.3 distance triathlon at Outlaw X.
Elastic Interface Chamois Pad
Are you sitting comfortably? It’s an interesting question, especially for a cyclist. Far too often cyclistssimply choose their bib shorts based on design or the feel and compression of the Lycra, without considering the cycle chamois pad itself. And yet, when we think about it, the pad is the most important choice.
Elite Indoor Cycle Training
I like a challenge - I’m still a competitor at heart. But the distance involved in travelling to practice and, the onset of colder weather means my training has to be adapted. Yes, I can go out into the smaller hills in my local National Park, the Dales. They’re truly beautiful, but the winter is coming. Yesterday we had snow! My wife’s parents sent a picture of it.
Yes, I’ll be back onto the rollers again I guess, spinning away and wiping away the sweat, as I try to retain my legs in readiness for spring or a crisp winter day. It won’t give me the strength though, just the stamina, which as a former distance athlete God or my parents already gave me.
Yes, I’ll be back onto the rollers again I guess, spinning away and wiping away the sweat, as I try to retain my legs in readiness for spring or a crisp winter day. It won’t give me the strength though, just the stamina, which as a former distance athlete God or my parents already gave me.
Capoliveri Legend Cup
Yesterday’s journey to my first crack at a UCI Marathon Series started about fifteen years ago, after seeing Miguel Martinez solo to a marathon win on Eurosport, having ditched his punctured back tyre and ‘rimming it’ from about 5km out. I’d been an armchair fan of Cape Epic and loved the footage of the dust covered athletes racing MTB’s in dramatic landscapes. I’m in my fifties. I still want to be that man. Tragic I know.
Voom Energy Bars
Portable, easy to eat and chew, sweet but non sticky and suuuper tasty - these are the perfect characteristics that every energy bar should have. Food is fuel. The right energy bar under the right circumstances can be crucial in a race or ride. The Voom bars are designed to provide quick energy burst during exercise, that’s why they are high in carbohydrates, which are easily digested and absorbed quickly into the bloodstream - this can be good if you are on a 3-hour bike ride or racing, and out in the mountains here in Transylvania.
Identifying Cycling Pain
Many of you are asking me about different pain issues you experience after riding a bike, such as neck pain, back pain, knee pain, hand numbness, etc. It’s hard to suggest something without seeing you, and I’m not a doctor. It may be down to an ill-fitting bike, as too often, people simply buy an off-the-peg bike and don’t have it properly sized for them. This article by Nadezhda looks at some common cycle pain issues and gives you some advice on how to avoid it.
Exercise Hydration
Sodium is a main electrolyte found in sweat and plays an important role in fluid balance in the body and in athletes' performance. Sodium loss can vary a lot between individuals and is also pretty stable within an individual too. How do you determine if you are a salty sweater and how much sodium should you consume to keep hydration levels optimized? One thing is certain, and that is the issue of correct hydration and fluid replacement for athletes, so let's examine this.
Voom Nutrition Bars
During the spring and summer of 2020 I’ve been using and testing the Voom Nutrition energy bars and their super tasty “Recovery Fudge” protein bar. Best of all, they’re more than a replacement for the Mars Bars and I’ve seen my power levels maintained on both long rides and shorter but harder rides. How can they benefit your own cycling?
Costa Blanca MTB Stage Race
Over the last thirty five years of cycle racing, I’ve often considered my peers and their contentment at riding the same disciplines, indeed the same races, year in year out. Each to their own and all that, but it’s not for me. It’s probably a Myers-Briggs personality thing. Firstly, I like new experiences; secondly, as a very average amateur athlete, I have never really found a discipline that has offered fame and fortune. Riding the same races over and over again holds little appeal.
Factor Bikes Harrogate
Factor Bikes are all about performance and technolological excellence.This young cycling brand aim high and achieve their goals, so it's no surprise that they've opened a showroom in Harrogate - the cycling centre of the UK. And, The 'Cold Bath Clubhouse' is already establishing itself as the bike place to be in town - with great coffee too!
DL Killer Cycling Shoes
To be a good cyclist, you need good shoes. This ensures that you are comfortable and able to utilize maximum power when on the bike. There are specially designed shoes to bring out the best in you!
Triathlon Final Sprint
Need a final boost in your triathlon race/at the foot of a big climb/ at the end of a run or ride? We all do at times,it's perfectly normal. You seem to have done everything, but for some reason you just feel under power. You've followed your nutrition plan, yes - but that doesn't help at this moment; so what can you do?
Altos de Letras Colombia
The longest road climb in the world is in the majestic hills of Colombia. Quite appropriate really, when you consider that this is where the best climbers come from. Let’s take a look at this amazing route and maybe inspire you to take it on.
The Mature Athlete and The Vicious Circle
Over the last thirty years I’ve raced and trained consistently. From consistent top ten finishes in the CTT British Best All-Rounder competition, through cyclocross and MTB Cross Country. Twenty to thirty starts a year on average. Under normal circumstances, I love my sport and drive home just as euphorically happy after turning myself inside out to hang onto a group in a cross race as I did to score the occasional win against the watch fifteen years ago.
Voom Nutrition for Cyclists
VOOM is a young and vibrant brand from the U.K. and it’s one that has its base firmly in endurance sports, with triathlon, fell running and cycling being sports that the brands key people participate in at a high level. There’s also some good science behind what they do, with their own scientist within the brand team. All sounds good so far then.
London Fixed Gear
I’d better open up by saying that I wasn’t on a drug crazed trip in our capital city. No, I’d simply gone down to London to spend time with our son, a photographic artist who lives in the south of the city. Yes, a man after my own heart, whose apartment is filled with bikes and bike parts, all fixed gear machines, including a folding one! He has other bikes... numerous at the family home, but London is for riding real - and that means fixed gear.
Ladies Bike Saddles Review
A bike saddle is the most personal part of your bike, and it can make all the difference in the world. That’s why getting the right saddle for road cyclists and triathletes is so important. While a good saddle is barely noticeable, the uncomfortable one will make you beyond miserable. Unless you want to make your best friend’s thigh chaff and lower parts numb, you need to find the right saddle. But what exactly does that mean?
Well, to put it simply, women-specific saddles usually have a cut-out to relieve soft tissue pressure. The use of a wider saddle helps to accommodate a woman's wider-spaced sit bones. Sit bones are the bones that make up the area in your buttocks that are the most likely to feel pressured during a ride.
Well, to put it simply, women-specific saddles usually have a cut-out to relieve soft tissue pressure. The use of a wider saddle helps to accommodate a woman's wider-spaced sit bones. Sit bones are the bones that make up the area in your buttocks that are the most likely to feel pressured during a ride.
Voom Hydration Powder
The Voom electrolyte mix aims to match what we sweat out, to replace those lost salts and to prevent cramp. A hypotonic drink with a small amount of glucose as ‘co-transport’ means faster hydration is possible when consuming both electrolytes and glucose rather than water and electrolytes or water alone. Simply drinking plain water won’t do what you need. Yes, it replaces fluid, but not the vital electrolytes.
Ladies Bike Saddles
Whether you’re viewing the rolling greens of the countryside, conquering the mountains or planning a cycle across the bustling streets, the bottom line is – your bottom is in the line. No matter what the scenery might offer, without the right saddle and perfect padding for your tush it isn’t fun and you won't be able to push as much power as possible. There’s no reason to tolerate aching muscles and pressure points when you can find a seat that goes the extra mile.
Know your body
Know your body
Cormet de Roselend France
Sitting at an altitude of 1968m the Cormet de Roselend connects Beaufort(744m) in the Beaufortain valley in the west and Bourg-Saint-Maurice(840m) in the Tarentaise Valley to the east. The climb has a rich TDF history. It was first featured in the 1979 Tour de France and ten times since. In 2019 the climb was cut from the tour as a mudslide rendered the climb impassable. It returns in 2020 for stage 18 and just happens to follow our preferred route over the Cormet!
Aeropress Coffee
I used to be a bit of a philistine when it came to coffee, coffee was just coffee and instant tasted okay. That was until I started drinking freshly ground and freshly made coffee. What a revelation and how bad instant now tastes. Far from being any kind of connoisseur, but I can now appreciate the subtle undertones of flavours in different coffees, although this has created a bit of hole for myself, demanding good coffee wherever I travel, even bikepacking.
Vitamin D Deficiency In Sport
Vitamin D is vital for growth and maintenance of the bone and in regulation of electrolyte metabolism, protein synthesis, gene expression, and immune function - lots of important things for athletes. These vital functions are essential for all individuals, and they're especially so for the elite and recreational athlete.
A few thoughts on bikefitting
Riding a bike seems a simple process. However, it's not until we start to look at the technical aspects, that we can really begin to reap the full benefits. Steve took a reluctant trip for bike fit and came back a changed rider... with lots of bikes to change too 😉
Bowland Badass Cycling Route
The Bowland Badass, whilst starting in the quiet village of Garstang, is an epic 167 mile road cycling route in Lancashire and Yorkshire, with a series of epic and tough climbs. It was run as a sportive, and we've included the route here, so that you can ride it yourself at any time, either in a one day adventure, or as a cycle tour over a weekend.
Girls Rule Cycling Kit
Designed For Cycling design and produce high technicity and high performance ladies cycling clothing. They also design the most chic and stylish cycling kit for ladies, and their Girls Rule range is typical of this high end ladies cycling kit brand
London to Telegraph Hill
Telegraph Hill in London is a secret viewpoint with one of the very best views over the city. Take a cycle ride from Central London, along the Southbank to this amazing small park.
Guide to Nutrition Basics
Nutrionist Ana, has produced an easy to understand basic guide to nutrition, which you can read as an emagazine below. If you have any cycling nutrition questions simply send us a message via our contact page.
Take a look below at Ana’s simple recipe guide for cyclists, with useful information on food types and their benefits.
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