As someone who has done their fair share of annoyingly long rides, I often get asked “What’s the key to being on your bike for so long?” While I don’t have all of the answers, here are some key tips that I swear by. Whether you’re getting ready for your first 20+ mile ride or gearing up for your first century, I highly recommend trying the strategies listed below.

Click Here for the Spark Notes Version

Tip #1. EAT

Fueling is crucial, especially on rides over an hour or two. Forget the complex formulas; keep it simple: have a carb-rich snack every 45-60 minutes. If you struggle with solid food, try liquid calories from drink mixes. The best snacks are the ones you enjoy and want to eat.

Tip #2: Ride at a Comfortable Pace

Unless you’re a pro or just a plain masochist, don’t try to go full speed on long rides. Instead, ride in the magical Zone Two, the sweet spot for aerobic and endurance gains. If you can chat while riding, you’re probably in the right zone. Heavy breathing? You’re going too hard.

Tip #3: Ride a Bike that Fits Well

Comfort is crucial. Joint pain or discomfort on long rides usually means your bike fit is off. A proper bike fit helps you ride more efficiently and comfortably. Professional fits can be pricey but are worth it to ride pain-free. However!! Remember that you know your body best, so if a certain measurement/ fit feels right for you, go with it even if the bike fitter says otherwise.

For those of you opting for the longer version (proud of you), let’s dive in.

Tip #1. EAT

People tend not to realize how important fueling is on the bike, especially on rides over an hour or two. While the internet can go into immense detail and offer formulas to calculate exactly how much you should be eating, I like to keep it simple and go by this simple rule for training rides: Have a carbohydrate-rich snack every 45min-60min. Rule of thumb: it’s far easier to eat too little during a ride than too much, so if you want a snack sooner than 45-60 min, have one!

What should you eat on the bike? Well, there are so many options!! There are a ton of options designed specifically for exercise such as GU gels, Honey Stinger waffles, Bonk Breakers energy bars, and more. These are great for races and when you want the most optimal cycling nutrition. However, they are more expensive than non cycling-specific alternatives. If you’re a broke college student like me or not wanting to spend as much money for training ride fuel, there are plenty of more budget friendly alternatives that do the trick. Some of my go-to favorites are fruit snacks, gummy bears, cookies, or GoGo Squeeze apple sauce pouches.

Some people struggle to get down calories during rides (I’m this way in races, it sucks), so if you fall in that boat, liquid calories from drink mixes are a great way to get the fuel you need during long rides. They also offer important electrolytes and other good stuff, so drink mix is really just good all around even if you have no problem getting down nutrition during rides. Fluid is a local company with great hydration options. Their cinnamon-vanilla recovery mix is also TO DIE FOR. Personally, my go-to race hydration mix is GU Roctane Summit Tea drink mix. It is high in calories, packed with good stuff, and has a very mellow and yummy flavor that my sensitive stomach and get down.

Tip #2: Ride at a comfortable pace

Unless you’re a pro rider, attempting a multi-hour ride at top speed most likely won’t go well. The key to riding for a long time is riding at a sustainable pace. There’s this magical thing called Zone Two, which is the optimal zone (a specific range of heart rate or power outputs that correspond to different levels of exercise intensity) for aerobic and endurance gains. If you’re riding in zone two, you should be able to maintain a conversation. If you’re breathing heavily, there’s a 99.9% chance that you are riding too hard. Zone two is the key for enjoyable and beneficial long rides.

Additional Zone Two Info

For the number geeks: If you train off heart rate data, zone one two means riding between 60 to 70 percent of your maximum heart rate. For example, if I had a max heart rate of 200 bpm, zone two for me would mean riding between 120 and 140 bpm. If you train off power meter data, you probably already know what zone two means, but here’s a link just in case. Ps. if you’re reading this and have no clue what I’m talking about, don’t sweat it… pls. Often times, the best way to enjoy things is to keep it simple.

Tip #3. Ride a bike that fits well.

Comfort is key, and joint pain/discomfort on long rides is most likely due to an improper bike fit. In addition tp helping you ride more efficiently, a properly fitted bike will help make your body comfortable and mind happy. Bike fits do cost a bit of money, but they are crucial to anyone having discomfort on the bike (discomfort meaning pain in your back, knees, arms, neck, etc). Finding a good and affordable place to get a bike fit can be tricky, but we’re in luck because Humberto at Art’s Cyclery gives great and affordable bike fits.

Rule of thumb #3: Bike fitters are incredibly knowledgeable, however, you will always be the most knowledgeable about your body and how it feels. If a certain measurement or fit feels right for you, go with it even if the bike fit says otherwise.

These tips have helped me conquer many long rides, and I hope they work for you too. Happy cycling!

The post Key Tips for Riding Further on the Bike appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

OK. It’s official. Shopping season has arrived, and Christmas has encroached. But, hey, we’re done complaining about it–cuz there are some sweet Black Friday deals coming out from Wiggle. Including a Garmin Edge 100 for $275

So we’re starting off the Holidays with Wiggle Cycling’s online weekly deals leading up to Black Friday. Each Thursday, Wiggle is launching new discounts on bicycling gear and accessories, and they generally tend to sell out rather quickly. If you’re interested in something, snap it up quickly.

I learned that the hard way. And I wasn’t even buying presents for anyone–I was just being greedy. Even in my greed I wanted to be greedier and find more discounts to stack. But, you know, the holidays are about forgiveness. So, whatever.

THE BEST ONLINE BLACK FRIDAY DEALS FROM WIGGLE CYCLING

To get full updates and a complete list of all their sale gear (including triathlon and running gear) visit Wiggle’s Black Friday sale countdown page. We’ll also try to keep this page updated each week until their massive discounts coming at the end of the month.

Smith Overtake Road Helmet

Discount: Up to 60% off | Price: Starts at $95 | Buy: Wiggle’s Website

Prime Peloton Disc Road Wheelset for 9-11 speeds

Prime Peloton Disc Road Wheelset

Discount: 37% off | Price: $157.15 | Buy:  Wiggle’s Website

Schwalbe Durano Plus Performance Folding Road Race Tires

Discount: 46% off | Price: $31.13 | Buy: Wiggle’s Website

Garmin Edge 1000 GPS Cycling Computer

Discount: 44% off | Price: $275 | Buy:  Wiggle’s Website

LifeLine Fluid TT-02 Trainer

Discount: 40% off | Price: $110 | Buy:  Wiggle’s Website

Tacx Vortex Smart Trainer

Discount: 23% off | Price: $422 | Buy:  Wiggle’s Website

Endura Pro SL Classics Jersey

Discount: Up to 50% off | Price: Starts at $114 | Buy:  Wiggle’s Website

Garmin Vector 2 S Pedal Power Meter

Discount: 24% off | Price: $588.85 | Buy:  Wiggle’s Website

The post Best Online Black Friday Deals from Wiggle Cycling appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

A spin on a classic combination of peanut butter and chocolate, I came up with this recipe by combining my favorite ingredients with the most delicious-looking recipes I could find. And then I put a unique spin on it by using sunflower butter instead of peanut butter. I was introduced to sunbutter through friends of mine with serious peanut and tree nut allergies – and now I actually prefer it over peanut butter because of its milder taste!

This recipe is also HUGELY customizable – replace the chocolate chips, almonds, and pecans with your favorite nuts, dried fruits, or baking chip flavors. Or, replace the sunbutter with peanut buttter or almond butter if you prefer! You can also try honey instead of maple syrup. BONUS: This recipe is gluten free and (with proper substitutions) can be made vegan as well!

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups Rolled Oats ($0.32)
• 1/2 cup Natural Sunbutter ($1.33)
• 3 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup ($0.66)
• 1/2 cup Slivered Almonds ($1.12)
• 1/2 cup Crushed Pecans ($1.95)
• 1/2 cup Chocolate Chips ($0.69)

Total Cost: $6.07

If you as going real budget here, the best place to cut back is by using peanut butter instead of sunbutter, and using cheaper alternatives to the almonds and pecans. Additionally, it should be noted that the prices listed for each ingredient were calculated based on the amount used from a larger package of said ingredient. In total, I spent $36.54 on ingredients including the maple syrup, but only $22.55 without. And so far, I’ve made three batches of this recipe, with plenty of chocolate chips, oats, and nearly the entire jug of maple syrup left over!

Tools:

• Large Mixing Bowl
• Spatula
• Sauce Pan
• Mixing Spoon
• ~8″x8″ pan (or just some tupperware!)
• Plastic Wrap
• Measuring cups
• Knife & cutting board (for chopping nuts and cutting bars)

Directions:

1. Toast the oats in a pan for 15 minutes at 350 degrees. Not necessary – but recommended!
2. Combine oats, almonds, pecans, and chocolate chips (or whatever your add-ins are) in a large bowl.
3. Combine sunbutter and maple syrup in a small sauce pan and heat slowly until smooth and melty. Use mixing spoon to mix it well. While it’s melting, line the bottom and sides of your pan or tupperware with plastic wrap.
4. Quickly pour sunbutter mixture over the dry ingredients in the large bowl, and using a spatula, mix to coat and melt the chocolate chips.
5. Pour the mixture into your pan or tupperware, cover the top with a sheet of plastic wrap, and pack as tightly as possible. Put a little elbow grease into it! You don’t want these falling apart in your jersey pocket.
6. Throw it in the freezer for at least 15 minutes. I like to leave mine to set for longer, but will move them to the fridge after awhile.
7. Once the slab has set, carefully slice them up into bars. If you would rather, you can also crumble the bars into granola bites! Regardless, there are always some crumbly bits that don’t stick to the bars. Don’t waste ’em, scrape them into a ziploc bag for later!

I leave it all in the fridge because I like the texture when it’s cool, but all the ingredients are shelf stable and so the bars should be fine to be kept in a sealed container non-refrigerated. Before I head out on a long ride where I know I’ll need a serious caloric bang for my buck, I wrap a bar in aluminum foil. More often, I leave it in the fridge for a post-ride refuel snack!

Macros:

The following numbers are for the whole batch – divide by the number of same-sized bars you cut it into! For instance, I usually cut these into 6 thick bars which I’ll break in half for a total of 12 small, snack-sized pieces. The number in parenthesis below is what would be in each of the 12 mini-bars.

• Calories: 2405 (200)
• Carbs: 253 g (21 g)
  • Fiber: 46 g (3.8 g)
  • Sugars: 120 g (10 g)
• Fat: 170 g (14.2 g)
• Protein: 58 g (4.8 g)

What would you put in these bars? And what would you like to see me make next? Comment below! I’m thinking rice cakes….

The post Budget Recipes: Chocolate Sunbutter Granola Energy Bars appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

A little searching at bike reviews and articles for “affordable” bikes will land you some interesting results. Apparently, affordable means spending at least $1500 but less than $2500.

That may be fine for some riders, but there are plenty of us out there who know the true meaning of “affordability.” So for all you wallet-conscious roadies out there, we’ve been building our Budget Cycling category with tons of tips and guides to getting a good deal on new and used cycling stuff.

Today, we’ve got the most requested guide for you: How to Buy a Road Bike on the Cheap.

Buying a Road Bike on a Budget

First, let’s start with a little advice on what not to buy. Any cheap Schwinn you see at Wal-Mart rolled back to any price is not worth it. Although these sub-$200 road bikes might seem tempting, you’re really not getting much value for your cash. What you will get is a cheaply made, incorrectly assembled, ultra heavy (and we’re not just being weight weenies about this), non-standard bike with parts that will be a pain to find/replace when they do break. So we’re not just being snobby when we avoid the bike aisle at Target–we’re saving money.

And yes, we’ve looked through the stock at Amazon.com, and we’re sorry to say that’s a waste of time and money too.

So the rant is done. Now what?

You’ve got a few ways to go here:

• A new, brand name bike
• An older bike you can fix up at your local bike kitchen
• A Craig’s List find.
• Discounted bikes at your LBS and respected online retailers

Also, if you’re really in the market for your first road bike and don’t quite know what you’re looking for, you might like our long-winded article with some tips for buying your first bike.

Brand Name And New

There’s nothing wrong with the low-end bikes of major manufacturers (or many low-end bikes of smaller manufacturers). Although some of the groupsets may not be as reliable, some of these are fantastic value and just plain good bikes. Here are several we like (and a couple we’ve owned ourselves). But one caveat, the prices here are the manufacturer’s suggested retail. It’s quite likely that your local bike shop will sell these for quite a bit less–especially if they’ve got last year’s model hanging around.

Giant Defy & Avail ($640)

Specialized Allez ($770)

Cannondale CAAD 8 ($870)

Bianchi Via Nirone ($850)

Those are mere ideas. All great bikes. All will get you a decent start on the road, and should last a long while. But I know what you’re saying, those are all close to $1,000! Right? Well here’s the deal. Don’t pay that price.

Definitely go to your local bike shops and see what they have. For instance, a few years back, I bought a brand new Specialized Allez at Art’s Cyclery for $500. Our editor-in-chief bought her Cannondale R500 new for $400. It can be done. Just keep the patience high.

How to Get a Great Deal on a Road Bike

1. Don’t be afraid of a classic. An old school Cannondale, Bianchi, Trek, or other quality bike that was good enough for the Tour de France 10 years ago will definitely take you a long way these days too. We’d recommend buying a bike that was once mid-range to high-end in order to get the best bang for your pedal stroke. Bikepedia.com has tons of info on all sorts of makes and models, original prices, and stock components. Before you buy any bike, do your homework first. 

Now where can you find speedy old bikes? Well, if you have a local Bike Kitchen like we do here in SLO, you’ll easily be able to grab a decent road model for around $100. You might also want to check out our classic article on why finding an older bike is actually quite a lot of fun.  But if you don’t have an organization around you like the Bike Kitchen, your next best bet will likely be places like . . . 

2. Craig’s List, which is a great place to find a used bike as long as you’re careful. In fact, we’ve put together an extensive guide on how to buy a used bike on Craig’s List (or any used bike for that matter) that should help to ensure you don’t get taken. But do remember to stay safe when dealing with strangers, and it’s usually a good idea to do a quick search at Bike Index to make sure that ride isn’t stolen.

3. Don’t be afraid to buy old stock. Just because a bike has been at your LBS for a year or more doesn’t mean it’s rotted away. Last year’s model or a demo bike can sometimes be a fantastic value. Don’t be afraid to ask the employees if they have any stock on sale–if you’re friendly and tell them you really would rather buy local than over the internet, they will often go out of their way to help.

Our local bike shop, Art’s Cyclery, has hooked us up in the past. Check out their sale bikes here, and let them know we sent ya.

4. Buying online can sometimes be a good way to go, but know who you’re buying from. If you’re shopping at an online bike shop in Connecticut, that’s great, but do your homework on them before you shell out your cash. Also, be prepared to add an extra $100 or so in shipping–and make sure you’re OK with putting back together a somewhat disassembled bike.

We are cool with online retailers like Competitive Cyclist, Chain Reaction Cycles, and Jenson USA. In fact, we’ve included some of their sale bikes below that we think are pretty decent deals (this does include some heavy markdowns that are maybe not quite as budget conscious as we’d like, but still killer deals):

So that’s our guide. We hope it helps you find a sweet ride. If you got questions or comments, let us know with a quick email or just type it below.

This article was originally published on 7-28-2015, but we did some overhauling to make it better on 9-12-2016. Why? Cuz you’re cool, and you deserve it. Also cuz we were bored.

The post How to Buy a Road Bike on the Cheap – Getting a Great Deal on Your Next Ride appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

Updated 9-7-2016!

Tony: “I found a good deal on a bike on Craig’s List, and I’m going to check it out in person, but I don’t know what I’m looking for. I am pretty sure the bike is the right size for me, but I want to make sure it’s really in good shape. How do I know whether a bike is really worth the price? How do I know if it’s been crashed, and what should I check to make sure it’s a good bike?”

Tony. Fantastic question. As one who has sold many a bike on Craig’s List, and bought more than a few with friends and family, I can hopefully offer you some good tips on this.

Once you’ve chosen the bike for you, you can check out a few important things to make certain that it hasn’t been crashed or treated carelessly. Before you do anything, you should take a look at Bicycle Blue Book for the current value of the bike you found to make sure that sweet deal really is sweet. Add in all the proper components and any wheel upgrades for a super accurate price.

Of course, taking the bike to your local shop to have the mechanic check it over for you is probably your best bet, but if you don’t feel like bothering with that you should be able to get by with the following steps.

First, don’t forget to take a few tools with you: A multitool, flashlight, and chain checker should do the trick. Plus, they’ll make you look super intimidating.

Check Out That Purty Bike’s Frame 

Before you do anything, make sure you look carefully at the bike’s frame. Inspect it in good light (better yet, use a flashlight), so you’ll be able to see any fine cracks. Look at every inch of the frame–it’s not a bad idea to take the wheels off–and if you see a crack, leave the bike. While some cracks can be repaired, it’s just easier not to have to deal with it. Not to mention that they make the bike generally unsafe to ride.

Minor scratches shouldn’t worry you too much, unless they’re rusty or over several spots on the frame. The key: avoid dents, cracks, and deep rust. While you’re at it, look at the bike from several angles to check for a bent frame–especially in the seat and chain stays. A straight frame is a cool frame.

Take care to look over the seat post and the condition of the frame at the collar–does the post wiggle or move when you twist it? Are there any stress cracks from over tightening? If so, be wary.

Components, Components, Components

Look over the saddle, derailleurs, brake hoods–OK, look at everything. If you see scuffs on the saddle, the seller likely crashed, but ask them how it happened. Often, a minor tipping over because you forgot to clip out can put major scuffing on a saddle without doing any real damage to the bike. If, however, you see chips, dings, scratches, or the like in the rear derailleur or dropouts, they likely had a much larger crash. If they still have the pedals on, check them as well to see if there are any chunks missing.

While evidence of a bigger crash might scare you away, if the frame and components are still in good working order and free of cracks or dings, you still might be interested if the price is right. But definitely ask the seller what happened. How did they crash? Did they have anything repaired on the bike? Have they ridden it many miles since then? This is really your judgment call.

Gears: 

Run the bike through all of its gears several times. If you hear any clicking, grinding, or see a lot of dirt and grime, something is likely wrong. A dirty drivetrain is a sign that the bike may not have been well cared for. Noise in the gearing or clunky shifting could be anything from a cheapy bent derailleur hanger to a costly destroyed hub.

Wheels:

Make sure, first off, that the wheels match each other. Mismatched wheels could be a sign of a crash bad enough to taco a rim. Lift the bike up and spin the wheels to make sure they’re true. Lift it off its front wheel and let the steerer swing from side to side–stay away if it stops in the center.

Spin the wheels to check for drift from side to side. While a minimal amount of movement is ok, make certain it’s in the same spot for each revolution–if it’s uneven or intermittent, the bearings are likely shot. No deal, unless you want to service them or replace a wheel very soon.

Chain:

It’s a good idea to bring along a chain checker tool like this one to see whether or not the one on the bike is worn. If it is, pay close attention to the chainrings and cassette–a worn out chain will wear out your whole drivetrain–also look for signs of shark-toothed cogs. Having to replace these could help you haggle down the price, since they are parts that you’ll need to buy new relatively often anyway.

OK, Now Ride It:

If all looks good, take it for a spin. Listen for creaking and pay attention to the way it steers. See how well it handles by weaving back and forth. Hit the brakes and make sure they work (maybe test them before you take off). Get up to speed and feel for wobble in the wheels.

If all seems good, get the bike. Revel in the glory of the good deal. And feel vindicated in your choice to buy used and keep some extra money in your wallet for things like eating regular meals and paying for your house.

One last thing: you should still definitely take it to a bike shop for a safety check, just to be safe.

Featured image by Phil Hendley

The post How to Make Sure You’re Getting a Good Deal on a Craig’s List Bike appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

There’s a specific term of endearment that my in-laws have labeled me with: Cheapskate. On a recent trip to my LBS, my husband laughed when he saw me attempting to squeeze my size-8 foot into a size 7.5 carbon Pearl Izumi shoe. It had a supple upper, super stiffness, and a sweet design. But, most importantly, red inked slashed the original price to $29.99. How could I pass that up?!

When my husband reminded me that I could also pass up untold hotspots and a general feeling of discomfort, I re-stuffed the shoe with its packing paper, set it gently back in its box, and carried the pair up to the counter.

I couldn’t ignore opportunity.

Two weeks later, I traded my $30 pair for some barely used Specialized shoes of similar quality. Sweet. But here’s another term of endearment my in-laws use for me: Germaphobe.

Hence, the reason for this article that mixes budget-friendly with freedom from bacteria.

Clean Cycling Shoes

There are two steps to getting any pair of cycling shoes clean and de-germed. First, let’s go through the general steps for removing dirt and grime from your kicks. This doesn’t just go for used shoes–you can use this method for polishing up your own pair after a ride.

Give ’em a Wash

Before you use any of these methods, you might want to remove the insoles first and wash them thoroughly. In fact, if you’re buying a used pair of cycling shoes, it’s not a bad idea to simply order replacement insoles from the manufacturer–they’ll make the whole shoe feel (and, let’s face it, smell) brand new.

Method 1: Dish Soap and a Brush

In a bucket, or sink, or tub, add some Dawn dish soap to cool water. To really get the muck off, grab a soft dish brush (preferably not one that you’ll re-use on your dishes), and gently scrub all the marks and dirt off using the soapy water.

Method 2: Toothpaste

Toothpaste works some serious wonders on all kinds of things–especially white handlebar tape–and it can do the same for your shoes. Simply squeeze out a liberal helping of toothpaste onto your brush, add a little water, and scrub in circles (this should feel familiar to you). Once you’ve scrubbed the shoe down, grab a clean towel and wipe off all of the toothpaste. In minutes, the shine should come back to your shoes.

Method 3: Magic Erasers

This is slightly controversial, and you’ll definitely want to do a test spot on your shoes before trying this method, but Magic Erasers remove scuffs, scum, and marks for a return to that original luster (yes, some folks have used these on leather and other expensive materials–just make sure you’re willing to take on the risk first). Add a little water and squeeze out the eraser before scrubbing your shoes. Once you’re done, you might want to also rinse them in cool water to remove the chemical that makes the eraser so magical.

Method 4: Although I don’t personally go in for this method, a friend of mine puts her shoes into a pillowcase, ties a not in the top, and throws them into the washer with a few towels to balance the machine and protect it from the hard soles. You probably also want to remove your cleats first. But one caveat: please don’t put your shoes in the dryer.

Dry Your Shoes

Here’s where the fun comes in. And by “fun” I mean hours of waiting. First off, don’t use any heat source to dry your shoes like an oven or the aforementioned clothes dryer or even a sunlit window. However, you can try a hairdryer set to cool if you feel like sitting there for a while holding a hair dryer over your shoes. Open up all the buckles and fasteners, make sure the soles are out, and try one of the following methods.

Method 1: Scrunched Newspaper

While this isn’t my method of choice because of the harsh inks that can transfer to light colored shoes, many cyclists swear by the old newspaper staple. Simply stuff the inside of your shoes with scrunched up newspaper to speed up the air drying process a great deal.

Method 2: Rice or Silica Gel

Dump rice in a bucket and bury your shoes in with it. The rice will soak up all the moisture quite quickly, won’t leave any stains or residue, and it can be left in the sun to re-dry and save for the next wash. This is my favorite method.

Of course, it also works with silica gel–assuming you’ve been saving those little packets over the years.

Disinfecting Used Cycling Shoes

There are two main ways to make sure that your shoes are properly free of gnarly germs. As I said before, you might want to start with brand new insoles from the shoe’s manufacturer. But that’s your call.

Step 1: Rubbing Alcohol

Rubbing alcohol is a great way to get rid of creepy bacteria. You can apply it by dousing a clean rag with the alcohol and wiping the shoe inside and out. Make sure to get the highest alcohol percentage possible here.

One word of caution here, though. This could not only wipe out germs, but printing as well–especially on tags or logos imprinted inside the shoe. Definitely be careful to spot test this method before you accidentally scrub the color off your fancy shoes.

Step 2: Disinfecting Wipes

Finally, bring out the atomic weapon. Disinfecting wipes. A final wipe inside and out should ensure you kill all the germs involved. Of course, always remember to do a test spot first.

Et Voila!

You’re done. Whatcha think? Feel drawn to a particular method? Tried something that worked great for you? Let us know!

Disclaimer: You should always check with the manufacturer’s recommendations for cleaning your particular pair of shoes. We’re not responsible for any damages as a result of using these methods. These are simply tips that have worked for us.

The post How to Clean & Disinfect Used Cycling Shoes – Budget Cycling appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

For me, there’s nothing like Salted Caramel Gu. I love the stuff, and I’m usually willing to fork over the cash when buying in bulk. But when my training days get longer, and I need to spend my money on things like my mortgage, I turn to this recipe to make my own, homemade, energy gels.

This recipe works well because you can tweak the amount of each ingredient to suit your own taste buds. I’ve also heard from riders who swear by things like creamed honey. Be sure to comment or drop us an email if you’ve created variations on our recipe.

A Simple, Cheap, Easy, Homemade Energy Gel Recipe

What You’ll Need

2 tablespoons Honey: Depending on how picky you are about your honey, you can grab a fairly good sized bottle for $5 or so. The 16 ounce variety at left cost $5.49.

1 tablespoon Brown Rice Syrup: A fairly large bottle (21oz) should run about $10. This is an optional ingredient–keep on reading.

1 Tablespoon Blackstrap Molasses: I bought unsulphured, organic molasses at my local grocery store for $3.49 for 16 ounces.

-Makes about a 2-ounce serving, which is generally equivalent to two single gels.

The great thing about this recipe? It’s simple, and still extremely effective–plus you can add in other flavorings if you feel like experimenting.

Another Variation for a Thinner Consistency

The brown rice syrup of the first concoction adds more thickness to the recipe–probably closer to a Cliff Shot. Since some cyclists and triathletes like the thinner consistency of a GU, replace this with more honey, and follow up with a pinch of salt to balance the potassium of the molasses with sodium.

You may want to play with the mixture of honey, salt, and molasses to get the right taste and consistency. When I pulled the syrup out, I ended up with the following recipe:

• 8 tbsp of Honey
• 1 tsp Molasses
• A pinch of salt

A Few Recommendations:

Fill a gel flask or two up with this recipe, and save yourself from sticky fingers and packet tearing–plus you’ll have several servings in your jersey pocket or energy belt to keep you going during a long training ride/run.

The cool thing about these recipes is that you can alter the ratios to your taste–like it sweeter? Add more honey. Like it thicker? Add more Brown Rice Syrup. Want more flavor? Add lemon zest or chocolate syrup. Play around with it!

If you find that you like this gel replacement, you’ll probably want to buy the ingredients in bulk and make up a batch every few weeks. As far as I know, these homemade gels should last for a long while without refrigeration (unless you add other products that need refrigeration), but you can always replace it more often if you’re worried about shelf life.

The post Make Your Own Energy Gels Cheaply & Easily appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

I’m sitting here wearing a white shirt and somewhat expensive workout pants. I’m not bragging about how much I spend on my clothes, I’m telling you that they now sport grease smears and a fancy (very newbie looking), chainring tattoo. It’s never intentional that I wear white on a day I need to do some bike maintenance. It just seems to work out that way. I probably need to reexamine my life.

Anyway, where do I go from here? Wash these clothes, bleach them even, and the grease likely won’t let go of its grip on your bright whites or fancy lycra. You’ll have to bring in the big guns . . . er . . . oranges.

Yup, Orange Hand Cleaner. You know, it’s that stuff your dad (or mom if she was super cool) used to wipe his hands off with after working on the car–or maybe you use it yourself to get the grease off your fingers after swapping a chain. As well as it works on your hands, it works even better to get that grime out of your cycling clothes.

Before you pick up any old orangish bottle, you’ll want to be sure that the type of cleaner you’re using actually has a citrus ingredient–just because it says “orange” on the packaging doesn’t necessarily mean it’s in the can. Check the ingredients for sure. And, while you’re at it, look for pumice too, which will work better on the larger stains and get that blotch out for good.

Here’s the method:

1. Step One: Scoop a little of the hand cleaner onto the spot. Rub it in a circular motion to work it into the fibers.
2. Step Two: Wash your kit as usual. I like to add a little dye-free detergent, turn everything inside-out, zip it up, and use a hand-wash setting.
3. Pull it out of the wash, et voila! No more black stains.

This is actually the simplest of tricks–orange cleaner is basically a pre-treater. Of course, you might also want to put all your kit into a mesh bag before tossing it in the washer. Yes, I know that some folks like to hand-wash only their lycra, but I’d rather not use my free time scrubbing out a chamois. It is, however, a great idea not to mix your delicate and expensive cycling jerseys and shorts in with other types of clothes, which will wear them out prematurely.

Oh, and, one last tip. The dryer in all its fabric-shrinking glory is a big no-no.

The post The Trick to Getting Bike Grease Out of Your Jerseys & Shorts appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

Over the years, I’ve come across plenty of articles that claim to tell you how to build up your cycling toolkit for cheap. Somehow the word “cheap” stops recurring in the long list of “essential” bike repair bits and pieces. The truth is, there is no real way to build a whole shop of tools all at once without plopping down a few hundred bucks. But in an attempt to show everyone that not all of us truly need a full complement of bike tools, I present to you the truest, most budget-conscious, and barest of bones options to you. OK, that was a good hook, right? The only real way to show you what you’ll truly need is to break it into a few articles over the next few days: Bare Bones, Starter Set, and Comprehensive.

But before I get started, let me share with you a few tips. OK, one tip. Get a workstand. Because putting your bike upside down isn’t good for it–yes, I said it. When I first started fixing my own bikes, I couldn’t afford a fancy $300, folding, magnetic, fixes the bike for you stand. I tried piecing together a “DIY $30 Stand.” I followed all the directions that the internet demanded, and once I’d bought all the clamps and pipes, this thing cost really more in the neighborhood of $60–but it only stayed upright with a rope tied to something sturdy in the garage. It was one word: junk. So I bit the veritable chainring and charged a decent stand on my credit card (I hate debt, folks).

Since then, I’ve found a few decent alternatives to my dilemma: The Venzo Pro Mechanic Stand that runs at about $88, and the Cave Competitor Service Post for $59. While there are other alternatives out there–sometimes cheaper ones–these are the two that I think are actually worth the price. I can’t really vouch for any others out there. But there just ain’t getting around this one. You’ll need something to hold your bike while you work on it.

So you’ve got some way to stand your bike up. Now what?

The Bare Bones

This is what most new wrenchers will need in their kit. The majority of home wrenchers will perform general maintanence like replacing chains and cassettes, fiddling with brakes, and adjusting derailleures. Having tools that will allow you to do most of these at home repairs will take you a long way.

I may make a few enemies when I list out my tools here, but do remember that we’re talking budget and starter here. These might not be the easiest tools to use, but they’re a fantastic bang for their buck. So, here goes. Every new mechanic needs a great multi-tool, a chain whip, and a lockring remover. 

Boom. That’s it. You can do plenty of fixes with those three things. So let’s price that out, and let me offer you some recommendations from my own toolbox.

1. Multi Tool

All multi-tools are not created equal, but most with a plethora of features will get plenty of the jobs done. I personally like, and use often, the Lezyne RAP-21 LED tool, which will run you around $25. I like it because not only is it a high quality construction, but it has just about everything you’ll need plus a sweet mini light. This will give you a chain breaker, spoke wrench, disc brake wedge, and all the most often used Allen keys and drivers. We’re talking a decent number of tools for 1/4 of what they would cost buying them separately.

If you don’t go with this one, just make sure the one you choose has extra things like the chain breaker and a nice range of 3-6mm Allen keys.

2. Chain Whip

I own the Lezyne CNC Chain Rod, which I’m a big fan of (yes, I know I’m partial to Lezyne here–they’re a SLO company and they sponsored my collegiate team, so I got tons of gear) and it costs right around $30. But the truth is that even the cheapest of chain whips will likely do the job. In fact, I’ve found a dude who knows his stuff and shows you how to make this tool all by yourself. I would even go so far as to say that you probably have enough materials laying about your garage (if not, try your parents’ garage ) to put this together without spending anything. Check out the video below:

3. A Lockring Removal Tool

If you’re going to use the chain whip you just made, you’ll also need a way to get that cassette off. A lockring remover is a must-have; unless you use one of the shady removal methods I’ve seen on the internet–which I wouldn’t necessarily recommend unless you don’t care much about the condition of the wheel after you use them. I recommend Park Tool’s iterations here that cost about $6, but you’ll need to buy the specific one for your brand/type of cassette. (By the way, I’m assuming you already have an adjustable wrench laying around somewhere to use with this tool. If you don’t, well, you’ll need one of those too.)

Hey, that’s it. Yup. That’s the most budget-conscious setup I can think of. If my calculations are correct, all of these tools will cost you a total of maybe $30-40–depending on what kind of a bargain shopper you are.

As I said in the beginning, this is by no means the most shop-worthy list of tools, but these will get you through 90% of the regular maintenance jobs you’ll encounter.

But if you want to flesh out your collection of tools, I’d also recommend a few more things that are just super nice to have:

1. Chain Wear Indicator $10: This simple tool will show you just when it’s time to replace that stretched out chain, so you can avoid excess wear and tear on your cassette.

2. Torque Wrench $15-20: If you’re working with carbon, you should definitely consider a 4nm or 5nm torque wrench. Basically, this wrench “snaps” before your expensive carbon does.

3. Wire Cutters $10: A basic pair of clean-cutting wire cutters will make replacing brake and shifter cables and housing a pretty easy task. Just make sure to replace or sharpen them when your cuts are leaving frayed bits behind.

4. Grease $8-20: Trust me, you’ll need it. Everyone has their own favorite type, but plenty of bike-specific brands will do you just fine. And you might want to invest in a box of disposable gloves while you’re at it–getting your hands to stop smelling of Pedro’s can really be a nightmare.

So now you know how to put together a truly budget-conscious bike repair toolkit. Of course, if you’re still shaking your head at our choices here, fret not. The second part in this series is how to put together a more comprehensive and shop-worthy set of tools that will serve the starter mechanic pretty well. That’s coming.

Featured image by Jason Finch

The post How to Really Build a Budget Bike Repair Toolkit appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.

So you’ve found the sparkly, white handlebar tape that mesmerized you while you were winding it onto your bars has grown dingy and lackluster. Bike snobs everywhere might tell you, “Throw it in the trash can and buy a real color!”

Don’t listen to them! If you love white handlebar tape as much as I do because it just looks downright awesome, use a few tricks to spiff it back up like new and avoid filling up your local landfill.

I love the way my single speed looks with white tape (yes, that’s it pictured to the right, mismatched brake levers and all), and since I don’t want to fork out $30 for really durable Lizard Skins on my cheap bike (but it is the only type I use on my Cervélo–read my review of it if you’re curious) that will wipe up without much trouble, I found a few ways to make even the cheapest cork tape shine like new again!

In the above picture, you’ll see the affordable, Cinelli Cork Tape all spiffed up. How did I get it so pretty? Two products . . . well three actually.

Toothpaste

This brings new meaning to the “whitening” advertised on the tube. On the right side of the bar, I used a few squeezes of Crest toothpaste and a nailbrush–the toothpaste I received for free at my last dentist visit (not my brand).  Do pretty much exactly what you would when brushing your teeth. Squeeze it onto the brush head, get it wet, and scrub in circles (make sure it really foams up when you’re doing this). For me, the results were nearly instantaneous. If your tape is much dirtier, it might take a little more elbow grease. A few reapplications of toothpaste to the brush head and in minutes I had the entire right side clean.

When you’ve worked through the full bar, simply wipe it with a clean towel. You’ll see the black grime collecting on the towel, and your white handlebar tape will look almost as clean as the day you bought it.

Orange-Based Hand Cleaner

I’ve recommended Orange Hand Cleaner (pumice is the real deal) in previous posts for getting grease out of your cycling jerseys and shorts. Well, it’s back again to clean up your bar tape! Since this has some magic de-greasing quality, it will usually clean even the blackest of grease.

I used a similar method as the aforementioned toothpaste: scrubbing with a clean nailbrush, but no water. This time, I cleaned the left side of the bars, so you can see the difference in the final and compare. The pumice actually took a little more scrubbing than the toothpaste, and, in my opinion, didn’t quite match the toothpaste’s whitening power, but overall cleaned it without leaving any black grime behind. To finish the job, I simply wiped off the orange cleaner with a rag, et voila.

Perhaps the best reason to try these two methods is that you won’t have to deal with a ton of water and a full rinse. In the past, I’ve tried Dawn dish soap and water, but that’s really for when you want to do a full wash of your bike. Frankly, orange cleaner and toothpaste work much better.

Of course, I did mention a third method earlier. Well, in a word: baby wipes. Wait, that’s two words. In two words: baby wipes. I’m a huge fan of these cheap little towelettes, and they clean everything. “Wash” your whole bike with them. They’re fantastic.

Tried these ideas? Have another method that works for you? Let me know about it in the comments!

The post How to Clean White or Light Handlebar Tape with Toothpaste appeared first on SLO Cyclist | An Online Road Bicycling Magazine.