Mid-Week Report: The Latest News, Products and Events
Welcome to the March 25th, Mid-Week Report!
Welcome to the March 25th, Mid-Week Report!
BIKE OF THE WEEK: SCOTT ADDICT RC
Light, fast, and race-ready. The all-new Addict RC 20 provides you with all of the competitive advantages you’ve ever dreamed of. Scott’s top tier Addict RC Disc HMX carbon frame and Addict RC HMX Fork are matched with a SRAM Force eTap AXS drivetrain. No matter if you want to sprint to a mountain top finish or win your local criterium this bike is a steal at $4800 with seven sizes.
For more info head to www.scott-sports.com
PHOTO OF THE WEEK: A LOOK BACK AT MIGUEL
WORKOUT WEDNESDAY: INDOOR FITNESS TRAINING
Strength training is not just for fall and winter anymore. There is new thinking in the realm of sports science that it benefits cyclists to strengthen year round. After winter heavy lifting sessions are over, it does not mean that it’s time to stop weight training. Core conditioning has become a staple of many athletic workout programs and results in better overall function and helps to keep the belly flat.
PULSING SUPERMAN
Start in the neutral position by lying face down on soft surface such as a folded yoga mat. Slowly begin to raise the head, arms and shoulders off the floor as if flying. Now raise the feet, knees and thighs off the floor so the back is arched. Hold this position for a count of eight (counting ?one-one thousand, two-one thousand, etc.’). Then go back to the neutral position for a count of two. Repeat for a total of 20 repetitions. Note this is an isometric exercise (muscles are contracted and held in the same position). The hold position can be extended as the muscles get stronger. This exercise has helped many of my clients become free from low back pain.
Year round core training is even more vital to the cyclist. Core training involves working the muscles comprising the torso. The core muscles are the beginning point for all movement. To build a stronger core is to develop your powerhouse. Most cyclists ignore the core muscles and focus just on leg strength. This results in imbalanced and weaker core muscles. Research has shown that back pain is one major form of core musculoskeletal degeneration seen in adults, affecting nearly 80 percent of the population. Stabilizing and strengthening the core muscles in the torso ensures proper neuromuscular function and movement in the back. Core training also helps with back injury prevention.
Scientists at the Neuromuscular research laboratory at the University of Pittsburgh wanted to determine the importance of core strength among a group of fifteen elite competitive cyclists. They were tested on torque after participating in a ‘core fatigue workout’ that pre-exhausts core musculature prior to cycling. The subjects then rode their bikes on trainers at 25.8 kilometers per hour with a one percent increase in elevation until fatigue. The study results indicated that ‘a core fatigue workout altered the mechanics of the lower extremity,’ increasing the chance of injury, indicating that core strength is a key training component for cyclists.
I recommend core training two to three times a week. You will notice more strength emanating from your core muscles to help you turn over those pedals as you climb, sprint or just hammer up or down the road. If you take the time to do proper core training, you will be riding stronger than ever.
TWEET OF THE WEEK: MATTEO TRENTIN’S GRAND PLAN
Why not organize only one GT this year? Start in Rome , passing through Madrid , finish in Paris. All the best on the start and a great way to reunite all the people with a bike race after this horrible time! #3GTn1
— Matteo Trentin (@MATTEOTRENTIN) March 24, 2020
ALL NEW MOBILE STRAVA ROUTES
What’s New
Social ride tracking app Strava, revamped their route builder for a streamlined mobile experience. Previously only available on the website, Routes has been updated specifically for the Strava mobile app, you can find Routes on the Explore page.
Suggested Routes
Strava dove into its database of over 3 billion activities from 50 million athletes to offer one of the most robust route builders in the world. They collected the same data used in Strava’s Heatmaps to select popular routes to better plan rides and runs around athletes, not cars.
Routes can be filtered by activity type, distance, elevation preference and surface preference. This means you can select a hilly road ride that’s about 15 miles long or a flat 60-mile ride that’s focused on gravel and dirt roads. The route builder is set to start at your current location but nearly anywhere can be selected as a starting point.
This opens up many routes for people that are in an unfamiliar location or even at home. Suggested Routes has already shown us here at RBA a few new fire road connections to spice things up on our normal rides. While we are traveling, we now have a bit more confidence to find good rides and trails on routes that the locals ride.
ON THE STREETS: WILIER GTR TEAM
Wilier holds the title of engineering the lightest-weight production bike from a major manufacturer with their 12.8 pound Cento 10 Air. Wilier has taken the same weight saving technology and used it in the latest release the GTR Team. In the sub-$4000, section of Wilier’s catalog the GTR Team stands out with its Shimano UItegra hydraulic disc component spec. Engineered with endurance riding in mind, the GTR has an upright stack and has clearance for up to 28mm tires. The GTR Team is available in two colorways, black and white and the featured laser red.
Price: $3800
MAMMOTH TUFF – SEPTEMBER 19th
There’s more to explore in Mammoth! The first official gravel ride on the mountain is set to take place September 19, 2020. A 45 mile “Tuff” course with 2000 feet of climbing and a 100 “Tuffer” course with 8000 feet of elevation gain are planned but no official course maps have been released. Mammoth Mountain is a favorite locale of ours and over the years we have continued to return to the annual Gran Fondo. With Mammoth Tuff now the following weekend we are planning to extend our stay to get in all of the best riding that Mammoth has to offer.
BWR EXPANDS
2020 DIRTY KANZA
2020, is here! Mark you calendars for the 15th annual Garmin Dirty Kanza on May 30, 2020. Lottery selection have been made and the lucky few that were chosen will have a chance to prove themselves on Kanza’s flint roads.
THE RIFT ICELAND – JULY 25, 2020
The Rift is a gravel race through the dark lava fields in the highlands of Iceland – taking place on the tectonic split between North America and Eurasia. An ever-growing battlefield that grows an inch every year.
The battlefield sculpted by volcanic eruptions is vast, rugged and unpredictable – making the Rift a challenge of endurance, mental fortitude and most likely the bare elements. And in the end – a gravel battle between the continents!
The course starts out of a small town along the southern coast called Hvolsvöllur. This incredible shoreline stretches from the greater Reykjavík area in the west to the magnificent Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon in the east. It is lined with countless natural wonders such as cascading waterfalls, black sand beaches, glaciers and volcanos – circumnavigating one of the most active volcanos on the island, Hekla.
Website: www.therift.bike
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