Cycling Tip: Indoor Training to Stay Fit

If bad weather is keeping you inside, now is the time to get yourself in shape in preparation before you hit the road. Using an indoor trainer is a perfect way to sharpen your fitness in time for outdoor riding.

There are many good trainers out there—your local bike shop can give you tips. Ensure that you choose one that provides enough consistent resistance to mimic “road feel.”

A simple workout you can do will cover most of your cycling fitness. After a 10-min spinning warm-up:

Un-clip your right foot and pedal with one leg for 2 minutes. Switch feet and repeat for a total of 2 sessions per leg

Switch to a bigger gear and simulate climbing. Stand for 5 minutes; sit for a minute, repeat. Try to build to 20-30 minutes of total standing over a month’s time.

No need for intense intervals right now—save that for the road. Instead, do lactate threshold intervals: For 15 minutes pedal a big gear at 85-95 rpm cadence with your heart rate between 80-82% of max. No HR monitor: pedal to the point were you can only speak in short sentences. No need to pedal till you can’t speak. Repeat 2 times with 5 minutes rest between.

Do this trainer workout a couple of times a week, and you will notice a positive difference when you hit the road this spring. Always check with your doctor before starting a strenuous exercise program.

Robert Panzera is a Level 2 USA Cycling Coach and owner and operator of Cycling San Diego (CCSD). CCSD is designed to provide a venue of warm weather training miles in the off-season for serious touring and elite racing cyclists. For more information about Robert Panzera and CCSD, visit www.cyclingcampsandiego.com or contact him at robert@cyclingcampsandiego.com

This tip was originally published in the Adventure Travel Group (ATG) monthly newsletter. For more information on ATG, visit www.adventuretravelgroup.com or contact info@adventuretravelgroup.com.

Watching Lance Battle for an Eighth Win at the 2009 Tour de France!

Watching the Tour de France is always an unforgettable experience, but this year's Tour de France trip offered that and more: A chance to watch Lance attempt to make history with his eighth victory, and watch the comeback of cycling's best. If you've ever regretted not seeing Lance ride in previous Tours, that was your chance! Challenge yourself to 14 of the best Alps' climbs and watch three Tour stages - including a mountaintop finish on the infamous Mt. Ventoux.

This Tour de France-Alps trip allows you to experience all the Tour excitement, without the hassle- no long car rides or parking necessary, since we're close enough to ride to the action. The hotels we select are conveniently close to the Tour route and are a perfect starting point for 14 epic Alps climbs, including Alpe d'Huez, Col du Galibier, Col du Telegraphe, Mt. Ventoux and more! You'll watch the last three decisive stages of the tour- the individual time trial in Annecy, the mountain stage finish at Le Grand-Bornand and the epic stage finishing on top of Mt. Ventoux- and put your legs to the test on many of the classic Tour climbs! You can't beat the feeling you get from conquering these colls.

The riding may be challenging, but the accomodations are welcome and comfortable. You can relive the highlights of the day's ride over a "recovery" beer or espresso at a local cafe, then refuel with a delicious group dinner featuring the area's fantastic cuisine and wine. Our small group size allows us to choose restaurants that the locals favor so you get a true taste of the region.

Don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime event! Contact us today to join us for an unforgettable guided cycling tour and experience that offers a perfect balance of Tour action and riding.

Cycling Tip: Skills for Inclement Weather Riding

Many of us experience wet weather during this time of year, which may lead to slippery road conditions. Unfortunately, there is no guarantee of dry weather when you are bicycle touring, as well. The following tips may help you stay upright and safe in case you encounter poor riding conditions.

In inclement weather:

1.) Always ensure you wear a reflective safety vest and have a blinking light on both the back and front of your bicycle.

2.) Ride to the right, but avoid deep gutters. Cars may have trouble seeing you in a gutter, and you may hit an unseen obstacle in an overflowing gutter.

3.) Always ride with your hands in the drops. Keep your elbows flexed and loose, but keep a nice, firm grip on the handlebars.

4.) Look up and ahead. Maintaining a line of sight beyond your front wheel will help you avoid upcoming obstacles, and help maintain better balance.

5.) Avoid “paint” in the road (i.e., crosswalks, white lines, yellows lines, etc). The paint when covered with rain is very slippery. If unavoidable, ride straight over the paint with little or no front wheel turning. If you see paint in an upcoming turn: slow down before entering the turn and make the turn at the slowest speed possible to limit leaning the bike. This tip works for railroad tracks too!

6.) Give yourself ample time to brake as the rain will make brake pads and rims slippery.

7.) Part of being safe, is being comfortable — a fender for the rear tire is recommended. It is hard to remain in control, and focused, on your bike with a spray of wet water from your rear tire hitting you in the back.

This information is not to condone riding in foul weather, but is given to increase your chances of safe riding if you get caught out in the rain!

Robert Panzera is a Level 2 USA Cycling Coach and owner and operator of Cycling San Diego (CCSD). CCSD is designed to provide a venue of warm weather training miles in the off-season for serious touring and elite racing cyclists. For more information about Robert Panzera and CCSD, visit www.cyclingcampsandiego.com or contact him at robert@cyclingcampsandiego.com

This tip was originally published in the Adventure Travel Group (ATG) monthly newsletter. For more information on ATG, visit www.adventuretravelgroup.com or contact info@adventuretravelgroup.com.

Cycling Tip: Over-training

Over-training is a physical condition caused by training with too much volume or too much intensity, or both, over long periods of time. Its signs are poor performances, exhaustion and lack of motivation. Other non-training–related factors can exacerbate it, including life- and work-related stress, lack of proper exercise recovery, and poor diet. If you feel tired all the time, have “heavy” legs, experience irritability, or a downturn in mood, you may be over-trained.

If you think you are over-trained, take a 2-week or even month break from exercise—that is, a total break. If you still feel run-down after the exercise break, see a physician, as a medical reason for your condition may exist.

To lower incidences of over-training:

- Plan recovery days, and even recovery weeks, into your overall training plan, where you cut volume or intensity, or both, by half.

- When building for an event, increase volume or intensity at no more than 10% a week

- Lower work-related and life stress

- Eating healthfully always

- Sleep 7 to 8 hours a night, and take naps after very long or intense training rides


Robert Panzera is a Level 2 USA Cycling Coach and owner and operator of Cycling San Diego (CCSD). CCSD is designed to provide a venue of warm weather training miles in the off-season for serious touring and elite racing cyclists. For more information about Robert Panzera and CCSD, visit www.cyclingcampsandiego.com or contact him at robert@cyclingcampsandiego.com

This tip was originally published in the Adventure Travel Group (ATG) monthly newsletter. For more information on ATG, visit www.adventuretravelgroup.com or contact info@adventuretravelgroup.com.

Challenge yourself next summer in the Alps and Dolomites

In the summer of 2010, why not travel with a group of Cyclo-Vets and challenge yourself on some of the classic Giro d'Italia passes in the Alps and Dolomites?

This is an unbelievable opportunity for Cyclo-Vets and the Adventure Travel Group cycling tour includes:

• Substantial discounts of up to $500 are being offered if enough riders sign up early;
• The tour is being advertised first to Cyclo-Vets, so this can be a virtual club-trip, if riders get into gear quickly;
• The tour is limited to 14 riders and will be led by Bezer.

As with all of Bezer's Adventure Travel Group tours, riders travel in style, in this case to some of the most picturesque cycling routes in the world. Tour participants will sleep in boutique hotels'inns located in some of the most beautiful villages in northern Italy.

"We have five 2-night stays which allow us lots of options for spa/massage, relaxing by the pool, hiking and, of course, great biking," said Bezer. "Riding will average 40-60 miles daily along lakes, vineyards and spectacular mountain passes. Climbing days average 4000-6000 feet, with options for more or less, so this is for the intermediate/advanced rider, or virtually all of the Cyclo-Vets."

Included is a climb of the spectacular Passo Stelvio, which, at 20km/5304ft, is one of the highest mountain passes in Europe and was ridden in the 2005 Giro d'Italia. The guided bike tour also includes the Grande Strada delle Dolomiti, a road built between 1895 and 1909, and one of the most famous cycling roads in Italy.

Details of the "Italy: Lakes, Alps, Sud Tirol & Dolomites," tour are described on the Adventure Travel Group website.

Cycling Tip: Pick Your Priority Event

With the holiday season coming up, it makes sense to start getting your cycling fitness in order by picking a priority event. A priority event can be any cycling event at which you want to be in proper shape.

A good example is an upcoming, multi-day cycling tour. At the tour, you want to be in good enough shape in order to enjoy all aspects of the tour—dinner, sightseeing, riding in general, etc. From the start of the cycling tour date, back track at least 3 months. This should give you enough time to prepare for the challenge.

Specifically, for a tour starting in early May, you would want to back track to the first week of February. Start small — easy rides of short distances — and as each week passes, incrementally up your mileage and eventually your pace, until you are completing rides comparable to the tour schedule on back-to-back training days.

Robert Panzera is a Level 2 USA Cycling Coach and owner and operator of Cycling San Diego (CCSD). CCSD is designed to provide a venue of warm weather training miles in the off-season for serious touring and elite racing cyclists. For more information about Robert Panzera and CCSD, visit www.cyclingcampsandiego.com or contact him at robert@cyclingcampsandiego.com

This tip was originally published in the Adventure Travel Group (ATG) monthly newsletter. For more information on ATG, visit www.adventuretravelgroup.com or contact info@adventuretravelgroup.com