Rides for the Christmas Weekend

Rides are planned for Saturday 12/24 and Monday 12/26. Meeting at Panera Bread in Wilmette at 8:00 am. We'll probably go 40-45 miles on both rides. If you are close to a mileage goal for the year, come out and join us.

Got 7 Minutes to Waste? The Difference Between Cycling and Bike Riding

Cycling Explained should provide a chuckle. There are aspects of this parody that we can all identify with.

Cycling Explained
http://www.xtranormal.com/watch/12674956/cycling-explained

Is the Upstroke in Cycling Overrated?

Felix came across an interesting article that attempts to debunk the idea that pedaling in smooth circles is optimum for cycling. Given that I am a self admitted "masher", my positive bias toward the author's conclusion is probably a bit suspect.

Bike Fitting: The Myth of the Upstroke

While there are 100's of articles that emphasize the importance of smooth circles, here is another article that minimizes the value of the upstroke.


The Pedaling Technique of Elite Endurance Cyclists: Changes With increasing Workload at Constant Cadence

Snow Drought Rides for the Weekend of 12/17-18

Let's get out this weekend and take advantage of the snow drought providing unusually good weather for mid-December bike riding. Our group has about 600 miles under our belts already this month, and we should be able to hit our 1,000 mile December goal this weekend. For reference, last December, our group only got in about 3 rides all month, and the entire membership of the EBC only logged 1,000 club miles.

On Saturday we're going to leave from Panera Bread in Wilmette at 2:30pm and ride up to Fort Sheridan. Based on the how soon everyone needs to get home, we may or may not make a stop at Starbucks.

On Sunday we will meet at the regular 8:00 am time and probably head up the Skokie Valley Bikeway to Panera in Lake Bluff.

12/10/11 Ride Recap - 6 Riders x 40 Miles on an 18 degree Morning

It was definitely a bit chilly when we started out. Felix's suggestion that we push the ride back to 10:00 am was popular with the group. In addition to Felix, the group included Gary, John, Martin, Paul, and me. We took the Skokie Valley Bikeway up to 176 and then headed over to Bluffington's for a mid ride stop. With the temperature warming up to the mid 20's under sunny skies, the return trip home turned into a surprisingly comfortable afternoon ride.

The most interesting discovery of the ride was learning how well the food service disposable poly gloves that John had purchased worked as glove liners. John used Gary and me as his test subjects. We learned that the poly gloves kept our hand almost as warm as latex and were much easier to slip gloves over.

What a difference a year makes. Felix noted that last year he only got in 3 rides during December due to all the snow. Today was his third December ride already this month and Sunday will be he fourth with three week still to go.

Weekend Rides - December 10 and 11

Saturday ride is being moved back to 10:00 am to give the sun a chance to warm things up a bit.

Sunday ride will start at 8:00 am. Both rides are meeting at Panera Bread in Wilmette. Tentative plan is to ride to Bluffington's on Saturday and Panera Bread in Lake Bluff on Sunday.

Cancelled Ride - 12/3/11 Ride to Bluffingtons Canceled

Roads are dangerously slick. Light rain expected to fall all morning.