Lee's Cyclery Blog

We’ve talked before in this space about the importance of getting kids involved in individual sports such as cycling, swimming or running which they can take into their lives though adulthood. I wanted to let our readers know about Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day which is a great opportunity to introduce mountain biking to the kids in your life.

Bikes are a great way to stay fit, but they also give kids a degree of independence. I don’t know about you, but I remember riding my bike to friends’ houses in the neighborhood and when I was a bit older even going outside the immediate neighborhood.

Mountain biking in particular connects kids with nature. The following passage from the book, Last Child in the Woods, particularly struck me because it so eloquently described why children need to be in nature.

Unlike television, nature does not seal time; it amplifies it. Nature offers healing for a child living in a destructive family or neighborhood. It serves as a blank slate upon which a child draws and reinterprets the culture’s fantasies. Nature inspires creativity in a child by demanding visualization and the full use of the senses. Given a chance, a child will bring the confusion of the world to the woods, wash it in the creek, turn it over to see what live on the unseen side of that confusion. In nature, a child finds freedom, fantasy, and privacy: a place distant form the adult world, a separate peace.

Mountain biking allows you to connect with nature in a new way. It allows you to use objects as a spring board and to flow with the natural grade of the trail. Anyone who rides mountain bikes knows how invigorating that flow can feel.

Also, mountain biking allows you to cover more terrain than you might on a hike or trail run which in turn enables you to see more and go deeper into nature. You also move slower than you do on a road bike which allows you to appreciate nature even more.

If your child is a big video game fan, he or she might enjoy mountain biking more than you think. It turns out the manual dexterity that children learn from video games translates into bike handling skills.

Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day is a national event sponsored by IMBA, the International Mountain Biking Association. This year, First Lady, Michelle Obama has thrown her support behind this event in an effort to support her Let’s Move campaign. In additional IMBA has pledged to get 30,000 children participating in 300 cycling events this year.

We hope that you can take your child, your neighbor’s child or even volunteer with the Boys and Girls club or Partners Mentoring Youth to give someone else’s child an opportunity to go mountain biking.

Here are the details. Take a Kid Mountain Biking Day will be held on Saturday October 1st at Lory State Park – Corral Center Bike Park in Fort Collins. The event organizers do ask that each child’s bike be in good working order and that each child has a helmet.

We’ll see you out there!

Bikes and Beer, there couldn’t be a better combination, right? Fort Collins has the most brewers and microbreweries per capita of any city in Colorado. Colorado is now ranked 2nd in country for most craft beer by production volume. We also have a strong biking tradition with one major brewery being all about bikes and beer. It certainly makes for a fun combination.

After a day of touring our local breweries on bikes I started to think about bikes, beer and sports performance. I wanted to understand how moderate drinking might help or hinder fitness.

We all know the guy or gal who can have a few drinks the night before a race or other sports event and still have the performance of their lives. Other’s who imbibe might find themselves with a splitting headache in the morning and barely be able to get out of bed.

We’ll start with the good news first. According to the American College of Sports Medicine, consuming up to four drinks a day can have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system. These benefits include higher HDL or good cholesterol and improved insulin resistance. However, most researchers would tell you that the protective properties of wine and beer are not significant enough to be a good reason to start drinking.

Most people probably don’t drink for the cardiovascular benefits, most of us drink to kick back and relax. Anyone who has race anxiety might benefit from the relaxation properties of alcohol. Just don’t count on alcohol making you sleep better. It might help you fall asleep more quickly, but the sleep tends to be lest restful.

The truth is that if you are looking for increased sports performance, it’s best to stick to only having one drink. You might even consider abstaining up to 48 hours before a race. Here’s why.

Alcohol is extremely dehydrating. It is a diuretic and can deplete your electrolytes which are critical proper cell function. Not only can this impact your performance in hot weather, but it can impair your body’s ability to properly thermoregulate in cold temperatures as well. If you do choose to drink the night before an event or big workout consider alternating water with each drink.

Alcohol can also have a negative effect on your balance which can make any sport which requires dexterity such as trail running or mountain biking more difficult.

Unfortunately, the byproducts of alcohol digestion can negatively impact strength mainly because it inhibits the metabolic pathways that produce ATP which is the body’s primary fuel for strength training. It also causes the liver to release a chemical that impairs testosterone, which is a key hormone in muscle development.

As with most things in life, moderation is best. Don’t be afraid to occasionally have a drink or two and enjoy our fine local beers. But the night before a big event or workout you should consider abstaining altogether or just limit it to one drink.

See you out there!

If you are more of a fair weather cyclist, you’ve probably built your training base but might be struggling on the climbs.

Climbing requires strength, a high aerobic threshold and a mindset for suffering. These tips should help you find your climbing legs in no time.

From a cardiovascular perspective, climbing repeats are probably the most important way to increase your lactate threshold. Start by finding a hill that will take you 6 to 8 minutes to climb. The base of Rist Canyon and the hills around Horsetooth Mountain Open Space are a perfect place to do this workout.

It should be done on a steady grade climb. Try to keep a cadence between 70 and 85 rpm. You should be working hard enough that your breathing is labored but still remains deep and in control. If your breathing is short and labored, you are going too hard and should back off a bit. Give yourself 6 to 8 minutes of recovery once at the top and repeat this two or three times total for the workout.

You need a strong core, particularly strong lower back, glutes, hamstrings, quads, calves and triceps to excel on the steepest of climbs, especially climbs like Rist Canyon or the dams on Centennial Drive on the east side of Horsetooth Reservoir. Since we are in the midst of cycling season, you’ll want to keep your weight in check and increase your repetitions, focusing on muscular endurance.

The deadlift is a great exercise to strengthen your lower back and hamstrings. A proper squat is great for the glutes, quads and hamstrings. The key is you have to do it right and squat deeply to get all the benefits of this exercise. To achieve proper form, your rear end should be below your knees at the bottom of the squat. Look at yourself in the mirror or have a knowledgeable coach help you master this exercise.

Calf raises will help prevent your calves from fatiguing on long, steep climbs. You can do these on any step. Do as many repetitions as it takes to feel the burn.

You also can do dips just about anywhere such as on a step or a chair. Do as many of these as it takes to feel the burn. I also recommend doing pushups. These work your core and your triceps if you keep your arms closer to your body.

Climbing takes mental commitment. If you are riding in a group or in a race, remember everyone is hurting and it is whoever hurts the most that will likely make it to the top first. Most of all, don’t forget that the sooner you make it to the top, the sooner your pain will end. So dig deep and suffer to make it over the crest.

See you out there.

Last week, I wrote about proper etiquette for navigating our paved trail system and riding on the road. This week we will talk about the rules for using multi-use off-road trails.

We just came off almost a week straight of rain and I was aghast to see mountain bikers heading up to the trails only a day after the rain had stopped.

Rule 1: Don’t ride the trails when they are muddy.
In almost all cases you shouldn’t ride on a trail when it is muddy. When you ride in the mud you are significantly contributing to trail erosion, and you seriously affect the quality of the surface of the trail when it dries out.
Furthermore, trail damage and erosion is one of the major reasons trails are closed. Don’t be surprised to see a trail that has been ridden on while muddy closed the next day.
If you thought the trail had dried up but you encounter a puddle, don’t go around it, go straight through it. If everyone goes around the puddle it damages the sides of the trail and widens it; while going straight through it keeps the trail width intact and minimizes trail damage.

Rule 2: Always yield.
IMBA recommends that “Do your utmost to let your fellow trail users know you’re coming.”
They recommend calling out a friendly greeting or ringing a bell. You should try to anticipate other trail users as you ride around corners. Bicyclists should yield to other nonmotorized trail users – that means runners, hikers as well as horses. Bicyclists traveling downhill should yield to ones headed uphill, unless the trail clearly is signed for one-way or downhill-only traffic. In general, strive to make each pass a safe and courteous one. In Colorado, we share the trails with a lot of horses, so be especially careful to pass them and ask the rider what to do if you don’t know.

Rule 3: Leave no trace.
Seriously folks, please do not litter or alter the trail. There’s no reason to leave gel packs, bar wrappers or any other litter on the trail.
Leaving no trace also means protecting the trail. That means staying on the trail as opposed to walking around obstacles or taking short cuts through switchbacks.

Rule 4: Respect open trails.
Again, we are lucky because some of our trails cut through private property and it is a privilege to be able to use these trails. Please, be respectful of this and don’t do anything that might jeopardize these agreements.

Rule 5: Be prepared.
You know what they say in Colorado. If you don’t like the weather, just wait five minutes. It’s always good to be prepared for storms by packing some warm gear and a rain jacket. You also should consider carrying a first aid kit.
If we obey the rules of the trail and respect each other – walkers, runners, hikers, horseback riders and cyclists can all enjoy these wonderful trails together right here in our backyard.

Be safe and courteous out there and have fun. See you out there.

Great new video by Dave Kemp and the FC Bikes crew explaining the new Fort Collins bike lane and bike box markings.

The weather should be breaking soon and hot summer days perfect for road riding and cruising across the paved trails of Northern Colorado should be upon us. With that in mind, this is a reminder about safety tips for riding on paved trails as well as the road.

Always ride, walk and skate on the right side of the trail. Teach your children the same. Obey all signs, particularly stop signs at busy intersections. It is difficult for cars to see you as you approach the intersection.

Always give an audible warning before passing other trail users. You should ring a bell or loudly and clearly call out “passing.” Why call “passing” instead of “on your left?” Many people actually move to their left when they hear you say “on you left.”

Next, listen up. Headphones can help you pick up your tempo and pass the time but they also prevent you from hearing warnings. If you do wear them, keep the volume low enough so you can hear others.

Use hand signals to indicate turns and stops. In Colorado, pointing left or right is considered a legal signal. Holding your palm down and out is the universal signal for slowing and stopping.

Do not stop on the trail. If you need to stop, pull off the trail so as not to block other users. Also, it is best to ride single file so other trail users can pass safely. Watch for the unexpected, especially with kids or dogs. It is important to slow down when the trail is crowded.

If you want to pick up the speed and expand your horizons, ride the road. When you are riding on the road, it is best to ride as though you are a car and obey all traffic laws, signs and signals. Ride on the right side of the road ideally on the shoulder or in the bike lane, but you do not have to ride in the gutter.

It’s actually safer to ride slightly closer to the white line as there is less debris to avoid and cars tend to give you more room rather than trying to squeeze by. Drivers should note that Colorado law stipulates you allow 3 feet to pass a cyclist.

A lot of new riders don’t know how to make a proper left hand turn. Before you initiate the turn, look over your shoulder, signal and when it is clear move into the left lane or turn lane as though you are a car. Once you have a green light or it is clear, proceed with your turn and move into the right side of the right lane or bike lane.

We are lucky that in Colorado you are allowed to ride two abreast as long as you are not impeding the flow of traffic. On curving canyon roads without bike lanes or shoulders, you’ll want to play it safe and ride single file.

Another safety tip is to make eye contact with drivers. You never should assume motorists see you or that you have the right-of-way. Protect yourself by wearing a helmet, glasses and gloves. Also, it is the law in Colorado to use a headlight, taillight and reflectors at night.

Finally, expect the unexpected; staying alert is key to being safe on the bike. See you out there on the trails.

One of the great things about living in Fort Collins is our extensive trail network. I’m not just talking about our 35-mile paved trail system that connects the majority of the city, but the off-road trails that provide recreation to mountain bikers, horseback riders and hikers.

The major trails in Northern Colorado include Horsetooth Mountain Open Space, Lory State Park, Devil’s Backbone Open Space, Soapstone Prairie Natural Area, Red Mountain Open Space and Maxwell Natural Area as well as a number of trails off the Poudre River.

Unfortunately, these trails do not maintain themselves and without continuous work would become unusable. While the city of Fort Collins, Larimer County and Colorado State Parks play a large role in maintaining these properties, volunteers at Over-land Mountain Biking Club also play a tremendous role in maintaining and improving our trails.

Last year, Overland Mountain Bike Club donated $5,000 to Wilderness Restoration for a much needed reroute on Hewlett Gulch and another $5,000 for a reroute of the Sawmill Trail at Horsetooth. The group also hosted many trail days working extensively on popular Bobcat Ridge, Pineridge, Maxwell, Shoreline, Blue Sky, Lory and Horsetooth trails.

Besides maintenance projects, the group as well stepped up its education campaign to include comprehensive signage on the trails. According to Kory Swanson, communications director of the club, “One of the projects I’m most proud of is the sign project on the Maxwell and Pineridge sections of the Foothills Trail. Working closely with the city of Fort Collins, we were able to install 16 signs that cover everything from trail etiquette to skills.”

These signs are particularly helpful for newbies who might not know anything about trail etiquette, but also may need help in how to tackle more technical obstacles.

If you are itching for the opportunity to participate in a trail maintenance day, the Subaru/IMBA Trail Care Crew will be here May 19-22 working with the club on training, planning and education.

The team of professional trail experts travels year-round throughout the United States and beyond, leading trail work sessions, meeting with land managers and working with International Mountain Biking Association-affiliated clubs and the communities they serve to improve mountain biking opportunities.

This visit will coincide with the Friends of Lory Trail Day from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 21 and culminate with trail work at the park. You’ll want to bring some work gloves, sturdy boots/shoes water and whatever else you’ll need while working outside all day. The club will provide a snack and lunch.

For more information about this program or to register visit the Overland Mountain Biking website at http://overlandmtb.org

Part of what makes our recreation areas so great is how many people give back to our community. We hope you can help.