Articles

Threaded #43: Every part on a bike is safety-critical

Excellent article on easily overlooked safety items.

For folks new to the area...

The Prouty, coming up on July 12, is the biggest local cycling event of the year.   It is a fundraiser for the Dartmouth Health Cancer Center.  There are now many ways to participate, with cycling being the original and most popular.  There are road rides from 20 to 200 miles, a gravel ride, and two mountain bike rides.  All are fully supported by an amazing crew of volunteers.

Prouty Bike

"What unseen forces allow a rider to balance while pedalling? Why must one initially steer right in order to lean and turn left? And how does a bike stabilize itself when propelled without a rider?"

Watch an interesting video which demonstrates how we turn by leaning in the opposite direction before the turn, or for a more academic study, you can also read this article in Nature.

We do this intuitively so don't worry about it, just ride!

"What did I just go through?” were the final words I blurted out while crossing mile 376 to complete the South Lobe of the Vermont Super 8 route. It was 2 days, 14 hours, and 44 minutes since I had left Montpellier, VT to embark on my first self-supported ultra bikepacking challenge. Man, did I pick a doozy.

Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library - Vital Communities

The Upper Valley E-Bike Lending Library:

Many of us enjoy and celebrate big climbs, but we also have friends and relatives whose idea of a nice bike ride is much less strenuous.  The regional rail trails offer options to get folks out on bikes who might be reluctant to ride in hilly terrain or in traffic.

The Northern Rail Trail and Mascoma River Greenway in Lebanon:

Friends of the Northern Rail Trail

The Mascoma River Greenway

The Cross Vermont Trail

Cross Vermont Trail expands into nearby communities with connector to Lamoille Valley Rail Trail - VTDigger

Many cyclists use standing -- pedaling up out of the saddle -- only for hard efforts such as sprinting or steep grades. It's stand, thrash, sit.  Learning to stand while relaxed is a great addition to a rider's skillset. It engages different muscles than pedaling seated, making it a nice way to give those seated muscles a rest or a stretch. It's useful on long climbs. Being comfortable transitioning smoothly between sitting and standing is also helpful on rolling terrain or on rough ground where maintaining momentum is important.

If you’ve ever biked through New England, you don’t have to go too far to find a warning sign for an upcoming unmaintained road. You’ll hear it called Class IV, Class VI, sometimes Pavé, but regardless of the term, you better get ready… you’ve been warned.