 Depending on your bike strength, the race you’re training for, and the terrain you have to train in, it may be worth looking at changing the size of the chain rings and cogs on your bike. Most bikes will come fit with the standard 53 tooth big chain ring and a 39 tooth small chain ring. On the rear of the bike you’ll typically see a 12/23 cogset. If you live in a mountainous area, you’re probably best sticking with this standard set up. Even so, there are some pretty good alternatives that you may want to try.
Some may find that the 53 tooth chain ring is just too big, or too hard to ride most of the time. And rightly so. How often do you find yourself in the 53 tooth front ring and the 12 tooth cog a the back? I would wager not very often at all unless you have some long descents in your training grounds. Even then, you’ve got to be going over 60km per hour to spin that gear out. Then there’s always the situation where you hit a hill that’s not quite long enough to bother switching to your 39 tooth chain ring so you just grunt it over the top in your big ring. Or the dreaded, ‘oh crap I’m not going to make it in my 53, I need to switch half way up but can’t because I have to keep pedaling and I’m not going fast enough.’
Anyway, enough about the problems of a 53/39, here are some alternatives that you may want to think about.
Continue reading Choosing the right gear
A drive train encompasses all the parts of your bike that chain touches – chain rings upfront and cogs in the back. Indicators that you need to replace your bike chain may be sloppy or slow shifting, mis-shifts, or grinding.
A simple test to find out if things are [...]
At the request of a reader we’ll do a little tip on aero positions. We will, however, refer you to a great photo essay at Slowtwitch. They took amazing pictures of some of the best Pro athletes at the Hawaii Ironman World Championships this year. (Unfortunately I can’t find the link to that particular article - but here’s another with some pictures for your interest.) If anyone happens to find the other article please feel free to leave a comment pointing the way.
Our take on aero positions (like most) is to be as aero as possible without compromising your power. Aerodynamics are indeed important, but time saved due to less drag will pale in comparison to the time you lose if you are so uncomfortable you can’t ride properly, or if you hinder your ability to run afterward. Here’s a couple pictures to show you some extremes on either end of the scale.
Bjorn Anderson – This position is CRAZY. It works for him on the bike – but it’s hard to say what it costs him on the run. He usually has the fastest bike split outside of Kona, but rarely has a good run. He did win Wildflower, but I think his Ironman attempts have been lackluster. Maybe he can’t digest food properly, maybe he rides too hard. Whatever it is, the point is to show a very extreme aero position:
Continue reading Good and Bad Aero positions
Keep this one handy ’cause it will save you a trip to the bike store before and after every race. Swapping your cog set from a training wheel to a racing wheel and back again is super easy and something you can do on your own. You’ll need 3 tools and 2.5 minutes. 5 minutes if you want to clean your cog set at the same time.
You can pick two of these tools up at most bike stores. The other is your standard Vice Grip or Monkey wrench.
 Tool #1. Chain Whip – Used to hold your cogset in place while you unscrew the lock ring.
 Tool#2. Lock ring remover (A.K.A. freewheel remover) No need to get fancy.
Continue reading Change your cog set
 Pumping up your tires is an important part of a training ride or race. The appropriate pressure will limit flats and give you a comfortable ride.
Don’t dwell on higher PSI, it’s not always better. If your tire is too hard it won’t absorb the little bumps inherent in most paved roads. Small bumps send micro vibrations up your bike frame, wasting forward momentum into the vertical vibrations. It’s a small amount of forward moving energy that is wasted, but over 180 kilometers you can bet it will add up. Time aside, your body will thank you with the slightly decreased pressure and reduced vibrations. You can, however, go too low. Not enough air pressure in your tires leaves you open to pinch flats and a higher rolling resistance.
So, no matter what type of tire you’re running, max out the pressure at 125 PSI and don’t go lower than 100 PSI. That’s the perfect range for speed and comfort – keeping in mind that going to 160 PSI does not equal less rolling resistance nor a faster bike.
Continue reading Tire Pressure
Saving time in transition can make a big difference to your overall day, but not if comes with the cost of discomfort later in the run. Elastic quick tie laces can help you get your shoes on very quickly. However, in order for the elastic laces to feel ‘normal’, [...]
Sometimes, the hardest part of a workout is getting out the door in the first place. Once that step is overcome it almost always goes better than expected. One trick if you are feeling particularly un-motivated is to simply get your kit on. Just commit to pulling on those [...]
This is the best way to glue a new tire and new wheel. There are some slight changes to think about it you’re using a wheel or tire that already has some glue on it. In that case, you could more than likely avoid the initial layer of glue. With a new tire and a new rim you should apply a very thin layer of glue to both and let it dry before putting on the fresh stuff and mounting. Basic steps are as follows:
Step #1: Stretch the tire – you’ll want to put the tire on a rim and pump it up. Leave it for a few hours. This will stretch it out and make it much easier to apply once you’ve got the glue on.
Step #2. Seal the valve extender – if you’re using a rim that needs a valve extension you need to make sure the connection between valve and extender is good. There’s nothing worse than trying to pump a newly glued tired only to find out the air won’t go in. Use plumbers sealing tape as shown and MAKE SURE the presta valve is OPEN. Twist it open hard and even apply a very small dab of glue on the tip to keep it that way.   
Continue reading Gluing a tubular
Winter riding often means wet, gritty roads that can wreak havoc on your drive chain. It is important to give your bike a good rinse after each ride and to more thoroughly clean it at least once a week. Back in the day, we actually used to use [...]
The next time a blister makes its way onto your foot you may want to think about using Duct Tape as a cover up. Most Band-Aids or blister solutions don’t stick enough to stay on over the course of a sweaty run. Granted, Duct Tape doesn’t always work either, [...]
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About this site:
These triathlon and endurance sport related tips have been compiled by Heather and Trevor Wurtele over the years of their progression from working age-groupers to full time professional triathletes. Heather is now a 4 time Ironman Champion and top 10 World Championship finisher. Trevor has an Ironman PR of 8:22 and a 2:51 Ironman marathon.
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