Bike Racing

Posted by Linda Roeder

When my son goes to a race his coach tells him not to eat within 2 hours of the race, 3 is better. He's also told not to eat any protein before a race, only carbs. No eggs for breakfast, oatmeal instead. No hamburgers for lunch, instead, pasta. Pasta's also good for eating after the race. What you eat after the race is important too.

Nick has discovered both why you shouldn't eat protein before a race and why you shouldn't eat too soon before a race. He also learned why you shouldn't eat too much before a race and also why it's important to remember to eat something, anything at all.

All four scenarios will make you sick. You don't want to feel sick during a race or you will either not have the energy to race or you will have to need to throw up during the race. I've seen this happen to some of the racers. They do it while they're still moving and just keep on racing.

What you eat, how much you eat and when you eat are all very important parts of bike racing.

Posted by Linda Roeder

My son can't wait for the day when he doesn't have to use junior gearing anymore. He wants to go faster and harder but feels like he's being held back by the junior gear restrictions. He has a long wait since his racing age is only 14 this year.

He's big for a 13 year old kid, most people think he's 17. Size doesn't matter though what matters is age. His muscles are still not fully developed. These gear restrictions are in place to save kids just like him from seriously injuring their legs. That's why they're there.

Read more about the new junior gear restrictions.

Posted by Linda Roeder

Jon Sparks, writer for Bicycling at Suite101, has a fascinating article on the mountain bike championships that will be held in September of this year in Scotland. He describes the course in some detail and also goes into what spectators will get out of it. This years mountain bike championships promises to be full of excitement and beauty, and a lot of thrill.

Posted by Linda Roeder

Everytime Nick eats eggs for breakfast or has some milk to drink before a race he gets sick. He can't race if he eats too much and he can't race if he has eggs or milk.

Two laps into today's race he was already sick. He did terrible. He was half a lap behind where usually he's right up in front. He says he felt sick to his stomach. He had oatmeal, an egg, toast and milk 1 1/2 hours before the race.

I'm wondering what the rest of you eat before a race and how far before the race do you eat. Post comments telling how you eat for a race.

Posted by Linda Roeder

I bought my son a new pair of wheels. It was finally warm enough for him to go out on a bike ride with his group. They all met for the ride and he asked his coach to help him put the tube in the tire. The coach comes over and takes one look at the wheel and says, "You don't have any rim tape, you can't use this wheel."

My son's heart sank. He was really hoping to finally get out on the road after being couped up all winter training indoors. No one had an extra wheel he could use so he couldn't go on the ride.

We learned an important lesson. Just because you bought something for your bike it doesn't mean it's ready to use. We bought the wheels online so we didn't have a sales person to tell us about these things.

Going to a bike shop and buying your bike racing or riding supplies from an experienced rider is the best way to go.

Posted by Linda Roeder

If you've ever been to a velodrome to watch a track race you may have noticed how different the keirin is.

The first thing you would have noticed is the motorcycle on the track. You might have wondered why a motorcycle is going to race those bikes. Then you started wondering why those bikes are following that motorcycle around the track. You were really glad when that motorcycle got off the track and let the bikes race.

Next you noticed one of the most exiting things you've ever seen as those bikes sprinted so fast for the finish line you could barely move your neck fast enough to watch them and you sure as heck couldn't tell who won.

That was a keirin race. One of the most popular forms of track racing in the world. Learn more about this exciting race, the keirin.

Posted by Linda Roeder

I received an email from our Junior cycling coordinator a couple weeks ago with an attachment from the founder of Athlete Focus. I was intrigued. A site where Nick could sign up online, post about his accomplishments, connect with other cyclists and maybe even find a sponsor or two.

I contacted Athlete Focus and told him I would help. After all I do have a cycling site here and cycling is one of the included sports on the site. I'm hoping that he can turn Athlete Focus into a really great place for athletes to go online.

Sign up. Support the site. Make suggestions. Together we can make a great place for us to network.

Posted by Linda Roeder

The Discovery Channel, who currently sponsors Team Discovery, is puling their sponsorship of their cycling team, formerly lead by Lance Armstrong. As of 2008 Team Discovery will be no more. Other sponsors may be pulling out too because of some of the doping issues cycling has been dealing with.

The Discovery Channel says they did not pull out because of doping issues. They are pulling out because of a change in management and a restructuring of the company.

This leaves the cyclists on the team looking for another sponsor. They are currently looking at other U.S. companies as potential sponsors.

Posted by Linda Roeder

All summer long I watched as my son raced at the local velodrome. Every month he got faster. Sometimes he won, sometimes he lost, but he loved every minute of it.

Track racing is like no other sport. You are out there, just you and your bike, trying to out maneuvere your bike around all the other people on a slanted, oval track that's high on the edge with a bike with no brakes. Thrilling.

This year he'll be trying for junior national champion at the Junior National Championships in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA. Find out more about track racing and where your closest velodrome is.

Posted by Linda Roeder

If you are a bike racer you will need to get your cycling license renewed. If you are in Canada you will have to get your bike racing license in the province that you live in. It doesn't matter where you are from or where you race the most or even what nationality you are, all that matters is where you live.

Each Canadian province has their own licensing procedures and their own cycling association. Where you live determines where you are going to go to sign up for your bike racing license. Make sure you renew your license soon. Racing season is starting soon.