Article by Fred Matheny A saddle sore can ruin a ride. Even a tiny zit can begin to feel like you’re perched on a golf ball. Nearly as painful are crotch abrasions caused by shorts that bunch or have an irritating seam. Even the pros, hardened by thousands of miles in the saddle, fall victim [...]
Tips for Comfortable Touring and Keeping Healthy While on the Road Embarking on a bicycle tour of Thailand can be an exciting and daunting prospect, and even though Thailand is well suited for cycle touring, there are quite a few ways you should prepare for your trip before you set off. Making sure you have [...]
Article by Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka You should choose cycling shorts based on the quality of materials and construction. But also crucial is how well they conform to your unique anatomy. Shorts, like saddles, are tough to recommend because of differences in butts, crotches, seats and riding positions. Here are some guidelines that will [...]
Article by Ed Pavelka Since the late 1990s, saddle design has seen major innovation. A big impetus came from a prominent doctor’s contention that sitting on a bike seat might lead to damaged nerves or blood vessels. This risk, plus the occasional bout of temporary genital numbness that many riders experience, put designers into action. [...]
Article by Fred Matheny Andy Pruitt’s name has become synonymous with sports medicine for cycling. As director of the Boulder Center for Sports Medicine in Boulder, CO, Pruitt has made a career out of treating world-class riders such as Lance Armstrong and George Hincapie. In 1996, Pruitt served as chief medical officer for the U.S. [...]
Article by Fred Matheny The major activity of any cycling club, racing or touring, is the group ride. As a result, it’s important to know how to hang tough on a given ride and make yourself welcome on the next one. Success is often due to more than fitness. Here’s a club cycling primer! Know [...]
Article by Fred Matheny and Ed Pavelka Dog attacks are high on the list of cycling fears. Maybe you can’t stop a dog from giving chase, but you can outsmart him if you know how dogs think. Know dog psychology. The majority of dogs who chase cyclists are merely defending their territory. When you pedal [...]
Article by Fred Matheny It’s the summer cycling season, and it’s hot where you live. Cyclists and other outdoor athletes are the first to notice rising temperatures. And the hotter it is, the faster you lose fluids when you ride. Fluids are crucial to your performance and sense of well-being. We’re really just big bags [...]
Article by Ed Pavelka Cycling is full of prodigious numbers—the distances ridden, the calories consumed, the tires trashed. Another statistic that can seem astounding is the number of pedal strokes made. Let’s suppose it takes you six hours to ride a century and you pedal at the rate of 90 rpm throughout. As you cross [...]
Article by Fred Matheny The key to riding long distances is food and drink. Sure, training is important—but nutrition and hydration are even more vital. According to ultramarathon rider and coach John Hughes of Boulder, Colorado, “Nutrition, not necessarily training, is the limiting factor in endurance cycling.” The reason? Even the best-trained riders pack only [...]
Safely transporting your bicycle on an airplane requires a bit of preparation and forethought. You will need to consider what type of container to pack your bicycle in, how you, your bicycle, and your additional luggage will travel to and from the airport, and of course what regulations and costs you should expect at the [...]
Article by Fred Matheny Pacelines are organized. They have specific rules. But in big groups like you find in centuries or charity rides, things will be disorganized. This can intimidate even experienced riders. Sooner or later you’ll find yourself in a big group amid some riders with sketchy skills. It pays to learn how to [...]
How I lost 10% of my body weight by cycling for a month! Many people spend hours looking on the Internet for the best method to lose a few kilograms. I’ve always been one to take everything I read with a grain of salt. The one simple thing that all of the weight-loss information does [...]
Thai Cycling for Health Association (TCHA) regularly organizes cycling trips to different locations throughout Bangkok and its surrounding provinces. Most one-day trips are free of charge while multi-day/overnight trips remain relatively inexpensive. During overnight trips the accommodation is usually *very* basic, and riders are required to look after most of their own expenses, but it [...]
One of the most rewarding experiences of riding a bicycle in Thailand is the cornucopia of food that greets you at every bend in the road. From seaside restaurants and mountain village fresh markets to the curbside food stands that fill the walkways of every small town, Thailand has a love affair with food. Amongst [...]
Looking to buy a new bike? Already know what you want in a bike but not too sure of the shop you want to buy it from? Use your next bicycle shopping experience to help you locate a great bike shop. Here are 7 tips from BicycleThailand.com to help you. 1. Size does matter – [...]
How to prevent your bicycle from being stolen may not be the first thought that crosses your mind when you are on that quick run to the corner store, but it should be. As the numbers of reported stolen bikes steadily increases across large cities and urban areas of Thailand every bicycle owner should make [...]
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