Biking/Cycling & Training Resources (06)

Bicycle Maintenance Guide
This handy guide includes information about maintaining your bicycle. Because there are many aspects and pieces associated with bike maintenance, it's important to have a comprehensive guide. This one includes driving, wheels, steering and more. The steering page discusses drop handlebars, aero bars and triathlon bars. The most common types are clamped to the top of the handlebars. There are many different types, and the author's favorite is Syntace, despite the prices that border on extortion (little required pieces of plastic need to be bought separately at unreal prices). They clamp on the thick inner part of the handlebars, leaving more room for holding the top of the handlebars, they have a very low height and comfortable and adjustable armrests, and they have just the right length and a steep front that doesn't require bending the wrists too much, the author notes.

Get Dirty: Mountain Biking
Chock full of mountain biking events and stories, as well as the latest news about mountain biking, this site has great information on the mountain biking world. There are photos and stories from professional and amateur mountain bikers, as well as a news section that covers mountain bicycling events across the world! Connect with other mountain bikers through the use of the message boards, or plan out your next mountain biking equipment purchase with the mountain bicycling product reviews. The site is updated frequently, so you can always find the latest on mountain biking here. Ready to sign up for a mountain biking race? There is a section where you can get the latest on mountain bicycling races and events.

Aero Bars
Though you can buy aero bars on this website, there are a number of various manufacturer's aero bars with descriptions and specs that can be of use when buying an aero bar. Mentioned are the Vision Tech Carbon Pro Clip-on Aero Bar, Vision Tech TriMax Plus Integrated Aero Bar, Cinelli Angel Aero Bars, Profile Carbon X Bar and Eason EC90 Attack Aero Bar, just to name a few. These reviews include various aspects and features of the aero bars mentioned.

Road Bikes vs. Triathlon Bikes: Seats, Wheels and Structure
This article explains the differences between road bikes and triathlon bikes, and makes mention of bike seat use. The angle of the seat tube on a triathlon bike is usually 78 degrees. A typical road bike seat angle is 73 degrees, in comparison. This steeper seat angle serves to open the distance between the thigh and the torso up, easing muscular tension in the legs and lower back and making breathing easier. The rest of the article offers useful information about the differences between road and triathlon bicycles in seating, wheels and overall structure.

Early Season Errors
Triathlons and Duathlons are a relatively young sport. They benefit from the legacy of cycling, distance running and swimming, and the lessons learned from individual sports can help the multisport athlete avoid big problems. Enthusiasm and procrastination are the catalyst for a vicious cycle of early season errors. Every athlete has made some of these opening day goofs, and this article gives practical tips to avoid factors that can ruin a season, such as not covering your legs while biking and not taking care of your bicycle.