Recent Blogs
Harry Hanley's A Grade Vets Cora Lyn-Nar Nar Goon Race Report for 4 May 2008
By Harry Hanely| 05-May-08Peter Kirkham's Mt Baw Baw Classic 2008 Race Report
By Peter Kirkham| 20-Apr-08Harry Hanley's Tour of Coleraine 2008
By Harry Hanely| 16-Apr-08Not so great week leading up to my first B grade race at Glenvale
By Peter Kirkham| 01-Apr-08Harry Hanley Wins B grade Bike Style Tours' mass start championship Sandown raceway 27 March 2008
By Harry Hanely| 27-Mar-08Is Cycling Really the New Golf?
By David Heatley| 25-Mar-08C Grade Win! - Glenvale Crit - Sunday 16 March 2008
By Peter Kirkham| 18-Mar-082nd Place at Glenvale
By Peter Kirkham| 17-Mar-08Recent News
Guest Speakers wanted for the up and coming Bright Boot Camps
- Published 14-May-08
It's that time of the year were we start to lock in the guest speakers for the Bright Boot Camps. The dates have been set for Melbourne Cup Weekend 2008 (evening check in on the 31 Oct then ride till the 4 Nov 2008) then Feb 2009 (evening check in on the 6 Feb then ride till the 10 Feb 2009). If you are interested in speaking at one of our Bright Boot Camps on a subject that you think would be of interest to cyclists then please contact us by clicking here. You can visit the website at http://www.brightbootcamp.com to find out more about the event.
» Read More
RaceRight Cycling Camp Entries Closed
- Published 12-May-08
Entries are now closed for the RaceRight Cycling Camp. If you are interested in future camps please register your interest by clicking here.
» Read More
Le Knicks have received their long awaited Winter Order
- Published 23-Apr-08
Le Knicks (our local clothing supplier) have received their long awaited Teo order. This includes the new waterproof booties and lovley and warm winter gloves. Nalini has also come during the week and has some toasty roubaix winter jerseys. Also in the shipment is a range of jackets, vests and a selection of the Bianchi range (limited numbers). They have all the gear to help you ride comfortably through the winter. Contact Max at LeKnicks (03) 9589-0564 or visit their website: www.leknicks.com. LeKnicks are located at 4/300 Beach Road, in Black Rock, VIC, Australia and are open Mon-Fri 10am-6pm, Sat-Sun 7am-3.30pm
Win a Free Place on the up and Coming Original Bright Boot Camp
- Published 02-Mar-08
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All you have to do is compete the following survey and you'll be in the draw to win a free place on the camp and a iPod Shuffle! Your feedback will help us make the Bright Boot Camp the best cycling camp! You can still enter if you have already enrolled into the Bright Boot Camp. If you win the draw you will have your enrolment fees credited back to you! Click here to enter into our competition |
Featured Articles
Functional Strength Training Vs Traditional muscle isolation exercises using machines
- By David Heatley
- Published 15-May-08
- General Training Tips
- Unrated
Why free weights are better
When is come to weight training for cyclists there is a raging debate on as to what sort of strength training produces the greatest results. The first thing to remember with strength training is that a sprinter will be training differently to an endurance rodie. Sprinters by nature need to recruit large amounts of power in excess of 2kw at world championship level. For that they will spend a huge part of their training life in the gym performing strength training. As for a rodie, which we would best describe as an endurance athlete, strength training is also an important part of helping to develop power on the bike. A rodie still has to sprint at the end of a race, still have to chance down or initiate attacks and needs sustained power to climb hills and to time trial well. It's a proven scientific fact that endurance cyclist can greatly benefit from doing weight training as well. Weight training even applies to the recreational cyclist who rides cycling endurance events like the AUDAX, Round the Bay in a day, Sydney to Wollongong and our very own original spring and summer Alpine Bright Boot Camp. Also, one of the great spinoffs from weight training is the ability to ride faster for longer and with more comfort. This article discusses the myths of weight training and how to specifically train for cycling.
What does your resting heart mean?
- By David Heatley
- Published 14-May-08
- General Training Tips
- Unrated
Resting heart rate indicates your fitness
Your resting heart rate is often a good determination as to how fit you are. It is also a good indicating to determine if you're either over training or unwell. If this is the case it will usually show up as as unexplained increases in resting heart rate. This article discusses the basics of resting heart rate, how it relates to fitness and provides a table indicating how fit you are based on your own personal resting HR.
How to use heart rate monitors and zones to improve your cycling
- By David Heatley
- Published 14-May-08
- General Training Tips
- Unrated
HR Monitors are the cheapest way to monitor and improve your cycling performance
The Heart Rate monitor is valuable training for you to monitor and evaluate your cycling fitness and progress. Here is a group of articles that help explain what it all about and how you can use it to improve the efficiency of your training; saving you time while maximising your training results. The first page talks about the different HR zones. This is how to use heart rate monitors to improve your cycling
How to improve your Cycling VO2MAX
- By David Heatley
- Published 13-May-08
- General Training Tips
- Unrated
The best way to perform VO2MAX training is on a fluid or wind trainer
Cycling interval training at your VO2MAX zone is one of the few ways to improve your VO2 measure. This short article briefly discuses VO2MAX training and the energy system involved. Simply put and without going into to much scientific jargon your VO2MAX energy system is different to other energy systems you use while riding. It is the energy system you primary rely on when racing at high intensities and has a high blend of anaerobic respiration; that is burning energy without oxygen. It's kind of like adding nitro to petrol. You use it to go really fast. But there is a down side to it...
Make hills your friend and improve your Cycling fitness dramatically
- By David Heatley
- Published 12-May-08
- General Training Tips
- Unrated
Make hills your friend
I'm a big fan of monitoring the amount of vertical meters climbed for the week. It's a number that's important if you are a recreational rider that's riding hilly events... Especially if you are riding some of these epic events in Europe this year. It's also a very important number if you are now transitioning into road racing. While climbing is not a important part of criterium racing it's still a great way to improve your strength and VO2MAX values. So even if you are spending this road season just doing the flatter criterium racing make hills your friend and use them to build strength, power and improve your VO2MAX.
Dates set for the Bright Boot Camp
- By David Heatley
- Published 06-May-08
- Bright Boot Camp
- Unrated
The Original Alpine Bright Boot Camp
Dates are now set for the Original Alpine Bright Boot Camp. They are Melbourne Cup Weekend 2008 (evening check in on the 31 Oct then ride till the 4 Nov 2008) then Feb 2009 (evening check in on the 6 Feb then ride till the 10 Feb 2009). We have shifted the Australia Day Weekend camp through to February. The main reasons for this are due to the Tour Down Under being extended a few more days making it rather tight to get from it to the Bright Boot Camp and conflicts with the Audax Alpine Classic. February is a quiet time of the year for Bright so we should have the roads very much to ourselves. It's also a little cooler than January. The Bright Boot Camp is one of the most challenging events on the Australia cycling events calendar. Bright in Victoria Australia is one of the best places to ride a bike and has excellent access to all the major Australian Alps. It's not just about riding as we also have informative guest speakers talking about cycling topics of great interest to cyclists. The Original Alpine Bright Boot Camp attracts recreational and racing cyclists from all around Australia and New Zealand. We have limited places so early enrolment is recommended. For more information please visit our Bright Boot camp website at www.brightbootcamp.com.
Cycling-Inform Sponsors Shane Perkins Olympic Dream
- By David Heatley
- Published 02-Apr-08
- Shane Perkins News
- Unrated
Shane Perkins - One the three fastest men in Australia on a bike
Cycling-Inform is proud to be associated with helping Shane Perkins reach his Olympic dream. Shane is a Junior World Champion and represents Australia at the UCI World Track Cycling Championships and World Cup events. Shane is focused on being selected to represent Australia at the Olympics this year. His website can be found here.
Cycling-Inform offers two New Cycling Events based in Italy! Ride in Sunny Italy this Winter!
- By David Heatley
- Published 30-Mar-08
- Bright Boot Camp
- Unrated
Ride in Sunny Italy this Winter!
Cycling-Inform has joined forces with Italian Immersions to bring you two new events based in Italy! Ride in Sunny Italy this Winter!Giro delle Dolomiti Tour
The ‘Eroica’ Race (Chianti, Italy) - The ‘Eroica’ Race. Join us on the perfect Italian cycling experience. This 10 day itinerary rolls over the regions unparalleled landscapes and finishes with our participation in one of Italy’s oldest and greatest cycling events – The ‘Eroica’ Race. Our trails lead us to discover a place steeped in history and nature, classic hilltop towns, ancient hamlets and castles, World Heritage listed landscapes and arguably Italy’s best wines. It is Italian cycling and culture at its best. Click here for more information.
Recent Articles
David Wilkins gets 2nd Place!
- By David Heatley
- Published Yesterday
- Coaching Results
- Unrated
I've been coaching David for several months now. David doesn’t
have a lot of time to train between work and family commitments. He is a QLD branch manager of
a large global finance company.
When I first started with David he was getting dropped in his races and really wanted to improve. Here is his latest report:
I have been keen to drop you a note after last Saturday's racing. Remember you encouraged me last week to say that I was getting better & stronger, well I think you were right. I went out the next day & did my V02 max rides better than before but found they were still hard work, it was just that I was more encouraged so I tried a bit harder. Then on Saturday, when it all counts, I rode in D grade and came in 2nd place. My HR didn't work for the race but I was noticing how I was feeling and I would say that I only got into V02 max in the last 5 minutes or so, at least that's how it felt as I was cruising most of the time, Then on the last lap the pace picked up and I was right there with the leaders and I had to hold back from sprinting too early so I sat on another wheel for the last half a lap then in the last 25 meters there was a mini sprint and I overtook 2 other people to come in 2nd place, and what was better is that I felt really strong at the end. The speed over the line was only 50 kph ( I have done better) but it was enough. I am really exited about how I am riding right now and I can't wait to get back on the bike.
The cold weather is not too bad here and even though I hate the cold, I love training in winter because I get a jump on all the soft riders while they are still at home in bed.
Thanks for all your help so far.
This gym work is fantastic. With my gym work my personal trainer has adopted a free weight approach for some time now and he says I am getting better in my core strength. We are doing mostly squats (free bar), lunges with dumb bells, jump squats with no weights, leg extensions, wood chop type exercises with 12.5 kg dumb bells and some leg presses
Again, thanks.
David Wilkins.
QLD, Australia.
I have been keen to drop you a note after last Saturday's racing. Remember you encouraged me last week to say that I was getting better & stronger, well I think you were right. I went out the next day & did my V02 max rides better than before but found they were still hard work, it was just that I was more encouraged so I tried a bit harder. Then on Saturday, when it all counts, I rode in D grade and came in 2nd place. My HR didn't work for the race but I was noticing how I was feeling and I would say that I only got into V02 max in the last 5 minutes or so, at least that's how it felt as I was cruising most of the time, Then on the last lap the pace picked up and I was right there with the leaders and I had to hold back from sprinting too early so I sat on another wheel for the last half a lap then in the last 25 meters there was a mini sprint and I overtook 2 other people to come in 2nd place, and what was better is that I felt really strong at the end. The speed over the line was only 50 kph ( I have done better) but it was enough. I am really exited about how I am riding right now and I can't wait to get back on the bike.
The cold weather is not too bad here and even though I hate the cold, I love training in winter because I get a jump on all the soft riders while they are still at home in bed.
Thanks for all your help so far.
This gym work is fantastic. With my gym work my personal trainer has adopted a free weight approach for some time now and he says I am getting better in my core strength. We are doing mostly squats (free bar), lunges with dumb bells, jump squats with no weights, leg extensions, wood chop type exercises with 12.5 kg dumb bells and some leg presses
Again, thanks.
David Wilkins.
QLD, Australia.
Lloyd Killmore remote cycle coaching success
- By David Heatley
- Published 20-May-08
- Coaching Results
- Unrated
Just received this e-mail from Lloyd. He started the program a few weeks ago and here is what he writes...
"I have noticed a big improvement in max speed of my standing starts, I hit 62.3 km/h this morning, up from 52.9 last week. I am also watching my power and each sprint had my power over 1000 W where as last week only 1/2 had power over 1000W. I am also finding big improvements when I ride with the bunch ride in tour of the suburbs, coming close to some KOM's".
For more information regarding the Cycling Inform Remote Cycling Coaching program click here
"I have noticed a big improvement in max speed of my standing starts, I hit 62.3 km/h this morning, up from 52.9 last week. I am also watching my power and each sprint had my power over 1000 W where as last week only 1/2 had power over 1000W. I am also finding big improvements when I ride with the bunch ride in tour of the suburbs, coming close to some KOM's".
For more information regarding the Cycling Inform Remote Cycling Coaching program click here
How to survive a cycle home trainer session
- By David Heatley
- Published 15-May-08
- General Training Tips
- Unrated
Home trainers help you improve
Just like your heart rate monitor your indoor home trainer
is a fundamental tool in improving your cycling fitness. During your building
and peaking phases the humble home trainer becomes the most important corner
stone to help you perform high intensity intervals and sprints. Sadly skipped
by many cyclist these high intensity efforts are critical to your success as a
cyclists and stop you from being spat out of the back of bunches when climbing
hills, responding to vicious attacks and hammering into cross winds while riding in the gutter.
Not only that, training on an indoor home trainer is the most
important key to improving you time trial performance for road races and triathlon
events. It's is scientifically proven that after a structured six week session
on a home trainer that you can improve you average speed by several kilometres which
equites to cutting minutes of your personal bests for these events. This article discuss the merits of home training and how to
keep motivated while doing it.
Cycling-Inform's Top Cycling Tips e-mailed to your e-mail box weekly!
- By David Heatley
- Published 05-May-08
- Free Stuff
- Unrated
Cycling-Inform's Top Cycling Tips e-mailed to your e-mail box weekly!
Find out the pro cycling training secrets that will help you win races. Get Cycling-Inform's weekly Pro tips delivered to your e-mail box weekly
Information covers:
- Discover the signs of over training and what you should do if you have them
- Find out how to get specific form for during your season for important races regardless if the event
- Great mistakes of the newbie to road racing
- How to climb hills correctly event if you aren't a hill climber
- How to finish strong.
- How to get a wicked sprint even if you aren’t a sprinter
- how to know when the decisive break is about to go and what training you can you to ensure that you are with it when it goes.
- How to place in every race rather than
- How to train smart and used your training time efficiently so you can race at the highest level possible. Especially important even if you have work and family commitments
- How to warm up correctly before a race
- In Cycling-Informs Weekly Top Racing Tips I'll be explain week by week how to train and race to win.
- Race strategies that will help you win races even if you aren’t the strong rider in the bunch
- The correct way to drop weight for bike racing
- The correct way to recover
- The one most important thing about wining criterium races that all good criterium riders know
- Training plans that will build your power and energy to enable you to move up a grade
- Training zones and how to use them to train smart.
Plus much, much more...
Cycling-Informs Weekly Top Racing Tips is full of weekly pro tips guaranteed to help you win; whatever your current Grade or level.
There is no risk for you. You can unsubscribe at any time!
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Travelling with your Bicycle. Boxes, cases and bags for your bicycle.
- By David Heatley
- Published 02-May-08
- Reviews
- Unrated
Travelling with your Bicycle
Sometimes your enjoyment of bicycle riding takes you well beyond just riding locally. These are the times when you'll be travelling with your bicycle to races or cycling events via plane or car. In these cases you'll need to make a decision as to how you appropriately package your bike to ensure it arrives safely. Here are some simple guidelines to help you select whether you use a box, bag or bike travel case when you are travelling with your bicycle. Covers local, national and international tips.
