PURE HOT CYCLING BABES!

Thank you for making the sport a more beautiful one.

Young Entrepreneur in Central Florida making marks on a specialized niche in the sport of Cycling!

 In the world of international cycling names like Alberto Contador and Lance Armstrong are easily recognized. However, one  us of has done and keep doing a great mark in cycling.
The Puerto Rican Herfel Torres is the creator and co-founder of HERMES BIKES. A company dedicated to design, redesign and customizing of mountain bikes.

"Since mountain biking became an Olympic sport, the momentum of this discipline is unstoppable. And the demographic and economic studies show clear industry growing statistics. HERMES BIKES, we are here to stay and dominate the market for high-caliber athletes who want the best. "Torres commented about the industry.

The young entrepreneur, who lives in Central Florida, after completing undergraduate studies at the UPR ( Rio Piedras campus, in PR), was devoted to studies in physics,mechanical and aerodynamic specializing in cars. What he learned working in the automotive industry and competition, he applies to bicycles.

As part of its mission to help others and delivery in the sport, Torres and HERMES BIKES share their success by being an active part of the local community. The businessman and his company, are
sponsors of health and fitness events also organizers and members of the exercise program of the "Coalition
to Defeat Childhood Obesity" (non-profit) and the fight against child hemophilia.

 Herfel Torres has been cycling from an early age. Competing nationally in forms of BMX, Freestyle and then Route. With a passion speed, became the goal of this pioneering Hispanic. After spending several months in China and Taiwan in meetings for design and manufacturing of bicycles and parts, HERMES BIKES became his dream come true 8 years ago.

"It is all mechanics: the body is the engine and driver. My job is to achieve greater efficiency and output power with less effort. In the car racing circuit, winners are not the most powerful, but if the most efficient " Assure Torres who began his passion for bicycles at 11 years of age and then became a competitor and cycling enthusiast.

About the market Torres said: it  is very commercial and that his company brings unique and high quality parts. "When you go to the factories, you realize who makes what, and not the brand names you see out there. There are many brands and parts that do not come to our countries not only because price but for lack of knowledge and / or advertising.

"HERMES Bikes produces about 40 bikes a year with a range value from $ $ 3.500 to $ 7.800 usd. Each creation is unique in its kind and works as a piece of art. According to Torres, in many cases customers are so exclusive that prefer to remain anonymous.

In the tradition of the Greek god Hermes, the swift, efficient, mischievous and magical messenger is given life in this millennium HERMES BIKES, sudden,swift and no rules. "Come fly with the gods," says
Torres invites you to experience the speed of HERMES.

Joven Empresario de la Florida Central haciendo marcas en un nicho especializado al deporte del Ciclismo!

En el mundo del ciclismo internacional nombres como Alberto Contador y Lance Armstrong son fácilmente reconocidos. Sin Embargo, uno de los nuestros ha hecho y sigue haciendo una gran marca en un reglón del ciclismo diferente. El puertorriqueño, Herfel Torres es el  creador y co-fundador de HERMES BIKES. Una compañía dedicada al diseño, re-diseño y costumizacion de bicicletas de montaña.

“Desde que el ciclo montañismo se convirtió en un deporte olímpico - el momentum de esta rama es imparable. Y los estudios demográficos y económicos de la industria nos muestran claras y crecientes estadísticas. HERMES BIKES, estamos aquí para quedarnos y dominar, el mercado de alto calibre y atletas que desean lo mejor.” comento Torres acerca de la industria.

El joven  empresario, quien reside en la Florida Central, luego de culminar estudios universitarios en la UPR (recinto de Rio Piedras, en P.R.), se dedico a estudios de física, mecánica y aerodinámica especializada en automóviles. Lo que aprendió trabajando en la industria automotriz y de competencia lo aplica a las bicicletas.

Como parte de su misión por ayudar a los demás y su entrega en el deporte, Herfel Torres y HERMES BIKES comparten su éxito siendo parte activa de la comunidad local. El empresario y su compañía, son patrocinadores activos de eventos de salud y ejercicio además organizadores y miembros del el programa de ejercicio de la “Coalicion para Derrotar la Obesidad Infantil” (non-profit) y la lucha contra la hemofilia infantil.

Herfel Torres ha sido ciclista desde temprana edad compitiendo nacionalmente en modalidades de BMX, Freestyle y luego Ruta. Con una gran pasión, la velocidad, se convirtió en la meta de este pionero hispano. Luego de pasar varios meses en China y Taiwan en reuniones de diseño y manufactura con fábricas de bicicletas y partes,  HERMES BIKES se convirtió en su sueño hecho realidad  y ya lleva 8 años.

“Es mecánica: el cuerpo es el motor y el conductor. Mi trabajo es lograr la mayor eficiencia y producción de potencia con el menor esfuerzo. En las carreras de autos de circuito, los que ganaban no eran los más poderosos, pero si los más eficientes” Asegura Torres quien comenzó su pasión por las bicicletas desde los 11 años de edad y luego se convirtió en un competidor y entusiasta del ciclismo.

Acerca del mercado especialista Torres asegura que el mercado es muy comercial y que su compañía trae piezas únicas y de alta calidad.  “Cuando vas a las fabricas, te das cuenta de quien hace que. Y no los nombres comerciales que andan por ahí. Hay muchas marcas y piezas que no llegan a nuestros países no solo por el precio sino por falta de conocimiento y/o publicidad”

HERMES Bikes  produce alrededor de 40 bicicletas al año con un valor desde los $3,500 $usd hasta $7,800. Cada creación es única en su clase y trabaja meticulosamente como una pieza de arte, según las necesidades  del comprador.  Según torres, en muchos casos clientela tan exclusiva que prefieren permanecer anónimos. En la tradición del dios Griego Hermes, el veloz, eficiente, travieso y mensajero mágico se le da vida en este milenio a HERMES BIKES, súbito, veloz y sin reglas. “Ven a volar con los dioses” comenta torres invitando a experimentar la velocidad.

Best Way to Refuel After a Ride

A person can spend a bunch of money on energy bars and other high-tech nutritional products. But that’s not necessary for most of us regular Joe cyclists. Simple is best, and what your body most wants after any sort of extended ride is two things – sugars/carbs for immediate energy and proteins to rebuild your muscles that have been taxed on the ride. And so here are some ideas of what your fellow riders enjoy when they refuel after a ride.

1. Quaker oats with Apples & Cinnamon instant oatmeal
"Oatmeal"
"My traditional post-ride meal is a mix of Quaker oats along with Apples & Cinnamon instant oatmeal. It's a good mix of simple and complex carbs and I have it with milk to hydrate and get some quality protein. It really fills you up, too!"

2. Chocolate milk

"Chocolate skim milk is my number one choice for post ride refuelling. Sugar, liquid, protein all in a tasty quick and cheap package. It's got the optimal carb/protein ratio, plus antioxidant benefits of cocoa."

3. Bananas, grapes, cheese and yogurt
"grapes bananas fruit"Digital Vision/Chris Stein
"When I'm done riding I like to dig into fruits and dairy, specifically some bananas and grapes along with some cheese and yogurt. I find this gives an excellent and rapid supply of carbs and protein along with the right amount of fat for energy later. Couple that with lots of fluids such as Gator-aid or water, and you're all set."

4. Nature Valley Sweet & Salty Nut Granola Bars
"I’ve used the “Sweet & Salty” Granola bars as my post-ride snack for years. I get them at Sam’s Club. They have 11 g of Sugar and 4 g of Protein in each bar, just about the exact mix."

5. Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
"My favorite thing to have after riding is a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on whole wheat bread. If I'm really hungry, I'll have a bowl of oatmeal with milk to go with it."

6. Whole rye bread with almond butter and honey
"My favorite is whole rye bread with almond butter and honey. It gives me both a quick boost and a longer energy rise."

7. Fig Newtons
"My post-recovery snack is a fig newton or two and a glass of chocolate milk mixed with glutamine. I also carry fig newtons on long rides for quick energy as needed."

Shifting: A Lost Art. part 2

First a couple of fundamentals; number one: the purpose of gears is to make the bike easier to pedal up hills and enable you to pedal down them. The idea is to maintain a constant pace on the pedals and change your gears according to the wind and terrain conditions. Once you find your pace, that rhythm, you can ride all the way to California if you want to.

Fundamental number two: you must be pedaling when you change gears. That's because the chain has to be moving in order for the derailleurs to "de-rail" the chain from sprocket to sprocket. That's also why it's best not to click the shifters when you’re sitting still. Besides stretching the gear cables, the bike immediately changes gears when you start off again, usually with some very disconcerting noises. Shifting your gears while sitting still is like fingernails on a chalkboard to your bike mechanic.

Now back to the gear shifting tips.

Tip one: Pedal at a brisk pace. It’s better to pedal at a brisk pace using the easier to pedal gears than to muscle the harder gears more slowly. This technique will increase your stamina over a longer ride and will enable you to accelerate more quickly if you need to "jump". I promise you’ll still get a good leg workout. A brisk pace on the pedals also improves the shifting.

Tip two: And this is hugely important. Lighten the pressure on the pedals when you shift. Keep them turning, but don't be muscling down on them while you shift. Lightening the pressure on the pedals significantly smoothes the gear change, reduces those grinding noises when you shift, and lengthens the life of your drive train. You’ll have to anticipate your shifts a bit as you approach the hills, but it only takes a beat to change your gears on a hill once you get your timing down.

Tip three: Use your low numbered gears on the left with your low numbered gears on the right; and use your high numbered ones with the high ones. Thus, if you're in gear number one on the left, you should use it with gear numbers one through four on the right. Likewise, if you're in number three on the left, you should use it with gear numbers five and above on the right.

This tip has to do with chain line. Although no real damage is done using the wrong gears together, avoiding them prevents those rattles and rubs you sometimes hear. With the number of gears that come on today’s bikes, you can avoid "mixing your highs and your lows" and still find a comfortable gear in which to ride.

On road bikes, where you have to look down to see what sprockets the chain is on to determine what gear your in, avoid running the large sprockets on the front with the large ones in the back, and similarly, avoid using the small ones in the front with the small ones in the back. Another way to say the same thing is, when you’re chain is on the inboard ring on the front, it should be on the inboard cogs in the back. Similarly, when you’re chain is on the outboard ring on the front, it should be on the outboard cogs in the back.

Tip Four: Remember to shift back to a low gear before you stop so that you’ll be in an easy gear for starting out again.

When to change gears will be pretty obvious. You’ll want to shift to an easier pedaling gear (i.e. down shift to a lower number) when the bike gets hard to pedal up hills, and then shift to a higher gear (higher number) so your pedals can catch up when you go down one. Thus, we have come full circle on our gear shifting discussion. Gears make it easier to go up hills and let you pedal down them.

Numb Genitals? Get a new bike saddle!

 Nearly 40 million Americans ride bikes every year. Among them the same problem keeps creeping up: genital numbness.
"Something has to give; either you genitals have to give or your sit bone or the saddle" 


The federal government recommends people who ride bicycles for work -- like police officers and messengers -- get better seats or face potential reproductive damage caused by compressed nerves and arteries in groin areas. The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health encourages workers to use no-nose saddles or seats that are designed to relieve pressure on those sensitive areas. For casual riders, there are various types of seats designed to relieve stress on genital areas. Some seats may have noses, but also have large holes in them to increase comfort.

The bikes seats are flexible. They typically have holes in them or a large space so that the grion does not touch the seat. That flexibility relieves pressure on a man's testicles, but similar seats are also designed for women. They tend to be shorter and wider.

Mr. Jones bought one of the no-nose saddles for his 30-plus year old bike. He doesn't ride for a living, he just enjoys doing it and wants to make sure he can continue enjoying all of life's pleasures.

"My girlfriend mentioned it, so I said, hell, I'll get this seat,"

Nutrition for Cycling

The best eating plan for a cyclist is one that includes plenty of low fat, high carbohydrate foods to provide energy and fluids to offer hydration. While ‘carb’ is a four letter word to many dieters, they are certainly not the diet-wrecking evil food that some people might lead you to believe. Carbs are your body’s preferred source of energy for cycling. Since you are constantly burning carbs to fuel your cycling as well as daily activities, you must regularly replace them with a high carbohydrate diet.

The kind of carbs that give all carbs a bad reputation are those made with simple sugars and refined flours. These offer little nutritional value. Get your fill of carbohydrates through fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grain breads, rice and pasta. Round out your diet with lean protein and a small amount of fat.

When you eat is almost as important as what you eat. About an hour before a ride, fuel up with a high carbohydrate snack or small meal. Some ideas might be fresh fruit and whole grain toast or a half whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.

If your ride is longer than 60 minutes, you’ll need to refuel with more carbs. Researchers recommend about 30 to 40 grams of carbohydrate each 30 minutes you ride beyond the first 60 minutes. This might be a good time to consider a sports drink or energy bar. Eating a high carb snack or meal within 60 minutes after a lengthy ride is important to replenish your body and prepare you for your next ride.

Cyclists must make a conscious effort to drink fluids before, during and after riding to stay hydrated. Becoming dehydrated is one of the worst things that can happen to you and so it is important to be proactive and push lots of fluids, even before you feel thirsty. You'll want to drink at least 8 - 12 ounces of fluid immediately before a ride, another 8 ounces every half hour during a ride, and enough when you're finished to gradually replenish those lost fluids after a ride.

The Importance of Streching

The top 3 cycling stretches

Stretching is one of the most under-utilized techniques for improving athletic performance, preventing sports injury and properly rehabilitating sprain and strain injury. Don't make the mistake of thinking that something as simple as stretching won't be effective or important.

Stretching is essential to overall conditioning and should be an integral part of any training routine. Due to the long period of time spent in the same position on the bike, stretching is very important to cyclists, both pre- and post race or training. Stretching can be a powerful rehabilitation and recovery tool, as well.

Below are 3 of the most beneficial stretches for cycling. Obviously there are a lot more, but these are a great choice to start with. Please make special note of the instructions beside each stretch.

Kneeling Quad Stretch: Kneel on one foot and the knee of the other leg. If needed, hold on to something to keep your balance and then push your hips forward.

Single Heel-drop Achilles Stretch: Stand on a raised object or step and place the ball of one foot on the edge of the step. Bend your knee slightly and let your heel drop towards the ground.

Lying Knee Roll-over Stretch: While on your back, bend your knees and let them fall to one side. Keep your arms out to the sides and let your back and hips rotate with your knees.

The above 3 stretches are just a small sample of stretching exercises that will help you improve your cycling game and eliminate cycling injuries.

HIGH ENERGY MOTIVATION. GET OUT AND RIDE!

Shifting: A Lost Art. part 1

    Most people don’t shift enough, which leads to premature   drivetrain wear, sore knees (or worse) and one tired rider. Here’s how to shift a bicycle: Think of yourself as the bike’s engine. Like an auto engine, you’re most efficient pedaling at a certain rate, usually from 70 to 90 pedal revolutions per minute. To maintain this efficiency, shift every time you feel your pedaling rate (called cadence) slow or speed up. Following this rule, on a rolling course, you’ll be shifting almost constantly to maintain that steady cadence. But at ride’s end, you’ll be fresh while a ride partner who shifts less will be spent.

How do you know what gear to select? First, don’t get confused by the many choices, and don’t worry about harming the bike by shifting it “wrong” — you can’t hurt it as long as you slightly ease the pedal pressure when shifting (you must pedal to shift). And understand that the correct gear is any gear that allows you to pedal comfortably at the moment. There’s no right or wrong gear and there’s no proper sequence to follow. You just shift when your body tells you it’s time for a change. Just compare to the RPM's on a car.

Shifting the right lever one click makes it slightly easier or harder to pedal. Think of this lever as a way to fine-tune the effort required to pedal. As you pick up speed on a slight downhill for example, you’d click the lever once or twice to shift into a better gear for the speed. Shifting the left lever makes large differences in pedal effort. Think of this lever as a way to make it considerably easier or harder to pedal. Dropping into a valley for instance, you’ll want an easy gear to get back out. But, you’ll probably be in a hard gear because you were just riding downhill. To make the pedaling easy immediately, shift the left lever to move the chain onto a smaller chainring providing much easier pedaling.

If you’re at all nervous about shifting, practice. A good way to do this is to shift the bike when it’s supported on a stand. You might place the bike on a trunk-style bike rack or in a repair stand, hang the nose of the seat on a low branch, or ask a friend to hold the bike off the ground by the seat. Once the bike is supported, use one hand to pedal and the other to shift while watching the chain move over the cogs and chainrings. With a few sweeps of the levers, you’ll get a clear understanding of what’s going on back there and should feel more comfortable about shifting a lot while riding.

ENJOY!

ONE OF THE BEST MTB RIDING VIDEOS. Awesome scenes and magnificent edit work. You guys make me fall in love with mtb again and again. SET ME ON FIRE!

Bikes stimulates creativity and possibilities.

On the Google campus in Mountain View, Calif. there’s a strange kind of meeting space: a seven person bicycle.
“Imagine one person facing forward and then the other six people around a circle,” explains Google’s Brendon Harrington. “And the way the bike is manufactured and constructed everyone can actually peddle each other all contributing to propel the bike forward. But since they’re facing each other, they can chat with each other, they can share ideas, they can have a team meeting if they’d like.”

Pandora, in Oakland, organizes employee bike rides. Foursquare encourages employees to bike to meetings. Etsy’s got an in-house bike mechanic.
That’s pretty much the way it is in the tech sector these days: companies are in a race to outdo each other on bike-friendliness.
“Biking has become the mode of choice for the educated high-tech worker,” says Mitchell Moss, director of the Rudin Center for Transportation Policy and Management at NYU. ”The modern office today is not really jsut a work place. It’s a play place.  If you go to Mozilla they have pool tables.”
At Foursquare’s new offices in SoHo, New York (conveniently located on a major East-West bike lane) — there’s a ping pong table and a dart board.
Biking is so-ingrained in the paradigm, that when I asked Foursquare CEO Dennis Crowley whether he thought his brand new bike-rack would help attract talent, he didn’t understand the question. “It was not an option to be in a building where people would have to leave their bikes outside,” Crowley told me.
For him, and other tech CEO’s, NOT having a place to store bikes in the office would be like building a suburban campus without a parking lot.
“We talk about Foursquare as being — as creating software that helps people change the way they experience or use cities. I think bikes do the same thing.”