Lance Armstrong..this and that. People get real!

For many years the sports industry has become just that... An Industry, a business and a highly competitive one. Not only due to the advances in engineering/ design of the apparatus involved on each sport, BUT mainly by the commercialization of the advertisement capabilities/rating for the media. Such gigantic pressure is immediately transferred to the athletes. 

Just asked any full sponsored athlete (having the chance of dedicating your life to do what you love, without having to get a second job). Those companies will drop out at the first light of loosing media attention. 

Now to Lance... HE IS A SUPER ATHLETE.. in his field. Doping or not PERIOD. In today's world professional competitions everyone (in one way or another is doping). Some never get caught, some do. There is many scientific advances but pushing the body to the limits we have seen all across the sport world in the last 15 years, needs some serious science. 
Only him and the doctor knows the real truth, but WE have to realize that the commercialization of sports throughout media pushes this athletes to forget the fun factor of the sport. And that is our fault as spectators, giving sky high ratings to the events. (the same happens with celebrities/ movie stars and plastic surgery). 

Lance has motivated thousands of people to get out and be active and those individuals started an exercise routine that it will change their lives for the better. Cycling or not. In the cycling industry/community, you just need to start and get on that bike and then...YOU ARE HOOKED FOR LIFE, Lance or no Lance. Once you start riding a bike there is no way out.

how to trigger a traffic light on your bike

COOL TRICK TO KNOW!!

Reasons to take up cycling

Whether it's to boost your fitness, health or bank balance, or as an environmental choice, taking up cycling could be one of the best decisions you ever make. Not convinced? Here are some benefits of taking to two wheels.

1. You’ll get there faster

Commute by bike in the UK’s major cities and you’ll get there in half the time of cars, research by Citroen shows. In fact, if you drive for an hour in Cardiff’s rush hour, you’ll spend over 30 minutes going absolutely nowhere and average just 7mph, compared to averaging around 12-15mph while cycling.

2. Sleep more deeply

An early morning ride might knacker you out in the short term, but it’ll help you catch some quality shut-eye when you get back to your pillow. Stanford University School of Medicine researchers asked sedentary insomnia sufferers to cycle for 20-30 minutes every other day. The result? The time required for the insomniacs to fall asleep was reduced by half, and sleep time increased by almost an hour.

“Exercising outside exposes you to daylight,” explains Professor Jim Horne from Loughborough University’s Sleep Research Centre. “This helps get your circadian rhythm back in sync, and also rids your body of cortisol, the stress hormone that can prevent deep, regenerative sleep.”

3. Look younger

Scientists at Stanford University have found that cycling regularly can protect your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduce the signs of ageing. Harley Street dermatologist Dr Christopher Rowland Payne explains: “Increased circulation through exercise delivers oxygen and nutrients to skin cells more effectively, while flushing harmful toxins out. Exercise also creates an ideal environment within the body to optimise collagen production, helping reduce the appearance of wrinkles and speed up the healing process.” Don’t forget to slap on the factor 30 before you head out, though.

4. Boost your bowels

According to experts from Bristol University, the benefits of cycling extend deep into your core. “Physical activity helps decrease the time it takes food to move through the large intestine, limiting the amount of water absorbed back into your body and leaving you with softer stools, which are easier to pass,” explains Harley Street gastroenterologist Dr Ana Raimundo.

In addition, aerobic exercise accelerates your breathing and heart rate, which helps to stimulate the contraction of intestinal muscles. “As well as preventing you from feeling bloated, this helps protect you against bowel cancer,” Dr Raimundo says.

MTB RULES!

Cycling Under the Summer Heat

The summer heat can make a cycling experience much fun but sometimes almost unbearable. With temperatures expected to climb higher because of our planet warming up, our summer rides can become more challenging. Too much heat while riding a bike tour can make things very difficult. You would get dizzy, dehydrated and tired from overexposure to the sun’s heat. With too much heat beating down on you, you might also get irritable and lose your cool altogether. So what can you do?





You probably have been waiting for the summer season to arrive but you might just be surprised how the summer heat can make things very difficult. So before riding, make sure to expect high temperatures and of course keep in mind these tips that would help you keep cool under the summer heat.

• Ice! Ice! Baby! – Keep your cool even when the summer heat is beating down on you on your tour by making a stopover at gas stations not just for water refill but for ice too! You can drop a few ice cubes in your water bottle to keep your water cool for a few miles and also drop a few ice cubes in the pockets of your jersey. This would help keep the temperature of your body down. Doing this may not last for a long time but it would refresh you while it lasts. You can also plan ahead and have two of your water bottles (of course with water in them) in the freezer the night before riding. In the morning, your water bottles would have frozen water in them. The summer heat would then melt your frozen water but at least you would have cooler water for a few miles.
• Cool Down Your Jersey! – If it happens that the summer heat becomes too overbearing, cool down your jersey whenever you can. At the gas station, you can ask for water to soak your jersey into. You can also toss in some ice cubes while you are at it. If you come across a clean stream or a river, do a stopover and soak your jersey in the water. This would help keep your body cool down.
• Breaks in the Shade! – When you want to rest, always pick out a shady area where you would take your breaks. If you have a flat tyre, keep rolling the extra distance until you find a shady area. You can just push the bike beside you until you find that spot where you can fix your flat.
• Protect Your Skin from UV Rays! – At least 30 minutes before riding, apply sunscreen lotion on all exposed skin. This is so you can prevent skin damage. UV rays from the sun can cause much damage to your skin and can even cause skin cancer. Be sure to bring along your sunscreen lotion so you can reapply after about 2 hours. If you have been sweating a lot, you should reapply at once.
• Don’t Forget your Sunnys – Wear a pair of sunglasses when you are riding out in the summer heat. Protect your eyes from glare. Too much light will only make you squint which can compromise your vision. Plus too much glare can give you a headache! But if you have cool sunnys on, you would even look cooler!  

Do I ride during my menstrual cycling?

Tough question, that only seems to be asked by women with very tough skin or no shame. It is something that all women go through, and daily riders can’t take the few days off to deal with their monthly “friend.”


Here are some of the best suggestions I can give :

• Increase exercise the days before your cycle starts.  Exercise seems to relax those muscles and make the cycle go faster (for me.)
• Plug it, and have a pair of shorts for those extra strong days.
• Keep a couple extra tampons in a ziplock, air-tight, bag in our saddle bag.
• Plan longer rides around stopping points were you can change out your tampon.
• Avoid binging on trashy food and make yourself feel good with fresh fruits and vegetables.

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