Blog for Bikers

Congratulations you have found a hidden page for discussions about bicycling around the Mercado. Provide your inputs and stories here.

Aug 11 25, many riders have their sophisticated bike computers. I think they are probably great fun and great for mapping new routes particularly when traveling in a new location. What I have always only wanted on routine rides is a way to monitor heart rate in real time, displayed continuously. I stumbled on to that solution with the free version of the iPhone app called Zone. It does require a iWatch as a sensor. Having read that endurance either for distance or climbing requires, more than anything, a set rhythm. Not so much for pedaling cadence, rather maintaining a regular heart rate. Independent of terrain or wind, it is said that if you get into a Zone 2 heart rate, a good pace but not so much as to prevent a conversation, you could ride for endurance and not be limited by running out of gas. Then for rides of an hour or less, one could then incorporate intervals of of higher zone heart rates.

One proponent of the fix rhythm theory is Bob Roll, at least as he stated on a very old BobkeTV video. I personally love Bob particularly as a commentator for European professional bike racing. Just a cheerful person with a great wit. And a monster on his bike in his day. This link tells of how Bob helped young Lance Armstrong get back in riding shape after his 1998 cancer surgery by dragging him all over the Appalachian Mountains for 8 hours a day over 8 days in heavy rain. Bob admitted that Lance probably hadn't "met anyone like me." He still is the color man for Grand Tour TV coverage and for the mountain stages, he rides the steepest climbs in the morning before going into the broadcast booth. OK for a guy in his sixties. He also has a short video on how to make blueberry oatmeal before a ride. That is it, making oatmeal. What sweet guy.

On a recent ride, my timing had slipped into the heat of the day, I had run low on water. Inaccessible, but it happened. Several miles from home, my speed slowed, and my heart rate shot up. Not a great combination. The information I was getting was I was into dehydration mode. I bailed out and got some ice water at an IHOP, felt great again and headed home. Another advantage of the Zone app real time monitoring.