Thoughts of everyone at road.cc are with Mat and his family

By Marine Lenehen, Nutrition Coach vivifysports.com Have you ever heard of baking soda? If so, that may be in the context of using it in cooking or even cleaning and hygiene. Baking soda is actually sodium bicarbonate, which is said to increase sports performance. But is that claim really true? Lets dive deeper into the []The post Will taking sodium bicarbonate improve my physical performance? appeared first on Sticky Bottle.

Further to yesterdays post, Ive been pondering the Spinergy Rev-X:One thing Ive been contemplating is that Im one of the worlds foremost critics of carbon fiberand yet here I am riding not just any carbon wheel, but one notorious for failing spectacularly.View post on imgur.comAt the same time, Im also questioning how much of the reputation of the Rev-X is deserved, and how much of it is because the wheel has attained a self-perpetuatingly hyperbolic urban myth status. Like, are they really that dangerous? Consider for example that during the era of Peak Fixie countless people were riding around on Spinergys they probably bought used from Cat 4 racers who had done Lob-knows-what to them, and yet I never heard of a mass casualty incident:This despite all the barspinzzz and elephant trunk skids that were so popular during that era:And yes, I realize thats an Aerospoke, but still. Also, at least some of these riders were taking precautions:I joked yesterday about beating off my axle; this looks like what would happen if you took that literally.Fortunately, theres an easy way to avoid worrying whether your 30 year-old Spinergy of questionable provenance is going to hold up or not, and thats to ride a normal fucking wheel. But as the Classic Cycle Old Crap Test Pilot it is recumbent upon me to, uh, test-pilot old crap, and anything less would be a dereliction of duty on my part.Speaking of fixies, not since The Great Divestiture have I had one of those, or indeed any form of singlespeed* bicycle, having passed along my track bike:And my fancy singlespeed mountain bike:And my cheap singlespeed mountain bike:Wait, I may have gotten those last two backwards.*[I actually still have enough frames and crap stored away to build at least two singlespeed bicycles, but that doesnt count.]So will that change? Is a new singlespeed in the offing? I dunno. But as it happens, the presale for the latest Rivendell singlespeed begins today at 12pm, and heres more about it:And no, nobody at Rivendell came to me and said, Tell people about the presale! If anything, like every other bike company, Rivendell would probably prefer I never mention them at all.Anyway, it comes with these parts:And Rivendell being Rivendell its designed to facilitate a 21 or 31 drivetrain, because of course it is:And it just so happens I still have a whole box of derailleurs from the Classic Cycle 21st Century Friction Shifter Shootout:Well two of them are currently in use, but the others are ready for deployment as potential chain-tensioners, and I cant think of a better example of both irony and conspicuous consumption than using a surfeit of derailleurs as an excuse to obtain a fancy new singlespeed bicycle.(Its also arguably worth it just to use it with a front Spinergy, though Im guessing barspins are out of the question.)They also know exactly how to tempt the retro-tinkerers and old crap enthusiasts:You read that and brain says, Why the hell would I do that when I have a perfectly good Homer?, but your body starts rummaging in an imaginary parts bin like a dog having a dream:If only I could let sleeping dogs liebut I cant, and thats how you wind up riding around on a pink Faggin with Spinergys.

With a number of riders having the potential to ride general classification amongst their eight man team, the INEOS Grenadiers arguably have one of the strongest climbing blocks at the 2024 Tour de France. Although not a leader, one of the most important parts of any success for the team, will be La...

CyclistAll the blue Tour de France jerseys rankedAll the talk recently has centred on two things: Whether Tadej Pogaar or Jonas Vingegaard will win the Tour de France, and how many blue kits are in the peloton? I dont have the answer to the former though Ive made my predictions but I can certainly rank the latter.Now this ranking doesnt include the Bahrain Victorious or Intermarch-Wanty teams as I have decreed that they are white jerseys with a dash of blue on. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohes new kit has been described by some as being blue, but its very clearly black.Jayco-AlUla meanwhile have just swapped their blue and white kit for orange and green, and Alpecin-Deceuninck have released a grey Tour de France kit to support the release of sponsor Alpecins Grey Attack shampoo.They said, While our riders are constantly fighting the time and never giving up, this campaign and kit, symbolise the fight against one of the most visible signs of ageing grey hair. Damien Howson fans around the world are currently submitting formal complaints to the UCI. If you ask me, I like grey hair. I am thankful theres one less blue kit to rank though, because there are still way too many. Related Posts Cyclists Tour de France predictions 2024 Who actually are the underdogs for the Tour de France? How to watch the Tour de France 2024 Who are the favourites for the mens Tour de France 2024? Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know 10: DSM-Firmenich-PostNLDSM-firmenich PostNLSome things just have a colour. Maths is blue. Science is green. This synesthesia lends itself to cycling, albeit helped by jersey colour. Team Sunweb was red. Team DSM was black and blue. Now theyre white, blue and orange?I get it, sponsors change, but its unnerving. It was too sudden. I needed time to acclimatise.If youre going with orange, at least make it the defining colour like Euskaltel-Euskadi. Or CCC. Remember them?9: Israel-Premier TechDario Belingheri/Getty ImagesThe Israel-Premier Tech kit design is based on the teams 2023 Giro dItalia kit. The navy blue comes from Premier Tech while different shades of blue are then interspersed on top. They say its bold, but this isnt how I would define bold.8: Lotto-DstnyLotto-DstnyI dislike maths (which we know now is blue) but appreciate the ratio influence that has gone into the Lotto-Dstny jersey. Half red for Lotto, half blue for Dstny. Theres structure and sense in the kit. It felt slightly wrong including this one in a list of blue jerseys because the red half being on top and on the sleeves makes it feel like a red-based jersey with a blue element. But is a zebra white with black stripes or black with white stripes? I know theres an answer, I just dont want to hear it. This is my list.7: Soudal-QuickStepDario Belingheri/Getty ImagesAnother team perpetually intertwined with blue. There should really be a limit on these things, but Soudal-QuickStep has been rocking their shade since the teams inception in 2003. If it aint broke dont fix it.Designer Stijn Dossche said about this years, I tried to add some different shades of blue, which refer to the sky and the seas, and the movement in the floral patterns, which show the teams movement through the natural surroundings in which cycling takes place.6: MovistarA.S.O./Pauline BalletThese guys have darker blue on lock, never shifting from the colour since becoming Movistar in 2011. Thats some consistent team identity, only adapting the shade over the years from navy to a brighter blue and switching the once-green Movistar M to white. For 2024, the Gobik kit is a gradient fade from blue to black with Telefnicas 100th-anniversary celebration logo included.Oh Movistar, never change.5: Groupama-FDJA.S.O./Jonathan BicheGroupama-FDJ have been sticking with the same Al kit since revamping from a predominantly white style in 2022. The jersey has a navy base with blue panels to look sleek and stylish, incorporating that nice red and white stripe down the middle.Very suave.It does the job without shouting about it. I just miss seeing Thibaut Pinot in it.4: Decathlon-AG2R La ModialeA.S.O./Jonathan BicheI will never forgive Decathlon-AG2R La Mondiale for ditching the iconic brown bibs. Unfortunately this has coincided with a fierce number of victories, so cest la vie, but is the trade off worth it, really?The jersey features two different arms a lighter blue and a mint colour with stars decorating the front. Press releases often feature a lot of mumbo jumbo, such as the following, The Galaxy jersey is designed with utmost precision and advanced technology. The jersey stands out for its uniqueness, ensuring it is highly visible in the peloton. In short: designed to attract attention and arouse admiration, it embodies boldness, originality and change. But really they couldve just said stars = pretty. As someone who loves the moon, I wouldve understood. 3: Astana QazaqstanLuca Bettini/Sprint Cycling AgencyThis blue of the Kazakhstan flag has been synonymous with Astana since its inception in 2007. For 2024 theyre wearing a Biemme kit decorated with gold flecks and a pattern similar to mineral stones that adds a dimension to the solid blue.Its meant to represent the blue sky and golden sun, but I just want Mark Cavendish to win #35 in it.2: Visma-Lease a BikeVisma-Lease a BikeThe new kit on the block had an immediate impact. But not before they convinced fans to provide their emails in order to reveal more of the jersey before its actual release. Lets hope Vingegaard and co. have had time to do GDPR training while at altitude.Visma-Lease a Bikes switch-out kit for the Tour de France is really nice. In the spirit of limitless thinking is the caption the team have attached with it. Sometimes things just feel a bit AI with Visma-Lease a Bike, like theres not a human presence, probably something I just cant shake after that fake AI Jonas Vingegaard baby video although the emails dont help.Anyway, you can tell its inspired by the Renaissance with its design. Its certainly striking, providing a pattern as opposed to only having colours. They say it symbolises the period where revolutionary ideas and a hunger for knowledge were at the centre of the Renaissance not only a tribute to a revolutionary era, but also a powerful representation of the innovative and ambitious spirit of Visma-Lease a Bike.I like the touch on the collar too. It has MMXXIV on the back, or Roman numerals for 2024.1: Lidl-TrekLuca Bettini/AFP via Getty ImageWith its yellow, red and blue rectangles on the sleeves, Lidl-Treks jersey is something of a Mondrianesque figure in the peloton. It wasnt an immediate hit, with the sleek Segafredo design replaced with a brasher kit that boasted the Lidl logo on the chest.We gradually warmed to it like a hesitant cat however, and it began to compliment the teams personality. Its loud, its bright, it says were here, and seeing riders in the jersey pose next to crates of apples or bananas just feels right. Seeing it in action amid a swath of lifeless blue jerseys or gradient kits, the splash of colour is a welcome one indeed.All they need to complete the look is those Lidl trainers. Get those fitted with cleats and be on your way. Related Posts Cyclists Tour de France predictions 2024 Who actually are the underdogs for the Tour de France? How to watch the Tour de France 2024 Who are the favourites for the mens Tour de France 2024? Mens Tour de France 2024: Route, how to watch and all you need to know The post All the blue Tour de France jerseys ranked appeared first on Cyclist.

One of those riders set to break new ground at the upcoming Tour de France, will be the recently crowned Belgian national champion, Arnaud De Lie. After much hype in recent seasons, the Lotto Dstny star is set to finally make his Grand Tour debut."It's good to learn and we'll see if it's possible t...

If you have watched season 2 of Netflix's Tour de France: Unchained, you will be very aware of the fact that at the Tour last year, Steve Cummings was the leading figure of the sports director staff at the race. This time around however, the Brit will not be present.Rather than Cummings, himself a f...

Local authorities must have support and guidance from national Govt, Advisory Council says.Ireland reached 64% of its 2030 transport sectoral emissions ceiling in 2023, according to the Climate Change Advisory Councils annual transport sector report.The advisory council highlighted how transport even excluding international travel was the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in Ireland and said that reliance on fossil fuels needs to end for the sector to reduce its emissions in line with climate objectives.It said that recent data indicates a slight increase in emissions in 2023 and that even with full implementation of proposed policies and measures, the sector is projected to exceed its sectoral emissions ceiling.It said that demand for petrol, diesel, and jet kerosene all increased in 2023, but the increase in emissions in 2023 was somewhat limited by a significant increase in public transport use, which was up 24% on 2022 levels and supported by a considerable expansion in rural bus services and continuing 20% reductions in fares.Among its key recommendations the Council states that it strongly recommends that the Government urgently conducts a full review of taxation in the Transport sector including vehicle registration tax, motor tax, excise duty, carbon tax, fuel pricing and distance-based charges.It said this review should include ensuring that taxation policy supports households and businesses in switching to cleaner transport methods, aligns with climate objectives, and minimises negative impacts on society.It also said that the Government and local authorities should reallocate road space to provide better access for more sustainable modes of transport, such as walking, cycling or taking a bus. While it said that public transport services need to improve, and that more public engagement is needed to understand the barriers people face in making sustainable transport choices.The council also called for planning reform to ensure that new developments reduce transport demand by placing homes, workplaces, public services and leisure spaces closer to each other and nearer to public and active transport infrastructure and to speed up the delivery of major public and active transport infrastructure projects and minimise the costs and delays associated with the planning process.The Council said: Local authorities must have the support and guidance from Government that they need to reduce transport demand and emissions, with locally implemented measures such as low-emission zones and provision of shuttle bus services or incentives to promote carpooling.It also said that investment is needed to strengthen the resilience of ports and critical roads and railways to the future impacts of climate change such as more intense rainfall events and sea level rise.On the sectoral emissions ceiling, the assessment said: The Transport sector needs to achieve a 50% reduction in emissions by 2030 (relative to a 2018 baseline), which equates to a target emissions level of approximately 6MtCO2eq in 2030. A total of 42% of the first sectoral emissions ceiling (54MtCO2eq) for the Transport sector had been expended by the end of 2022 (Table 1). Based on the Interim 2023 National Energy Balance, an estimated 34.7MtCO2eq or 64% of the sectoral emissions ceiling had been used by the end of 2023.

Just announced, the Wolf Tooth EnCase Pump comes in two sizes with a Presta push-on head, a clever locking system, and the ability to stash their multi tools and a new tubeless plugger with oversized plugs. We had the chance to test both the 40 and 85cc models prior to today's release for this first look review...The post Wolf Tooth EnCase Pump Review appeared first on BIKEPACKING.com.

You had to guess that it was only a matter of time before Wolf Tooth Components launched their own pump design. The brand already offers several tools and accessories, including their EnCase multi-tools which can be stashed in your handlebars or your pocket. Now, those same tools can be stashed in a pump, providing a streamlined repair system you can mount to your bike. There are countless pumps already on the market, but Wolf Tooth had a specific set of requirements in mind for the EnCase pumps that they felt werent currently available. (Photos/BikeRumor)To start, the EnCase pumps are designed around high-volume tires, with the pump itself maxing out at 70psi. The trade-off for a lower high-pressure is less effort to push bigger volumes of air. Thats especially important when you start talking about fat bike tires and modern MTB tires. The mounting bracket has multiple mounting positions for different sized downtubes. (Photos/WTC)WTC wanted the pump to be ready to go at a moments notice which meant designing a frame mount that was easily accessible but also a pump that could withstand the elements. If its going to be mounted to the downtube of a mountain, fat, or gravel bike, theres a good chance its going to get very dirty. (Photos/WTC)(Photos/BikeRumor)To prevent that dirt from gunking up the internals, WTC created what they call the EnviroLock. Essentially a threaded seal, the EnviroLock locks the body of the pump in place and protects all of the internals so its always ready to go. To use the pump, simply give the handle a quick twist while holding onto the EnviroLock collar, and the handle telescopes outwards. When youre done, thread the handle back into the Envirolock. When locked, the handle can rotate if you try to turn it, but the handle cant extend. Theres also a rubber cap that fits tightly to the pump head keeping crud out of the urethane gasket. Compatible with Presta valves only, the pump simply presses onto the valves without the need for a locking lever. So far Ive tried it on a number of valves including Fillmore, and it seems to work on everything so far regardless of valve length.(Photos/BikeRumor)At the other end of the pump, youll find a stash hole that can be used for multiple items. If youd like to have a pump and multi-tool in one, the pumps will fit one or two of the WTC EnCase multi-tools in a rubber sleeve that snaps in place with a rubber plug at the end. Theres also an option for a new EnCase Tire Plug tool. The smaller 40cc pump has room for one of these tools, while the larger 85cc pump can run both EnCase tools, or the Tire Plug Tool. When running both EnCase tools, the larger 85cc pump does have a slight rattle, but the rubber casing does a decent job of deadening the sound. The Tire Plug Tool also has a slight rattle when the plugger fork is empty. Preloading the fork with a plug all but eliminates any sound. Dont want to run anything other than the pump? WTC also has a rubber plug that will keep the cavity clean, and you can use it to stash emergency cash, etc. Pump Performance(Photo/WTC)Most importantly, how do the Encase pumps work as actual pumps? Not surprisingly, Wolf Tooth built the EnCase pumps to work with higher-volume tires. At lower pressures, the pump is super easy to use and pushes an impressive amount of air. I have not had a chance to use these pumps trailside yet, but I sat down in the shop with multiple tire sizes to see what pressures you might see with 100 strokes of the pump. 85 CC Pump (large) 700c x 23mm Road 50 strokes = 57psi700c x 45mm Gravel 100 strokes = 26psi29 x 2.4 MTB 100 strokes = 20psi26 x 4.6 Fat 100 strokes = 5.5psi40 CC Pump (small)29 x 2.4 MTB 100 strokes = 8 psiBoth pump sizes telescope out for a longer stroke, but its clear that the 85cc pump has a substantial edge. When pumping up the same 29 x 2.4 MTB tire from 0psi, the 85cc pump got the tire to 20psi with 100 strokes, while the 40cc pump only managed to get it to 8psi. The 40cc pump was still very easy to pump at that point, so its not that youll have to push much harder, but you will need to use a lot more strokes to get it up to pressure. I was most impressed by the 85cc pump when inflating a fat bike tire. With 100 strokes, it took the 26 x 4.6 tire from 0-5.5psi with minimal effort. That doesnt sound like much, but anyone whos ever inflated a fat bike tire with a hand pump knows it can take ages. Out of curiosity, I tried the 85cc pump on a 700c x 23mm road tire. It was quickly apparent the pump wasnt designed for the task, but it still managed to get the tire up to 57psi with 50 strokes. At that point, it was getting very hard to pump though, so while you may be able to use this pump in a pinch, I wouldnt recommend it for a road bike (unless youre running high-volume tires on that road bike). Some users may miss the lack of a hose connecting the pump to the valve, but thanks to the relatively low stroke force needed, the EnCase pump is easy to use. The push-on pump head does a good job of staying attached to the valve during vigorous pumping, but if you angle it too much it can leak some air. The good news is that without a hose, theres no chance of unthreading the valve core. Completely Rebuildable(Photo/WTC)Wolf Tooth believes in the right to repair their products, and its no different here. The EnCase pumps are completely rebuildable with every component available for sale separately. There will also be a video guide to servicing and rebuilding the pump. (Photos/BikeRumor)Overall, the EnCase pumps seem well thought out, easy to use, precisely built, and offer multiple options on how to run them. While the 40cc pump definitely takes longer to inflate a tire, its hard to ignore the pint-sized pumps ability to stash in a jersey, bib, or short pocket (or even inside of your frame). If you cant remember the last time you used a pump on the trail but always bring one in case of emergency, the 40cc could be the pump to get. Otherwise, the 85cc pushes a lot of air with more room for tools. And if youre planning to mount it to your bike, the added length shouldnt be an issue. The EnCase pumps are available now for $64.95 for the 40cc version and $69.95 for the 85cc version. Internal tools are optional and increase the price from there. Everything is available now. The post WTC EnCase Pumps Hide Tools, Push High Volume, and Thrive in Muddy Conditions appeared first on Bikerumor.