This spring we have been lucky and it only just started to rain. This, however, should not deter you from getting out on the trails and riding your ass off.  As far as the trails are concerned, it it recommended that you stay off the trails until they are dry so they don’t get destroyed.  That looks great on paper, but when you need to train, you need to train.  Despite common trail courtesy, you’re gonna ride and your gonna get muddy.  Such is life.

At the risk of looking like a tool, I have put together a short 5 minute video that reviews the 4 step process I use to “Get the mud off” after a muddy ride or race.  Because when it comes to racing we have no choice. Mud or not, you’re racing. So please turn up your volume and take a few of your precious minutes to see how you should clean off your bike before you take it out again.  Keep in mind that if you don’t clean off and relube your bike after a messy ride you will destroy expensive components, and no one wants that.

Racing and riding in the rain can be extremely fun, fast and slick, so be careful, ride to your ability and let the mud fly.

Check out the video below……. (BTW.. If you don’t like the video, make your own)

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If you have any comments or questions, please post them below or go to:

Ask Twisted Stone

Thanks again.

T.Stone

By James P Wilson

Let me ask you a question – Do you want better cardio? Or do you want to be able to ride harder, faster and longer on the trail? Think these two goals are the same thing? Perhaps not…

One of the toughest things I face when bringing new and improved training concepts to the mountain biking world is trying to work around the large amount of confusion that surround certain terms. For example, when you use the terms “aerobic training” and “cardio training” interchangeably then my call to avoid excessive aerobic training seems odd.

Once I explain that aerobic training is just a specific type of cardio training and there are other ways to work on your cardio then my suggestions make more sense. I’ve recently realized that it is time for me to take on two new terms that need clarification on their real meaning – cardio training and endurance training. In most people’s books these two terms mean the same thing but once you understand the difference between them you’ll start to see the impact it has on your training approach. Cardio training is any exercise that increases your heart rate, gets you breathing heavier and directly increases the strength of your cardiovascular system (heart, lungs, blood vessels). This type of training can consist of a variety of things, from short interval to long base mile workouts. Cardio training focuses specifically on improving your measurable markers of cardio capacity. While an important part of specific endurance training it is only part of the picture, though.

Endurance training refers specifically to any training that allows you to “endure” longer on the trail. In other words, any type of training that results in you riding harder, faster and longer on your bike is endurance training. Endurance is also very specific to what and how you ride – technical east coast cross country riding requires different specific endurance than bombing some SoCal downhill runs.  As I’ve mentioned in my presentations of the MTB Performance Wheel, cardio training is only one of eight training components that affect your specific endurance on the trail. I also include Bike & Equipment Set up as a “spoke” on the MTB Performance Wheel but since it is not a true training component I am not including it on this list:

1. Strength

2. Power

3. Mobility

4. Cardio

5. Nutrition/ Supplements

6. Recovery

7. Mindset

8. Technical Skills

As you can see, mountain bike endurance training requires a much broader view of training than simply focusing on the cardio component. However, this is not the approach that mountain bikers have been taught. Because of the influence that road riding has had on our sport we have been told that working on cardio IS working on specific endurance and the other 7 training components are deemphasized or forgotten altogether.

This view that increased VO2Max or other markers of cardio endurance will automatically equal better specific endurance on the trail has had a very heavy influence on how mountain bikers in every discipline have approached training. From the advice given to newbies (if you want to get better then just ride your bike more) to the advice given to world champs (base miles are needed in the off season) it is readily apparent that the cardio training mindset has taken over our sport. Here is the problem with this approach, though – the fact is that there is much more to mountain bike specific endurance on the trail than cardio capacity. Let me give you two examples to illustrate my point…

First, consider what happened to Lance Armstrong when he ventured off his road bike. Lance is widely considered to be one of the greatest endurance athletes in history, boasting a VO2Max that is among the highest ever recorded. His domination of the Tour de France speaks to his otherworldly cardio capacity, yet when he trained for and ran a marathon he got beaten. He did not get beaten by one or two world class runners, either – he got beaten by a lot of “regular” people. If cardio capacity was the biggest determining factor in sport specific endurance then why didn’t he do better?

Second, consider the opposite story of Mark Weir. Known around the world as one of the premier endurance riders in our sport Mark had his VO2Max tested and found out that it was rather ordinary. In fact, rumor has it he was told by the docs performing the test that based on his results he would never be a great endurance athlete. Instead of accepting it Mark went on with his dream and the rest is history. If cardio capacity is the biggest determining factor for mountain bike endurance then why is Mark able to excel despite his relatively low test results? The reason that Lance can’t dominate every endurance sport he competes in and that Mark can kick the tails of riders with better “cardio” is because much more goes into mountain bike specific endurance than one over emphasized component. Your strength levels, technical skills, nutrition and everything else I listed above goes into it as well. The real trick to consistent returns on your training time is to identify the weakest of those eight training components and focus on it. While counterintuitive at times, the only way to strengthen a chain is to work on the weakest link – anything else will not result in a stronger chain.

The reason that it is important for us separate these terms is because it will have a major impact on your training paradigm. Remember that you do not want better cardio; you want to be able to ride faster, harder and longer on your bike. These are two different goals and need to be looked at as such. As long as your paradigm is influenced by the notion that unless you are emphasizing cardio training then you aren’t working on your mountain bike specific endurance you will struggle to fully understand what it takes to be the best mountain bike rider you can.

The MTB Strength Training System is the world’s only strength and conditioning program for the unique demands of mountain biking. Riders from around the world have discovered how they can climb faster, descend harder and have more fun by upgrading the engine that drives their bike – their own body!

Find out more about this unique program and how it can help you enjoy riding more by visiting http://www.mtbstrengthcoach.com While you are there you can find out how to sign up for a free sneak peak at The Ultimate MTB Workout Program, complete with a free workout.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=James_P_Wilson

http://EzineArticles.com/?Stop-Cardio-Training-For-Mountain-Biking!&id=2144215

Since the beginning of time, there have people in this world, who have always needed some one to make sure they stayed in line, to keep them in check.  These “said” people have always been a threat to our way of life and have always needed to be bullies to get what they want.  The people they have threatened and have been bullying around have always had the need to be protected and watched over by others.  What was left was a select few who have taken it upon themselves, for the most part, to be a part of something greater than themselves. A small percentage of the population decided to become a watchdog for threats in the midst and a servant and protector to the rest of the great people of this world.

THESE MEN AND WOMEN, ARE, HAVE BEEN, AND ALWAYS WILL BE WARRIORS.

These men and women have, and always will be there when you need them most.
No questions asked. Period.

These men and woman are your Marines, Soldiers, Airman and Women, Sailors, and Guards.  They are there for you, so you don’t have to be. “That’s nice of them.”

As long as they are there in our stead, why wouldn’t we do everything we can do to assure that they are taken care of when they return home.  “It’s only fair”.

For many, many years our military has made the ultimate sacrifice and traveled abroad to risk life and limb in order to defend our right to do what we do.  Whatever ever it is that we do.  They have put themselves in danger’s way on a daily basis so we don’t have to.  Sure, some of us aren’t in a great place right now in your lives, but for most of us, we probably wouldn’t trade places with them. Not now, not ever.

As more of our military takes to the world on missions to save lives, and destroy the enemy, more and more troops are coming home tired and ready for a well deserved break.  Thank God.  Not that I don’t think they’re supposed to be where they are, I’m just glad more and more are making it home alive.  Put the young troops in, they’re ready to go and want to go.  Send the tired one’s home.  Give them a break and congratulate them for their service and their sacrifice.  In any case, they’re coming home alive and that’s great. My love and my infinite gratitude goes out to those who unfortunately perished while doing their job so we didn’t have to.

Many different organizations that support veteran affairs at any level are working on overtime.  Think about it, the more and more we come home, the more and more resources are being depleted.   We need more and we need a lot more!!  I don’t think I’m going to hold my breath while waiting for our government to take care of them.  God bless em, they’re trying as hard as they can, but it’s just a lot for them to take on in such a depressed economy.  Hopefully our government realizes what sacrifices are being made by these men and women, boys and girls in many cases, and they start to focus on that instead of making sure that a bank or two don’t go out of business.  (Just a thought)

Anyway, our economy in all it’s depressed glory is our fault. We did it, and we need to take accountability for it and move on.  Stop blaming the government, stop blaming the car manufacturers, stop blaming everyone.  We all did it.

But our troops did not.  They were too busy saving lives and taking names to screw up our economy. Remember?

Why should they have to continue to sacrifice? It’s our turn to take care of them.  Sounds like a good idea to me anyways. Why should they be left without any support when they come home because we screwed up our economy while they were away. Imagine coming home from all of that “WAR” and you can’t find a job.  You have just spent the last year or two in the desert  and now you have to come home to the United States of America and live on the street because you can’t find a job and there’s no support from good ole’ Uncle Sam.  Now imagine you are disabled, because of your efforts abroad. Not on my watch.

I know this article is a little off topic from my typical babble, but I found this to be extremely motivating, so I had to talk about it a little. I hope that’s cool with you.

I want to say a couple of words because I am guilty.  Guilty as “not charged”. I’m charging myself for not paying attention to this. I charge myself for not doing my part other than going to a veterans day parade and getting all charged and patriotic when I’ve had a couple of drinks.

See, I to, have been there. I too have stepped on those yellow footprints on Parris Island.  I have been deployed all over the world and spent my first year as a twenty one year old, in the Middle East during Desert Shield and Desert Storm.  (no beer there).  I’m not trying to gloat, I’m just trying to bare my embarrassment of not doing my part for our new troops.  When I was over in the Middle East, we would get boxes upon boxes and bags upon bags of random mail and care packages.  We were getting fan mail from all of you back home.  Hoards and hoards of schools would send us letters and packages full of things from Cassette tapes (yeah that’s right, cassette tapes), to pictures, to snacks.  If you’re reading this I bet you remember doing that as a kid or as some one’s parent.  We got more random mail than we did our own mail. Our mail took forever and a day.  (No internet back then, no FaceBook, no phones).  That was a long time ago though..

Basically my point is that if your reading this and remember writing those letters or filling those boxes, then our military must be full of those kids that were sending me letters and telling me how proud they were and how wonderful they thought what we were doing was.  Now it’s them out there and I am embarrassed to say that to some degree I have abandoned them.  Shame on me.  So thank you twice. Thanks for helping me through my time and thank you for your time. For that I can never repay you.

Luckily there are folks out there that are doing their part and doing it in a huge way.

I just heard about a guy who is walking 7,000 miles across the US in honor and in service of our returning troops. “Don’t I feel like a tool”.

SPC Troy Yocum, has decided to take a stroll across the United States with one intention, one Mission. “To further spread the word that our American Heroes are fighting just as hard at home as they do overseas.” They hope to provide a peace of mind and lay the foundation for military families in need to help them succeed. Troy will literally put one foot in front of the other, crossing the great states of America to reach people and help spread the importance of helping our military families.

Troy and his dog, Emerson Elaine Eskridge the Superdog “Emmie”, will hike 7000 miles across America while drumming to raise a goal of $5 million for struggling veterans.
On April 18th, 2010 Troy will begin a journey throughout Kentucky that will take him to several well visited areas. Troy will be hiking the bases at over 20 MLB/Minor League Baseball stadiums with the help of Louisville Slugger and Bionic Gloves and hopefully many more.

The journey will take 15 months passing through 30 states and 38 large cities. Troy will have to average over 20 miles a day while enduring each season. The idea for the hike has been evolving since Troy joined the Army in 2001 but it is now when our economy is struggling and military families are in most need that he will put one foot in front of another. STEPPING UP TO HELP.

This next excerpt was taken off of Yokum’s website:

“Our soldiers are ready at a moments notice. They don’t pick their battles, but when called to service they respond. Keeping our enemies at bay. Our heroes are champions of freedom not eager for war but willing to sacrifice.

One for the need of many. Many veterans live by this military code and have done so when our country needed it the most. Now it is our NATIONAL HEROES who need our help and its time that we all stand by them with honor.

While one soldier may miss holidays, a birthday, or a birth of a child, others may suffer mentally and develop anxiety, depression or PTSD. Some even sacrifice much more by being injured by road side bombs, being shot or taking shrapnel. Some have even had to pay the ultimate price.

In any case, we ask a lot of our men and women in uniform and when in their time of strife, who can they call on?”

That pretty much says it all as far as I am concerned.

I would personally like to thank Troy for what he is doing for the men and women who have defended our rights and will continue to do so regardless of how they get treated back home.

Twisted Stone is going to contribute 100% of all proceeds from this campaign to Troy’s mission.

If you would like to do your part in helping Troy with his mission and helping the families of thousands of veterans throughout the nation please visit Troy’s website  and make a donation of either time or money. That is up to you.

However, we will be contributing 100% of all proceeds of the Twisted Stone/Drum Hike campaign.

Anyone who buys one of the T-shirts below will be helping families of veterans throughout the US.

Again all proceeds go to Troy. We get nothing.

If you have any interest in the shirts below please click on the appropriate link, otherwise please find it in your heart to help out the cause directly and follow along with Troy and Emmie on this wonderful, dangerous and very honorable mission which they are about to embark upon.

Thanks again Troy from all of us and hopefully when you’re heading through Michigan, we will get a chance to meet up.

To Donate Directly On Troys Website Please Click Here

To Follow Troy and Emmie on their Journeys Click Here

Article: T.Stone
Workout: Tommy Behan II

Over the last couple of weeks I have been talking a lot about how much training we have been doing to get ready for this upcoming race season. A couple of hours on the trainer here and there just isn’t going to cut it.  In order to get ready both physically and mentally you really have to have a good training schedule set up so that you can track your performance and work on your strengths and most of all work really hard on your weaknesses.  Over the last several weeks we have been working on our base building to get our legs, lungs, heart and brain ready to get beat down and then get built back up.

Right now we are in week 6 of our training regimen and the second week of base building #2.  What that means is that we have just been killing ourselves a couple of times a week and doing some crushing rides on the trainer.

This is the work out we did last Sunday. We get together every Sunday morning and spend  a couple of hours visiting the “Pain cave”.  In this three hour workout you will get an all around leg numbing experience that will eventually leap frog your ability to the next level.  This is a workout right out of the twisted yet very experienced mind of Tommy Behan II (Deuce), co-owner and operator of Northern Michigan’s premier training facilities, Petoskey Health and Fitness and Bay Tennis and Fitness in Harbor Springs, Michigan. Bay Tennis and Fitness was awarded the prestigious award of “Gym of the month” by Bodybuilding.com.

Be sure not to jump right into this workout if you haven’t been on a regular training program. This could down right kill you.  Also please make sure to seek the advise of a physician before engaging in any work outs. We are not liable for any injuries resulting from these or any workout we post. These workouts are just examples of what we have been doing and should be tailored to suit your individual needs and capabilities.

Now that the legal mumbo jumbo is out of the way click on the Twisted Stone logo below to check it out!!!!

Please leave a comment after you get a chance to try the workout.

Again, please make sure that you aren’t trying this workout as our first training set. This is an advanced training routine.

****L/T in the training is lactate threshold. Everything else should be fairly self explanatory.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD PDF FILE

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For the last couple of months we have been working on some pretty heavy-duty training plans to get us going throughout the winter and have us ready to go earlier than ever for next season.  This week we will be covering some terms that may be new to you, but are very important if you want to get the most effect from your efforts on the bike. Granted this time of year isn’t always ideal to ride outdoors, but these training sessions we will be adding in the next couple of weeks are as equally effective indoors as they would be outdoors.

This next part will explain the 4 components of fitness to give you a solid understanding of the different systems we will train throughout the year. The components are aerobic capacity, lactate threshold (LT), aerobic threshold, and economy. When all of these are trained efficiently, your riding will continue to become faster and stronger. This week we will cover the basics of training and different energy zones. As we progress, we will begin introducing new terms and training plans that focus on specific energy systems.

Aerobic Capacity:

Aerobic Capacity is a measure of the amount of oxygen your body can consume during exercise. This is also referred to as VO2 Max, the maximal volume of oxygen your body can process to produce movement. It is largely determined by genetics, but through proper training it can be improved. It generally takes a well conditioned athlete 6-8 weeks of consistent training to improve their Aerobic Capacity. **According to wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VO2_max) “accurately measuring VO2 max involves a physical effort sufficient in duration and intensity to fully tax the aerobic energy system. In general clinical and athletic testing, this usually involves a graded exercise test (either on a treadmill or on a cycle ergometer) in which exercise intensity is progressively increased while measuring ventilation and oxygen and carbon dioxide concentration of the inhaled and exhaled air. VO2 max is reached when oxygen consumption remains at steady state despite an increase in workload.”**

Lactate Threshold:

A riders VO2 Max is not a good stand-alone test of ability. The real test is how high your VO2 Max can be held over a long period of time. This high value is a reflection of your LT or Lactate Threshold. This is a very important and highly trainable intensity level. Many of the workouts we do throughout the year will focus on raising your LT. A rider’s ability to go longer near and above LT will often determine who wins the race. Your metabolism makes a big switch at this level. Your body will switch from a dependency on fat and oxygen to produce energy to a dependency on glycogen (storage form of carbohydrates) to produce energy.

Aerobic Threshold:

Aerobic Threshold occurs at a lower intensity level then LT but is equally critical to your racing performance. This level is comfortable and can be sustained for long periods of time. Aerobic Threshold will be a key component of base building workouts early in the year and is highly trainable. The more comfortable you are at higher speeds, the better your races will turn out. You will have more energy for climbs, attacks, and sprints when the time comes. During the base building phase, which is in the beginning several weeks of your training, the majority of time should be spent working on Aerobic Threshold.

Economy:

Economy on a bike is basically being very efficient in oxygen consumption, handling, pedal stroke, and position. A better conditioned rider will use less oxygen at a given pace than a beginning rider. All aspects of economy are very trainable. Climbing with a relaxed upper body, descending well, bike fit, cornering, and technical skills on a mountain bike all combined will win or lose races. You will become more efficient with time spent on the bike working on skills necessary in racing.

Considering all four of these components of fitness will increase your productivity of each and every training session you are involved in.  Concentrating on only one doesn’t have the same effect as working on all four systems, due to the close relation of each one to the other.

We will continue to update you with more info and training plans as we progress through the training season. Training should be fun but it should also have a purpose! Make sure you are getting the most out of each session.

-Will

**Information noted was gathered from Wikipedia.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VO2_max

***Special Thanks to J. Friel for his contributions to this article.

Secondly, I would like to wish you all “Happy Holidays”.  I celebrate Christmas with my family and friends so I may let a Merry Christmas slip out on occasion. Nothing wrong with that, right? So, Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all. It’s looking like snow for us on Christmas and that’s always a great experience, except of course if you had to travel in it.  Plan ahead, leave 2 minutes early and get to the airport on time.  Talk about FREE content. That advise is priceless and you didn’t have to pay a dime for it. Call it my Holiday gift to you. Now you won’t be late for dinner.

We have been working on a few other really great pieces of fresh content for the site for the last few months. Yes, even better than that last bit I just shared with you. We would like to post them on our site, but we were thinking about promoting a membership site instead.  Of course all of the content would be free to start and once you’re in you’re in, but we would like to eventually have a premium area on our site as well.  For now we are looking to add some training videos, diet plans, race and gear reports and maybe a forum for members to communicate with each other about there own stuff. I know there are sites like this already, but we are going to try to do some different stuff.  I’m not sure what that is yet, but that’s our plan.  Anyway, the reason for all of this babble is to find out what you guys think we should be putting in the members area.  If you have any ideas of what would make for good content, we would love to hear it.  We have a lot of great stuff coming up, but we would also like to know what you want to see, hear or read about. You will know as soon as I know when this membership thing happens. I will post it somewhere, I’m sure.  When it does happen though, you should probably try to get in while it’s all free.  It could be free forever, but who knows. Stranger things have happened.

Below is a small form to fill out if you have any ideas for the site or just want to say hello. Keep it clean, you never know who’s reading these emails.  By filling out the form below, you become an automatic member whenever we go live.  Once you’re in you’re in.  Free for life.  If you don’t have any ideas but just want to be kept in the loop and become an early member, you can fill out the form below as well, just to say hello.  By filling out the form below you would be helping us out tremendously.  I know, I’m always asking for favors, but this is the last one. For now.

So help us out, let us know what you would like to see, hear or read about and we will try to do just that. Remember, this is about mountain biking, any type of mountain biking.  XC, DH, Tandem, Freeride, Endurance, Extreme, you get the point. Anything and everything that has to do with Mountain Biking and all things mountain biking. Plus some great cross-training fun stuff too. Please note that we may publish your question or suggestion in our blog if we think that there are more of our members who may show some interest. We may use your first name to credit your your input.  (Your email will NEVER be published)

Thanks in advance and Happy Holidays

Uli (T. Stone)

Besides the blistering winds, the snowy trails and the overall crumby weather, the most difficult aspect of mountain biking in the winter is deciding what kind of gear you should wear on your bike ride. The problem is that you’ll typically start out cold then after a few minutes of pedaling you warm up fairly quickly and break a sweat. Then, when you travel downhill, the combination of the wet skin and the windchill make you second guess your decision of trying to go for a ride in the winter. The best way to avoid this scenario is to layer using the 3 layer system. Believe it or not, overheating on a winter ride while at the same time concerning yourself with frostbite, is not an unlikely scenario.

While I was in the Marine Corps, I spent quit a bit of time training in cold weather conditions. I spent time training in the Sierra Nevada’s in Northern California and also did a pump in Norway on a cold weather operation training with the Norwegian Army. While I was in Norway, I was part of a seven man scout ski recon team where we were required to survive on our own with no logistical support from command. There were nights where we had to sleep in snow caves and ski throughout the night just to meet our mission’s objectives. Our responsibilities as the advanced scout ski team entailed securing landing zones for the invading units and establishing communication posts for the advancing Marines. My training there taught me that without the right gear you die. I know that sounds a bit harsh and dramatic, but it’s a lesson you definitely don’t want to forget. Now obviously some of the conditions we trained for are not appropriate for mountain biking, but most of these tips will definitely still apply. We did a lot of cold weather survival training and cross country skiing so our gear, our food and our weapons were among the the more important items on our equipment lists. While in Norway I learned a few valuable lessons that saved my life in several situations. One of which was to stay hydrated. That may seem like a simple thing, but in cold weather environments, reminding yourself to stay hydrated is far more difficult than if you were in a warmer climate. For most of our time in cold weather we would have to boil snow to get water so we didn’t have to carry to much at a time. On a side note, it takes a lot of snow to make just a little bit of water, just an FYI. The challenge with staying hydrated in cold weather is that when you are in cold weather, you don’t feel like your thirsty like you do when you’re in warm weather, so you have to force yourself to drink regularly. So your first tip is to be sure to bring sufficient amounts of water with you and either keep your water close to your body or shake it occasionally to keep it from freezing.

Another valuable lessons learned, as I mentioned earlier, is the 3 piece layering system. As the name implies it’s a system of layering your clothing to allow for the most effective use of each layer. The 3 layers consist of a vapor barrier layer, an insulating layer and an outer protective layer. Now, this may seem like a lot of clothing but each layer serves a very specific purpose to keep your body dry, warm and shielded from the elements and also allows you to take layers off and and put layers on without too much hassle.

The vapor barrier layer is the layer closest to your skin and serves as a moisture whisking layer that keeps your skin dry, warm and comfortable. The thin fibers in this layer don’t absorb the moisture but instead allow the moisture to evaporate into the air. This protects you from getting cold or chilled as you sweat in cold weather. Polypropylene and different forms of poly material are the standard materials used for this layer, utilizing its lightweight properties and allowing for other layers to comfortably be applied on top of it without getting too bulky.

The Insulating layer serves as the warmth stabilizer in the 3 layer clothing system. This layer maintains the bodies natural warmth and moderates it from escaping out into the elements. This layer is also made of lightweight materials and micro fibers that retain warmth. A micro fleece material works extremely well in this instance. Using a thinner material in this applications works better because in the case of this layer getting wet, it will dry a lot faster. Remember that moisture is your biggest opponent in cold weather conditions and should be avoided at all costs. Again, this layer should have mainly warmth retention properties without hindering your movement or constricting your circulation. Maintaining steady blood flow to all of your extremities is extremely important to avoid frostbite.

Finally the third and the outermost layer in this system is the protective layer. As the name dictates this layer provides protection from the harshness of the elements. The protective layer needs to be wind resistant, water repellent, and breathable. Moving air is the biggest cause for losing body heat and by having good protective layer you’ll be able to vent perspiration while also protecting yourself from windchill. Most protective layers offer venting pockets or zippers, primarily under the arms to allow for air flow. This allows some of the moisture being produced to be evaporated and at the same time countering any overheating. Many outer shells for mountain biking have reflective logos or designs so you can be seen if you run out of daylight and have to hit the roads. You should choose pants and a jacket based on their durability and of course price as these types of clothing can get very expensive. The outer protective layer also is the most fashionable of all the layers due to its high visibility, so you should be able to find something to fit your style and budget. Me, I just run black on black on black. That’s how I roll.

Each of these layers all serve there own purpose and can be used independent of each other. However, in colder climates, utilizing this system as a whole will work much more efficiently. If you feel too warm take something off, as you cool off put it back on. Easy Peezy.

Below, you’ll find a list of additional cold weather clothing that will make winter riding less of a bone chilling experience.

Booties:

In cold temperatures, your feet are the most vulnerable part of your anatomy. Pressure from pedaling will tend to cut off the circulation to your toes, which can put you at a risk of frostbite. In cold conditions, neoprene booties are a must have. They will zip over your shoes and even have a pattern in the sole where you can cut out a piece for cleats.

Gloves:

There are several manufacturers that make “lobster gloves”, a hybrid glove that separates your index finger and thumb from the rest of your hand. These gloves are warmer than regular gloves, and the distinct index finger will allow you to operate your shifting and brake levers. At minimum you should wear full fingered gloves. The combination of wind chill and moisture have a way of attracting frostbite. You should also carry a pair of lightweight glove liners with you, so if you have to stop to take care of a problem, the liners will protect your hands from the cold while making repairs or getting yourself out of a jamb.

Glasses:

Glasses that wraparound and provide maximum protection from the wind are best to wear in the winter. You can protect yourself from debris, as well as the cold. Also consider snow blindness, which is a condition developed from overexposure to the sun and snow, when choosing your eyewear. UV protected and polarized lenses will cost a bit more, but are critical if you think you will be out in the sun for an extended period of time.

Socks:

You should wear warm socks that aren’t too heavy. A sock that is overly heavy will make your shoes tight, cut off circulation, and make your feet colder than they already are. You should try lightweight silk ski socks, as they will keep your feet warm without bulk. Most cycling companies offer this same ski sock for riders, but if you ski, just use your ski socks.

Helmet and liners:

Your head is very important, as you lose 50% of your body heat through your head. A helmet is designed to keep you cool and protected in the summer, not warm in the winter. A lightweight fleece liner inside your helmet will keep your head and ears warm during winter riding.

Some mountain bike riders are fair weather weekend warriors, which is fine, but others are hardcore riders who can’t stand to be off their bikes for an entire season. For those of you who just have to get out in the fresh air during the winter season, I wish you luck and please don’t underestimate the power of good gear and layers. Like I said before sweat is your enemy and staying dry and comfortable can save your life.

If you would like to see some great winter gear at great discounts please visit      http://www.twistedstone.com/wintergear
If you need it, they’ll have it.

Not that there is anything wrong with that, I was just getting used to going out almost everyday.

I never thought that I would ride as much as I did and love it.  Sounds counterintuitive, but the more I rode the more I wanted to ride.  Maybe it doesn’t sound counterintuitive, maybe I just wanted to be able to use the word counterintuitive in a blog post. Who knows?  Moving on.  Anyway, I rode more this year than I have ridden in a long time.  10 years ago when I lived out east I used to ride that much, but it’s been a while.  So to all of you that think you just can’t get back into it, you’re 100% wrong. I have a life and I ride. I rode my tail off, oh and yeah, and did some racing too. I’m not tooting my own horn, I’m just saying that if I can get back into doing it, then you certainly can.  Life does get in the way, but that sounds like an excuse.

I learned a ton from riding so much this season.  I learned the importance of a good seat and some good biking shorts.  I learned that going out for three nights in a row and trying to go for a ride on day four is probably not the best idea in the world.  I also learned that I can tear it up still.  You know, mix it up, get it going, take one down. And I learned that I love racing, for as much as it sucks.  I really don’t think it sucks, but I just have an issue with the fact that I enjoy being in that kind of pain for such a long time, I believe it’s called “the pain cave”…  But, besides everything else, I learned that giving up still isn’t an option.  Quitting is still unacceptable.  Sometimes it gets pretty hard out there, I’m not going to lie to you, but you ignore it and move forward.  Cramps and all.

I learned that being out there is sometimes more of a mind game than anything else. I talk to myself a lot out there.  Usually I get a song stuck in my head and it plays over and over and over again and it won’t go away.  Sure, you need to be in top physical shape to contend, but think about the brain power that goes into being a top rider or even to be a worthy adversary. Imagine the amount of mind corking you need to be able to get that deep into the “pain cave” for so long and not break down.  You have to go DEEP.  You have to be strong willed, stubborn and gutsy.  Yeah, “gusty.
You have to know your limits and tell them to go to hell.  It sounds like to me that these top guys are a little tweeked.  A little twisted.  We all look at Lance Armstrong and think he is just a machine, and he is.  His primary cycling arena is road racing, but this year he competed in a 100 mile Elite mountain bike race in Colorado and destroyed the competiton.  He’s a freak of nature that has no concept of pain.  So now my burden is to figure out what to train all winter.  Is this a physical battle or a mental one?

I think I have the physical covered. I have quite the fitness and cycling program all laid out for the winter.  Basically, I’m going to get schooled all winter by a couple of hot shot road racers and mountain bikers.  I get a hard core workout winter that is usually limited to the elite in cycling.  Nothing fun about that.  I’m curious to see how ready I will be for next season.  These guys are going to show me a thing or two about the “pain cave” and how to tune it out.   Come to think of it, that should cover the mental part as well.  Two birds with one stone.

My workouts will start immediately and start off with a couple of weeks of strength training followed by an intense cycling program and a paradigm shift in my eating habits.  This is a full winter program and I should be ready to race earlier next season.  I will be posting the workouts, some videos and menus at some point so you can follow along and use as your winter program.

To get updates of our training program please click below: