Miscellaneous

A little choice never hurt anyone, and Alta Alpina Cycling Club, based in Carson City, NV, Markleeville, CA and Lake Tahoe, CA, acknowledges this concept. With the “Build Your Own Challenge” ride, cyclists can personalize a route to include anywhere from one to six of Markleeville’s nearby mountain passes.

In this respect, a road ride could be as little as 35 miles with only 3,600 feet of climbing, to as much as 160 miles with 17,500 feet of climbing.

Such freedom opens the doors for cyclists of all abilities, all ages, and especially for cyclists at different stages of training. For example, a cyclist in his or her taper week before a scheduled century ride might sign-on for the one pass or two pass challenge.

On the other hand, a cyclist in the twelfth or thirteenth week of a 16-week double century training program will find it necessary to incorporate a 160-mile ride.

Enter the six pass challenge, comprised of six of the Sierra’s hardest climbs – Kingsbury Grade, Luther Pass, Carson Pass, Blue Lakes Road, Monitor Pass East, and Monitor Pass West.

The standard metric-century and century distances have become the mainstream options for most road bike rides in the world. As a result, these distances are routine for many cyclists.

Unsurprisingly, avid roadies are turning to touring, racing, and double century distances as a way to spice up their riding schedule.

Let the Alta Alpina Cycling Club do the legwork for you on June 12, 2010. Many cyclists who plan to do Markleeville’s famous five pass Death Ride in July utilize the Alta Alpina Challenge as a training ride (and not to mention, a huge confidence booster), as the five passes required for the Death Ride are options in the “Build Your Own Challenge” ride.

One of last year's "Build Your Own Challenge" riders, named Heidi, comments, "With the ability to plan and train for a ride that suits your desires/goals in such a wonderful place with such awesome people, I'm thinking they're onto something. Congratulations to Alta Alpina for putting together a truly top-notch event."

Keeping With Convention

Of course, some cyclists love convention, which is why the Alta Alpina Cycling Club still offers a same day 100-mile ride, dubbed the Wild Sierra Century, and an eight pass challenge, or “The World’s Toughest Double Century,” claiming a whopping 20,300 feet of climbing.

Now, try that on for size and if the shoe fits, wear it!

A Nouveau Style of Ride Organization

Yet, for riders who might sport heels one day and tennis shoes the next, embrace the freedom that the “Build Your Own Challenge” gives. While the film Field of Dreams may have led audiences to believe that, “if you build it, they will come,” the Alta Alpina Cycling Club is hinging on the fact that if they - the cyclists - build it, they will come.

In this fashion, freedom riders can unite in a new wave of road riding, sporting a slogan that supports choice. After all, choice is appealing, choice is empowering, and most of all, choice is good.

A gentle cycle tour in classic French countryside; picturesque scenery, masses of historic towns and villages and - naturally - excellent food and drink.

The Dordogne is one of the great rivers of France and this tour weaves in and around its valley, starting and finishing at Souillac in the Departement (roughly the French equivalent of a US State) of Lot.

It’s a region brimming with historic towns and villages and renowned for its culinary specialities.

Cycling is not only the best way to appreciate its beauty but also a great way to work up a suitably hearty appetite. And it’s all within a day’s train ride from London (Eurostar to Paris), then on to Souillac.

It was autumn when we went, the end of the season, and most of the roads were virtually deserted, but you still needed to wear a helmet. One of my most vivid memories is a rattling shower of acorns as we stopped to check the map.

And then there’s the intoxicating cider smell that flooded up as we rode over windfall apples.

More memories: the swooping descent on the first day on a road slung across 120-metre (400ft) limestone cliffs; at its end, nestled under the crags, a lovely hotel at Gluges. The pleasure of arriving each night to find our heavy bags already waiting for us.

The parade of perfectly-preserved mediaeval villages: Martel, Collonges la Rouge, Curemonte, Carennac, and more.

Highlights: a perfectly-graded 4km (2.5 mile) climb up to Loubressac (another lovely village, though it had the one and only disappointing hotel). Hill-top castles as dramatic as film-sets; stiff climbs were required, but always rewarded with an excellent descent.

And the pilgrim town of Rocamadour, clinging to its overhanging cliff like something from a fantasy tale.

Off the bike it was as good as on. The extraordinary subterranean world of the Gouffre de Padirac made it the best show-cave I’ve ever seen. And, being France, there was plenty of memorable food and drink too.

A simple, exquisite picnic of crusty bread, fresh figs, air-dried ham and local cheese was a particular delight; so was the five-course dinner served in a stone-floored farmhouse outside Rocamadour. And thanks to the bikes, I didn’t gain an ounce.

The Tour de France is a cycling road race through France and neighboring countries. It is the premier cycling event in the world and attracts attention even from those who do not follow the sport.

The Tour is a grueling three-week series of rides that ends in Paris. The races include individual time trials, team trials, and races over flat stretches or over large mountains in the Pyrenees and Alps.

Locate a Recycling Collection Center That Accepts Bicycle Tires/Tubes

Locate a recycling collection center in your community that accepts bicycle tires. If you live in a large city this should not be a problem as most big cities have a tire recycling plant that will accept bicycle tires and tubes.

You should be able to find one with an Internet search including the name of your locality. Then take your bicycle tires/tubes to the plant you located.

Cycling with children can be highly enjoyable but more often that not, kids get tired or bored really quickly, spoiling the fun for active parents. Bike attachments for kids offer an easy way for parents to get out and ride as a family unit but choosing between a tag along, a child bicycle seat or a child trailer can be confusing.

The warm weather is approaching and for many cyclists, that means purchasing a new bicycle for the coming year. With hundreds of models and makes to choose from, today’s shopper might not be wise to limit their search to their own city or town.

When traveling to buy a new bike is too time consuming, and what the purchaser wants isn’t available in their home town, there is always the exploding world of online shopping.

Holmes County has become a leading tourist destination in Ohio, and congested traffic on the state highways diminishes appreciation of the beauty of peaceful hills and valleys.

Rolling along the quieter back roads on a bicycle, visitors have time and opportunity to observe and absorb a more laid-back way of life.

The historic carriage roads in Acadia National Park on Mount Desert Island in Maine are wide, well-maintained, and hark back to Bar Harbor's days of wealth and glamour.

John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the millionaire industrialist, was instrumental in creating this network of pathways that is open to hikers, bikers, and equestrians, but not to motorized vehicles.

There are many types of locks to choose from for securing a bike while it’s parked. Some, like cable locks, are light weight and easy to transport, but might be easy to break.

Very heavy weight bike locks might be best stored on the rack where the bike is parked the most, such as the rack outside work, a dorm or apartment.

Bicycle Cable Locks: Are They Good Enough?

Cable and chain locks are popular choices, but are actually very flimsy and any serious thief will be able to cut through them with minimal effort.

Cycling around London is a great way of getting to know the city and of keeping fit. Cycling also means that, barring accidents or the dreaded puncture, you are pretty much guaranteed to arrive in work on time - not something you can say when you travel by tube or bus.

Safety should be at the forefront of every cyclist's mind, particularly when cycling around a hectic city. So here are a few things to bear in mind when travelling on two wheels around London: