"If your arms are cold, cover your legs."
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As I rode around on a chilly fall day, I was filled with extra motivation and joy with how many cyclists were out and about.  One pattern I began to see, however, was long sleeves on top and bare legs on the bottom for many of the riders.  I get it.  It feels invigorating, and it looks "pro."  And your legs don't "feel" cold.  (Check out the article below for the WHY.)    However, what I did notice as my ride progressed throughout the morning, was the local top performers, some of which are former pros, all had their legs covered along with their arms.   No, they're not "soft", that's for certain.  There are many reasons why those incredibly successful and strong women and and men have been doing our wonderful sport for so long, one of which is taking steps to ensure that longevity.

One of my goals as a coach and lover of all things bike, is to help make sure people can ride bikes for as long as they live.  It's a great sport for LIFE, but there are some precautionary measures that need to be considered to keep us all rolling.

A joint in our bodies that potentially takes a toll from riding a bike is our knees.  There are steps we can take to help keep our knees healthy and functioning well starting with a proper bike fit and avoiding large increases in volume and/or intensity.

But protection from the environment is important as well.

As the temps drop, we also need to consider protecting our knees.  Not only our knees, but all of the hard working muscles in our legs.

I've long been a proponent of keeping knees and legs covered, but this podcast from Fasttalk really gets into the "why" and how damaging that pushing our muscles and joints in the cold can be.

Cold, Bare Legs Make You Dumb, Not Tough
https://www.fasttalklabs.com/fast-talk/cold-bare-legs-make-you-dumb-not-tough/

The title is perhaps a bit harsh, but really drives the point home.

Although it looks "cool" to wear a long sleeved jersey and shorts, it's just not a good idea.  And I fully agree that just knee or leg warmers with a short sleeved jersey is not particularly stylish.  In that case, just cover your arms and legs.

If it will be warming up during the course of your ride, you can always stop and take the warmers off and stash them in your pocket.

My own personal rule is 65 degrees or below, my knees and legs are covered.

Do what makes you feel good, but keep in mind the words of Coach Connor that if you're overdressed you're maybe uncomfortable, but if you're underdressed, you're doing damage.  Who wants to do damage?

So get yourself a set of leg warmers and maybe some knee warmers and keep your legs happy.

What's your take on covering your legs?  Post a comment or question below.

Ride on and enjoy these great early Fall days!

Cheers,

Coach Brian

I was first introduced to Andy Blow and Precision Hydration many years ago, but I really got to know their philosophy and science in 2020. When the pandemic hit, I took the opportunity to get as much sports science and coaching education that I could. One of the certificates I earned was through Precision Hydration and TrainingPeaks. While this field continues to evolve, the basic tenants of Precision Hydration, which are grounded in science, practice, and good sense, have stood up to the test of time.

Here’s great listen about hydration, sodium, and cramping:

https://extramilest.com/blog/extramilest-show-43-andy-blow/

Despite it being a running focused podcast, the principles can certainly be applied to cycling and other endurance sports.

I’d love to hear your thoughts, questions, and general musings!

Cheers,

Coach Brian

This is sometimes a tough one for those of us who have been in the sport, particularly road riding and racing, for a long time:

Fact:  Lower pressure (to a point) is often faster than rock solid.

I started road riding and racing on 21's and 23's, and I'm sure some of the readers were on 19's.  I can remember seeking out 23c Vredstein tires because even with a tube, they could be pumped up to 140 psi, as opposed to many other's topping out at 125 pounds per square inch (psi).  During a stage race a couple decades ago, a friend let me borrow his disc wheel with a tubular.  He said, "just check the tire pressure. "  I replied, "How much?  Like 125, 130?"  He simply laughed and said "Not quite.  Pump that sucker up to 180."  One hundred eighty psi on a disc wheel with my aluminum bike!  To say it was a bit of a harsh ride is an understatement.  I don't fault my friend.  At that time, it was readily accepted that harder was faster.

While it's been accepted in the off-road world, particularly in 'cross, that lower and very specific tire pressure  provides SIGNIFICANT advantages, the road world has been a little slower to adopt this mindset.

This Fasttalk podcast with the master himself, Lennard Zinn, does a great job of explaining the concept of psi and how tire size, road/trail surface, rider mass, rider style, and other important factors need to be considered.

https://www.fasttalklabs.com/fast-talk/lennard-zinn-and-the-art-of-tire-pressure/

And here is a great tool to help you get a starting point:

https://silca.cc/pages/sppc-form

So I encourage you to experiment from that starting point and find out what works for you.   Things to consider are the whole "system" weight.  Will you be wearing a hydration pack?  Packs on your bike?  What's in your pockets?  For cold winter days, even the weight of clothing can add up. 

Take notes as you go along and make sure you record the conditions.  For example, was it wet and slick or dry and dusty?  What was the terrain like?   How about the road/trail surfaces?  All this can help you get dialed in and make informed decisions.  I know I need to continue to progress from my stock "x psi in the front, and y psi in the rear." 

Remember:  safety first!

Until next time, bust out that floor pump, get an accurate gauge, and maybe a little lower is actually faster!

https://www.bjlcoaching.com/bls-blog/august-9-tip-of-the-week

Cheers,

Coach Brian