New Year, New Rides!
No better time to take your riding to the next level.
It’s a new year and there is no better time to take your riding to the next level. These are some of our top tips and gear recommendations for stepping up your cycling game this year.
Start Training
January is the perfect time to start training for big events in the spring or summer. Most ridersuse this season to rack up base miles and build a foundation for fitness. If this is your first time looking to add structured training to your riding, check out our article on training for your first century to gget some ideas about create a training plan. If the weather where you live is too harsh to ride outside this time of year, a smart trainer with Zwift or Trainer Road is an excellent way to build fitness.
Smart Trainers
New Tech for New Motivation
We hate to admit it, but sometimes a new toy can provide the excitement needed to push a little harder. Whether it’s a power meter or a fancy bike computer, new training data can allow you to access untapped areas of fitness and set fresh goals.
New Tech
Dial In Your Nutrition
Once you’re in the throes of racing season, it is difficult to experiment with your nutrition regimen; most riders will opt for a tried-and-true diet with little room for experimentation. Now is the time to try something different and see if it works. In professional cycling, the trend has been to aim for high carbs – as much as 80-100g per hour for longer and harder races. To achieve this, athletes usually rely on high-carb drink mixes, as this helps to minimize gut issues.
Nutrition
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Prepare Your Equipment
Winter is the perfect time for some annual bike maintenance. Here are some of our favorite new year tune ups:
Basic
- Grips, Handlebar Tape, or Hoods – Replace
- Tires – Replace – If your tires are getting old, it’s a good time to put new ones on. Old tires are more susceptible to punctures.
- Cleats – Replace – Both plastic and metal cleats wear out. Wear on plastic cleats is easier to spot. Wear on metal cleats is harder to see, but you may notice that they no longer unclip as smoothly.
- Chain – Replace – To avoid drivetrain damage, chains should be replaced when worn out.
- Shifter Batteries – Replace – For Electronic Shifting
- Drivetrain – Thorough Cleaning – Use degreaser to remove grime.
Intermediate
- Shift and Brake Cables – Replace old worn cables and housing
- Bolts – Torque Check – Check all of your bolts with a torque wrench to make sure nothing has come loose.
- Carbon Seatposts – Reapply carbon paste – This will prevent your seatpost from seizing up over time.
- Pedal Spindles – Clean and Grease (If pedals are serviceable)
Need help working on your bike?
The Park Tool YouTube channel is an amazing resource for bike repair tutorials that can be trusted.
Maintenance Essentials
Dress to Impress
Feeling fast leads to riding fast. This is the year where you ditch the baggy jersey and don a new speedy aero kit. Having the right clothing for the ride is great for motivation and makes it easier to put more miles in. Proper winter gear is also essential for anyone who wants to brave the cold.
Winter Clothing
New Bike?
There is nothing quite like a new bike to motivate you to ride. Whether it’s faster, more comfortable, or simply more modern, new bike day is every rider’s true favorite holiday. Though, if it’s not quite the right time for a new bike, you can always spend some time browsing our bike selection while you pound out base miles on the trainer.
