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Tips for a
Successful Ride
Follow these handy riding tips and we assure you you'll make it to
Bardstown on Saturday.
* Spend time on the bike. Seems obvious, but you need to
toughen up those sit tissues. Most runners have the aerobic training and
leg strength to do a long ride, but the butt gets really sore. Work up to
at least a 30-mile back-to-back ride (30 miles each day), and start to
include some hills.
* Join us on some Louisville Bicycle Club
rides. You'll learn more and make friends, too. Schedules are available
in bike shops or on the club web site: www.louisvillebicycleclub.org.
Plus, there's safety in numbers. If you live elsewhere, check out your
local bike club or bike shop for ride training opportunities.
* Attend the bike handling classes offered by the Louisville Bicycle Club on
Monday evenings. See the club ride schedule
for details. A great way to learn skills with the support of dedicated,
experienced riders.
* Get a good bike fit at one of the shops or through the
bike club.
* Make sure your bike is in good working order: good tires,
brakes, chain, etc.
* Carbo-load the night or two before the event, and eat
breakfast on the day of the ride. (Nothing too heavy or greasy.)
* Wear a helmet. We require one on all club rides. You can
buy one very reasonably and it's the best insurance you can buy.
* Invest in some good cycling attire:
* Shoes with rigid soles. That pedal can really hurt
underneath a sneaker or running shoe.
* Bike shorts come with padding for the seat, and the
tight fit prevents bunching and rubbing. You'll appreciate that a lot.
* Gloves offer padding between the handlebars and your
hands, plus offer protection if you fall.
* Check out a road bike. Lots of people do these longer
rides on mountain or hybrid bikes, but a good road bike weighs a lot less and
the thin tires roll a lot easier. You'll really notice the weight
difference going up hills. And believe us, there are some hills between
Louisville and Bardstown!
* Plan to ride with a friend or a group of friends. It
makes the miles go much quicker!
* Take your time and enjoy the scenery. This is absolutely
the best way to see Kentucky!
Note: All OKHT riders will be required to
view a short Safety video before beginning the tour. You will be directed to the safety video at Tom
Sawyer State Park on the day of the ride. The video will cover these basic
safety tips:
I. Ride on the right side of the road with traffic
II. Ride as far to the right as possible on the road
III. Ride no more than 2 abreast, single file in heavier traffic
IV. Pass on the left – announce “on your left” as
you pass
V. Quickly get off the road when you stop
VI. Obey all traffic signs and signals
VII. Share the road – don’t back up traffic – be
courteous to cars
VIII. ABC (Air, Brakes, Crank/Chain/Cassette) Quick Check before
riding
IX. Wear an approved helmet when riding
X. Have fun!
Need to train for the Pottershop Century?
I've talked to several folks about doing the century option on the Old
Kentucky Home Tour this year. If you haven't seen a training program, take
a look at the link below (the training programs are top left corner). I
have used both programs and had no trouble completing OKHT, even riding up
Pottershop.
Enjoy and good luck!
Snake (aka Mark Atwell)
http://www.diablocyclists.com/RiderTips/DanHertlein/DanHertlein.htm
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