10 years in existence, Team Jeep are the most recognised team in South Africa, and over the years have helped develop world class athletes such as Dan Hugo (Xterra), Barry Lewin (Surfski), Brendon Davids (Mountain Biking) and Eszter Erdelyi (Multisport and Mountain Biking).

Founder of Team Jeep SA, Max Cluer has recently made an announcement that the team will get involved with Bike Pure as well as Qhubeka. The management as well as the athletes themselves has been very supportive ever since towards both organizations. Team Jeep also proudly display the Bike Pure logo and sleeve wristband on their team clothing to show their support for ethical sport.

“We came to an agreement with Team Jeep from Bike Pure side that we’ll be working together on this project for the next 3 years. We would like to thank Max Cluer, the management as well as the athletes for showing their support towards Bike Pure. We’re looking forward to working together with Team Jeep SA and through this opportunity we will be able to spread the word of fair play, ethics and integrity in sport.” said Yolande Pretorius, South African Bike Pure Ambassador.

We also want to congratulate the following athletes:
Patrick Belton walked away with the African Junior Cross Country Championships title on Saturday after a great performance in Mauritius. Both Mikaela Jonsson (U15) and Gareth Harrington (Elite) walked away with KwaZulu-Natal Duathlon Championships title respectively.

Angela Engelnad (U23), Tom Jessop (Sub-junior), Julian Jessop (Youth), walked away with the Greyton MTB Classic title respectively. Great performances by the team and we wish the athletes all of the best with the rest of the season.

Below is a list of the current Team Jeep athletes, management and ambassadors.
Multisport:
Daniel Carleton
Gareth Harrington
Craig Jarrett
Mikaela Jonsson
Lance Kime
Gena Lofstrand
Courtney Smith
Devon Smith
Derrin Smith
Murray Starr

Mountain Biking:
Patrick Belton
Sam Bull
Kyle Davids
Angela Egelnad
Tom Jessop
Julian Jessop
Craig Paul
Werner van Heerden
Travis Walker
Cameron Wright

BMX:
Alex Dolman
Nic Joubert
Tyler Muller
Sharlene McGilvray
Mia Rawlins

Lifestyle:
Andrew Birkett
Michelle Eder
Michelle Erey
Darren Goddard
Barry Lewin
Evan van der Spuy
Grant van der Walt

Ambassadors:
Robyn Adendorff
Crispin Brien
Willie Brink
Jakie Church
Matt Goetsch
Jean Hackland
Jaco Kellerman
Alan D Klotz
Per Lofstrand
Grant Macpherson
Clint Morck
Brett Nattrass
Landy Puddu
Jade Roberts
Jean- Paul van der Linde
Rebecca van der Linde
Sarah van Heerden
Bertus van Zyl

Management:
Max Cluer
Clint Morck
Sarah Muller
Rebecca van der Linde

Website: www.teamjeep.co.za
Facebook: www.facebook.com/TeamJeep
Twitter: http://twitter.com/teamjeep

Research has shown that an untested product has a risk of approximately 1 in 4 being contaminated with steroids.

It is increasingly the case that athletes, both professional and amateur alike, must take supplements in order to compete at their desired level.  However, there is an ever growing concern that supplements are the cause of a number of failed drug tests in the professional sporting arena, so that top athletes are simply advised not to take supplements – advice which is then commonly ignored.

Whilst some supplements are specifically designed to enhance performance via the inclusion of banned substances, the real concern behind the paranoia is not so much the knowledgable use of such products, but an issue of “unintended contamination” across the whole range of available supplements.

HFL Sport Science (which operates the Informed-Sport testing programme) carried out surveys in the USA in 2007 and in the UK in 2008 that revealed up to 25% of supplement products on shelves can, in fact, contain low levels of steroids and/or stimulants, none of which may be declared on the label. So – how do you address this risk of taking contaminated supplements?

WADA (the World Anti Doping Agency) take a firm stance – that it is the responsibility of the athlete to understand the risk of taking a supplement, advising elite athletes that they should simply not take supplements – recommending instead that a balanced diet will provide all of the necessary nutrition. However, it is clear that many supplements are indeed beneficial to performance, and many athletes take a variety of such supplements. Indeed, it is not at all clear that any successful athlete can effectively compete at their highest level without some form of supplementation (even if it is just a rehydration drink)!

The risk of taking contaminated supplements cannot be made to disappear.  If this is the case, how do athletes minimise the risk when taking a supplement?   The answer is to look for products that have been subjected to safeguards throughout the manufacturing process.  This risk may not be eliminated, but it can be effectively managed.

Such safeguarding requires some basic good practice by manufacturers to ensure that products are not inadvertently contaminated:

1. Look for evidence that raw ingredients have been sourced with care – many ingredients are purchased cheaply from geographies with poor quality control.

2. Cleaning procedures at the manufacturing and packaging facilities must be capable of removing traces of possible banned contaminants to avoid cross contamination from product to product.

3. Products should be tested prior to release for sale for trace levels of banned substances by a reputable sports doping control lab, using tests accredited to the ISO 17025 standard.  These tests should specify both the substances being looked for, and the levels that they will be found at (typically parts per billion levels!).

But unless you are an expert in such matters, how will you know?  This is the purpose of the Informed-Sport testing programme.

The Informed-Sport testing programme, developed by HFL Sport Science (a world class anti doping laboratory based in the UK), provides a quality assurance programme allowing athletes and their connections to make a choice about the risks associated with the use of supplements. If the Informed-Sport logo is shown on the product, it is an indicator that the product has been subjected to:

- manufacturing and raw ingredient review as part of a product registration process;

- testing by a world class anti doping laboratory, against internationally recognised standards (ISO 17025).;

- analysis for the widest practical list of banned substances (as defined by the World Anti Doping Agency);

- analysis at trace detection levels demanded by the world of anti doping – essential for effective risk management;

- routine testing of batches manufactured – and approved prior to release for sale.

Research has shown that untested product has a risk of approximately 1 in 4 being contaminated with steroids.

Products that have been through a rigorous certification programme reduces this risk to BETTER than 1 in 500 (any contaminated batches are destroyed prior to release for sale).

For More Information visit www.informed-sport.com

Bike Pure have launched a major poster campaign to promote sporting ethics and integrity. The poster campaign entitled ‘Put Your Hands Up For Fair Honest Sport’ is launched in eight languages and will be available for download on the organisations website and displayed in cycle stores worldwide. The campaign posters are produced in eight languages including English, French, Dutch, Italian, German, Polish, Norwegian and Portuguese.

The campaign will run across Bike Pure’s social media platforms of Facebook, Twitter and also be available as a free download on the organisation’s website (below). The poster was produced with the help of the organisation’s growing number of global Ambassadors who helped in the translation, wording and effectiveness of the poster campaign.

Bike Pure co-founder Andy Layhe said, “It’s vitally important that we all promote sporting ethics and set a foundation for younger cyclists coming into the sport that you don’t have to cheat in order to be successful. Education is the cornerstone in the fight against doping and other unethical sporting practices.”

Layhe added, “It sends a simple message about the importance of honesty and integrity in sport. In a world where the importance of sporting values and ethics is diminishing, it’s vitally important we all promote this positive message. We encourage people to do their part for honest sport, share this poster either on email, on your Facebook page, Twitter pages, blogs, websites and wherever. Print it out, put it up in your team club room or local cycle store to show you care about your sport.”

“We hope this poster will serve as a platform for improved sporting ethics, so we ask people ‘put their hands up for fair, honest sport’ and help us spread the message. Every person can do their part in the promotion of fair sport by promoting this poster in their own individual way.”

The campaign posters are proudly supported by Lemond Fitness and GalibierVelo.com. Head of Lemond Fitness and three time Tour de France winner Greg Lemond commented, “Lemond Fitness fully support this poster campaign, I’m incredibly proud to support Bike pure in their efforts to promote & support clean sport. It’s great to be part of the fight against cheating in sport.”

The posters can be downloaded in a variety of formats for distribution, printing and email below. We shall be producing the poster in a number of additional languages over the coming days.

Bike Pure wish to thank all our ambassadors who helped with translation and to Marianne Westacott for her finishing touches on the design.

Poster Downloads (please click on appropriate link)

English: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

Dutch: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

French: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

German: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

Italian: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

Norwegian: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

Polish: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

Portuguese: Low Resolution JPEG • High Resolution JPEG • Print Ready PDF (2MB)

We have long since sanctioned against the use of illegal performance enhancing steroids in sport.  Sometimes, though, steroid use goes beyond sports and ethics and becomes a matter of life and death. The median age for beginning steroid use is just 15 years old with the pressure to compete and win beginning at younger and younger ages.

There’s a lot at stake in the eyes of a teenager – social acceptance, popularity, maybe even a college scholarship. Some kids think the only way to achieve a competitive edge is through performance enhancing drugs. Drugs are never the right way to excel, but kids may not discover that until tragedy strikes.

Like most kids on a junior-varsity squad, Taylor Hooton was looking for any edge he could gain to reach the varsity baseball team. Taylor, who was attending high school in Plano, Texas, dreamt of playing in the major leagues. So, when a coach told him he needed to get bigger if he wanted a shot, he pulled out all the stops. His goal was to be a baseball star, and steroids seemed to be what would drive him to the top.

But, Taylor wasn’t educated about the dangers he would encounter by using anabolic steroids. While his performance on the field increased and he gained a massive amount of weight, Taylor also began experiencing intense mood swings and other negative side effects of steroids.

On July 15, 2003, suffering from depression as a side effect of steroid use, Taylor took his own life. He was 17 years old. In retrospect, Taylor showed nearly every sign of steroid abuse. Neither his friends nor his parents were educated about these signs, though, and nobody recognized the signals. Taylor’s father, Don, created the Taylor Hooton Foundation to educate parents, teens, and coaches about these dangers. Don lost a child, and he’s doing the most he can to make sure it doesn’t happen to another parent because of a lack of awareness.

At the heart of Bike Pure, The Taylor Hooton Foundation, or any steroid or doping awareness foundation is the desire to protect people. By educating athletes – especially our youths – about potentially deadly side effects of performance enhancing drugs, fewer will consider using them. If you know someone who may be doping, find a way to talk to them. Use Bike Pure and other resources to educate them. Don’t wait until it’s too late.

In his quest to make a difference, Taylor’s father, Don has spoken to over a quarter of a million people across the US and Canada on the topic of steroid abuse. Don has received many accolades for his tireless work including being named one of the 100 Most Influential Sports Educators in America by the Institute for International Sport, and was also presented with the Distinguished Service Award by the United States Sports Academy.

For more information on the Taylor Hooton Foundation and the dangers of steroid abuse please visit their website at www.taylorhooton.org

With the help of the Taylor Hooton Foundation, we have compiled a list outlining the dangers and side effects of steroid abuse. If you are taking steroids you may not feel as though you are suffering any ill effects, yet the damages being done are often unseen and far reaching. Please take the time to read the information below.

Dangers of Anabolic Steroids

Physical Effects
Musculoskeletal System
Bones stop growing
Cardiovascular system
Water and salt retention = high blood pressure
Elevated cholestoral and triglycerides
Blood clotting disorders
Balding
Acne (really bad acne!) on the back, shoulders and chest
Oily skin
Puffy cheeks
Gastrointestinal system
Liver cysts / liver cancer
Hypertension
Increased chance of injury to tendons, ligaments, and muscles
Jaundice, trembling, aching joints
Bad Breath
Users can become addicted

Effects in Males
Gynocomastia (Grow breasts)
Testicular atrophy
Low sperm count
Impotence / Sterility
Prostate growth
Cancer
Premature balding

Effects in Females
Male body hair (e.g., beard)
Male pattern baldness
Deepened voice
Irregular periods
Breast shrinkage
Potential birth defects
Enlarged clitoris

Psychological Effects
“Roid Rage”-increased aggressiveness, anger and hostility, which may progress to violence
Reckless behaviour
Feelings of inadequacy
Restlessness
Psychosis
Decrease libido
Depression (serious enough to cause suicidal thoughts)
Mood Swings
Psychological addiction

Steroids And Your Heart
Long-term use of anabolic steroids appears to weaken the heart, and it is not clear if this weakening is reversible, researchers say.
In a small but alarming new study, middle-aged weight lifters who took steroids for roughly a decade showed evidence of impaired heart pumping function that was not seen in weight lifters who did not take steroids.

The finding suggests that many years of anabolic steroid use weakens the heart more than has been previously recognised, says cardiologist and study researcher Aaron L. Baggish, MD, of Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital.
It may also have important public health implications because the use of steroids to improve sports performance is no longer the exclusive domain of a small group of elite athletes.

Steroids use is now common in fighting sports, such as boxing and mixed martial arts, in addition to weight lifting, Baggish says.
Anabolic steroids are synthetically produced drugs that mimic the naturally occurring male sex hormone testosterone, which builds muscle.
“Steroid use in the general public wasn’t really an issue until the late 1980s or even the mid-1990s,” Baggish tells WebMD. “Even now, when we hear about steroids it’s because a professional baseball player or cyclist has taken them. But the vast majority of steroid use is now happening among casual athletes who work 9-to-5 jobs.”

In an effort to better understand the impact of long-term anabolic steroid use on the heart, Baggish and colleagues performed heart function testing on 12 weight lifters who took steroids and seven who did not take the drugs.

The average age of the study participants was 40, and the steroid users had taken the drug for an average of nine years. The two groups were similar with respect to duration of weight lifting, total physical activity level, and weight, but the steroid users had more muscle mass than nonusers.
Doppler echocardiography ultrasound was used to examine blood flow through the heart.

In most of the steroid users, the heart’s main pumping chamber, known as the left ventricle, showed evidence of weakness during contraction.
A healthy left ventricle pumps 55% to 70% of the blood that fills the heart. This measurement is known as ejection fraction.
Ten of the 12 steroid users had ejection fractions of less than 55%, which has been linked to an increased risk for heart failure and sudden cardiac arrest.
Only one of the seven weightlifters with no history of steroid use had a low ejection fraction.
The steroid users also showed evidence of impaired diastolic function, which is the ability of the left ventricle to relax and fill with blood following contraction.

Left ventricle relaxation was reduced by almost half among steroid users compared to nonusers.
The study appears in the latest (4/2010) issue of the American Heart Association journal Circulation:  Heart Failure.
It was originally intended as a pilot study, but the findings were so striking the researchers decided they needed to be published.

Steroids And Your Kidneys
Athletes who use anabolic steroids may seriously damage their kidneys, according to new findings presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s Renal Week conference (3/2010).
“Athletes who use anabolic steroids and the doctors caring for them need to be aware of the potentially serious risks to the kidney,” said lead investigator Leal Herlitz, MD, Assistant Professor of Pathology at Columbia University Medical Center in New York.

Reports of professional athletes who abuse anabolic steroids are increasingly common.  Most people know that using steroids is not good for their health, but until now their effects on the kidneys have not been known.

Dr. Herlitz and her colleagues recently conducted the first study describing injury to the kidneys following long-term abuse of anabolic steroids. They studied a group of 10 bodybuilders (six Caucasians and four Hispanics) who used steroids for many years and experienced proteinuria and severe reductions in kidney function.

The men were seen between 1999 and 2009 and had highly muscular physiques. All were long-term anabolic androgenic steroid abusers, had proteinuria of 1g/day or greater, and a renal biopsy diagnosis of focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The average BMI was 34.7 kg/m2 (range: 27-43).  The men presented with proteinuria (mean 10.1 g/day, range 1.3- 26.3 g/day) and renal insufficiency (mean serum creatinine 3.0 mg/dL, range: 1.3- 7.8 mg/dL).  Five men presented with full nephritic syndrome.

It is well known that FSGS typically occurs when the kidneys are overworked. The kidney damage observed in this group of bodybuilders had similarities to that seen in morbidly obese patients, but appeared to be even more severe.  Renal biopsy revealed FSGS in nine of the patients; four of the nine patients also had glomerulomegaly. One patient had glomerulomegaly alone. Three biopsies showed collapsing lesions of FSGS and four had perihilar lesions. Seven of the 10 men had tubular atrophy of 40% or greater and interstitial fibrosis.

“It is important to recognize that all the people in this series were long-term abusers, ranging from eight to 20 years of use,” explained Dr. Herlitz, who presented study findings at the 2009 Renal Week conference here. “So, it is unlikely that someone who uses for a few months is going to be significantly harmed. I really have no basis for estimating the prevalence of this problem and I’m hoping that this study will bring attention to the issue so that people will be aware of the entity and we can start to better understand who is affected and why.”

Follow-up data were available for eight of the 10 patients. The mean follow-up was 2.2 years. One patient progressed rapidly to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and seven patients received renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade. One of these seven also received corticosteroid therapy. All seven patients who received RAS blockade discontinued anabolic androgenic steroids and reduced their exercise regimens. They also lost weight and had a stabilization or improvement in serum creatinine and a decrease in proteinuria.

Although the bodybuilders who discontinued steroid use experienced improvement in their kidney abnormalities, one individual with advanced kidney disease progressed to ESRD and required dialysis. One subject started taking steroids again and suffered a relapse, developing progressive proteinuria and renal insufficiency.

Compared with historical controls who had obesity-related glomerulopathy, FSGS in these bodybuilders was a more severe form of the disease with higher creatinine and proteinuria levels at presentation. These patients also tended to have more glomerular and tubulointerstitial scarring.
The researchers proposed that extreme increases in muscle mass require the kidneys to increase their filtration rate, placing harmful levels of stress on the kidneys. “As in obese patients, the increased strain on the kidney from the elevated body mass leads to hyperfiltration injury,” Dr. Herlitz explained.

It is also likely that steroids have direct toxic effects on the kidneys. “Numerous animal models have shown adverse effects of androgens on the kidneys and we believe that the anabolic steroids themselves may be directly nephrotoxic,” she said.

Cycling fans worldwide deserve heroes they can believe in and Le Tour de Langkawi (LTdL) supports the fight against using illegal performance enhancing drugs to compete in cycle sport. LTdL 2012 will be entering it’s third year partnership with Bike Pure, the organisers believe that cycling only wants ethical role models.

With a new tagline ‘Ready For the World’, the 17th edition in 2012 will be one that showcases the race’s readiness to become part of the UCI World Tour series. In line with this, the aim to promote honest, ethical sport is as important as ever.

With a proven track record, including another accolade of being recognised by the International Cycling Union (UCI) who accorded the 2011 edition with an ‘Excellent Level of Organization’ through its recent official letter, LTdL has acquired enormous respectability on the world cycling stage as a fantastic event, both in organization and the quality of racing.

Each element within cycle sport including the race organizers has their own role to play. LTdL has shown by this partnership, that they want their champions to win with honor and have respect for their fellow riders efforts.

Andy Layhe, co-founder of Bike Pure expressed their appreciation to the organisers for supporting the effort to honest, ethical cycling, “We are delighted to continue our longstanding partnership to the Tour de Langkawi. For the race organisers to show their support for our ethical sporting and anti-doping message means a great deal to us and their commitment to Bike Pure speaks volumes in relation to race organisers who are willing to send a clear, concise message that they won’t tolerate or condone cheating in their event.”

“The Tour de Langkawi is growing in stature each year and it is a pleasure to be associated with such a prolific event on cycling’s world stage.” He added.

In a positive move, LTdL 2012 officials and staff will wear a specially commissioned Le Tour de Langkawi ‘Ready for the world’ Bike Pure wristband to show their affiliation. The wristbands will also be handed out to teams, officials and riders alike at the event.

LTdL2012 chief operating officer, Emir Abdul Jalal is delighted with the partnership continued for the third year running, “Major events like Le Tour de Langkawi are put together at a great expense and no organizer wishes to see their event tarnished with a doping scandal. Sponsors emphasize on positive media attention, and one single rider could destroy all this investment.”

“Being the first major Asian event this year to fully partner Bike Pure again, we feel responsible to continue this effort and set an example for all other events regardless of big or small to support fair competition and a drug-free sport.” He added.

LTdL 2012 is expected to feature 22 professional teams including two ProTour teams Garmin-Barracuda and Astana ProTeam.

Please visit the official race site at http://www.ltdl.com.my

If you would like Bike Pure to support your cycling event please contact us.

We were amongst the first to receive the results of the report earlier this week and the findings were interesting to say the least. What is evident is that cyclists’ themselves feel that drug testing alone is not an effective anti-doping deterrent and that a greater emphasis should be placed on doping prevention, education and awareness – something we have long since publicised.

The study also found that a large number of cyclists consume supplements yet there is marked lack of knowledge relating to the risks associated with consuming such products. All athletes must be urged to check the properties of any supplement they choose to ingest to reduce the risk of unknowingly testing positive for a banned substance.

The study also compiled results between male and female attitudes to doping in sport. It found that males were more willing to use banned substances than females. It also revealed via the study that athletes were most willing to use banned substances if they thought they could get away with it and also if their funding or contract was under threat at the time.

The overall findings of the result point to the fact that education, awareness and ethical sporting behaviour are paramount in the choices an athlete makes if faced with a decision to use banned substances. It also shows that the role of a coach, mentor and/or role model are highly influential on an athletes behaviour. Overall, the majority of cyclists who took part in the study showed negative attitudes to doping and the health risks associated with using banned substances.

The author of the study, Lisa Whitaker spoke to us today and echoed our thoughts, “We’ve known for some time that drug testing alone is not 100% effective in deterring athletes from using banned substances and that education is key if we want to prevent doping. Not only does this study provide evidence for that, it also highlights specific targets for education. Many athletes who may be contemplating doping are not subjected to doping tests, therefore education is the only way to reach these athletes.”

Lisa continued, “Conducting research of this nature is often difficult but thanks to those who helped promote the study like Bike Pure, the study has been successful and raised some interesting findings.”

We have long championed that education and awareness are key factors in the fight against doping, not only from an ethical sporting sense but also from a health perspective. If young athletes can be educated at a young age regarding sporting values and the dangerous side effects associated with using banned substances, this solidifies their attitudes to anti-doping and will assist in them making informed ethical decisions as they develop into mature athletes. More stringent education coupled with tougher sanctions are a major deterrent in the fight against doping.

Thank you again to Lisa for producing the study and contacting us with reference to its findings. The full study can be viewed here.

Would you agree that the majority of cyclists don’t stretch regularly enough? Should we?
Yes you should, it helps prevent injury and helps the body adapt better to training. It is also a nice time to relax and take time to chill after a hard training ride, improve muscle balance and improve performance.

If we wanted to get lower position on a time trial bike, what would you recommend stretching?
Time trailing really pushes your body to the limit with such extreme positions and injury is a real concern, especially for those who race the longer distances. The neck, back and glueteal muscles all endure a heavy work load. It is therefore essential that these muscle groups remain strong and recovered, helping to push your body to the limit. Effective muscle groups coupled with an efficient and effective pedal stroke will help you achieve faster speeds and remain injury free.

It is essential to stretch the following muscle groups:-
Neck – (Sternocleidomastoid)
Serious stress on the neck to keep solid position from the top down, holding the head in a flexed position to keep you more aerodynamic and streamlined.

Back – (Erector Spinae)
Helps you stabilise the spine and also prevent vertebral subluxation. This muscle is responsible for keeping you balanced on the bike and is essential that it remains strong  to produce a powerful pedal stroke. To strengthen this muscle you will need to train this particular area with stretching to recover post effort and training will be essential so to help increase power/efficiency.

Back (Gluteus Maximus)
This is the area where nearly all your ‘power’ comes from when time trailing. Keeping this muscle supple and avoiding tightness will in turn help transfer all the other working muscle’s actions into power through the pedals.

Should I stretch before or after training?
I would recommend post training, but this depends on a person’s history of injuries and is also age dependent. Some people may need to stretch as part of a heavy warm up plan when undertaking strenuous workouts. It’s difficult to make this a general answer applicable to everyone.

Thanks to Stephen Gallagher and Dan Fleeman  @forme coaching

NB: Contracted muscles can cause a gradual loss of muscle elasticity as well as an overall decline in flexibility of your joints, both of which can lessen your range of motion and pedal power. Stretching may increase the flexibility of the joint up to 10-20%.  Flexible muscle groups have increased strength, therefore increasing pedalling power.  Poor flexibility also makes you more prone to strains and pulls.  Incorporating a regular 10-15 minute stretching program will help you become more adaptable and will prevent injuries.
Stretch your major muscle groups to increase your core flexibility.  Stretch slow and gently, holding for 15-20 seconds.  Avoid bouncing or jerking when stretching that may cause micro tears in the muscle and actually reduce your overall flexibility.

We had a brief chat with former professional and Tour de France rider Adrian Timmis. Adrian runs Cadence sport but is regarded in the UK bike scene as a ‘guru’ and great coach. Adrian coaches young riders with lots of potential and uses Bike Pure to illustrate the belief and glory of ‘riding with pride’

A few answers stood out:

In days gone by days, this was the time for the pub, but modern thought is to maintain a level of fitness. What do you recommend for a road racer?

You can still enjoy yourself in the winter months, but the winter is where you can improve your fitness, I don’t mean getting race fit, that’s what you do in final peaking for your goals, i.e. intervals and or more racing etc., I’ve seen a huge benefit in building your threshold engine through a couple of sweetspot sessions a week (sub threshold) over the winter, before you start specific race training, these benefits will stay with you for most of the season, then using specific race training when peaking for something, I see people improve there threshold on avg 10-15 watts over a month through sweetspot training, so most people can add 30-40 watts over the winter, then they start race training.

Is cyclo cross racing a positive influence to a full road season?
I used to like doing a few over the winter when I was road racing, but I couldn’t have done a full season of cross, i think it makes a change doing the odd one.

We were also told Timmis is one of the best bike fitters around. A young pro rider who was dialled in by him on his new bike at the start of the season said “He seemed to have combined an understanding of the body, bio mechanics and pedaling stresses”

Website :http://www.cadencesport.co.uk

Contact Adrian: adrian@cadencesport.co.uk

Train in Spain was established in 2009 and has grown to become one of the leading training camps available to everyday cyclists. Liam’s training camps run in the Costa Blanca region of Spain and cater for sportive and racing cyclists who really want to get the very best out of themselves for the season ahead.

Riders can take advantage of some of the finest cycling roads and beautiful early season weather, coupled with fine private accommodation and includes access to a gym and spa.

Many cyclists visit as part of their preparation for sportives such as the Étape du Tour, Quebrantahuesos and La Marmotte as well as big UK events such as the Dragon Ride. All rides are conducted in a relaxed and friendly manner although a competitive element is never far away for those that seek it! All in all it is the perfect environment in which to test yourself and move towards your cycling goals.

We’re also giving Bike Pure members 5% off the price of the package – simply quote ‘Bike Pure Train in Spain’ when ordering your camp package to avail of the discount. Camps, from £475, run for 1 week and include:-

- Airport transfers to and from Alicante (including bike box)
- Fully supported guided rides of 80-140 kms per day (approx. 600 kms total)
- Your own private apartment in a Spa Hotel (bedroom, lounge, kitchen, bathroom) & Wi-Fi access
- Buffet breakfast and dinner in hotel restaurant
- Access to gym and spa
- Lots of face-to-face time with Liam

Optional:
Bike Hire
Sports massage
Additional days with or without guided rides

Not included:
Air fare (view flights here)
Insurance (essential)
Beverages

Links: Liam Holohan Twitter page:
Liam’s Team Raleigh site:
Train in Spain:

For over thirty years one of Ireland’s biggest and most traditional cycling clubs, Banbridge CC has continued to produce and develop Irish champions, International and Nationally successful riders at all levels, including Olympians. This success has been attributed on a large part to the commitment the club has to ride fixed wheel winter bikes.

For most people reading this article they will associate fixed wheel with velodrome/track racing, or even the very origin of the bicycle. Under the guidance of club coach Gerry Beggs all riders young, old, male and female have been encouraged to ride fixed wheel winter bikes. These bikes would have been very inexpensive, kitted with mudguards and heavier than the normal run of the mill bike, put together with the minimum of cost and effort, and as a result require the minimum of maintenance.

Gearing would be selected based on the riders age and ability generally most in the club would have ridden anything from 42×18/17 aprox 65-67”. With his traditional approach to cycling and training Club coach Gerry, has coached numerous Irish road and time trial champions, with many of the successes in the TT ridden on fixed wheel. Sadly, such feats will no longer be possible after the UCI decided that this was no longer a good look for cycling, rather than anything to do with safety.

In 2003 I became the first person in Ireland to break the 20 min barrier for a 10 mile TT an Irish Cycling landmark achieved using a 95” fixed gear and a record that stood for 8 years. John Grant and Sean Downey would follow suit, the latter proving he could also win TT champs on gears having won the u23 championship this year.

Why fixed wheel?

We have all read on the net or in magazines about the latest new gadget to help you go faster, get fitter, lighter equipment etc but all at considerable cost to your pocket.

However they all miss one crucial fundamental requirement of cycling…. the ability to pedal fast and to pedal efficiently.

Having been an international coach for now last 6 years I now fully understand the reason behind Gerry’s persistence with the fixed wheel.

Of the numerous coaching courses and conferences I have attended all emphasise the fact how important cadence and pedalling efficiency is and the simple facts are that:-

• Fixed wheel is a perfect training partner
• you never have to free wheel
• you cover every single km/mile
• it will train you to recruit strength to ride up hill at 60-70rpm and train you to be relaxed and smooth when having to pedal down hill at 170-190rpm
• it removes the dreaded dead spot
• gives you a fantastic core workout

Spend one winter on fixed and I guarantee you‘ll improve your pedalling efficiency.

But what is pedalling efficiency?

Pedalling efficiency is the ability to pedal at a cadence that enables you to deliver power as smooth and as evenly as possible, or as I like to call it pedalling in circles.

Everyone is different depending on their muscle type and their  training or previous sporting background.

However you can test for your optimum cadence by a very simple test:- maintain the same speed/power on different gears steadily increasing your cadence until you see were your heart rate starts to really rise similar to that seen in a  threshold test. This would be your current efficient/optimal cadence.

As with all elements of cycling this can be trained and improved, but as a general guide for most people optimum cadence is between 95-105 rpm

But efficient cadence does not just refer to cycling alone, I constantly hear multi sports coaches talk of high cadence/high rate for the one simple common factor its reduces the amount of contact force or torque being applied.

To simply understand torque for those old enough to drive, if you give the car too much gas and release the clutch too fast the wheels of the car spin wasting valuable power, likewise for those non drivers if you want to pull the perfect wheelie on a bike if you create too much power/torque in the first few pedal strokes you wont be able to control the bike and will come off the back wheel.

It all boils down to “pedalling in circles” those that have worked with me will have heard me constantly harp on the importance of this one skill which fixed wheel riding will certainly train you to do.

It’s the importance of following the pedals through the downward stroke, pulling up right over the top of the dreaded dead spot in one continuous circle meaning you’re in control of the power you’re applying the whole way through the pedal stroke.

Simple drill

A simple training drill which can be done to improve this one element is an isolated leg drill, which consists of pedalling with one leg for 30secs leaving the opposite leg as a dead weight in the pedals. You should aim to pedal in a full circle as described above, then repeat with the opposite leg. Perform this exercise 2-3 times with each leg before returning to pedalling with both legs, the difference will be instantly noticeable.

For me, fixed wheel has been something Banbridge cycling club and I have been brought up with, something I will certainly continue to recommend.

Had it not been for the influence of Gerry Beggs perhaps some of the names listed above may not have been as successful, and for this I say thanks Gerry.

For those interested in a little further reading I have included a piece I found on the net with a little history on the fixed wheel.

History of Fixed wheel
Fixed gear bicycles have become the ultimate item in urban chique. Messengers glide effortlessly in and out of traffic in a show of defiance and freedom among lines of cars chained to the grind of the daily commute. Fixie bikes are simple and elegant, with clean lines and a genuine beauty which springs from their lack of complexity, stripped to the bare requirements of pedaling, steering and rolling. And they are becoming more popular as more people discover the joy of riding single speed and fixed gear.
Single speed riding requires a different kind of approach. The fixed gear does not allow you to coast. In fact, going downhill can be hard work. The cog on the rear wheel is bolted directly the hub so that your pedals must go at the same speed as your rear wheel. This also means your pedals can be used to slow down the bike, and the ability to pedal backwards make the impressive track stand you sometimes see messengers doing when the traffic lights are red.
But where did the fixie come from? Some of the first bikes ever were fixed gears – look at the Penny Farthing, and you will see that the pedal cranks are connected directly to the hub of the front wheel. Before the advent of the derailleur, which allowed bicycles to have gears, single speed bikes were the only race bike available. And they were big news in the sporting world. In 1876, Madison Square Garden was built to accommodate a velodrome racing track. Bike racing on the original fixed gear track bikes attracted huge crowds and turned bike racers in to stars. In fact, bike racers back in those days could earn almost $150,000 per year compared with a tradesman’s salary of around $5,000. One of the best known events in the sport of track racing was the hour record where world riders would pit themselves against the clock in an attempt to ride as far as they possibly could in an hour. Some of the greats of the sport have held the hour record, including Francesco Moser, Eddy Merckx and Miguel Indurain. Graeme Obree successful record attempt on a homemade fixie, partly made from old washing machine parts, was made the subject of the movie “The Flying Scotsman”.

The halcyon days of track racing in the U.S. are perhaps behind us, although the sport has enjoyed a resurgence of interest as an Olympic sport, and more nations are putting resources into track racing. But the legacy of the fixed gear bike is alive and well.Some of the features of those old track bikes, you might think, make the fixie less than ideal for riding in an urban setting, as opposed to riding indoors on a banked track, with no traffic or pedestrians to contend with. Others disagree. Fixie riders who ride without brakes have to anticipate their next move much further in advance than their free-wheeling colleagues. Fixie riders talk of the feeling of Zen-like peace and flow as they become as one with their bike, flowing through the streets and cars of downtown. Others compare riding their fixie to a game of chess, anticipating the movement of the traffic as a chess player would anticipate the moves of his opponent, and reacting accordingly. In any event, the history and the evolution of the fixie has moved on to accommodate the needs of every rider, and in particular the urban rider.

Fixie bikes are probably best known for their uniqueness and variety. You will see track bicycles in the city with their dropped handlebars, but you will also see machines with flat handlebars, bikes with brakes and bikes without brakes. Experience fixed gear riding for yourself – it really is an entirely different style of riding and transport that allows you to feel very connected to your bike. Whether you choose a track bike or an urban machine, you too can get the feel of cycling on one of the oldest and best established types of bicycle – a form of cycling that is as enjoyable today as it ever was.

Contact: coachtommyevans@gmail.com