Now I am in the middle of my winter training, i often find myself training on the stationary or spin bike in the gym. In order to maximize my time spent training indoors I’m a big fan of using a heart rate monitor to both help structure my training as well as track my work load.

While I tend to use my Garmin Edge 800 for outdoor rides as well as indoor rides on my turbo trainer, I was recently in the market for a cheap, reliable and functional heart rate monitor to use in the gym and for the occasional run. After much research I ended up buying the Polar FT2 heart rate monitor watch.

Below is my review of this unit after a few weeks use. As with all the reviews here at Century Training i’m not being paid for this review and endeavour to be as honest as possible.

In The Box

In the box you get the wrist watch unit, the chest strap transmitter and a small instruction manual. Here are how the specs line up.
Key Specifications:

• Battery Life: Approx. 2 years
• Battery Type: CR2025
• Water Resistance: 30m
• Weight: 33 grams
• Cost: from $60

The whole premise of this unit is it’s simple functionality. There are many more expensive heart rate monitors out there that have many more features however the FT2 is aimed at the lower end of the market. The FT2 aims to provide the core functions you’d expect from a pulse monitor alongside clean simple design.

As you can see below the FT2 is incredibly light, weighing in at a meagre 33 grams.

Build Quality

I’ve used Polar monitors before (namely the cycling specific CS300) and found reliability to be very good, no matter how badly I treated it. So far the FT2 seems to be responding the same.

The strap is made from polyurethane and the back of the unit is made from stainless steel to protect mechanism. As you’d expect from a sports watch the FT2 is water resistance to 30m. In reality this means the unit is suitable for bathing and swimming.

The Transmitter

The transmitter is made of fabric (back half) and soft plastic (transmitter and sensor part). It clips together easily by simply connecting the the two plastic ends. These plastic ends remove the problem of metalic snap joints corroding up after lots of use – an issue with earlier Polar models.

The manual advises you to moisten the sensors prior to working out in order to help the sensors to pick up your pulse. However i’ve tested this quite a bit and found the transmitter works fine without doing this. On the whole the strap is comfortable to wear and easy to adjust.

Ease of Use

On the plus side I love the fact that during a workout you can scroll through the different screens (workout duration, heart rate etc) by simply bringing the unit up close to the sensor on the heart rate strap. This means you’re not fiddling around with both hands mid workout. Combined with the large display this makes the FT2 very user friendly  during a workout.

The flip side comes when trying to adjust the units settings, date or time having only one button means you’re faced with a laborious task of scrolling through various menus in order to get to the data you want to adjust. While I found this initially frustrating, once set up as you wish, you should rarely need to make changes.

The Menus

Obviously the menu structure is limited, particularly as the navigation is restricted by the unit having just one button. Pressing the button when in the default time mode scrolls through the various menus as follows:

1. Time mode – Displays the time, day and date.

2. Exe – Records your data as you exercise.

3. File – Displays the last stored training session data.

4. Zone – Allows you to set you target heart rate limits. You can set audio alarm when you’re out of the zone.

5. Time – Used to set the current time.

6. Date - Used to set the cuurrent date.

7. User – Used to set your age.

Performance

So far so good. I’ve been using this device for a few weeks and have not had a problem. Common problems with other monitors are usually issues with the transmitter and receiver dropping connection. I’ve not experienced any issues at all.

The unit stores data from just the last workout you’ve recorded so you’ll need to record your workout data after each session. Data recorded is the length of the workout, average heart rate, max heart rate and date of the workout.

The light weight of the unit means it doesn’t get in the way while you workout. Despite this the wrist watch seems fairly resistant to scratches and bumps. I’ve dropped mine a couple of times and it still looks like it’s just come out of the box.

Polar FT2 Summary

Advantages:

• Cost
• Polar Reliability
• Large Display
• Hands free scrolling
• Simplicity

Disadvantages:

• Only store last workout
• Single button makes changing setting a bit laborious

This little unit does exactly what it promises. It offers a cheap relaible way to monitor and record your heart rate during exercise. Of course there are limitations (such as the limited memory size) however you must remember that this is an entry level heart rate monitor. If you’re looking for bells and whistles, look elsewhere. This is a functional, reliable unit and one i’d definitely recommend.

Whether your riding in a race, sportive, audaux or century ride there are always times when you need or want to ride more economically. In order to finish your chosen ride strongly you’ll need to carefully manage your energy output in the earlier parts of the race.

In this post i’ll look at some ways you can improve the efficiency of your riding so that you can approach the end of your ride with some extra gas in the tank.

Control Your Pace

Probably the most important aspect of economical riding is the pace you ride at. On any endurance event such as a century  ride your aim should be to get to the finish as quickly as possible without blowing up on the way. As a result the pace you ride at, particularly in the first 2/3rds of the ride is crucial.

It is imperative to not start off too quick, run out of energy and suffer miserably in the final third. You should aim to finish your race strongly but feeling fatigued. Getting it just right take time and practice. Take some time in training rides to monitor your pace through metrics such as speed, heart rate or perceived effort.

In virtually every century ride, sportive or etape there will be a number of riders that allow the adrenalin of the big day get to them and start off too quickly. It may be incredibly hard to let them ride off in top the distance, leaving you behind pedaling away at what can seem a guiltily slow pace however there is a good chance you’ll pass them in 70 miles time lying on the verge, devoid of energy.

In my longer rides i always aim to ride the second half slightly faster than the first. Doing so enables me to reduce the risk that i’ll bonk part way through the ride. Come up with a strategy before your big ride and make sure you stick to it, no matter what the riders around you are doing.

Drafting

It is generally accepted that drafting a line of riders can save you up to 25-30% of you energy. Drafting behind a big group of riders (that you often get on century rides) can save you up to 40%. Therefore if you are looking to ride economically it is crucial to use drafting to your advantage and share much of the workload with your fellow riders.

When riding behind other riders the air pressure is lower, meaning you need to expend less energy to maintain the same speed as them. The bigger the bunch you are following the greater the effect. Just be sure to take your turn at the front of the group to avoid offending anyone!

Personally I try to not draft too much when out on training rides with friends, instead allowing them to draft behind me more. The reason is that I prefer the psychological advantage of knowing that i am working harder than them during training rides. Come race day when we all draft the same amount i know i should have more in the tank than them!

Pedaling Efficiency

Developing an efficient pedal stroke is another great way to increase the efficiency of your riding. Using a smooth, rhythmic, round motion as opposed to pulling up and down on the pedals with brute force will undoubtedly help you ride more efficiently.

One give away of an inefficient technique is when your upper body sways from side to side and your hips bounce up and down with each stroke. If you can head to the gym (or put a mirror in front of your turbo trainer) and assess your technique. Alternatively ask a ride partner to assess the movement in your upper body. Your head, shoulders and hips should be very still while pedaling.

Other great ways to improve your pedaling efficiency are to rides a fixed gear bike or to perform some one legged drills in the gym. To do these simply pedal on a stationary bike with a high cadence using only one leg – remove your spare leg from the pedal and place it over the axle. This will force your legs to work on the upstroke as well as the down stroke, improving the overall power output.

Position on the Bike

When riding along on flat terrain the main thing we are trying to overcome is air resistance (see the point above about drafting). However when we ride up hills, due to our slower speed the negative effects of air resistance are greatly reduced. Despite this it is more efficient to remain seated while climbing where possible.

In addition look at how time trialists focus on their body position to improve their aerodynamic efficiency. By lowering your riding position (ride more on the drops, less on the bars) can make quite a bit of difference when you’re riding over a hundred miles. Much of the success Lance Armstrong had in the Tour de France was down to improving his position on the bike and dominating time trials.

image by puliarf

As always, adjusting  your bike setup should be done in small increments in order to avoid efficiency. By riding in a lower position you’ll need to have a stronger core and back muscles so maybe add some cross training such as yoga to your training routine.

Carry Less Weight

It is easy to go out and spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on expensive new kit with the aim of reducing the weight of your bike. Think about how it would feel if you had to carry 3 x 1kg bags of sugar strapped to your back next time you went out for a training ride. Obviously 3kg can big a big difference so consider whether you can shed some weight from either you or your equipment.

Most of us would get far more value by improving our diet and cutting back on the alcohol and losing some excess weight we are carrying round rather than upgrading our bikes. Not only will losing weight make you lighter, if you do it via a sensible healthy diet you’ll end up being a much more efficient rider as a result.

Cadence

There is no hard and fast rules when it comes to cadence. Different riders have different styles. Lance Armstrong was renowned for his high cadence pedaling style while his arch rival Jan Ullrich used to mash huge gears at a very low cadence.

However as a general rule when pedaling at a higher cadence will take more strain away from the legs and place it on your bodies cardio vascular system. In your training experiment with different cadences to see what works best for you.

Tyre Pressure

The higher the pressure the less the rolling resistance. As a general rule I tend to run my tyres at about 120 psi in the summer (slightly less in the wet for added grip). Check the recommended pressure of the tyres you’re using and remember that the higher the pressure the quicker you’ll go.

Avoid Braking

Obviously  you should avoid slowing down unnecessarily while riding in order to avoid having to expend energy getting back up to speed. Try to focus more of your attention further up the field in order to anticipate changes in speed due to road conditions or other riders movements.

If you’ve ever ridden a fixed gear bike you’ll understand how anticipating whats happening in the road in front of you can help enormously to keep your pedaling smooth and consistent.

Maintain Your Bike

There’s no point in you pedaling efficiently if your bike is holding you bike. Ensuring your chain is tight, well lubricated and your gears are properly adjusted can add crucial efficiency to your riding.

image credit

Burn Fat Not Carbs

When you ride at low intensities your body burns more fat than carbohydrates. Because the body can only store a certain amount of carbohydrates if we ride too fast for too long we’ll end up in a carbohydrate deficit and our performance will drop significantly.

By incorporating periods of low intensity base training into your training you’ll train your body to burn more fat than carbs. Over time this will mean you’ll be able to ride faster for longer before you hit the pain barrier, or in other words your cycling will become much more efficient.

Increasingly cyclists are starting to turn to yoga to help improve non cycling specific muscles and increase general strength and flexibility. In this post we’ll look at how yoga can benefit your cycling and how you can incorporate it into your training.

Physical Benefits of Yoga for Cyclists

Hamstrings. Cyclists are well known the world over by physiotherapists for having tight hamstrings. Cycling over works the quads as opposed to the hamstrings resulting in tight hamstrings. I’ve come across cyclists that are barely able to touch their knees, let alone their toes! As a result any stretches or exercises that can help the cyclist to lengthen the hamstrings is beneficial. The deep stretching that yoga provides is an ideal way to work on this.

Core. As cyclists we spend all out time building up our leg muscles by riding and riding, building our legs up but neglecting our upper bodies. Being bent over on a road bike for hours on end can place strain on your lower back, neck and shoulders. Yoga is a great non-impact way to build strength in your core that will help prevent injuries in the upper body.

Balance. A stronger core means you’ll have better balance. I’m a big believe that by increasing your core strength will help you become more balanced and help you improve your bike handling skills.

Mental Benefits

Yoga is sometimes depicted as an sport for hippies. Over the past few years it’s popularity has grown and now more and more people are recognizing the mental benefits that can come from practicing yoga. We as cyclists can also take benefits.

In terms of your cycling training, there are other benefits In addition to the above mental benefits, the biggest of which being that sometimes it’s good to just take some active time off the bike. Incorporating some yoga as part of your cross training is a great way to stay active while taking some time off the bike. By not riding everyday you’re less likely to lose motivation and can allow some mental recovery as well as physical.

How to Learn Yoga

Ideally taking some yoga classes with a qualified teacher is best. That said, there are also some great ways to learn and perform yoga at home.

From Amazon there are some great DVD yoga classes. I’ve used the Yoga for Beginners box set when I was starting out and can vouch for it’s quality. In addition I’ve heard some good reports about the Shape Shifter Program if you prefer something you can download and start straight away, despite it’s focus on weight loss.

Yoga Poses for Cyclists

All yoga poses provide some benefits to cyclists. Whether it is strength, stretching, stability or relaxation cyclists can benefit from all poses. Below are three of the most common poses that also provide the most benefit to cyclists.

1. Downward Facing Dog

This is perhaps one of the most commonly reconcilable yoga poses. This poses allows a deep stretch of the calf muscles and all important hamstrings as well as encouraging a long straight back and strong shoulders.

Initially it can be difficult to ensure you’re keeping you back nice and straight. If you’re not practicing in a class ask a family member to just tell you if your back is straight.

2. Warrior Pose

This one looks easier than it is. It is brilliant for working the hip flexors as you try to maintain a wide stance, it also works the leg muscles very well. On the upper body the pose increases strength on the shoulders and upper back and improves all round stability. Be sure to perform it both ways, switching your front legs each time.

3. Plank

The plank is incredible for your core and back strength. Again if performing this at home ask a friend to check your back is straight. If you feel you can’t hold the pose for long slowly drop your knees to the floor.

images by myyogaonline

Summary

I have been practicing yoga as part of my training regime for a couple of years now. At the start I tried it to try and resolve some back pain I was having, which it did. However I soon realized there were other, longer term benefits to be had.

I try and do about 2 sessions per week in order to maintain my core strength, stay supple and just have a bit of exercise off the bike.

The middle of winter can be a tough time to keep your training on track. However by taking the right approach there are huge benefits to be had from training during the winter.

In this article we’ll look at a few of the different ways you can alter your training to maintain and build your fitness when the weather is so bad you can’t ride outside. In addition we’ll offer some tips to ensure you get the best from your winter training.

Be a Hard Man

Ok, so are you sure it’s too cold or wet to go outside to train? If you can get outside and ride then you’ll reap the benefits. Not only will you gain bragging rights as a cycling hard man but you’ll also be doing the best sort of training for cycling….cycling!

image by MVJantzen

The reality is that if you wear the appropriate kit (shoe covers, winter gloves, leg warmers, multiple layer on top) you can ride comfortably for long periods in temperatures down to about zero degrees. The key is to wear lots of thin layers which can easily be removed as you warm up.

Outdoor training rides in winter can be really rewarding. There’s usually less traffic on the roads and if you pick a nice crisp clear morning you’ll be surprised how much you’ll enjoy it. Oh and the cold weather is usually a great excuse to find a nice cafe to stop at for some coffee!

Hit the Gym

When fowl weather strikes there is always the gym. While you probably don’t want to replicate long, multi-hour rides in the gym,  if you can get a couple of hour long sessions in per week you have a great opportunity to really improve your fitness.

We’ve previously discussed the benefits of training on stationary bikes however if that doesn’t float your boat then most gyms run spin classes. These can make workouts much more fun and increase motivation.

For many years cyclists have used the winter time to do some light weight training on the legs. By building strength and muscle mass over the winter you can emerge in the Spring with more power and strength, making those long hill climbs or fast sprints much easier.

Ride a Fixie

One way to add a new dimension to your riding is to ride a fixed gear bike over the winter. There are many benefits to riding a fixed gear bike, mental as well as physical.

Buy a Watt Bike

If you have quite a bit of cash to spend then consider investing in a Wattbike. Created by the hugely successful team at British Cycling it is the ultimate indoor training bike. With incredibly sturdy design and ability to accurately track your heart rate and power output (watts) these bikes are the ultimate indoor trainers….period.

Us a Turbo Trainer

If you can’t afford a Wattbike but would like the ability to get a decent workout/training session at home then you should definitely consider a turbo trainer. Turbo trainers are simple devices that you mount your bikes rear wheel to in order to offer resistance, enabling you to train at home, indoors on your regular road bike.

There are many different makes of turbo trainers out there and you can spend anything from $100 to over a thousand. Personally I use the hugely popular Cycleops Fluid 2 (check out our review here).

Motivation

Whether your riding a pristine wattbike in your home gymnasium or are working out on a turbo trainer in garage riding you’ll probably soon experience what all indoor riders do….boredom. There’s no hiding it that even for the super motivated amongst us indoor training is boring.

One great way to make the time pass and distract you from the pain you’re inflicting on yourself is to watch a movie – a laptop is ideal if you have one. To take it one step further then try one of the cycling training movies out there like the excellent sufferfest series. With their videos you get a 1st person perspective of a professional bike race and fast pumping music to motivate you to ride and workout along with the riders in the video.

One way to help motivate yourself is to join a cycling club. Not only will doing this help you improve your group riding skills but most clubs training rides are of a slower pace during the winter which will help you build a good base of miles for the summer. Plus riding with other makes those cold winter sessions pass much quicker!

Cross Training

If you feel like you need a break from the bike altogether then a good idea for the winter is to introduce some cross training. Whether you brave the outside for a run or engage in some yoga or pilates, or just some circuit training cross training can bring you some big benefits.

Not only will cross training help you maintain your fitness but it will help you develop your non cycling muscles. By improving your core strength and upper body you’ll make you body more balanced, helping you to avoid  injury.

Some Winter Training Tips

• If riding outside by the right gear: winter gloves and over shoes are essential kit
• Indoor riding requires measure to stop the boredom – watching movies is perfect
• Vary your training – you’ll soon get bored doing the same thing every few days
• Think of the benefit you’ll gain come the Spring

Training in the winter should generally be less intense and more relaxed than your summer training. It’ a good time of the year to try different things, hopeully you’ll try soem of the suggestions discussed above.

Just remember when altering your training to do it gradually to allow your muscles and body to get used to new workouts. Doing so will help you avoid injury as well as stay motivated.

Riding fixed gear bikes has become increasingly popular over the last few years. However riding a fixie is not just for messengers and hipsters, riding gear less bikes has some great benefits for roadies too. In this article we’ll discuss the benefits you could reap from ditching the derailleur and riding fixed.

A Change is As Good As A Rest

Usually when winter approaches cyclists are tired. Whether you’ve been racing, riding sportives or just riding for fun the cycling season is a long one. By the time the winter comes you’re probably in need of a mental rest as well as a physical one.

Riding a fixed gear bike can provide a welcome change and fresh challenge to keep you motivated through the winter months. Riding fixed requires different skills, different concentration levels and uses different muscles than regular riding.

Increased Fitness

When you’re riding a fixed gear you don’t have time to rest. When the biked wheels are moving so are your cranks, i other words you’re unable to coast. When you first start riding fixed you’ll quickly realize how often you naturally want to coast.

By only having one gear you lose the advantage of being able to change gears to make hills easier to ride over. Instead wen you’re riding fixed you tend to attach inclines with venom so as not to slow down too much . In addition once you’ve reached the top there is no scope to freewheel to recover on a fixie, you’re forced to keep pedaling.

These two factors mean that you by riding fixed  you’ll naturally get fitter and stronger than if you did the same rides on a regular geared bike. Ride fixed all winter and come the spring when the race and sportive seasons start and you’ll have a head start on the others.

Increased Efficiency

Speak to any track cyclist and they’ll soon start telling you about the importance of pedal efficiency and cadence. Riding a fixed gear bike helps you to become a much more efficient pedaler. This sound stupid but  spinning fast as you descend hills and not having the luxury of freewheeling improves the efficiency of your pedaling stroke.

Pedaling efficiency id one of the most abstract of concepts for us cyclists to grasp. However it is well documented that riding fixed improves your pedaling efficiency which results in you being able to ride faster for longer.

Increased Feel

Many people who ride fixed gear bikes talk of a greater sense of oneness with your machine, an almost spiritual enlightenment that comes from removing the gears from your bike.

By riding fixed you always have a sense of the speed you are traveling. As you ride down a steep hill your legs will be spinning at +120 rpm, often much more. By not having the ability to change gears you’re more aware of the relationship between your bikes gear and the terrain you are riding. By constantly being in tune with your speed you naturally feel a much greater connection with the road and the way you are riding over it.

It’s hard to explain but when you’re riding fixed there is a definite sense of smoothness. You’ll definitely notice this if you ride fixed in a bunch of riders using geared bikes. As the riders around you accelerate and decelerate between gear changes, coast over the brow of hills etc you’ll be aware of how un-smooth their riding is.

Reduced Maintenance

One of the reasons I recently started to ride a fixed gear bike was because my winter bike was due a new chain set. After 5 years of steady abuse through some terrible weather (and not enough regular cleaning) the cassette and chain rings are in dire need of replacement.

image by brandondoran

When I started looking at the cost of a new chain set, I realized it hardly seemed worth it as the bike was pretty low end. To get a half decent chain set I’d be spending more than the bike was worth! Rather than pay a fortune for a new chain set I started to think about picking up or building a fixie.

On a fixed gear bike you have no cassette, no derailleurs, only one chain ring, no shifters and no gear cables to stretch. This means that during the winter (when most of the wear and tear occurs on a group set) there are much less parts exposed to wear. A rear sprocket (rear cog), chain and front chain ting are pretty much all that can go wrong. As a result fixed gear bikes cost far less to maintain than geared bikes.

The best way to improve at anything is to set some ambitious goals, it is no different for cycling. Your cycling goals might be as simple as to ‘ride more’ or ‘lose a bit of weight’ or be more complex such as aiming to complete a specific race in a certain time.

No matter what your goals are, by setting some specifics targets for yourself, you’ll instantly have more motivation to train as you’ll feel more purpose behind your riding. Not only this but you will also have a reference point from which you can track your progress throughout the year. You’ll be able to assess whether you’re on target or falling behind in your training.

The key to setting good goals is finding the right balance between being challenging and realistic. If they’re too challenging and unrealistic you may get de-motivated and lose interest. Too easy and you’ll achieve them too quickly and lose your focus. We all lead busy and changeable live so if your circumstances change you can always change your goals later in the year.

Get a Plan

Once you have figured out what your goals are the next thing you should consider is using a training plan to help you achieve them. All of us, no matter how experienced, can benefit from following a training plan.

The extent and details of your plan will vary according to your goals however by having a clear set of objectives and a plan that will help you achieve them you’ll take away much of the mystery to getting fit. If you’re going to be targeting some long sportive rides then you should consider our century training program.

With the program you’ll be able to choose your fitness level and follow daily workouts and rides to help  you achieve your cycling goals.

Fixed gear riding has been undergoing somewhat of a revolution in recent years. As well as the inner city hipsters that are rediscovering the joys of riding fixed, increasingly roadies are becoming increasingly interested in the training benefits a fixed gear bike can provide.

One of the cheapest, and fun, ways to get up an running with a fixed gear bike is to build one yourself by converting an old steel framed racing bike. In this post I’ll detail how I went about the process of building up my own fixed gear bike that I plan to use for winter training.

1. Find A Frame

Ok, so the first step is to find a suitable bike/frame. Most old steel framed road bikes are suitable for conversion into fixed gear rides. The two things to look out for are horizontal dropouts (see below – these are essential) and also to take your time to ensure you pick up a frame with the correct sizing.

image credit

Road bike geometry has changed quite a bit over the last 20-30 years and these old frames tend to come up a lot bigger than their modern day equivalents so be sure try standing over some frame before buying. You can usually pick up some very cheap bikes on eBay or other online classifieds sites as well as garage sales and local junk shops.

Luckily I got talking to an old family friend (who used to be a keen roadie) about my plans to find an old steel framed bike to turn into a fixie for winter training. About 1/2 an hour later I left with his old (and rusty) Peugeot steel frame road bike in the back of my car.

When looking at old steel frames the most important spec to look out for is the grade of steel it is made from. Higher grades such as Reynold 531 or 501 are worth looking out for. The bike I acquired was made of Peugeot’s ‘Carbolite 103′ which was their mass market steel, unfortunately not as light as 531. Despite this it’ll do for my first conversion project – I can always upgrade the frame at a later date.

After sitting in his shed unused for many year it was in a bit of a state. Perished tyres, rust spots everywhere and of course all of the brake cables were knackered.

2. Work Out What You’ve Got

After inspecting all of the components and looking for serial numbers on the frame I managed to figure out what most of the bits were. Below are the exact specifications of the bike I was given:

Size: Middle of BB to seatpost is 22 1/2 inches
Front Wheel: Mavic Model E 27 x 1 1/4
Rear Wheel: Unidentified. Seems a bit thicker rim than the front
Brakes: Shimano Tourney
Saddle: Brooks B17 Champion Narrow
Cranks: Solida
Frame: ‘Peugeot Tube Special Carbolite 103 by Peugeot France’
Bottom Bracket: ‘FAG Germany’
Deraileur: Sachs Huret
Distance between rear stays: 120mm
Stamp on rear chainstay dropout: – ’310 18112′
Frame stamp underneath BB:  ’123′

From this excellent website about vintage Peugeot bikes i found out that the checkered decals indicate that it was produced between 1979 & 1983.

3. Horizontal Drop Outs

The first check you need to make when sourcing a frame is to make sure it has horizontal dropouts. It doesn’t help that the above photo was taken with the bike at an angle but essentially you need the dropouts that hold the rear axle to be horizontal and as long as possible.

The reason you need a horizontal dropouts with a fixed gear is that there is no derailleur to tension the chain. Instead this must be done by pulling the rear wheel back into the dropout before tightening the wheel nut. As the chain stretches over time, you’ll need to move the wheel axle slightly further back to maintain a good tension.

4. Strip Down The Bike

The first job is to strip down the bike and decide which components you are going to re-use and which you’ll need to source. For this bike my plan was to re use the stem, saddle, brake calipers.

Obviously all the old derailleurs can come off, along with the brake cables (these will be replaced), cranks, bottom bracket etc. Basically I wanted to strip everything back to just the bare frame and thoroughly clean it before figuring out which new parts I’d need to rebuild the bike.

5. Shopping List

Based on the assessment above here is what I figured I’d need to get the bike back on the road.

• 700c wheel set
• Freewheel: to allow single speed riding as well as fixed
• Drop Bars
• Brake Levers: to fit the drop bars
• Chainring: about a 42T
• Crank Arms: good quality as riding fixed places more strain on the cranks
• Chain:  1/8″, stronger than a standard 3/32″ chain used for geared bikes

6. Bottom Bracket & Crank Threading

After doing a fair bit of reading about vintage Peugeot bikes online I had read that most pre 1980 bikes had French threaded bottom brackets. Unfortunately my fears came true and indeed the threading on the bike was not ‘English’, which caused me two problems.

Firstly I was unable to remove the cranks with a standard crank removal tool which meant a trip to my friendly local bike chop. Secondly the bottom bracket turned out to be french so I had the bike shop re-tap the threads on the inside of the frame so that I could fit a new, regular English threaded bottom bracket.

7. Sourcing Fixed gear components

Inevitably when you build up a fixed gear bike from an old frame such as the the end result will be that the sum of all the components will be more expensive than the value of the finished bike. Despite this I was keen to rebuild the Peugeot, learning some more mechanics along the way but keep the cost down as much as possible.

Despite wanting to keep costs to a minimum, it is worth investing in good quality cranks, chain ring and chain when building a fixed gear bike as these come under quite a bit of strain when riding fixed. As a result I decided to try and pick up good quality second hand components where possible.

A friend from my local cycling club gave me some old aluminum drop bars he had kicking around his shed.  After keeping an eye on ebay I managed to pick up a pair of secondhand Tektro RL520 brake levers for about $10.

Next i found a set of cranks and chain ring on the  excellent London Fixed Gear Single Speed (LFGSS)  forums, which not only has a great classifieds section but lots of information about building fixed gear bikes. A pair of Sugino RD2 175mm crank arms and a Brick Lane Bikes 48 teeth chain ring for £30 to be precise.

The local bike shop provided some new brake cables, chain and bar tape as well as a new set of wheels. I found an old pair of used Gatorskin tyres in the garage to get me going.

8. Fixed Gear Brakes

I planned to re-use the existing brake calipers that were on the bike when I was given it. As the bike was designed to have 27 1/4 inch wheels on which I was replacing with 700c rims I wasn’t sure if the drops on the brake calipers would be enough to reach the rims.

Luckily after fitting the new wheels the pads just reach the braking surface on the wheel rims.

One thing I have noticed since starting to ride fixed is the speed at which you get through brake blocks. Most of the riding I have been doing since building up the bike is on club rides, riding at close quarters in a peloton of geared riders. As a result of not being able to coast I have found I am braking a lot more than when I was on a geared bike, therefore increasing wear on the brakes.

9. The Finished Build

So, here she is, my first fixed gear build. She may not be the prettiest bike ever but I have fallen for her. Not only is the bike going to be low on maintenance but it is also incredibly comfortable to ride.

There are quite a few rust spots on the frame – I would have got it resprayed if it were a better grade of steel however my aim was to do the build for as cheap as possible so I’ll put up with the rust.

The biggest surprise has been how comfortable the Brooks B-17 saddle has been. After really struggling to break in my Selle Italia I feared I’d face another long battle to find comfort however I’ve found it to be the most comfortable saddle I’ve ever used.

So, there you have it, hopefully this goes to show that building up a fixed gear bike is a relatively simple process. With a little patience you should be able to pick up all of the parts you need for very little money meaning you can get a nice training bike for not very much at all.

We talked some time ago about how to make the perfect cycling coffee – an essential pre-ride ritual that helps ensure you’re in top top condition to ride, race or train.

Being a fan of good coffee I’ve been experimenting with how to get a cheap good quality cup of coffee at my desk. Obviously buying coffee from one of the hundreds of local coffee shops is an option however the expense and variable quality have left me searching for other ways to get my fix.

Naturally I don’t have access to a stove in the office, just a kettle, so using my Bialetti is out of the equation, as is instant coffee of course. The other day I remembered a little coffee press/filter that I bought in Vietnam a couple of years ago that i never tried. I soon remembered the great coffee we drunk while travelling round Vietnam and thought i’d give it a go.

After a little experimentation i’m now making grade A coffee at work and no longer have to face the brown liquid produced by the ghastly coffee machine in the office. It took a while for me to perfect using the press but i think I’ve perfected it now.

Below is a run down of how i make coffee using the Vietnamese coffee press.

Preheat the press

Brewing coffee this way takes a few minutes so I think it’s best to pre-heat both the mug and filter before hand. I do this by simply submersing both in hot water for a minute or two.

Add the Coffee

Much will depend on how strong you like it and the type you like. I’ve tried a few different types and have settled down to using regular pre-ground Lavazza espresso coffee. It might not be as good as freshly ground Vietnamese beans but it’s good quality and readily available in the shops near work.

Ok so first you need to remove the press from the cup and add about 1 tablespoon of coffee to the filter cup. Gently tap the cup on a table to even the coffee out inside.

Screw the Press

Next up replace the press inside the cup (the press part) – it should screw into place. It took me a while to get the pressure right: to loose and the coffee was too weak, to tight and the water can’t pass through the filter. The best way to describe the perfect amount is to gently screw it down all the way until very loosely finger tight, then back it off about 1 turn.

Moisten The Filter

In order to ensure the water is able to filter the coffee properly you’ll first need to add a small amount of hot water on top of the press and allow it to drain through for about 30 seconds.

If you fill the cup chamber with water straight away, the weight of the water can force the dry coffee down too fast blocking the filter completely.

Fill The Cup

Once the initial amount of water has fully filtered fill the chamber to the top with boiling water, place the lid on and allow it to filter for a few minutes.

The drip rate your filter produces will depend on the amount of coffee you are using, the grind size and the pressure with which you packed it down. That said a Vietnamese colleague of mine assures me that you should be aiming for about 1 drip every second.

Repeat & Fill

Depending on how strong (and tall) you like your coffee you can either add some more fresh water to the top chamber and allow it to filter through the coffee or simple top your cup up with hot water or milk. Traditionally in Vietnam you’d drip the coffee into a glass cup of condensed milk.

So there you have it. I don’t know why but coffee plays a big part in the lives of lots of cyclists. After quite a while i’ve finally found a way to get a decent cup at my desk with minimal fuss or effort. If you’re interested in trying, you can pick up these little presses very cheaply from Amazon. You’ll be up and running drinking great quality coffee at work for a little over 5 dollars.

Beginning to train to ride a century can be quite a daunting prospect. You know you’ve got all sorts of worries about what kit you’ll need, hundreds of hours in the saddle ahead of you and all sorts of tips and tricks to learn but where do you start?

In this article we’ll try and give you some initial points to focus on so you can get your training kicked off right now.

1. Assess Your Fitness

The first question you’re bound to ask yourself is “am i fit enough to ride a century?”. The answer will almost certainly be yes, provided you are prepared to train adequately. In just the same way as virtually anyone can train to run a marathon in a few months, anyone can train to ride a century.

Your current levels of fitness may dictate what your target time is or restrict you from entering century rides on certain terrain. Hopefully you’ll be riding reasonably regularly so you’ll already have an idea of how good or bad your cycling fitness is.

Don’t forget that cycling fitness is different to all other types of fitness. Just because you’re a great squash player doesn’t mean you’ll be a natural long distance cyclist. Where squash is a high impact sport that demands short sharp bursts of power, distance cycling normally requires stamina and endurance.

Take some time to think about your current levels of fitness, assess how fit you are and how hard you work on your fitness.

2. Assess Your Diet

This is one area where nearly everyone can make improvements, myself included. In everyday life we are constantly surrounded by the temptation and convenience of unhealthy fast foods. Be it a candy bar at work or a drive-thru burger on the way home it is so easy these days to eat unhealthy food.

images by preater

Take some time to write down what you eat on an average day, being careful not to forget all the snacks and drinks, and you’ll probably be surprised by how unhealthy it looks. Are you eating your 5 portions of fruit and vegetables a day?

One immediate way to kick start your century training is to start improving your diet. You don’t have to get too technical to make a positive impact. Simply start cutting out the sweet sugary drinks and snacks and replace them with fruit and nuts. At the same time try to reduce your intake of red meats and fatty cheese and instead try eating more chicken and fish which is much leaner.

Making small dietary changes such as these can really make a difference to how you feel on a day to day basis. I find when I eat healthier I am much more inclined to train and visa verse. To get some more simple dietary tips take a look at our cycling nutrition article.

3. Century Training Equipment

Don’t be fooled into thinking you need to spend thousands of dollars on a brand new carbon bike that would be fit for a pro in order to successfully ride a century. I’ve seen people ride sub 5 hour centuries on rusty old mountain bikes, tandems and even a guy on a unicycle (though i’m not sure he finished!). I’ve recent starting doing a lot of riding on an old steel frame fixed gear bike from the 1970′s that was given to me and have just finished my first century on it.

The bottom line is that if your bike is maintained well and reliable it is almost certainly be fine to ride a century on. That said there is nothing wrong with investing in top quality equipment that can make your riding fast and more comfortable, it’s just not a necessity.

Make a start to preparations by going and giving your bike a good clean then degrease and re-lube all of the chain set. Give your bike a thorough check over looking for excessive wear and tear.

4. Get Some Motivation

Do you really want to do it? Riding long distance bike races can be (and is) an incredibly rewarding experience. At the same time it does require a certain amount of dedication.m If you’re not motivated you won’t train and get the best result you can.

I am easily distracted. If i don’t have a specific race to train for I get lazy. Even though i love the sport and love to train I find it so easy to make excuses not to train when i have no goals. My simple solution is to enter lots of rides so that I always have a goal to motivate me to train. Fear of failure is what drives me.

5. Make Some Time to Train

Being realistic, unless you already have strong levels of endurance fitness you’re going to need to find some time in your week to train, at least 5 hours per week. Take a few minutes to think about when are your best times to train – before work? lunchtime? Saturday mornings? mid week evenings?

Most of us are creatures of habit so penciling in at least a couple of sessions per week that you aim to stick to on a regular basis can really help you avoid sessions. For me I aim to train out on the road every Saturday morning (7am start!) and Wednesday lunchtimes in the gym. Life throws things at me that mean I miss these sessions occasionally but I have pre-programmed my brain to think of these as compulsory session not optional.

image by i_yudai

I’ll fit in other rides where possible but I always do my damnedest to get a long ride in on Saturday morning and a good hard session on the gym bike on a Wednesday.

6. And in the meantime….

I suggest you reflection some of the above points while out on a ride. Don’t worry about your speed or distance covered just get out there on your bike and get some miles in and enjoy a ride. Remind yourself why you signed up to ride a century in the first place!

I’ve written a lot in the past about all aspects of nutrition related to cycling centuries. I’m pretty good at practicing what i preach but i don’t always get it right….

On Saturday I headed out with a couple of friends for what turned into an 84 mile (130km) training ride and really struggled for the last 20-30miles. Though my legs felt fine (a little sore form the hills) I had the classic symptoms of not fueling correctly; a general lack of sharpness, loss of motivation, that hallow empty feeling and most of all a desire to just stop riding. In short I felt awful!

After I got back home and had a big lunch and re hydrated, I sat down and tried to work out why I’d ran out of gas. The fact that I’d ran out of drink and my mouth was dry as a bone told me i was dehydrated but i also suspected i didn’t eat enough on the bike.

How Much to Eat While Riding

General consensus currently states that you should aim to consume 1gram of carbohydrate per kg of body weight per hour while riding. These carbohydrates can be consumed from either carbohydrate energy drinks, energy bars or easy to digest foods.

My Carbohydrate Deficit

According to the above advice here is an estimation of what my carbohydrate intake should have been:

Current Weight = 71kg
Hours Ridden = 4.8 (4 hours 48 minutes is equal to 4.8hours)
Target Carbohydrate Intake = 341 grams (71kg x 4.8hrs x 1g)

So according to the sports scientists, I should have consumed 341 grams of carbs. Here’s what I actually ate and drank on Saturday:

1 x Nature Valley Granola Bar (29.6g)
8 x Fig Rolls (103g)
1 x Cappuccino (15g)
500ml of Lucozade Body Fuel Powder Drink (33g)
750ml of water (n/a)
Total Carbohydrate consumption = 180 grams
Deficit of carbs = 161grams (341g – 180g)

Looking at these numbers it is pretty clear why I felt awful at the end of the ride. Throw in a bit of dehydration into the mix and there is no wonder i didn’t fancy adding on 16 more miles to get another century ride under my belt!

What I didn’t mention is that before I left the house i had four pieces of toast with jam plus a bowl of corn flakes so I’ll assume that I had plenty of carbs available for the first hour of the ride. Taking this into account the deficit would still be 90 grams (161g – 71g), significant enough to explain my quick demise at the end of the ride.

How to Improve Century Ride Nutrition

So now i can clearly see why my on bike nutrition failed me I am now able to plan ahead to my next ride to try to ensure I don’t make the same mistake next time out.

I always have a rough idea of how far I am going to ride on my weekend long rides so I’ll be able to ensure I have just the right amount of food on me to ensure I avoid such a deficit in the future.

You should ensure you come up with your own on bike nutrition plan too. Firstly work out your hourly carbohydrate needs using the formula above. Next sit down and plan your ride nutrition intake. This can seem a bit over the top but it is an incredibly useful thing to do. During your big century ride you don’t want to be worrying about if you are eating enough or if you are running out of energy. If you have a plan and stick to it on the day then you shouldn’t experience any issues during the ride.

As is the case with hydration when cycling long distance it is absolutely crucial that you stay ahead of your calorific need. This means you should be eating at regular intervals, before you get hungry. Remember that your body is limited by the amount of carbohydrates it can break down and turn to energy for a given hour. This makes it even more crucial to ensure your tank is topped up at all times because if you leave it too late you’ll run out of gas.

As a general rule I break down my time riding into one hour sections.  Doing so (and being able to track the elapsed ride time on my Garmin bike computer) makes it much easier to work out if i am eating enough during the ride and sticking to my plan.

My Century Ride Nutrition Secret

Personally I cannot stomach too many sweet sugary things for a long period of time during endurance rides. My stomach much prefers a more balanced intake with some sweetness and some savory food. In terms of sweet foods I am a huge fan of fig rolls (fig newtons to our American friends).

Each fig roll contains 13g of carbs so a couple provides as much energy as many gels at a fraction of the cost and without the sickly sweet taste. I rarely leave home on the bike without a few fig rolls wrapped in aluminum foil (2 in each parcel).

If i’m going long distance I find bagels to be a great source of energy and my body reacts well to some ‘real food’ as opposed to sweet energy bars/gels etc. A regular plain bagel has about 50g of carbs and when topped up with some jam and peanut butter provides a good source of slow and fast release energy. I like to toast them beforehand, assemble then cut into quarters and wrap each quarter individually in foil for easy access when riding.

Ride Nutrition Summary

Us cyclists are all to happy to spend hours preparing our precious bikes and fancy equipment yet all too often we fail to neglect perhaps the most important piece of equipment – our bodies. Spending a little time thinking about on the bike nutrition is well worth the effort to ensure you get the most out of your long distance rides.

Oh and it doesn’t stop there. Be sure to check out our article on post ride nutrition to see how best to refuel your body once the ride is over. Do you have any nutrition secrets? If so share them by leaving a comment below.