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road cycling holiday

The Lunatics Have taken Over The Asylum

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You are probably wondering how it is that Bike Adventures tour leaders rock up at the start of the season all bronzed, toned and fit as fleas.  Well, it isn’t easy!  It is a measure of our dedication that Chris Heywood and I (we are the good looking ones) will shortly be heading down to Brisbane to start a 2000 mile unsupported trip around the Australian Pacific Coast to Adelaide.  If that doesn’t sort out the tan and the leg muscles nothing will.

You may notice that all my blog entries have a song title as the subject.  Sometimes these are obvious and sometimes a little lateral thinking is required.  I’ll give you a clue for this one but don’t expect one every time:  there are three of us going, we are boys, and we are going to have FUN.  Got it yet?  The third member of our ‘Fun Boy Three’ is Neil: part friend, part customer, part carpenter.

We set off on Jan 25th and start riding on the 27th.  Our route is pre-planned but the schedule is flexible; we are aiming at 80 mile days with 3 rest days but it all depends on what happens during our month on the road.  We already have plans to visit friends from the Bike Adventures community in Sydney, Batemans Bay and Melbourne  but if you live on our route please get in touch, we would love to see you.  As well as having a great time and drinking more beer than is probably wise, we will be looking for a suitable route/itinerary for an inaugural Bike Adventures trip to Oz for 2017.  I will file the odd blog entry to let you know how we are doing but if you want the whole day-by-day account (and aren’t easily offended) try my personal blog.

If you can’t wait until 2017 to cycle ‘down under’ why not take a look at our 2016 New Zealand Tour.

 

End of Season? – Five turbo sessions to try.

By in Sports & Fitness Comments Off on End of Season? – Five turbo sessions to try.

With advances in sports science and testing many of the old rules we have come to rely on for performance development may no longer apply.

Science laboratories and sports institutes around the world are publishing new research daily questioning the relevance of existing theories.

Among the most common of these is the relevance of long training rides. Whilst they have a place in any training regime they are no longer to be considered in isolation, more miles doesn’t necessarily mean better performance. Psychological milestones, the 100 club for example, are relevant targets for motivation but have limited physiological effect.

It has been proven however that 20 minute high intensity intervals i.e. above 90% effort help to develop anaerobic capacity (the maximal point at which adenosine triphosphate (lactic acid) can be resynthesized by the body) by as much as 28% where moderate intensity long miles will not. Continuing from this max efforts (100%) of 20 to 60 secs will develop vo2 Max (your body’s ability to absorb, distribute and utilise oxygen).

These intervals can be added into road sessions but are more commonly used during indoor training sessions on turbo trainers or in spinning classes.

To discover more on the relevance of high intensity training and its relevance in cycle performance take a look at British Cycling’s Insight Zone.

With the autumn and winter upon us now is the time to think about indoor training to support your Bike Adventures trip. Listed below are 5 Turbo Training sessions to mix things up. Try to add one or two sessions a week to compliment your road riding.

If you are off to Bhutan this autumn with Bike Adventure’s on their Mountain Bike trip I will see you there. I need to get on the turbo!

 

NOTES TO AID TURBO SESSIONS

Rear cassettes come in numerous forms (9/10/11 rings) of differing teeth ratios, the sessions below are based on 10 ring cassettes but can be adapted to match your setup. Always use the larger ring as your start point for warm up and progress from there.

Bike cogs

It is more appropriate to manage turbo sessions by RPE (rate of perceived effort) and specifically % MHR (percentage of maximum heart rate) where possible.

Maximum heart rate can be approximated using the calculation 220 – Age = MHR. However more accurate results can be achieved through specific heart rate or vo2 testing.

FOR YOUR GUIDANCE:

TRAINING ZONE

 

%MHR

RPE

RECOVERY

 

<60%

0-1 EXTREMELY EASY

ZONE 1:

BASIC ENDURANCE

60-65%

1 VERY EASY

ZONE 2:

ENDURANCE

65-75%

2 QUITE EASY

ZONE 3:

TEMPO

75-82%

3-4 MODERATE

ZONE 4:

THRESHOLD

82-89%

5-6 HARD

ZONE 5:

VO2 MAX

89-94%

7-8 VERY HARD

ZONE 6:

NEUROMUSCULAR

94-100%

9-10 EXTREMELY HARD

 THE TURBO SESSIONS DETAILED BELOW SHOULD BE FOLLOWED AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE BUT YOU MUST TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION YOUR HEART RATE RECOVERY, YOU MAY NOT ALWAYS REACH THE TARGETS SET HIGH OR LOW. MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO ACCOMMODATE YOUR ABILITY.

Turbo Cycling trainer

TURBO 1 – PROGRESSIVE GEARS

Progressive Strength and resistance session – Hill Simulation – Cadence 90rpm – Effort 60 to 90% progressive

12 min – Ring 1 (Largest)

60%

ZONE 1

11 min – Ring 2

   

10 Min – Ring 3

   

9 Min – Ring 4

   

8 Min – Ring 5

PROGRESSING TO

 

7 Min – Ring 6

   

6 Min – Ring 7

   

5 Min – Ring 8

   

4 Min – Ring 9

   

3 Min – Ring 10        

90%

ZONE 5

5 Min Recovery – Ring 1

   

 75 Min Total (this session can be simply progressed by increasing the start minutes and decreasing accordingly with ring change)

 

TURBO 2 – MINUTE MADNESS

High intensity sprint intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Effort maximal at interval

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)

Warm up

65%

ZONE 1

5 Min – Ring 2                  

Warm up

70%   

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 4                

Warm up

75%   

ZONE 2

       

2 Min – Ring 5

Recovery

75%   

ZONE 3

1 Min – Ring 10 (Smallest)

INTERVAL MAX EFFORT

100%

ZONE 6

Repeat 10 times

     
       

5 Min – Ring 4                    

Cool Down

75%

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 2    

Cool Down

70%

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)  

Cool Down

65%

ZONE 1

 60 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply change the warm up and cool down rings accordingly)

 

TURBO 3 – SIT/STAND

High resistance technique intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Effort maximal at interval

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)    

Warm up

65%   

ZONE 1

5 Min – Ring 2                    

Warm up       

70%

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 4                     

Warm up       

75%   

ZONE 2

     

1 Min – Ring 10 (Smallest) – standing

85%   

ZONE 4

1 Min – Ring 8 – seated – INTERVAL MAX EFFORT

100%

ZONE 1

1 Min – Ring 5 – Recovery   

75%

ZONE 3

Repeat 10 times

   
     

5 Min – Ring 4                     

Cool Down    

75%   

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 2                    

Cool Down     

70%

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)    

Cool Down

65%   

ZONE 1

60 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply change the warm up and cool down rings accordingly)

 

TURBO 4 – AEROBIC

Progressive aerobic intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Efforts at % Max Heart Rate

10 Min – Ring 1 (Largest) Warm up

65%

ZONE 1

     

2 Min – Ring 6                                               

Progress to 70%

ZONE 2

6 Min – Ring 6

Hold at 70%

ZONE 2

2 Min – Ring 7

Progress to 75%

ZONE 3

6 Min – Ring 7

Hold at 75%

ZONE 3

6 Min – Ring 8                                              

Hold at 80%

ZONE 4

Repeat 3 times

   
     

2 Min – Ring 4 – Recovery                           

65%

ZONE 1

 

90 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply increase the times of the held efforts)

 

TURBO 5 – RUSSIAN STEPS

High Intensity short intervals – Cadence 90rpm – Maximal Efforts

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)    

Warm up

65%   

ZONE 1

5 Min – Ring 2                    

Warm up       

70%

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 4                     

Warm up       

75%   

ZONE 2

     

15 Sec Max Effort / 45 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

20 Sec Max Effort / 40 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

25 Sec Max Effort / 35 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

30 Sec Max Effort / 30 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

35 Sec Max Effort / 25 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

40 Sec Max Effort / 20 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

45 Sec Max Effort / 15 Sec Recovery Spin – Ring 9

100% / 75%

ZONE 6 / ZONE 3

7 Min – Ring 4 – Spin recovery to allow for maximal effort

70%

ZONE 2

Repeat 2 times

   
     

5 Min – Ring 4          

Cool Down

75%   

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 2                    

Cool Down    

70%

ZONE 2

5 Min – Ring 1 (Largest)    

Cool Down    

65%   

ZONE 1

 58 Min Total (to increase the intensity of this session simply add additional Russian steps)

Europe – Why not enjoy an active vacation?

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Throughout most of Europe you can cycle from one village to the next within a matter of minutes and you can do this on minor roads and cycle paths.

This means you pack in a whole host of sights within a single tour. Accommodation, restaurants and civilization in some form or another are normally close by. Whether touring alone or on an organized trip there is always the reassurance that help, civilization and communication are constantly close at hand. Cycling allows you to explore the scenery and culture. Mixing with the locals will give you a great insight into how they live.

By travelling through the different regions and countries you will be able to taste a whole variety of foods. You will be getting your daily exercise quota plus more most days, so taking advantage and experimenting with the many different cuisines should not be too much of a problem regarding weight gain and lycra stretching.

By bike you can experience the true charm of Europe. Europe is steeped in history, has a range of different terrains and many parts have a very relaxed way of life, which will often make you re-evaluate your own lifestyle.

The increase in cycling throughout Europe and all over the world means that cycling routes and places accommodating bikes and cyclists are constantly growing.

Whether you like dry dusty landscapes or hill climbs with mountain backdrops or lakes, Europe has it all to offer. Various different parts of Europe offer different climates and the seasons have a huge effect on this too. The only problem is that you can never guarantee the weather.

Road Cycling in Europe ba1Planning your route can either be down to you, or you can let us help you. If you are unsure about going it alone then why not book a place on any of our wonderful European trips. Our guides are all experienced and have a vast amount of knowledge of the routes, the sites, the regions and cycling in general. Believe me they are fabulous company and a great deal of fun, which means that often they can really enhance your experience. Europe is also great if you are restricted by holiday times, as travelling is not too far or long, leaving you with plenty of cycling days.

Remember if booking a tour to book early to ensure your place, then please ensure that your passport is current and will still be valid when your trip is due. Last minute passport obtaining is just a stress that you do not need, be assured of that. Make sure you have currency changed up or some way of obtaining the correct currency on route and remember to check the currencies for different countries before you set off. Make sure you have insurance and your European Health Insurance Card before you depart and then it is time to go and enjoy Europe.

 

 

 

Cycling Holidays for 2016

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It may seem as if we are only in the early stages of 2015, but thinking about your adventures for next year can be great planning. If you’re already thinking about your cycling holidays and like to plan ahead then read on….

Plan your cycling holidays for 2016

The team at Bike Adventures have been out around the world trying out new routes, testing out the beds in the new accommodation and seeing the beer and wine are up to scratch. Now this is a not as much fun as you might think, it is a role we take very seriously – at the end of a long days cycling the last thing you need is a warm beer and a dodgy B&B.  The route itself also takes careful consideration, much exploration and often hours extra in the saddle to find that glorious country road with a shady avenue of trees or a slight detour to fit in a valley view that will give you a memory and photo that takes you back there for years to come.

Some of the many things though that make our holidays special is the other riders, friends for life are made, the tour guides who have an insatiable passion for cycling and sharing this with their fellow guests and the people you meet on the way – when we stop for refreshments or to bed down you can be sure we have picked that spot because of the great hospitality and shared love of the local countryside – we meet many characters along the way.  Some of our routes may have been running for more than 10 years and the team still enjoy riding them now more than ever.

The popular routes do become favourites and are often on a ‘must do’ list of classics for a lot of riders, if you missed out on your bucket list tour this year or the date clashed with Auntie Clair’s wedding then no worries, drop your details into our email list box on the left and be the first to set eyes on the cycling holiday calendar.

Coast to coast holidays: the Bike Adventures way

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Group of people on their bikes about to start their coast to coast holidayAs a small island, the UK provides the perfect backdrop for coast to coast holidays (C2C) as well as ‘end to ends’. Many cyclists are keen to tick each of these challenges off their bucket lists; here at Bike Adventures we were left unsatisfied by the trips published in the guidebooks so came up with our own.

We felt that existing routes were too short and repetitive, and they didn’t make the most of the beautiful scenery that England has to offer. Our own unique routes are the result of our discord and will take you (and your bike!) from the East coast of England to the West coast.

Our main coast to coast holiday route covers just over 360 miles and, depending on the tour you select, can take anything from 5 to 14 days! We wanted cyclists to be able to truly experience the diverse nature of the English landscape so we have carefully devised routes that meander through beautiful villages, follow the shimmering canals and experience the undulations of the countryside in one tour. There really is no better way to experience this landscape than on a bike!

Our main C2C trip begins in Lowestoft on the North Sea coast, the most easterly point in the UK. From there we head inland and travel through pretty villages and past canals and windmills into Cambridgeshire. Where possible, we try to avoid major roads and towns with safety in mind – this brings the added benefit of time and space to fully appreciate the scenery with its changing aspects depending on the weather.

Cyclist riding through green English countryside during a coast to coast holidayWe then weave our way through central England’s rugged countryside where you’ll notice the route becoming increasing hilly as we approach Northamptonshire. If you are an inexperienced rider but the coast to coast is on your wish list, do make sure that you have prepared for the hills you’ll encounter – our guides will also be there for moral and material support all the way.

The route takes you through Shakespeare’s birthplace in the historic town of Stratford-upon-Avon and then into the north of Worcester. As we approach Herefordshire and cross the border into Wales, the riding gets a little more challenging but the stunning scenery you’ll encounter will more than make up for it.

Our end point, St David’s Head, juts out into the Irish Sea and is considered the most western point in the UK. The small town of St David’s, with its dramatic coastline and spectacular sea views has been a major place of pilgrimage since the Middle Ages and is a fitting place to end our trip. Raising a glass at the end of the tour is exhilarating – another achievement in the bag, lifelong friends made and legs like jelly, what more could you want from a cycling holiday?

If you would like to tackle our coast to coast route, take a look at the range of tours we have to offer. Our tour guides are knowledgeable and have an infectious enthusiasm that fills every trip with fun and adventure.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss your cycling holiday in more detail, please don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Barbara Ann

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An empty street in Santa Barbara, spotted during a cycling trip through America.
Palm tree against a clear blue sky
Beach in Santa Barbara on a sunny day
Geoff holding a sign reading 'Homies please help' during the cycling trip through America.

‎Forgive me father for it is 3 days since my last confession. In summary….southern California

After a magnificent steak in Solvang (Geoff went for the 18oz which was even more magnificent) ‎we headed back to the coast over a sodding great hill in the blistering heat to arrive at Santa Barbara which, in my book, is the start of SoCal. This part of the trip is all about a very different typ‎e of Merica with astonishing wealth, cheek by jowl with countless homeless people.

We have ridden the beach paths through Santa Barbara and past LA, passed the Malibu mansions and crossed Orange County (the OC) where, in one town there were car dealerships for: McClaren, Ferrari, Maserati, Bentley and TWO for Porsche.

We are now in San Clemente and just a day away from the Mexican border.

 

Food Glorious Food

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Large American portion of a rack of ribs for dinner

Little Debbie's Cherry Pie

Entrance to Brewing Company in Solvang

Last night I disgraced myself. We went to a Western themed restaurant and I was guilty of ‘eyes bigger than stomach’ syndrome. In my defence I wasn’t really expecting the complimentary beef stew starter (a meal in itself) or the complimentary salad (another me‎al) or the fact that the ribs were not from a pig as promised but from a woolly mammoth.

I left more than I ate :-(.

American Pie

I would like to introduce you to the most advanced sports food on the planet – the Little Debbie’s ‘fruit’ pie (don’t worry – no fruit is harmed in the making of   little beauties!). They come in red, green and yellow (these colours have fruits associated with them but, again, I’m pretty sure there is absolutely no fruit involved – the ‘fruit’ filling is basically just a sort of lube to assist with swallowing). For $1.29 you get a pie about the size of a pack of cards that contains…….420 calories. Two of these and a bucket of Coke and you have a whole day’s intake for about 5 bucks. Even NASA has nothing to compare.

Identity

For the last 3 weeks Geoff has been busily checking into a hotel each night using my credit card. Usually this goes without a hitch but sometimes they ask for photo ID. This isn’t a problem because Geoff also has my driving licence. At no point has anyone checked the photo of my beautiful visage with his ugly mug. God bless America.

Tonight we are in Solvang – a little bit of Denmark in the California dessert.

Simply the Best

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Beautiful shot of a bay in slight shadow.

Open road along the coast in San Francisco, perfect for riding along.

A bay and rolling hills in America

A secluded bay spotted whilst riding through San Francisco

A cyclist riding along the coast in San Francisco

‎Although this is my first time riding the whole route I have ridden the stretch from SF before, with Nobby some 7 years ago. On that ride the Big Sur stretch was a bit of a trial – thanks to a cock-up on the daily mileage estimate a day that should have been a testing 110 miles ended up as a ball-breaking 130.  
 
So today’s 94 miles should have been a walk in the park……but it wasn’t. It was hilly (as in chuffing) and hot (90’s)‎. Having said this………I was magnificent. Actually I was just adequate but that IS pretty magnificent these days. We were all done by 3:45 and never has a jump in the pool and a cold beer been more welcome.
 
Big Sur IS stunning! If you don’t have a Mustang then a bike is a pretty cool second choice if transport.
 
Off to find a head-sized steak now.
 
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.

Drive

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London Bridge Pub spotted whilst riding the 17 Mile Drive.

A harbour spotted whilst riding the 17 mile drive.

Two seals sunbathing in the sun.

A seal relaxing near the dock. Spotted during a tour of the 17 Mile Drive

A bit of an odd day today…..our first for some time without any encounter with the emergency services.
 
We had a laughably short day because of a problem with availability of our target hotel. On this bit of coast (Big Sur) accommodation at sensible prices is hard to find so we have had to stop short by 25 miles. This gave us less than 30 today but will require, gulp, 94 tomorrow. To make matters worse they will be hilly. Bigger gulp.
 
We left Marina for the short cycle path ride to Monteray where we wasted time on the wharf watching sea lions and pelicants before riding ’17 Mile Drive’ to Carel. This scenic route follows the headland from Monteray to Carmel past Pebble Beach golf course and some of the most gob-smacking real estate you could imagine. ‘That’s a big hotel’ said one of the group. ‘Yes it is’ I replied, ‘but it is actually a p‎rivate house’.  
 
With the combination of perfect weather, spectacular views and outrageous wealth it is one of the coolest 17 miles you can ride bar none.
 
We are now in Carmel where Clint Eastwood was once mayor. It is swanky and VERY expensive but quite fun.With such a short day we were done by lunchtime and we are wasting the afternoon by the pool. Although quite relaxed I ‎can’t help the occasional worry about how 94 hilly miles in 100 degrees is going to feel. Final gulp.
 
 
 
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.

Surfin Bird

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Sights spotted during a cycling holiday: whales and dolphins play in the sea.

Taking in the sights of people playing on the beach in the sunshine.

Geoff standing in front of the sea.

Geoff walking out of the sea in America

Today’ PS – don’t worry, nothing is on fire, just enjoying the sights!
 
We popped down to the beach to watch the whales and dolphins (of which there were lots) – not photos of them but a few more ‘general smugness’ shots.
 
Sent from my BlackBerry 10 smartphone on the EE network.