Category: Uncategorized
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Why Cycling Involves So Much Maintenance
You, the rider—yeah, you. Thought you were just going to hop on that bike and feel the wind in your hair, didn’t you? Well, here you are, with your bike in pieces, wondering why it feels more like a never-ending repair project than a joyride. Flat tires, loose cleats, derailleurs on strike—cycling has a way…
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Carbon Frame With Tiagra or Alloy Frame With 105?
Let me start this off right. You’re standing in a shop, or staring at your screen, torn between two road bikes. One’s a sleek carbon frame with the Tiagra groupset, and the other—well, it’s aluminum with the 105. It’s like choosing between a hot dog and a fancy charcuterie board—different vibes, but both are satisfying…
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The Strategy Behind GC Contenders Holding Back in Early Tour Stages
Tour de France: a three-week-long battle of attrition, pain, and, occasionally, maniacal weather. And yet, in the early stages, the general classification (GC) contenders often hang back, playing it safe. They might as well be sipping espresso in the shade while the peloton rolls along at a casual pace. Why? They aren’t lazy; they’re just…
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Understanding the Experience of Buying a Used Bike from a UCI Pro Team
You’re sitting there, scrolling through online auctions, your eyes widening at the price of a Cervelo R5 from Jumb-Visma. $3,300. A bike once ridden by a pro, no less. Maybe it’s the same model they used to conquer mountain stages in the Tour, or perhaps it’s the one that took a sprinter’s final surge to…
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5 Key Differences Between Race and Endurance Bikes Every Rookie Should Know
Fast or Comfortable? Pick Your Poison. So, you wanna buy a bike? A real bike. Not that heavy, clunky thing from your childhood with the rusty chain and squeaky brakes. You want something sleek. Something fast. Something that makes you look like you belong in the Tour de France—even if your fitness level is closer…
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10 Surprising Realizations I Had About My Health After Starting Cycling Again
written by Danny G Look, there’s a dark, quiet corner of the soul where we all hide when we’re not on our bikes. It’s where we stash our dirty laundry, our bad habits, and our sense of “what’s the point” when the world’s too damn loud and we’re too tired to listen. Six months ago,…
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Understanding the Power Play: Why Breakaways Matter in Paris-Roubaix
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends So, there you are, watching the chaos of Paris-Roubaix unfold on your screen, the battered roads tearing into the peloton, and then—bam!—someone, maybe a lone rider or a small group, breaks away from the pack, pedaling furiously into the unknown. It’s a curious moment, isn’t it? Why risk it? Why…
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When You Don’t Have Grips…
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Time for a short tip today. If you ever find yourself in a situation when you don’t have the right grips for your bike, consider using drop bar tape either temporarily (until that China package arrives) or permanently if you like the feeling. This practice is not common, but it’s…
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BMX Chain Info That Every Rider Should Now
from Rookie’s keyboard Hello, friends I have prepared a short piece that will reveal a few important details regarding BMX chain sizing. Even if you aren’t a mechanic, you need to know the info below as it will be useful when purchasing a new chain. After all, chains and sprockets are consumables. BMX Chain Width…
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The Most Inefficient Bike Commuter
from Rookie’s keyboard, Hello, friends Today, I made a somewhat weird observation. In front of the bike shop, I saw two bikes that were the polar opposite of each other. One was a fully rigid retro MTB (equipped with a basket) while the other was some 2k dual-suspension MTB. To the untrained eye, the second…