Pedalling to a peaceful outcome

Lighten up: riding a bike can do wonders for your abilty to handle and resolve stress. Photo: Vanessa Barkla

I have so many riders share how they can feel anxious, stressed, angry or frustrated prior to starting a ride and yet at the end have a better perspective on handling what was the conflict in the mind. Others also share that they suggest that their partners (when feeling a bit tense) get out on the bike and regain some composure.

Many start off a ride feeling pressure of the competition of life where emotions can be anywhere from low moderate to fever pitch that can cause stress and result in motivation for life being low.

Reducing the three evils – draft, gravity and friction

Cheating speed evils: technological advances such as aerodynamic helmets and ceramic bearings are helping overcome drag, gravity and friction. Photo: Eddie Barkla

The sporting world of swimming has just witnessed one of the greatest technological developments in swim suits that saw world records tumble at a rate like never before. When we stop and think it is the same body in the swim suit that powered through the water,  I guess this begs the question: “could the next big advancement in the increased speed in cycling come from the development of clothing that influences the affects of the aerodynamic drag?”

Cyclists spend most of their energy overcoming three major immutable factors: air resistance, gravity, and friction.

The mechanic: cornerstone of cycling

Behind every rider is a good bike mechanic. Photo: Eddie Barkla

Aside from the whoosh of the tyres on the road, and the occasional clicking of the freewheel, a bicycle should be silent. One of the many joys of the freedom of cycling is when the speed is on in a large bunch where the whoosh of the tyres and the clicking of the freewheel and gears is magnified creating a cycling euphoria.

If your bike makes other noises, there is a fair chance it is a sign of a problem manifesting. Many of these problems can be cured easily at an early stage, just by tightening up a nut or bolt…but if you ignore the noise, it may result in serious damage to parts of your bike, and you may find yourself stranded or even injured when the problem gets more serious! Enter the bike mechanic, our local multi-talented individuals that we expect to have the capability to be the walking cycling encyclopaedia on all aspects of new innovations the best but cheapest cycling paraphernalia guaranteed to improve performance and make us look part of the local scene.

Frank’s shed

Frank's shed - if these walls could talk you'd hear many a tale of fame and woe. Photo: Eddie Barkla

Google is a wonderful tool when seeking to find out about people, what has been written about them or media interviews that they may have conducted or a history of accolades of their sporting prowess. Well that was the case when researching this article.

We could write a book that is full of achievements but quite often they fail to paint a picture that bears resemblance of the person’s real character that is reflected when not on public stage and view. Record books of cycling hold many accounts of this person’s cycling ability and past history but what they don’t reflect is the multitude of cyclists that at some time, somehow, were a recipient of assistance from the humble dwelling of Frank’s Shed.

Domestique is the engine room of racing

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place.  If I quit, however, it lasts forever” ~ Lance Armstrong.

A lead out rider looks over his shoulder to see whether help is coming. Photo: Dean Murphy

I know that a lot of readers watch the tour coverage for the history, the geography and scenic views of country they may never get to see otherwise. There is no doubt that Le Tour de France captures the world’s attention for many reasons.

There are close synergies of professional cycling to many of our everyday humdrum working lives. Professional Cycling is a job none the less when it is all said and done.  Most of us may never reach stardom and occasionally we get recognition for a job well done in our working life but it does not lessen the importance and value we add every day. We may never reach the top of our chosen vocation and be a leader among men but we are the very ones that are an essential cog in the wheels of the industry or work place.