Steve's Cycling Blog
On my first winter bike ride in the early 2000s, I made a critical mistake: I wore the only cycling shoes I had and thought with a warmer sock, I'd be fine. That ride lasted less than an hour and a half and by the end of the ride, my toes were in severe pain. … Continue reading 45NRTH Wolvhammer Winter Cycling Boots – A first look
Last spring, I took a tour of some local trails the day after a huge rain event just north of here. The result was a cycling route that had a lot of turn-arounds because some trails were flooded. As some of my Waterloo Cycling Club friends will attest, I've been known to ride across fast-flowing … Continue reading Frozen water everywhere!
2017 was a good year. I surpassed 4000 km outdoor kilometres for the year, and although this wasn't my best year (I've had about 5000 km before), I still deem 2017 to be a success given the slow start I had because of my concussion recovery. The year ended on December 31 with a traditional … Continue reading 2018: A New Beginning
As I've stated previously: I'm a numbers guy. Now that 2017 is (nearly) done, I am going to summarize my cycling year in numbers: Total outdoor cycling distance: 4005 km Longest Ride: September 14, 2017, Day 2 of COLT 122 km Best Month: September 712 km Total Moving Time: 210 hours (8 days, 18 hours) … Continue reading 2017 Cycling Year in Review
I know the year's not over yet, but 2017 has been a good year for me. I started slowly, since I was recovering from a concussion, but my mileage (kilometerage?) slowly increased as the year went on. I thought I'd post some of my favourite photos from the year: In January, I joined Team Colin … Continue reading 2017 Year in Cycling Photos
I was recently asked about the difference between different bicycles and what each type of bike is best suited for. When I thought about these questions, I considered my own selection of bicycles and the specific purpose of each bike that I ride. I also thought about the question: If I only had one bicycle, … Continue reading What kind of bicycle(s) do you need?
Most cyclists I know use Strava to track their cycling activities. Prior to joining Strava in 2012, I kept a record of all my rides in a spreadsheet (dating back as far as 2002!), so when I found out about Strava, I bought a GPS and had it do the work for me. I'm a … Continue reading Strava Tools and Apps
We're now well into fall and winter is starting to arrive. For many, this means setting up the trainer or signing up for a spin class and riding indoors. For others (like me), it means getting out the warm clothing layers and getting out on the gravel roads! I've recently blogged about the pleasures of … Continue reading Gravel Grinders – How to get started
First, a bit of history: I started cycling in the 1990s as a mountain biker (discounting rides around the neighbourhood as a kid). I used to ride once a week in Dundas Valley before mountain biking was popular. When I joined the Waterloo Cycling Club in 2002, I bought a used road bike and joined … Continue reading The Simple Pleasures of Cycling on Gravel Roads
Our society has advanced to the point where we are separated from the effect that we're having on the world around us. For example, we turn on the tap in our kitchen sink and we get a seemingly endless supply of clean, fresh water. Do we ever think of where it comes from, or the … Continue reading Cycling Commentary – Separation and Motivation
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