Steve's Cycling Blog
With a new year upon us, it seems like a good time to summarize my past year (and decade). 2019 was a year of ups and downs as far as fitness and cycling go. I started the year with a renewed focus on training and I had an indoor set-up that motivated me through the … Continue reading 2020 – A Fresh Start
There are a lot of articles (and probably books) about exercise and fitness and cycling after the age of 50. Many of them are written by exceptional people who have devoted a huge amount of time to staying fit and active. If you believe what you read on the internet, it was Bill Clinton who … Continue reading Perspective: Cycling after 50
So.... here we are. Another year over, and a new one's just begun. And you know what that means? Numbers and maps - two of my favourite things when it comes to cycling and motivation. So here's my Cycling year 2018 in numbers (sources: strava.com, veloviewer.com, http://www.jonathanokeeffe.com/strava/annualSummary.php) Total distance: 5450 kilometres (most km's I've cycled in … Continue reading 2018 Cycling Summary
I'll be writing a 2018 summary but I thought I'd start with some of my favourite cycling photos of the year! January - In December 2017, we had a lot of snow and cold temperatures. That made the first two weeks of January perfect for fat biking in the snow. It didn't last of course. … Continue reading 2018 Year in Cycling Photos
As daylight hours drop and temperatures get colder, it becomes more difficult for me to get motivated to ride my bike. A lot of my cycling friends have set up their trainers and moved indoors; their bikes won't see the outdoors until the spring. For others, the cycling season never stops; they may have put … Continue reading Late Fall/Early Winter Cycling – Motivation
Lately, I've been more selective about the cycling events I enter. Until this weekend, the only event I'd entered was Paris to Ancaster. However, when I got a message on social media that I'd won an entry to the 3rd annual Creemore SpringsTuras Mor in Creemore, Ontario, I was excited (Thanks Noelle W. from Pedal … Continue reading 2018 Turas Mor – Gravel Grinding in Creemore
Cyclists don't have to look very far to find discussions about how to deal with winter in Canada. There's considerable information online about how to train indoors over the winter. There's also a lot of people who will ride outdoors in just about any weather conditions. And there are obvious benefits to both options. I … Continue reading Winter Cycling – Indoors or Outdoors?
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!
This past weekend, I've been out cycling a few times in temperatures as cold as -17C. That's just the air temperature. When you factor in wind, it feels much colder. On cold days like these, I tend to ride slower and I choose routes that are sheltered from the wind. But sometimes, the wind is … Continue reading What it’s really like to cycle at -17C
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