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Bike Racing 101 - Kendra and Rene Wenzel
Bike Racing 101
by Kendra Wenzel and Rene Wenzel
NEW, 232 pages
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About Bike Racing 101
Infinitely practical and packed with powerful insights, Bike Racing 101 is the single best resource for cycling enthusiasts who are ready to move from the sidelines to cycling competition. From preparation to performance, Bike Racing 101 gives you the essential information you need to hone your skills, chart your course, and get into the race.
Penned by renowned experts Kendra and René Wenzel, Bike Racing 101 gives you the inside edge from world-class competitors who’ve raced at top levels of international competition. Equipment, apparel, training, skills, nutrition, and even the unwritten rules of racing etiquette are covered in this comprehensive guide.
Written for the experienced cyclist who already has a firm grasp on biking basics, Bike Racing 101 offers key technical advice in a format that’s easy to follow. You’ll learn skills that are essential for competitive performance, from cornering and climbing to sprinting. You’ll get the inside edge on bikes and equipment, from the gear you need to the options you should consider to power your performance even further.
Bike Racing 101 will help you develop an effective training program and deploy practical tactics that can make a difference when the heat is on. From time trials to road and multiple-day stage races, you’ll be fully prepared on race day with tips and checklists to take you all the way to the finish line.
Between them, the book’s authors have almost 50 years of combined racing and coaching experience. Kendra is a Pan American gold medalist, top national performer, and former member of the U.S. national team. René is an international champion who has coached U.S. Postal Service team member George Hincapie and powered the U.S. National junior team to two world championships. Together, they offer the insights, instruction, and simple advice you need to enjoy the competitive side of one of the world’s most challenging sports.
About Kendra and Rene Wenzel
Kendra and René Wenzel possess racing experience that covers American and European road racing, track racing, and mountain bike racing. Together they own and run Wenzel Coaching, and they have written training articles that have appeared in Bicycle Magazine, VeloNews, and www.bike.com as well as many other cycling publications and Webzines.
Kendra, an All-American cyclist at the University of California at Berkeley in 1994, has won both individual and team cycling championships. She was a Pan American champion in 1991 and the U.S. Collegiate Road Racing champion in 1994. Kendra was a U.S. national team member, winning championships from 1990 to 1994 and in 1998 and 1999. She was also a world championship team member, claiming victories in 1990, 1997, and 1998.
As a coach, René has made his mark in the bike-racing world with over 40 championships, which include individual victories as well as coaching national teams to 30 United States championships. When he served as the professional manager and director of the Saturn cycling team, he led them to 10 national championships.
Kendra and René live in McKenzie Bridge, Oregon.
Reviews of the Book
"Bike Racing 101 is the perfect book for anyone who's serious about getting into racing. René and Kendra combine their coaching and racing experience and expertise to cover every aspect of this highly competitive sport, making this the one book you'll use again and again."
George Hincapie
U.S. Postal Service team member
"Bike Racing 101 is a thoroughly enjoyable book. It sets out to encourage the beginner in the world of cycle racing and it not only achieves this goal, but also has enough depth and weight to be of interest to the more experienced rider too. The book deserves to be successful because the authors offer excellent coaching and training experience and expertise while maintaining a clear, concise and realistic approach."
DailyPeloton.com
From Cyclingnews.com
"If you want to race bikes, then Bike Racing 101 is the book to read."
About Cycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists. Apart from ordinary two-wheeled bicycles, cycling also includes riding unicycles, tricycles, quadracycles, and other similar human-powered vehicles (HPVs).
Bicycles were introduced in the 19th century and now number about one billion worldwide. They are the principal means of transportation in many regions.
Cycling is an extremely efficient mode of transportation optimal for short to moderate distances. Bicycles provide numerous benefits compared to motor vehicles, including exercise, an alternative to the use of fossil fuels, no air or noise pollution, much reduced traffic congestion, easier parking, greater maneuverability, and access to both roads and paths. The advantages are at less financial cost to the user as well as society (negligible damage to roads, and less pavement required). Criticisms and disadvantages of cycling include reduced protection in crashes, particularly with motor vehicles,] longer travel time (except in densely populated areas), vulnerability to weather conditions, difficulty in transporting passengers, and the skill and fitness required.
In many countries, the most commonly used vehicle for road transport is a utility bicycle. These have frames with relaxed geometry, protecting the rider from shocks from the road, and easing steering at low speeds.
Road bikes tend to have a more upright shape and a shorter wheelbase, which make the bike more mobile but harder to ride slowly. The design, coupled with low or dropped handlebars, requires the rider to bend forward more, utilizing stronger muscles and reducing air resistance at high speed.
The price of a new bicycle can range from US to more than US,000 (the highest priced bike in the world is the custom Madone by Damien Hirst, sold at 0,000 USD),depending on quality, type and weight (the most exotic road bicycles can weigh as little as 3.2 kg (7 lb)). Being measured for a bike and taking it for a test ride are recommended before buying.
The drivetrain components of the bike should also be considered. A middle grade dérailleur is sufficient for a beginner, although many utility bikes come equipped with hub gears. If the rider plans a significant amount of hillclimbing, a triple-crank (three chainrings) front gear system may be preferred. Otherwise, the relatively lighter and less expensive two chainrings may be better. Much simpler fixed wheel bikes are also available, and may be more suitable for commuters.
Many road bikes along with mountain bikes include clipless pedals to which special shoes attach, via a cleat, permitting the rider to pull on the pedals as well as push. Other possible accessories for the bicycle include front and back lights, bells or horns, disc brakes, child carrying seats, cycling computers with GPS, locks, bar tape, fenders (mud-guards), baggage racks, baggage carriers and pannier bags, water bottles and bottle cages.
For basic maintenance and repairs, cyclists can choose to carry a pump (or a CO2 cartridge), a puncture repair kit, a spare inner tube, and tire levers. Cycling can be more efficient and comfortable with special shoes, gloves, and shorts. In wet weather, riding can be more tolerable with waterproof clothes, such as cape, jacket, pants and overshoes.
Items legally required in some jurisdictions, or voluntarily adopted for safety reasons, include bicycle helmets, generator or battery operated lights, reflectors, and audible signaling devices such as a bell or horn. Extras include studded tires and a bicycle computer.
Bikes can also be heavily customized, with different seat designs and handle bars, for example.
Bike Racing 101
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