BURG TALK | 20-2020

My 20th edition of Burg Talk – and a number of them have been during Lockdown with no group ride reports coming in. Hindsight is a wonderful thing - when I took on the editorial role, I didn’t know we would be faced with all these weeks of no group riding, which has made sourcing relevant content a little challenging…

There are already countless negative impacts associated with COVID-19 and it’s likely that every Burg Wheeler has, in some way, experienced these. Yet perhaps a small positive will be our appreciation for riding in some of the most beautiful terrain, and the people we ride with! During the course of the week, one member randomly asked his fellow riders what they enjoyed most about cycling. We opened it up across of the club’s WhatsApp groups and got a wide spectrum of answers that would suggest it is things others than 2 wheels and the road or trail that matter most!

Thank you to every one for sharing and for the photos sent in from rides. We have included some of these later in the BT. It’s good to see so many members back out cycling, although the lower temps mean we are all wearing more layers as well as our masks.

In this week’s BT, our Road Captain shares some of the implications of changes to the Strava App we all love to use, and Jordyn Grenfell’s story on his Inspiration grabs at the heartstrings.

Please keep sharing stories and advice for your fellow riders, and ride reports and pictures are also always welcomed.

Stay safe and sane. Sal

Issue 20-2020

Just ride… Photo: JP van der Linde

BURG TALK | 20-2020

Hayden Hutton So that much loved, occasionally hated, app Strava is

set for some changes. Strava has a team 180 staff based in Denver Colorado,

and even though they have been around for ages, they are still not a profitable company. I guess the main reason for this is that most people are happy with their free service, or at least they were up until now. To give them some credit, at least they did not bombard us with countless adverts, which is how many other ‘free’ apps earn their revenue.

So what are the fundamental changes: • Segment leader boards are now for subscribers

only. Only the top ten can be viewed for free. • Comparing, filtering and analysing segment efforts,

is now for subscribers only. • Route planning on strava.com, is now for

subscribers only. • Training Log on Android and strava.com, is now for

subscribers only. • Monthly activity trends and comparisons, is now for

subscribers only. • More of the new feature development will be for

subscribers only – they’ll invest the most in the athletes that have invested in them.

• Subscription is more straightforward, there are no packs to choose from, and Summit is no longer – basically either you’re a subscriber or not.

The focus on subscription is said to be able to ensure that Strava can serve athletes for decades from now, and in an up-front way that supports the athletes that subscribe. They say their plan is to take what they earn from these changes and reinvest straight back into building more and better features – not devising ways to fill up your feed with ads or sell your personal information. They simply want to make a product so good that you’re happy to pay for it.

Their mission is to connect athletes to what motivates them and help them find their personal best.

According to the founders Mark Gainey and Michael Horvath, a monthly subscription costs as much as a couple of energy bars, and the founders think that’s money well spent. In South African money we’re talking R599.99 per year currently, I guess for a Burg Wheeler the equivalent of one less Cappuccino per month. But they say, especially lately, that there are athletes struggling to make ends meet and that the free version of Strava must remain high quality and be useful. Rest assured, they say, that they will always offer a version of Strava for free, and you can belong in this community whether you subscribe or not.

At the end of the day if they don’t get the subscription base up, I guess Strava may be doomed completely?

There are other ways to share your information within the cycling community; Garmin itself has the ability to view segments and leader boards, but then it’s for Garmin users only. Strava also allows deeper analysis of yours and others performances on a segment (even down to club level).

In terms of measuring your own performance over time and planning training programs or routes, I would argue that Garmin is more than sufficient (perhaps even better in some respects) and there is no need for Strava. But, then one could argue that training alone is more than sufficient and there is no need to cycle in a group or club……but is that true? Perhaps now more than ever, during this lockdown, we truly appreciate what it is to be part of a community…..even a virtual one.

What will you do….one less cappuccino or not?

BURG TALK | 20-2020

Jordyn Grenfell I have been cycling in one form or another all my life,

and seen the sport evolve over the years, yet have never lost my passion for it, even when I’ve had to make sacrifices for family and career advancement, and let’s not forget, the dreaded “Mind over Mattress” syndrome.

So, what has inspired me all these years, and still does? Simply put – its people…

Let me start with a dad I idolized, who spent hours with me in his garage, stripping and assembling our bikes, for fun. I enjoyed every minute, while learning valuable skills in the process. As early as I can remember, we’d cycle down Hesketh Drive and home, a round trip of only 10km, but which felt like the Tour de France.

I remember the first time I was allowed to cycle to school, I was so excited. Yes, we used to cycle to school back then, imagine THAT!

The next person was our own Burg

Wheeler Chairman. I was a pupil at

Scottsville Primary and Mr Nefdt, my

Physical Education

teacher, had a beautiful red Alan 10 speed road bike with chrome forks and chrome toe clips. He would lean his bike against the wall

outside his office and en-route to the school swimming pool, I would stand and admire this bike. That was the start of my love for cycling. Nothing else mattered. Unfortunately cycling was not a school sport and I had to settle for extra mural activities I really didn’t enjoy and wasn’t good at. I mean, HOCKEY? I played Left Back (left back in the change room) and TRIPLE JUMP. I still have the record for triple jump – I was the only kid that hopped, skipped and jumped, yet landed short of the second plank. But cycling I could do. Bobby Nefdt (it took me a long time to call him Bobby), a highly accomplished cyclist himself, yet so humble and willing to see others succeed, became my inspiration and motivation for many years to come.

Fast forward many years later, with a few Amashovas in my legs, I am still cycling, inspired by friends like Sally, who returned to cycling after lying unconscious on the road for 7 minutes after her recent crash, and Callan Deacon who has also returned to cycling after his recent horrific accident. Doctors gave them a bleak prognosis, yet they defied the odds…..THAT’S INSPIRATION friends!

I am constantly amazed by the courage of friends in our club who have returned to our beloved sport after serious setbacks or injury, and I am eternally grateful for our club and group leaders who ensure our safety and commit hours to helping us become better cyclists.

In closing, my inspiration is - “The freedom of the open road, the adrenaline of the chase and the privilege of sharing it all with like-minded friends”

BURG TALK | 20-2020

The way burning sugar cane at holla smells like caramel And on some mornings the menthol in the cascades forest is so strong it's like cycling through a vicks humidifier The thing about MTB that I most enjoy, regardless of your personal skill. Sense of achievement after completing a particular trail, the adrenaline rush on certain sections, the fellowship, the common interest, the positive nature of cyclists, the fitness gained, the solving of a variety of local and worldly concerns, the adventure, the memories. What a great sport. All that and wonderful travel opportunities. You see things quietly and hear so much more. You've earned your place in the sun. You travel through forests and farmlands and riverines, and roads and paths you would NEVER normally even know about. It is a privilege to be able to do just that! With great company I might add! Freedom, exercise, company, fresh air and just enjoying being on my bike …relieving work pressure on a Sat and the reward of Cuppachino after some serious energy exerted and catching up with mates 1. It keeps you fit and healthy. 2. The good people that you meet. Socializing. Chatting on a ride 3. The coffee The suffering… and the pain …give and ye shall receive The dulcet tones of our leader “encouraging” us to push harder! Climbing a hill Chicken burgers Friendships & Fellowship, Advice & Mentorship Vitality points - There really is nothing quite like the prospect of accumulating some more Vitality points to jolt you out of bed at 04:00 a.m. on a winter morning - Flip Yeah! Being outdoors with like minded people

The history of the sport for me is another one...The great personalities. The great rivalries...The climbs that we like to pretend we’re on At the moment: Trying to guess who's behind the mask Socializing on the rides, coffee stops, personal challenge Definitely the open roads sunrises and beautiful views we get to see Being delightfully exhausted Every uphill brings a downhill, same as in life The feeling you get when you successfully seat a gatorskin and only have blisters on two hands.... Sunrise, fresh air, friendships, single track, open farm roads, our beautiful views from above, flying down, the rubbish we talk, the laughter, the memories we create. Meeting good people and just to learn more from each other about issues of life in general My bicycle is my therapy & I love the places it takes me & the people we share it with Nothing nicer than cycling with a bunch of happy cyclists The freedom of the open road, the adrenaline of the chase and the privilege of sharing it all with like-minded friends Its gives you sense of calmness, clears your mind and you so full off smiles even when you suffering in silence Life would not be complete without a good ride on our bikes...Seeing sunrises, breatheless views at times, feeling the cold & the heat, no pain no gain, definitely time spent with others doing what we love-riding our bike's (be it socially or competitively) and making amazing lifetime friendships while being mentored and encouraged by our amazing captains! "When the elastic is stretching and you are struggling ... you have three choices. Give up, give in or give your all!" Great leveler - brings out the best in men and women - creates lifelong friendships - keeps the older younger and generally an exciting sport that one can be very passionate about

BURG TALK | 20-2020

Undoing Bad Habits Bobby Nefdt

With many riders able to get out now after the Level 5 lockdown it is a good time to look at some of the bad habits we may have picked up over the years. Sometimes it takes others to point them out to us. So, I am suggesting that you look at your riding partners and, very delicately, point out some of their flaws. Next week I’ll be writing an article on ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ for those who were not too delicate.

No matter how good a cyclist we are, it is very easy to slide back into old habits or even develop new ones. I am often reluctant to offer advice or point out others’ bad habits unless they ask because I do not wish to appear that I know it all! I certainly don’t.

Bouncing/bobbing: Besides that fact that bouncing/bobbing wastes energy it does look rather **!..*! – I can’t think of an unoffensive word. Bouncing often occurs when one is riding at a very high cadence, so the obvious solution is change gear and ride at a lower cadence. Pedalling drills would also assist in pedalling smoothly. Bobbing is a habit that is more difficult to overcome. It is generally a result of pulling hard on the handlebars normally when climbing a hill. The secret to overcoming this is, again, to practise pedalling drills. Sycling Snippet #4 deals with pedalling in a circle, a very important technique that helps you to pedal more efficiently and effectively. This encourages the upper body to remain steady. A strong core will certainly help to prevent you from bobbing (see Sycling Snippets #18 & 19). Riding too hard a gear also encourages bobbing especially if you are pulling hard on the handlebars. I would suggest changing to a lighter gear (pick up your cadence) and concentrate in pedalling in circles. Don’t keep your upper body too rigid, allow it to sway gently from side to side.

Elbows out: I believe it is very important for mountain bikers to ride with their elbows out to give them more control on single track descents. However, it’s not cool for roadies to do that (I wouldn’t say that to Chris Froome who seems to have perfected this technique). Sometimes it is simply a ‘reach’ problem and the lengthening of the handlebar stem can resolve it. Handlebar width can also contribute to the problem. The trend amongst professionals is to go for narrower bars to improve their aerodynamics on the bike. To improve aerodynamics one has to tuck in the elbows.

Knees out: Riding with your

knees out can cause unnecessary strain on your knees and could result in knee problems on longer rides. In many cases the problem is caused by riding too low a saddle and by simply raising it can

resolve it. A simple test to see if your saddle is high enough is to lean against a wall whilst sitting comfortably on your saddle with hands on the bars, wearing just socks. Place your heels on the pedals and pedal back slowly, and as you pedal back your bum should be rolling from side to side in the saddle as you stretch slightly for the pedals. If you can reach the pedals comfortably whilst pedalling back, your saddle is too low. Whatever you do, don’t adjust your cleats to try to force your knees in. This could cause knee injuries. Tucking your knees in also improves your aerodynamics on the bike – another reason to keep them in.

If you think you may have developed one of these bad habits ask your riding partner to check for you, make the necessary adjustments and keep asking your partner for feedback. These simple tips could improve your riding and they’ll definitely make you look good on the bike.

Allan MacPherson With Lockdown level four allowing people to exercise

between 6.00 and 9.00, most are back on their bikes. I start work at 7.00 and finish at 5.00 so these times are not much good for me so I have stayed indoors, and on the weekends my family wants to go walking. I changed our start time to 5:30, allowing me to do both. I am still riding during the week but doing a ftp builder which is boring but thanks to LM radio I am managing to get through it.

This Saturday we had a bit of a tougher route planned (Muir and the Mountain) with 45.2kms & 959 metres of climbing, We had a group of four riding; me, Kole, Bill and Bobby. It was a great start, with a bit of climbing but mostly undulating which is good, as we used our momentum, pushed over the little hills and then went on to the epic climb which is always nice. It was a bit slow getting over the hill - 30 minutes and then up to the top off the radio tower route which is always a good little kick.

BURG TALK | 20-2020

By Selene Yeager From getting dropped to staying

motivated through a pandemic, here’s how to push through when the going gets tough.

It happens when you least expect it—that oh sh*t moment, when the front tire blows out on your expectations, and you go headfirst over your handlebars into a rock hard, unexpected reality.

These oh sh*t moments can be relatively small, like getting dropped within the first 5 miles of a 100-mile day. Or they can be monstrous, like a global pandemic that forces you to spin solo on your indoor trainer for the umpteenth day while you stare out the window at a beautifully sunny day. It happens. But no matter the tough moment, there’s a way to push through and keep making forward progress. You may even emerge from the situation with a personal win. We asked you to tell us the hardest moments you face with riding and racing. Over the next few issues of BT, we will present some simple solutions for smoothing out those rough patches on any given ride.

You Start Cracking on a Climb Steep climbs. Long climbs. Long steep climbs. Climbs of

all kinds topped the list of what riders said was the hardest part of any given race or ride. Gravity is a force to be reckoned with but rolling against its ever-present pull doesn’t have to suck.

Cycle through positions. Varying your position helps take the hurt out of long

climbs, because it changes the load on your working muscles. Slide back on the saddle to engage your glutes. Scoot toward the nose to get more quadriceps in the action. Hover out of the saddle to put more punch into your pedals. Stand upright occasionally to stretch out your legs and back. Rotate through these different positions to prevent fatigue.

Pro tip for steep pitches: When the grade gets so steep that you’re sliding into standstill (and topple) territory, tuck your elbows into your sides, dip your torso toward the bars, and gently but firmly pull back on the bars with every down stroke. This lets you transfer power from your upper body through your core and into your legs to assist you in forward progress.

Contact: Chairman Vice-Chairman Secretary BurgTalk Bobby Nefdt Dale Southern Janice Brisbane Sally Upfold 082 082 1992 083 659 3000 083 660 9996 082 5700 851 bobbynefdt@gmail.com dales@soshosting.co.za Janicebrisbane1@gmail.com mustangsju@gmail.com www.burgwheelers.co.za @ BurgWheelersCyclingClub @burgwheelers