Let's get dirty! Simple checklist for cleaning your bike

Though I regard my bike fondly (I nickname it my 'boyfriend'), taking care of my bike is a whole different matter. I used to treat my bike like my yoga mat, use it and then roll it away until the next time. My idea of bike maintenance was lubing the chain and doing a quick tire pressure check before each ride.

When I upgraded my hard tail to my current Epic; and although I had big aspriations of caring for my bike, little changed. It took some rough ridicule by my favorite riding buddies for me to really change my ways. I was stepping up my racing and I needed to get serious about my gear.

Having a clean bike goes deeper than the way it looks - a clean bike functions better and the parts will last longer. Rust and dirt are a drive train's worst enemy. And though I understand this, making it a habit was more difficult than I thought. I asked some more experienced riders how they cleaned their bike. The Goal: to create a simple checklist that I would abide by that would be quick, easy, and thorough. Being a girl, having kids, and having a busy life were no longer acceptable excuses - and if I had a simple list, I knew I was more likely to take care of my bike.

Checklist for a clean bike - to be done immediately upon returning from a ride no matter what time of the day or how I tired I am.

1. PRE-WASH -(especially after a wet, muddy ride)

- squirt down your bike with a hose at high pressure.
- some people swear not to do this and some say it works well. I think it works well especially when it is taken thru mud.

2. WASH, RINSE, DRY - get a bucket with soap/water and brush and scrub your entire bike; even clean the chain and derailleur. Rinse with water & dry off with a rag. Be sure to dry the entire bike including the shocks. I like to use a rag and with my nail, get any gunk from the bottom of the shock. One bike expert, Scott from Santa Cruz bikes, recommended Dawn because that is what they used for the penguins during the oil spill.

** some riders prefer to skip steps 1 & 2 and instead opt to use Simple Green and wipe their bike down. **

3. LUBE - Adventure racer and endurance rider, Paul Romero, uses Prolink for its cleaning and lubing properties. Squirt it slowly over the chain as you roll the pedals until the dirt starts to come away from the chain. Then give a small squirt to all the joints and give them a little movement. Wipe the excess lube.

That's it! Total process takes about 5 minutes and the bike looks & rides smooth.

For those of you who have your own variation of bike cleaning, please share your suggestions/favorite tools.

My yoga mat still gets rolled up in my car ready for my next session and my bike is nice and clean waiting for the next ride.

Train hard, train smart
Chi

Tunnel Vision

(recap of a recent ride) "We were lost in time and space. So focused on the trail we had no thoughts or feelings. Completely present and free..."

chi

photo: Binh flowing down Braille trail in Demo Forest, Santa Cruz.

Eat your Wheaties...nutrition and performance

After an extreme weekend of riding or racing, I like to see all the data from my fancy Polar watch and check out how many calories I used up. During a 2-3 hour ride, I can easily burn 1000-2000 calories (the equivalent of a large meal at In-and-Out). And this is on top of the 1500+ calories I SHOULD be eating. I'm not a big person, many of you probably burn 50-100% more than that!! But we extreme athletes & adventureous souls can be a bit lazy about our calories...often not taking enough calories in; and when we do, we don't always put the right things in our bodies. We reach for that super drink, super bar, or super-sized (enter your guilty pleasure here).

According to Sara Grout, nutritionist who specializes in functional nutrition and metabolic typing, an athlete's nutritional requirements are critical not only to their performance but also in their longevity and to the prevention of burnout and injury. The body is constantly under stress -- and if it isn't receiving proper nutrients, the body starts to leach them from its stores. The chance of burnout and injury increase (some joint problems could be related to poor nutrition) while your performance suffers (legs feel tired, not enough power, reoccuring illness). This is the most interesting information that Sara shared in a recent interview about nutrition and performance of the endurance/extreme athlete: the constant stress from exercise itself and the recovery process can cause the digestive lining to weaken. This makes it hard for the body to properly use the food and absorb the nutrients. Result - you might be eating the right foods but still lacking nutrients.

Checklist for your frig & pantry - Take a look at your diet. The right formula on what you should eat is as individual as your training. Each person requires an optimal palette of foods based on unique physical demands. In light of keeping a complicated topic simple, this checklist will help guide you to fine tune your current habits and help you stay in the game.

• PROTEIN and FATS are your best friends! include both of these in every meal and snack. especially when it comes to fats, athletes need good fats. low fat is not better.



• JUST SAY NO TO BARS... instead reach for whole foods for your pre-workout and post-workout meal. examples include: banana, homemade protein bars with nuts and honey, baked sweet potato.



• RAW Vs. COOKED veggies - raw isn't always better. the body is able to absorb nutrients better from cooked veggies



• SEA SALT- it is the major electrolyte that will help with fatigue and balances the other electrolytes. If cramping is any issue, Sara recommends magnesium/calcium but be sure that you are well hydrated and getting enough sea salt. note that i didn't just write salt; sea salt has the compounds most similar to those you lose in your sweat.



• HUNGRY? eat more fat and protein

Enjoy your meal...you earn it! Chi