Endurolytes: A Solution?

Since I started mountain biking at the age of 16, climbing has always been difficult. I suffer from cramps; I can't keep my breath; and I sweat so much my eyes burn. I know everyone has difficulty climbing, but I seem to always be a little behind.

What can be done to make me a better climber?

The most important thing I need to do is get stronger, but that isn't something that happens over night. With the number of injuries incurred over the past decade, it will be a slow process. Most important is to take my time and make sure not to re-injure myself.

The second thing is diet. This can be improved every day. Make sure that you are well hydrated at the beginning of the ride. Eat some complex carbohydrates about an hour before the ride starts. My choice is a bagel. I also try to increase the amount of carbohydrates the day before by 15% or so. Fruits, vegetables and meat are important for healing and recovery.

No matter what I eat and how hydrated I am, I still have problems with muscular cramping. Realizing that I sweat more then the average bear; I decided to try an electrolyte supplement. "Endurolytes" were recommended to me by my new found friends at MORE. I went to the website and saw they had many products. Shipping is never cheap and if they work I may want to use several different products and order in larger quantities. So I picked up this bottle from REI. It cost 20 dollars even. I took 3 about 15 minutes before riding and hoped for the best.

Thursdays ride started off like the typical casual group ride on Thursdays at Schaeffer Farms. Although James, a rider who usually hangs tight with the faster paced groups was the leader; he took a fairly casual pace at first. The temperature was in the 90s and the humidity was off the charts. You could see rain clouds in the distance dropping liquid with a vengeance. But as the ride went on, the pace seemed to quicken. The first uphill I held on to my number two position in the pack. By the second hill I was again struggling. What happened to the supplements? I thought they were going to help.

Well, no product will fix everything. I still need more strength. I still need to eat even better then I do. There was, however, a second wind near the end of the ride. I was riding with more energy at the end of the ride then I had for the past hour. Then the last couple of large hills came up and back to the rear I go again. Oh well. There went that. Was there any help from this new product? I think so. But it was not conclusive until I awoke the next morning. 

Usually dreading getting out of bed after a ride and sleeping until the last possible minute before I need to go to work; this morning was different. I awoke at 5:30am. I felt refreshed and strong. I got up and took a shower. I made breakfast and got my stuff together. I started my morning commute taking off like a bullet. Aggressively attacking the road and swerving with mental clarity, this was unlike any post ride commute I ever had. Is this because of Endurolytes? I will have to use them again and let you know. I have never taken a supplement before, but this may be what I have been doing wrong for the past 20 + years.

Words and Photos By Ray Heinsman

MORE Thursday night ride - video

I just got a HTC Incredible. As I get used to operating it, I will be doing more publishing on the move. This video I took last night while on my Thursday night ride with MORE. Nothing great, but I am impressed with the quality of the recording and playback from my cell phone.

Enjoy

Words and Video by Ray Heinsman

Rider Of The Day #17

Captured his fast moving self as he rode by me on the street.

Pictureseque Evening Mountain Bike Ride

Thursday night rides at Schaeffer Farms with MORE are great. This week 4 of the 15 of us rode the Hoyles Mill connector path between Schaeffer and Black Hills Regional Park. This path connects Schaeffer Farms to Black Hills Regional Park. It is about 5.8 miles long and was built by MORE four or five years ago. Every Wednesday I go to work around 6:30am so I can leave at 4pm to go ride with them and it has become the highlight of my week.

This week I decided to take back roads from Silver Spring to the trail head in Germantown because the beltway is always so congested. It took a little less time and the drive was much more pleasant. Usually I sit stopped on a highway for 30 minutes, travel over 50mph for 10 minutes and travel less then 30mph for another 40 minutes. It is only a 20 minute drive total when it is not rush hour. Taking back roads around here means 4 lanes most of the time, but it only took me an hour so I think I will incorporate this into my daily commute to cycling nirvana.

The Hoyles Mill Connector was a more journey oriented bike ride. There were two wooded sections that provided a multitude of obstacles like rock gardens, log hops and stream crossings. These wonderful little challenges were interspersed with nice smooth winding single track. Connecting them were a series of scenic vistas with rolling meadows, corn fields and horse farms. All in all it was a very picturesque ride that I thoroughly enjoyed.

My favorite section was near the black hills park area. We had just gotten done riding a small loop in that park, rode past the large man made lake, and re-entered the Hoyles Mill trail on the way home. It was a mostly rolling downhill through a lightly wooded area that felt more like a pump track then single track. On a couple of the rollers I was able to comfortably get some satisfying air. I hadn't gotten my wheels that high in quite a few years. I am not sure if Dennis who was riding ahead of me heard me but on the third time I had gotten a nice feel for the bike and yelled out a nice loud "Yaaaahooooo". The best part of these rollers was that they had great landings. I am a big fan of landings. The landing makes the jump and I hate jumping to flat ground.

The ride back was fast paced. Tania's allergies were bothering her and Bob lead her back via the road. That left bike breaking super speed Denis and I to tear it up on the way home. By the end, I was all tore up. Every hill I climbed, every obstacle I conquered left my legs cramped. This is something I have to address before this week. I will tackle this from two fronts; diet and a electrolyte supplement by Hammer called "endurolytes.

Of course every ride ends with good great food and beer at the Dog Fish Head Alehouse.

Looking forward to this Thursday.

Words and Photos by Raymond J Heinsman

Rider of the Day 15 and 16 - Bike to Work Day

Bike to work day had a dismal showing in Silver Spring. I only saw 2 people riding their bike all day. The bikes locked in front of businesses were no more plentiful then any other day. Because it is bike to work day, I decided to post photos of the two riders I did see. Enjoy.

Silver Cycles: A First Look

Whenever I went to the Woodside Deli for crab-cake benedict on Sunday mornings, I noticed Silver Cycles, was open. This is early for a little shop. Over the past few years, I had heard good things about them. Once, a customer came to Griffin Cycle because he had been referred there by Linda, the owner of Silver Cycles. It was a busy Sunday, but he commuted everyday to NOAA on his bicycle, so I made the extra effort to get him on his way and make sure we remained worthy of  her noble and generous recommendation. Wanting to know more about this little gem in the cycling community; yesterday, after work, I rode down Georgia Ave in DC rush hour traffic and stopped by my neighborhood bike shop, Silver Cycles, for the first time. 

Upon entering, I noticed that this store maximized space. Not much larger then my living room, there were 4 jam packed, neatly organized, floor to ceiling product displays and two, two story bike racks housing all styles of very affordable, and a few high end, bicycles. For as small as this shop was, it had more selection then I have seen in some large bike shops. There were several types of everything. If you are on your bike and something breaks, I would bet that this store is going to have something that will work and get you on your way. There was also a very efficient, well organized and clean repair area, as well as a small storage closet in the back.

3 employees were in the store along with the owner, Linda, when I visited. A young man, Josh, (who had been there 5 years) and I had a nice conversation. He started by coming over and saying, "I approve" upon inspecting my bike. This is always a good thing. Shop employees that take a postitive interest in their customers bike, will always be who I go to when I need service. This attribute was obviously due to the shop's leadership. Even though Linda was busy moving product, polishing a BMX bike and generally taking care of things in the store, she took the time to discuss each individual part of a vintage Japanese Fuji brought in by a customer while I was there. It was at this moment that I realized what makes this Linda and her little shop special. She has an unparalleled passion for bicycles and helping people riding them.

It seems no matter what shop I visit, they are making improvements to serve their customers better. As you can see from the picture, Silver Cycles is moving. In a few days, a much larger space immediately adjacent to their current location will be a welcome change for Linda and her crew. I cannot wait to see what they do with it. If you need a quality affordable new bike, or some expert service; I recommend stopping in at Silver Cycles: 9330 Georgia Avenue (at the intersection with Seminary Road) Silver Spring, MD 20910-1726.

(301) 585-1889

10 Reasons Why Riding a Bicycle is Awesome

1. Riding a bicycle is low impact cardiovascular exercise.

2. Riding a bicycle is convenient urban transportation.

3. Parking your bicycle is free.

4. Fueling your bicycle (yourself) is tasty.

5. Insuring your bicycle is ridiculous.

6. Bicycles can be ridden anywhere in any direction.

7. You can say "Hi!" to people while riding a bicycle.

8. Bicycle parts can be purchased from a local fabrication company.

9. Bicycle maintenance is simple and inexpensive.

10. People who ride bicycles are cool.

Rider Of The Day #14

Rider of the day #14 outran the cars from the intersection of Spring Street and Colesville Rd. He won.

Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle

The exhibit runs from May 13 - August 15, 2010:

"Bespoke: The Handbuilt Bicycle"
displays the designs of six internationally renowned bicycle builders whose work in metal, as well as graphics and artifacts, elucidate this refined, intricate and deeply individual craft."

Located At

• MUSEUM OF ARTS AND DESIGN
• 2 COLUMBUS CIRCLE
• NEW YORK, NEW YORK
• 10019
• 212.299.7777

LINK:

http://collections.madmuseum.org/code/emuseum.asp?style=browse&currentrecord=1&page=search&profile=exhibitions&searchdesc=Current%20Exhibitions&searchstring=Current/,/greater%20than/,/0/,/false/,/true&action=advsearch&style=single&currentrecord=1

I recommend checking it out if you are in the area

Photo of bike courtesy of Jeff Jones Bicycle

http://www.jonesbikes.com/bike_design.html

Photo of Exhibit courtesy of Jamie Raines

Rider of the Day #13

Riding up from behind me on the sidewalk, I photographed todays rider as he passed me. I held the camera in front of my chest pointing to my left, and as he rode by I snapped the picture at the moment he came into my viewfinder. I had been trying to get a shot like this since I started the blog. Practice make perfect.

words and photo by Ray Heinsman

Germantown Cycles, A First Look

I stopped at Germantown Cycles on my way to the Thursday night Schaeffer Ride with MORE. It is located in a strip mall on the corner of Wisteria Drive and Great Seneca Highway in Germantown, MD. Craig, the owner, greeted me with a smile. He remembered me from the article I wrote a few weeks earlier: Walmart Bicycle vs. Bike Shop Bicycle; Why pay more?.

From the outside, it is a small single storefront with the simple word BIKES on the awning above. Inside, there is a comfortable friendly personality that wonderfully compliments the quality presentation of glistening bicycles and components Craig is currently installing. After he finishes, I will be posting some pictures of the interior. We had a good conversation and he told me a little bit about his plans.

If you are in the area and want to shop in a quaint store with good people to help you, I recommend stopping in and saying hi to Craig and his crew at Germantown Cycles, 12615 Wisteria Dr., Germantown, MD 20874. 

Phone 240-404-0695

 Words and photo by Ray Heinsman

Rider of the Day 12

I hope this person got home before  it started raining.

This person was riding along with his kids in the trailer when I rode past this morning.

Words and photo by Ray Heinsman

Preparation is Key

Today I rode home in a pouring rain. Being that I am a rather smart individual, I decided to ask a coworker for a spare umbrella. I saw videos on You Tube in Asia where people used umbrellas with some success.

This may not have been the best idea. First off it was a pretty good storm with heavy wind, thunder and lightning. The umbrella blew out several times as the wind changed direction after passing each building. I got soaked.

Sure a poncho would be more successful - but i did not have my gear today. I should have looked at the weather channel before I left.
 

Rather then sulk, I decided to let you read about it and find the humor. I got soaked. My shirt and pants were stuck to my skin. My bag and all its contents were soaked. My shoes filled with water. Enjoy the pics.

Words and Photos by Ray Heinsman

Get Some

I didn't write about the second time I went because it was only marginally better then the first. The first ride of the year I felt like I was going to die almost the entire time. The second ride, only part of the time; but the third ride I aggressively attacked each obstacle and traversed the rolling landscape like an antelope (well almost).

It probably helped that I got there a little early. Because I had to pick the car up at the mechanic, I was prepared to go right at 4pm and arrived at the trail head just around 5pm. The earlier you leave, the better the traffic on the notorious DC beltway. I quickly unpacked my bike and tried my hand at photographing off road cycling enthusiasts as they headed back toward the parking lot. After finding a good spot with a roller and a log and lots of time to set up before they got there, I quickly realized this was far harder then it looked. The sun was low making light limited, my hands were shaky and I wasn't sure how people would react to a guy standing on the side of the trail taking their picture as they rode by. No one seemed to mind though and I learned a lot about photographing the high speed action of Mountain Biking.

After getting a couple of okay shots, I headed back to the parking lot to relax and converse with some of the new friends I was making since joining MORE and participating in the Thursday night ride at Schaffer. There were a lot of people here this time. We ended up breaking into three groups. I again rode with the beginner group. There was also an intermediate group and an expert group. Our group's ride leader, Bob, I had ridden with two times before; however everyone else was new. We had a great time. There was good conversation, camaraderie and support. We had an international traveller that was getting back on the bike for the first time in a while who kept riding even though he broke his pedal, a youthful lad totally new to mountain biking who did pretty darn well, and a nice young lady who just built up her pink Transition downhill rig and was dying to try it out for the first time. We all traversed the rolling countryside finding our moments of glory and pain and in the end rode longer then the previous two rides.

The best part about this 3rd ride was that I really started to feel comfortable on the bike. Two things were responsible for this improvement. First was preparation. I got a good nights sleep. I ate properly the day before getting a good amount of carbohydrates, H2O and protein while minimizing my intake of alcohol and caffeine. Doing the same the day of the ride, I also made sure to eat a bagel and put down 32 ounces of clean water between 1 and 1.5 hours before the ride started. I also warmed up and stretched before heading out. The other reason was that this was my 3rd ride of the season. It had been a couple of years since I had ridden off road and about 5 since doing so regularly. The bike was more predictable and felt lighter under my direction. I hopped over objects, even going uphill. One of the things I did to make this happen was putting more space between me and the person in front of me so I could attack these obstacles with the amount of momentum I wanted as opposed to riding at their pace. It makes all the difference in the world when you attack a hill aggressively on a bike like mine.

After we finished, there was good times to be had at the Dogfish Head Alehouse. We took over the patio outside and talked about riding, hobbies, interests, relationships; you name it. This activity has certainly become one of my favorite events of the week and I eagerly look forward to the next one as soon as it is over. This Thursday I would like to try to ride at a more advanced level. I am going to take it as I feel however, and write about it after it is over.

Ride hard everyone 

 Words and Photos By Ray Heinsman

Rider of the day #11

Rider #11 rides casually up the neighborhood streets as the sun starts to close out the day.

Performance

This is hilarious :)

The 10th Rider of the Day

This is it - the double digits - I have now photographed 10 people happily riding their bikes in the Silver Spring area. Todays rider has a sweet single speed fixie; and he rocked the track stand with authority.

words and photos by Ray Heinsman 

LUBE! ...it makes life better

Ever see someone riding their steed and hear squealing, screeching, ear piercing sounds? It's possible that their precious parts need lube. Without lube, they're all dry and dusty rubbing up on each other making grinding, squeaking and creaking sounds. When their parts are in this condition, they will have shorter, less enthusiastic, almost embarrassing rides. How do they solve this problem? Use Lube.

Lets first talk about different types of lube. There are typically two application types: drip and spray. My favorite lube is Tri-Flow. It has a tube that allows for deep penetration of those hard to reach parts. It is especially smart to use the drip for people who run disk brakes (picture 1) to keep from contaminating the rotors. I use the spray for those times when my ride is especially dirty. The powerful ejection of lubricant onto your parts blasts that nastiness away. Here is an example of the spray lubricant (picture 2). These lubes are wet lubes. There are also dry lubes that use a parafin wax and seal your precious parts from contamination. It is especially important to have your parts completely clean before applying this kind of lube.

How do I lube up? The most important thing is coverage. You want to put lube on each and every part, one part at a time. It takes a little longer then just spreading it all over the place, but it is well worth the extra effort. When you get lube all over everything, you end up with stains on your clothes and you will feel all greasy and nasty after each ride, even weeks later. Get the lube into each nook and cranny like your buttering an english muffin. The dry spot is the spot that creaks. After you are done applying lube, wipe off the excess (picture 3). This is just smart. When you ride with excess lube it will attract dirt and grime causing excessively fast wear and tear and grinding sounds will startup prematurely. Your parts are precious; treat them as such. Some people rush and lube once, but I like to repeat the process using the first round as a cleaning; wipe off the wet grime real aggressively and then re-lube the now clean surface.

What parts can I lube on? All moving parts - your chain links, dérailleur pivot shafts, and cable housings are good parts to lube up.

2 products I do not recommend for lubing: WD40 and motor oil. In the long run they do more harm then good.

Never Lube Your Balls. Grease Them. They require a higher viscosity to ride smooth. Stay tuned for a future article on this topic.

A lubed ride is a happy ride and a happy ride is the first step to ensuring that your ride will be fun for all. I hope this helps. Ride Hard

words and photos by Ray Heinsman

This article was also posted to the MORE website. To view their entertaining comments click here:
http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18379

Walking - Video Test

video by Ray Heinsman 

Rider of the Day #9

Have Yellow Shoes = Rider of the day #9

words and photos by Ray Heinsman  

Antiques & Collectibles: Vintage bikes are still in gear

Remember your first bike? That first bit of freedom you felt when you got your balance on those two wheels and started to pedal all around the neighborhood and onto new adventures?

http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?z=31&a=450630

Paul Myhrom, owner of Honest Bike Shop in Rochester, says, "Prior to Honest Bike Shop's beginning in 1984, I worked for Herrick's bicycle store in Rochester while in high school, as well as maintaining the bicycle service at J.C. Penney back when (it) sold a lot of bikes."