MORE ‘KLINIK’ PHOTOS FROM FLORIDA

There is still one more ‘Klinik’ remaining in the Southest USA.  Mark your calanders for Thursday, January 22 at 6 pm.  The O’Dea’s are heading to Bear Creek Bikes in Dalton, GA

GET HANDS ON AT THE ‘KLINIKS’

Attention cyclists of GA and FL!  There are still a few ‘Kliniks’ remaining.

Join Ergon and 55Nine Performance for an Endurance Race Clinic (that’s Klinik in German!).  Now that the race season is almost upon us, join Team Topeak-Ergon riders Eddie and Namrita O’Dea as they share their valuable tips, insights, and secrets for success in the sport of endurance mountain bike racing.  Topics will include off-season base training techniques, nutrition strategy for on and off the bike, tips for efficient pit stops and transitions, and equipment choices.  There will also be time for a Q&A session so you can get specific answers to all your racing questions.

Dates and Locations:
Wednesday, December 17, 7 pm at University Bicycle Center in Tampa, FL
Thursday, December 18, 7 pm at Chainwheel Drive in Clearwater, FL
Thursday, January 22, 6 pm at Bear Creek Bikes in Dalton, GA

A light snack will be served at all clinic locations.  YES, FREE FOOD!

ERGON SUPPORTS TEAM KENDA IN 2009

Kenda Presents Team and Sponsors for 2009

Ann Arbor, MI December 16th, 2008 Kenda USA has announced that it is renewing their sponsorship of the US based mountain bike team for the third year after assuming titles sponsorship from Ford Motor Company in 2007. Jim Wannamaker, Kenda USA North American Marketing Director – Bicycle Division says that continued sponsorship for the team is not only important for Kenda, but also for the continued success of the sport in North America. “Despite the economic downturn, we made a conscious decision to support our flagship team of athletes who are as committed to the sport as we are.” Wannamaker said. Indeed, in addition to the team sponsorship, Kenda will play an important role in all of the major US races next season with sponsorship of the US Cup series of races being held across the country with a finale in Las Vegas coinciding with Interbike.

Sponsors:
Joining Kenda this season will be Tomac Bikes. Athletes will have the option of riding the Type-X carbon hard tail or the Carbide full-suspension bike. “This partnership brings full circle the relationship between Kenda and Tomac as a new generation of athletes ride the bikes of a mountain bike pioneer and legend.” said Joel Smith, Tomac Bikes COO. Hayes Bicycle Group, back for a second season with the team. They will showcase products from all their divisions including Hayes Brakes, Manitou suspension, Sun Ringle wheels and Answer bars and stems. Other sponsors include: Voler team clothing, WickWerks cranksets, KMC Chains, Specialized helmets and shoes, Crank Brothers pedals, Ergon grip and packs, HydraPak and GelBot hydration products, Finish Line lubricants and cleaning products, Genuine Innovations inflation products, Kinesys sunscreen products, Joan C. Banfield Foundation, and Mighty Good Coffee.

Athletes:
The team has several returning athletes along with two new recruits and will focus on a mix of endurance and ultra-endurance racing. “This diverse group gives us the flexibility to compete in a broad range of events from the US Cup and the NUE Series to single day epics like Leadville and stage races like the American Mountain Bike Classic.” says team director David Myers. Several members of the team also plan on competing at the two World Cup races in Canada. The team will also be present at the Kenda Fest in Hancock, MA

2009 Team
Zephanie Blasi, Frenchtown, MT
Colin Cares, U23, Colorado Springs, CO
Amanda Carey, Victor, ID
Heather Holmes, Salt Lake City, UT
Danielle Musto, Grand Rapids, MI
Andy Schultz, Tucson, AZ
Kathy Sherwin, Heber City, UT

MOTIVATIONAL MOMENT OF THE DAY

FYI

The process to apply for 2009 Ergon sponsorship in North America has now passed.  The deadline was December 12, 2008.  This was for all interested teams and individuals in North America.

For those of you that applied, we will be thumbing through all the requests during the remaining days left in December.  You will be contacted after the 1st of the new year.

Thanks!

STRETCH INTO YOUR RIDING SEASON

Topeak-Ergon team member and USA Cycling certified cycling coach , Yuki Saito, took a few minutes out of his day to share some of his recommended stretching tips for cyclists.  It doesn’t matter if you are a seasoned professional or a daily commuter.  These stretches are designed to aid in your cycling and recovery.

When the same muscle groups are used repetitively, as in pedaling, those muscles actually shorten, causing tightness and loss of elasticity. Injuries from impaired flexibility are very common among cyclists.

Although people tend to be reluctant to spend time stretching, in favor of more time on the bike, flexibility is very important for cyclists! Stretching will help reduce the risk of injury, help you feel more comfortable on the bike, and improve your cycling efficiency!

Where should I focus on stretching?

I see many riders who have low back pain caused by tight hamstrings and/or gluteals, knee pain caused by tight quadriceps and IT band syndrome caused by tight illiotibial bands. Proper stretching can help prevent or alleviate all of these symptoms.

One more muscle I recommend to stretch is iliopsoas. Iliopsoas plays a very important roll in the upstroke of pedaling, and gets tight easily since it is never stretched during the ride.

How do I stretch?

Good question. I recommend two stretching methods for my clients and myself: stretching with equipment (foam rollers and sticks), static stretching.

I have found using a foam roller noticeably helps muscles keep loose and relaxed when it is used properly.  Rolling tight muscles on a foam roller may be very painful at first. If it is too painful, use the stick instead, until the muscles get loosen sufficiently too allow use of the foam roller.

Foam roller stretch: Roll gently for 30-60seconds each stretch. Finish with a static stretch.

Examples of foam roller stretch exercise:

Quadriceps —- center, lateral side, medial side

Hamstrings —- center, lateral side, medial side

Gluteus —- medius, maximus, piriformis (one leg crossed, knee out)

IT band —- from the gluteus medius to the lateral side of knee joint

Lower back/ QL (quadratus lumborum)  —- Roll up and down / roll side to side

Mid- back to shoulder —- roll up and down

Neck —- neck on the roller and roll head side to side

Calf/shin —- form roller or hand roller

Pectoral (chest) —- Put form roller along spine and stretch arms to the side and move up and down.

Static stretch: Hold for 30-60 seconds each stretch.

When do I stretch?

Timing is very critical for stretching. Muscles are delicate and should be warmed when you stretch. Otherwise you may tear muscles. I don’t recommend stretching before your rides especially in cold temperature.  After your rides, during rest time between sets of a strength workout, and after taking a hot shower are all good times to stretch.

Do I need to stretch more?

If you feel tightness or pain in the back of your legs and/or torso, you should probably stretch more frequently. Try to stretch about 10 minutes everyday.

Be careful not to over-stretch, though. Excessive stretching could lead to impaired performance in cycling. If muscles get too slack, they do not return the stored-energy and may reduce the stability of joints. However, I suggest you still stretch 2-3 times a week lightly to maintain the flexibility and clear your muscles even if you think you are very flexible.

Yuki Saito

SaitoCoaching.com
Team Topeak-Ergon

References
Pruitt, A. Andy Pruitt’s Complete Medical Guide for cyclists.Velo Press, 2006
Friel, J. The Mountain Biker’s Training Bible. Velo Press, 2000
Burk, E. High-Tech Cycling .Human Kinetics, 2003

BIKERUMOR.COM REVIEWS THE GP1 AND GR2

Click the photo above to be transfered to the reviews!

TOPEAK-ERGON NOW ON FACEBOOK

Yep, you can say we are going all in on Facebook.  We added yet another page.  This time it is for the Topeak-Ergon Racing Team.  If you are a member of Facebook, do a search, become a fan, then start sharing your voice, photos, and videos!

CLICK HERE TO CHECK OUT THE TOPEAK-ERGON FACEBOOK PAGE!

Also, don’t for get to sent us those pictures of those old grips on your current bike for the December contest.  More information here.