4ucycling

Bicycle racing can be a tough sport. It is common knowledge that the longer bike races are very physically demanding, but even if you race over the shorter distances you will still be faced with the strains on the body from training. For this reason the mental aspect of cycling is very important, as focus and willpower become valuable weapons in the racers armoury. Cycling is one sport where physical ability will only get you so far, which keeps the playing field fairly even and allows the most dedicated riders to climb the ranks in the racing world. So what are the weapons that a cyclist can use to forge their way to the top? Patience - Possibly the greatest skill a cyclist can develop. In most other sports, athletes can achieve success at a very young age. How often do we see school children winning tennis grand-slam titles, 14 year old swimmers taking home Olympic gold medals, teenage football and basketball players becoming instant stars. Cycling is not like this, and it often ta...

Though the pros use shorter street cycling races as practice for the Triple Crown races (Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and the Road World Cycling Championship), there are many teams that compete in street races. Generally, cyclists do not race individually but as part of a larger, sponsored racing team. In the states, the US Postal Service team is the most famous. But before we get into the details of street racing, let's talk about what street bicycles are. Unlike mountain bikes and BMX stunt bikes, road bikes are thin-framed with thin wheels and high pressure tires. In competition, participants must ride road bikes. Road bikes have drop handlebars and can be either single, multiple or fixed gear. They are much lighter than the other styles of bikes, which are made to withstand a beating in the mud. Now back to the races. Road races start with a gun indicating the release from the pen, and the winner is whoever crosses the finish line first. All single day races are mass s...