4ucycling

The inspiring story of Lance Armstrong's determined struggle against cancer and his triumphant return to professional cycling has touched hundreds of thousands of people across the world. His seven straight wins in the world's greatest cycling race, the Tour de France, has surely helped cycling's profile. But what is it about the sport of cycling that is so attractive? In part, the partnership of man and machine has a distinct attraction. The modern-day bicycle, with cranks and pedals, was invented in the 1860s with the first bicycle race thought to have been conducted at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris in 1868. Man's desire to cross a variety of terrain and desire to ride faster has driven the evolution of bicycles. The predecessors of the sleek, light-weight carbon bikes used in modern professional racing are steel-framed, welded and by comparison unwieldy machines. For professional cyclists the difference between winning and losing a race may be a matter of ...

With changing global circumstances such as increasing fuel costs, traffic and high fees for parking, there has been a change in how people get around, whether to work or appointments or even to grocery stores. One of the means of transport that has gained support is cycling. In many major cities and surrounding areas the push for cycling lanes and laws to protect bikers has grown in popularity and more and more people have taken to the streets with two wheels instead of four. There are however both pros and cons which all cyclists and drivers should consider. Pros: Cycling is one of the best means of transit. Not only is it better for the environment, healthier for the rider and less costly than driving. Most buses are outfitted with bike racks and other modes of transportation such as subways generally allow a few bikes per car for those people commuting from longer distances. Cyclists are also seeing cities changing to accommodate their needs. Bike lanes and streets which are bike ...

SPENDING COUNTLESS HOURS in the saddle is no longer enough for pro cyclists to win stages or, better yet, get invited to represent their team at prestigious events, like the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France. Fact is, what these elite athletes do indoors is just as important as what they do outdoors. And the same holds true for you. To get in the best biking shape for spring, do these five exercises from the top riders on the new men's team, Cannondale Pro Cycling. Core Cyclist says: “Sprinters generally have more muscles—just put sprinter Andre Greipel next to Grand Tour winner Alberto Contador and you'll immediately see the difference,” says Peter Sagan, nicknamed the “Tourminator” for his killer performance at the Tour de France last year. The all-around rider, who also excels at sprinting (making him a perfect mix of Contador and Greipel), took home the green jersey at the 2012 Tour and will return this summer to defend his title. Sagan's crunches: Forget modern-d...