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Another spinning class

I sat in the back today so I could observe the styles of different participants and make mental notes of the instructor's program.

There's the mad-spinner who thinks that you don't get a workout unless you're pedaling a zillion rpm. (It doesn't help when the leader thinks that the best riders are the ones who pedal so fast they're nearly out of control.)

The leader doesn't vary his program very much. Today he proudly proclaimed that the "cyclists" in the class aren't going to like these moves very much. He had us do some "hovers" where we had to alternate placing a arm behind our backs.

Then of course there were the "freezes". He takes a DVD (his "favorite" one or a book) and places it on some poor rider's head to see how long they can keep it up there. I think it's really a chance for him to get a rest because he's off the bike for a while. I'm not sure the "burn" from this maneuver his worth it -- see Jennifer Sage's e-book, See "Keep it Real".

My favorite contraindicated move was a tie between "backward hovers", and alternating between pedaling forward and backwards. (I didn't pedal backwards; this puts too much force on the knees and I'm trying not to provoke my left knee, the one on my "expensive" leg.)

All in all the instructor is quite good. He engages us in mock competitions between the various rows. The music is good too and he encourages us to make suggestions. And he knows every student by name and makes sure to establish "touch points".

Review of CycleFilm's "Road to Mt. Ventoux 2009" video

As the 200th follower of CycleFilm on Twitter, I was the (unexpected) winner of one of their recon films of the climb up Mt. Ventoux for L'Etape Du Tour 2009.

L'Etape Du Tour is a ride for the "rest of us" (well those who are very fit) where we can experience a stage of the tour -- in this case Stage 20.

The DVD is professionally produced and the next best thing to climbing Mt. Ventoux yourself. The narrator, a rider, takes you up the mountain, explaining strategy you should consider if you ride the E'Tape.

Even if you're not going to do E'Tape, the video is an excellent preview of the ride, one which you could do yourself or with some friends. (A nice touch was the glimpses of local life and a short tour of the Nugat factory.)

The video is 90 minutes and is "zone free". (I played mine on a Macbook.) While I got my sample for free, I'm considering purchasing a few more of these. (I'd love to see Alp D'Huez, for example.)

See http://www.cyclefilm.com

First ride of the year -- 23 miles

Did the old standby, the Peterson loop. Would have done Decker, but I was seeing frost in the shadows, so I took the bypass to Peterson.

Test out my new Castelli Espresso jacket (red) and silver Rudy Project RB3s. Both are winners. (I have other Castelli products and they're stellar. I have older pairs of RB3s as well. The new ones have an updated prescription insert.)

Thanks Sandy for recommending the Castellis!!!

Cool stop motion video!

Music Condenser - Stop Motion from Promesto on Vimeo.