Author: Scott Blau

Cycling in Yorkshire: With the White Rose Classic and Commute Cycle Cafe The cycling community is well known to be one of inclusivity and encouragement, from the boneshaker days of early adopters, creating the very first cycling clubs, to the thousands of organised clubs, groups and rides we have today. In Yorkshire, that same sense of community has never been stronger. Whilst there are a host of like-minded cycling-orientated businesses dotted across our rolling hills - Ilkley, the Wharfe Valley and...

Find your very own sports nutrition strategy! There is no way past the right sports nutrition strategy if you are chasing your personal best: the intake of the right nutrients at the right time is crucial. But a lot of sports enthusiasts are unsure when it comes to sport nutrition: what should I eat and drink? How much of it? And when? PowerBar helps you take the next step! We provide you with respective guidance on what to eat and drink before,...

Dave Lloyd's White Rose Classic Training Plan Not long now until the 23 June and the White Rose Classic. I have ridden this great sportive twice now, but the last time was in 2007! (See picture of me with Pen-Y-Ghent in the background.) It’s a challenging Sportive. You need to be in very good condition to attempt the 122 mile Hawes Long Route. If you do, maybe I’ll see you, as I’ll be riding it this year. "Think of it as two...

Preparing for a sportive with Jonny Tomes of Chevin Cycles Skipton Signing up for a sportive like the White Rose Classic can be a great way to both motivate yourself and to structure your training, but it can also be daunting - knowing where to begin training in preparation for a large ride like the Hawes long route is difficult. Lending a helping hand in this article is Jonny Tomes from Chevin Cycles Skipton, offering his experience in preparing for a...

Chain maintenance tips from Ben Wood, Wheelbase Yorkshire bike mechanic Here’s some easy maintenance tips to help you keep your pride and joy running. All those winter and spring miles take their toll on your bike, so here’s what to look for. My first instalment is on chains and how to look after them. Chain wear and what to look for Check your chain on a regular basis, you can get a chain checker or chain wear indicator from most cycling tool makers,...

Climbing the White Rose Classic with Andy Cunningham 2019 is set to be the toughest year yet for the long-running White Rose Classic. The Hawes Long Route is 120 miles long, featuring 6 "named" climbs with a total elevation gain of over 10,000 feet. Anyone planning on tackling this considerable challenge needs to be prepared, not just for the hills we have given names to, but all those in between as well. With this in mind, we asked some advice from...

Some of the common hurdles facing us all at the start of the new cycling season As riders up and down the country start the process of beginning their training for the season ahead, we’ve been speaking with Ben Wood of Wheelbase Yorkshire in Ilkley about some of the common hurdles facing us all at the start of the new cycling season. Ben is a triple endurance world record holder and has been a professional mechanic for over 20 years. His biggest...

Sportive Group Ride We have all done sportives where it’s felt like a solo time trial, with only the signage for company. Sometimes you might pair-up to share the duties a little bit against the wind. It’s OK, but how much better would it be to ride in a sportive group ride instead? That’s why we’re putting on sportive Group Rides for this year's White Rose Classic.  It is an outgrowth of something we have had on the Event for the last...

There are a lot of different theories on the best cycling nutrition strategies.  And there are many companies pushing nutrition ideas that just happen to point toward the wonderful efficacy of their products. What is the Best Cycling Nutrition? I've come to the conclusion that many of those theories are right, contradictory though they may be.  But the question is not "what's the best cycling nutrition strategy."  Rather, I say it is best to ask, "what's the best cycling nutrition strategy for...

Wouldn't a good cycling navigation app on a smartphone be handy? As I have related in previous posts about problems with my Garmin and trying to use my smartphone for tracking my rides, I have put some effort in to taking advantage of all the smarts that are packed into my smartphone.  With just a little bit of fiddling, I was able to drop the Garmin and use my Android phone to track my rides in Strava. Although tracking a ride can...