In September, Jasper will be overrun with professional cyclists competing in the third annual Tour of Alberta bike race. As well as 120 athletes, there will be thousands of fans on the ground and millions of spectators watching from home—about 45 million, to be more precise. To prepare you for the event, the Fitzhugh is writing weekly stories about the tour, whether it’s things you need to know, rider profiles or the inside scoop on why cyclists wear spandex.
This week, we caught up with Nic Hamilton, a Calgary native who retired from the sport last fall, and chatted about what sets a pro apart from the average Joe cyclist. Printed here is Hamilton’s conversation with Fitzhugh editor Nicole Veerman.
Fitzhugh: So tell me, why do cyclists where spandex?
Nic Hamilton: It’s definitely not to look cool. It’s just all about comfort, because you’re moving a lot, you’re doing a lot of leg repetitions, so you need to be comfortable and you’re also sitting on the seat for a long time, so there’s a bit of padding built in there. But, it’s also for aerodynamics because every little bit of clothing you have flopping in the wind is going to take more energy to hold that same speed. So, a big part of it is comfort, but it’s for aerodynamics as well.
Fitz: Besides spandex, what other gear do you need?
NH: A helmet. Always a helmet. Even if you’re just going to the grocery store. Concussions are becoming more and more prevalent, so it’s really important to hit home the importance of helmets.
Fitz: Is there a special design for road biking helmets?
NH: Yeah. There’s a lot of different designs out there. There’s aerodynamic helmets that you’ll see in the Team Time Trial in Grande Prairie. Then there’s lightweight climbing helmets, which are made with a lot of air vents in the them for the hot summer and they’re very light and then you have a combination helmet. A combination helmet would be like a helmet you use for long distances, so it also has a shell over the top; it’s lightweight, but made with a shell.
Fitz: What does the shell do?
NH: If you think about a golf ball, how they’ve got dimples in it, that same research is put into helmets and they found that having big dents in the helmet disrupts the air flow and, like an airplane wing, you want a nice smooth surface for the air to flow over faster, so putting a shell on it is going to help the air move across the surface.
Fitz: Beyond wearing your spandex and having an aerodynamic helmet with a shell on it, I guess all that’s left is the bike.
NH: There’s a bike, but also it’s good to point out that the riders are connected to their pedals, so the pedals and shoes have a special interface that allows the riders to lift up. So, like when you grew up riding your two-wheeler, you had platform pedals so you could only push down, but these pedals are all really advanced, so you can actually lift up, so you can put a lot more force into the bike. If someone was getting into cycling, before I recommend getting a new bike, I recommend getting pedals and shoes because the difference is incredible—you’re way more powerful.
Fitz: I imagine that would take a lot of practice to get used to, if you’ve never clipped in before.
NH: It does and it doesn’t. There’s different pedal systems that make it easier for different people to get into it. So, there’s a lot of spin bikes in spin classes these days that have mountain bike pedals that are really easy to get in and out of. Those are really great for beginner pedals and you can learn to be really proficient in one day with those. It doesn’t take much, it’s a little bit daunting for some people just because they feel trapped and if they start to tip over they might have a crash, but the pedals are made to release quite easily on some of the beginner pedals.
Fitz: So we’ve covered helmet, spandex, pedals, shoes, now we’re at the bike. What kind of technology is put into the bikes that these professional riders are on?
NH: They have a composite material, a carbon fibre that makes up the frame. Carbon fibre is super light and it also has a dampening effect, so when you’re riding over bumps or gravel it helps to absorb some of that impact. You also have, in gear shifting, you have electronic gears now. So before bikes had a cable and the shifting mechanism would pull a set amount of cable through, which took a little more maintenance and was a little bit more effortful to move, but with electronic shifting you just push a button and it will shift for you. So it opens the door for 1) lower maintenance and 2) you can shift in any situation now, whereas before with cable shifting you had to be a little more calculated with when you shifted, depending on how much pressure you were putting through the bike. So if you were in the middle of doing a really big climb, with the cable you wouldn’t be able to shift, you would have to ease off on the gas before you could shift.
Fitz: Speaking of shifting, when is the best time to shift? You’re saying with electronic shifting you can do it basically anytime, but there must be a science behind when you make that move.
NH: I guess to simplify that whole idea, you want to have your head up, looking up the road, so that you can shift before there’s any change in the gradient, because typically why you would shift is because the gradient either goes up or down, so by looking up the road and seeing, ‘OK, it’s going to get steeper here,’ before you’re actually on the hill you can make that adjustment and that just smooths everything out. It helps you keep your speed, and it helps you keep your cadence, too, which is a pretty important thing for cyclists. But more than anything it doesn’t put pressure on the mechanisms. Not to get overly technical, but the chain moves because the wheel’s in motion and if the wheel’s not in fast motion it’s harder to shift.
Fitz: how many gears do bikes have these days and how often are riders changing gears throughout a race?
NH: As of the last two years, bikes now have up to 22 gears. This is a combination of two different chain rings on the front and up to 11 sprockets or cogs on the rear. Riders will change gears hundreds of times during a race.
Fitz: How do you pick the right bike for you?
NH: The most important thing is fit. You should seek your local bike shop for more info. There are all sorts of different geometries so depending on if you want to cruise casually, ride long rides comfortably, or race you would choose a different model of bike. It is also important to take a prospective bike for a test ride as how you feel on one bike can vary dramatically to another. The width of bars, length of stem, and saddle height are your three adjustment points. So, assuming you choose a frame that is within your size you can customize these parts to suit you specifically.
Fitz: Is there a specific tire pressure that’s ideal for a ride like the Tour of Alberta?
NH: Tire pressure is a hotly discussed topic. Many racers are using larger volume tires so they can use lower pressure. This allows for a bit more grip when cornering, but risks flatting easier. In wet conditions racers will drop their tire pressure by 10-15 PSI. Traditionally tires were inflated to 110 PSI and some tires even up to 140 PSI. This is an incredible amount of pressure considering your car has around 30 PSI. Also, heavier riders will use a slightly higher PSI. Expect most teams to use 100 PSI for the TOA.
Fitz: Beyond being able to afford the best of the best gear, what sets a pro apart from the regular, everyday Joe out cycling?
NH: A lot of what makes a good cyclist is a magical thing called threshold and that’s the point where your body no longer has enough oxygen to stay with a steady output. Again, not to get overly complicated, but going up Marmot Basin, a pro is going to just be able to hold more power for longer, whereas if an amateur cyclist tried to replicate that effort they might only be able to hold it for a few minutes. I’d say physiologically it’s that threshold.
Fitz: And how do you build that?
NH: Years and years of training. Some people are more gifted out of the gates and can adapt better, but there’s no shortcuts in cycling. It takes applying a lot of time and a certain level of mental toughness and suffering, because the terrain at that level is quite uncomfortable.
The Tour of Alberta rolls through Jasper Sept. 4 and 5, with two mountaintop finishes, one at Miette Hot Springs and another at Marmot Basin. During the race, there will be festivals taking place at the finishes, as well as on the information centre lawn. To learn more about the tour and what Jasper’s doing while it’s here, visit www.jasper.travel/tourofalberta.
Nicole Veerman
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