RECREATION / BIKING : With Preparation, It Can Be a Sport for All Seasons : Cycling enthusiasts can enjoy the cooler months if they know how to train, how to dress and how to pace themselves.
There are few sweeter times to explore Orange County on a bicycle than October, when the oppressive heat of the summer gradually begins to give way to the freshness of fall.
The first, sporadic rains of the season have come, leaving Santiago Canyon and the bike trails of North County rich in a coolness not seen for months. Summer is over, the racing season is ending and across the country cycling enthusiasts are getting in their last, heavy miles before preparing for the winter.
Everywhere except Southern California, that is, where with a little planning and care you can stay on the road through the winter and into the spring.
It is one of the things that cyclists love about Southern California. While friends in Denver, Atlanta and Chicago can only dream of roads free of ice and snow, we peddle through the winter seemingly oblivious to the calendar.
Almost, that is.
It does get cold, particularly if you ride in the mornings before work, but it does so to a degree that makes cyclists in other parts of the country envious.
Still, experts say the coming of fall and winter, even here, is an excellent time for us to rethink our routines and devise a winter strategy to keep us fit and avoid burnout while staying on the bike.
Even for the thousands of recreational cyclists who call Orange County home and look to the bike not so much for racing but as a means of having some fun while staying in shape, winter should be a time to look back on the year and think about how we can improve our performance over the next 12 months.
That may mean shopping for a new bike, changing the gearing on the old one or signing up with one of the dozens of local bike clubs flourishing from Seal Beach to San Clemente.
But first, listen to what the experts say about how to approach the winter and plan accordingly.
Marcel Calborn, owner of Bicisport Bicycles in Laguna Hills and three other bike shops in Orange and Los Angeles counties, offers these tips for a winter of self-appraisal:
* No matter what your training schedule, plan to take some time off, perhaps a week or two around Christmas. “You don’t want to overtrain and get burned out,” he said. “Spend some time with your family and relax. Don’t feel guilty about not training. You want to face the new year refreshed.”
* Keep riding but, as the temperature drops, take care to properly warm up your muscles before the ride. Use the winter to work on spinning the gears, keeping it in the small chain ring to avoid the all-out killer rides of the summer. “Maintain your spinning for 2,000 miles. You want your spinning to be second nature by the time the warmer weather comes. If you don’t own a fixed-gear bike, spend the winter in the 42 X 19 or 42 X 17 gears.”
* If it is simply too cold to ride in the morning, consider buying a stationary wind trainer for your home. This too is an excellent way to work on your spinning.
* Take up other sports--cross-country skiing, speed skating--that use the same muscles as biking to vent your competitive urges. Do some light weight training. If you’re a road bike enthusiast, take up mountain biking in the colder months. After climbing the hills off-road, you’ll be ready to return to the pavement come spring.
* Use the winter to repaint your bike, get it overhauled and tuned to prepare for the new year. Set new goals and review the past 12 months. Ask yourself: How can I train more effectively? Do I want to increase my mileage? Have I outgrown my bike club? Should I test myself with a faster group? If I’m biking to stay in shape, how much more should I ride to knock off that extra 10 pounds?
* Most important, Calborn said, is to keep riding but to enjoy the slower pace of the inter. “Do everything in moderation,” he said. “It is easy to get burned out on any sport if you do it too much. You want to go into the new year completely refreshed and eager to start again.”
That said, as winter approaches the experts tell us that even here cyclists must be prepared to brave the cold and should be planning now to outfit themselves with proper winter wear.
Jim Schmidt, co-owner of Bicycles Etc. in El Toro, warns that even the best of intentions can go astray if cyclists don’t anticipate what a 25-degree drop in the temperature can do to the body.
“If you ride in the morning, you can hit some real cold spots on the bike trails,” he said. “You have to have the clothes for it or you’ll freeze.”
The secret, Schmidt said, is to wear a “layered” look that will allow you to shed clothes as the temperature warms rapidly.
“You can start out in the morning and it will be so cold your feet are numb, but several hours later it’s a different story,” he said. Arm and leg warmers that can be taken off in mid-ride and stuffed in the jersey pouch are popular and extremely useful items.
Schmidt offers this checklist of winter wear that cyclists should consider:
* Full body tights, some of which offer greater insulation from the cold than others. Plan on two pair from a reputable manufacturer. Prices run from $30 to $100 plus per pair.
* Removable arm and leg warmers. Prices for a set start around $30.
* Biking jackets, which act to protect against the wind, with rear pouches to wear over the jersey. Nike has a new jacket that converts into a fanny pack if it gets too warm during the ride. Prices start around $50.
* Long-sleeve gloves. Keep your fingers warm by investing in this must item. Count on spending $20 and up.
* Long-sleeve jerseys. Look for the higher-quality jerseys or even consider buying a 100% wool model. Budget $50 to $100 per jersey.
* Shoe booties, which slip over cleated cycling shoes--there is an opening in the bottom for the cleat--keep your ankles and toes toasty during the coldest of rides. Plan on $30 a set.
* For riders who don’t like the cold nipping at their ears, stocking caps with ear flaps are on the market for $15 and up.
Schmidt cautioned that because most apparel companies market winter wear for colder climates, such as Denver’s, it is important to shop carefully and avoid buying items that will prove too bulky for the relatively mild Southern California winters.
“You have to look for things that can be taken off during the ride or are not designed” for extremely cold climates, he said. “But once you do that, you’ll be ready to ride through the winter. And around here, there’s no reason you can’t.”