By Barbara Jacobs

3rd Annual Bike Ride and Swap - Rescheduled to Saturday, May 11th

Log early season miles, see part of Paul Revere's ride, get rid of old bike stuff, and find gems on the FREE STUFF tables - all in a single day!  

Rides depart at 10am (38 miles) and 11am (25 miles) and the Swap Meet runs from 1 to 4pm.  For full details and to register go here.

Paceline Clinic - Saturday, May 18th

Are you interested in learning to ride in a Paceline. This CRW member only event is limited to 20 people. Those who have always wanted to ride a paceline will be shown how to do this safely and effectively within small groups of about 5 each.  Speed is NOT the objective for this instruction session, rather we want to get people feeling comfortable riding more closely together, get everyone to ride safely and predictably, and how to exchange the lead rider for each paceline. Go here to learn more and register 

CRW Spring Century, Sunday, May 19th - Register Now

North to New Hampshire is a long-time CRW favorite century event, beginning at the Wakefield High School, heading to NH and back, and winding though some of NH's more scenic roads.  New 2024 CRW special edition participants sprockets will be available for riders who did not earn one in 2023. 

The CRW Century Series is open CRW members only. To attend you must be a current CRW member. Click here to join.

The first of our Century rides is now on the calendar and open for registration! 

Register NOW!

This will be the first chance for many to put some serious miles down for the season.

Not ready for 100 miles?

Metric and half-century options are available. 

By Jerry Skurla

Saturday, May 11th - 3rd Annual Spring Swap Meet & Rides in Lexington, MA 

Log early season miles, see part of Paul Revere's ride, get rid of old bike stuff, and find gems on the FREE STUFF tables - all in a single day!

Location is Harrington Elementary School, 328 Lowell Street in Lexington, MA.

Rides depart at 10am (38 miles) and 11am (25 miles) and the Swap Meet runs from 1 to 4pm.  Check out the event on the Ride Calendar for full details and to register.

Just use the checklist list below to identify stuff you no longer need or want:

a - Complete bikes, frames, wheels, and tires 

b - Components, parts, accessories, and tools

c - Car racks, travel cases, bike racks, and bike bags

d - Clothing including shoes, jerseys, hats, and jackets

Like last year, there will be "free stuff" tables to give away items, and find free gems for yourself. You can also sell your stuff and buy from others. Everyone wins!

  

By John O'Dowd

On Saturday April 27 The Bike Connector in Lowell hosted a bike repair and maintenance workshop for CRW members. 

Mechanics Macon Lockery and Tad Irving instructed participants on proper care of chains, derailleur adjustment, and brake adjustment. Particularly helpful were tips on how to make quick adjustments while on a ride. Also, they gave participants an understanding of how these components work and explained the differences between side pull caliper brakes and mechanical and hydraulic rotor brakes.

  

CRW members brought their own wheels and learned how to repair a flat tire. Patty Grasso (CRW Ride Leader and a Bike Connector Board Member) went into detail about the right and wrong way change a flat tire. Everyone knew how to fix a flat by the time they left.

The Bike Connector is a Lowell charity serving the greater Lowell area. Their mission is to help people who can't afford bikes to get one. One of their programs offers school children the opportunity to get a bike if they do the work needed to repair it under the direction of the Connector's mechanics. They accept old bikes as donations and sell repaired bikes to the public, too. The Bike Connector is always looking for volunteers, if you are interested in volunteering complete the form here.

By Ron Gluck

Over the last several years our team of attorneys has represented the families of many cyclists killed or critically injured by right turning trucks. Sadly, the incidents leading to the tragic outcomes were preventable. In one of the most publicized cases, which involved the death of 33-year-old physician Anita Kurmann, the right turning truck struck and killed Dr. Kurmann as she was pedaling along the right most side of Massachusetts Avenue at the intersection of Beacon Street near the end of the Mass Ave bridge in Boston. The driver of the truck was not charged in the incident. The point of this article is not to quarrel with decisions made by police departments or District Attorney offices concerning their decisions to charge or not charge the drivers with vehicular homicide. That subject is for another day and time. The point of this article is to remind cyclists of the reality of the dangers of being close to the right side of trucks when those behemoths make their right turns.

In a case on behalf of a family whose loved one was severely injured by a trash collection truck in metro Boston, the truck passed the cyclist who was slowly pedaling to work and then made a right turn even though the cyclist was in the zone of danger. The truck was outfitted with much of the required safety equipment which, if used properly by the driver, would have prevented the catastrophic result from occurring. Tragically the driver failed to make proper use of the mirrors, ran over the cyclist, and then came to a stop with the cyclist stuck under the truck’s front tire. A clear case of horrific truck driver error causing severe and lifelong injuries for the cyclist.

The law in Massachusetts makes it illegal for operators of motorized vehicles including trucks to make a right turn which cuts off the pathway of bicyclists. Perhaps this creates a false sense of safety for cyclists who may feel there is a zone of safety which will not be violated by the right-turning truck driver. Perhaps the cyclist looks at the truck and sees a variety of mirrors which should, when used properly, eliminate the “blind spot” which can put the cyclist at risk. In reality, these safety measures and legal protections should provide NO sense of safety for the cyclist who is approaching the right turn because in order for these measures to protect the cyclist, the truck driver must abide by the law and make proper use of the mirrors. The truck drivers must also be fully alert and vigilant to the presence of cyclists on the roadways as they approach the road onto which they will be making the right turn and there is absolutely no guarantee that the driver will do so. These safety devices and legal protections are only as effective as the driver of the truck makes them. We know that truck drivers are sometimes careless and the consequences for the cyclist and his or her family can be catastrophic. To be safe, cyclists should make every effort to back off and slow down to let the truck pass them where a right turn is approaching. Do not let the fact that you, as the cyclist, have the right of way fool you into thinking that the truck will stop or slow for you. On the contrary, assume instead that the driver will not be careful! Assume that the driver will not notice you as the truck passes you on its way to the right turn ahead. Assume that the truck driver will not make proper use of the mirrors.

​As the cycling season ramps up into high gear, please remember to exercise extreme caution in these” right turn” situations. Let the truck, or even a car, make the turn before you arrive at the point of the right turn.

My best to all of you for an enjoyable and safe riding season.

Ron Gluck

If you have questions about a particular incident or more generally about the subject matter of this column, feel free to contact Ron Gluck at gluck@bwglaw.com. 

Ron Gluck is a founder and principal at Breakstone White and Gluck in Boston. Throughout his 35 year legal career Ron has represented seriously injured individuals in a variety of cases including cycling accidents involving catastrophic injury and wrongful death. Ron is a CRW member.

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By Dr. Gabe Mirkin

When you exercise in hot weather, you don’t need special sports drinks or power bars. A review of 46 studies shows that a person can prolong endurance by eating before and during exercise (Scand J Med Sci Sports, 2018 May;28(5):1476-1493). However, even the most elite athletes can get the nutrients they need from ordinary foods, water and salt. Healthy and fit people usually don’t need to drink or eat when they exercise at a casual pace for less than two hours. They can prolong their endurance by taking:

Mild Dehydration Does Not Impair Exercise Performance

Most competitive athletes can maintain their speed and efficiency by drinking when they feel thirsty (J Hum Kinet, 2021 Jul; 79: 111–122). Racers do not slow down until they have lost enough fluid to lose at least two percent of their body weight. For a 150-pound person, that’s at least three pints or three pounds of water. Losses greater than five percent of body weight can decrease work capacity by about 30 percent (Am J Clin Nutr, August 2000;72(2):564s-572s).

The Gatorade Sports Science Institute in Barrington, Illinois published a study showing that 46 percent of recreational exercisers are dehydrated (Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism, June 2006). However, the study did not say that they were harmed, with good reason. There is no data anywhere to show that mild dehydration affects health or athletic performance. People must lose a tremendous amount of fluid before it affects their performance (Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, October 2006). On average, a world-class marathon runner drinks less than a cup an hour during a race (a cup of water has 250 milliliters). This is far less than the amount formerly recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine. That amount could dilute blood salt levels to cause brain swelling. that could kill you. On the basis of our present knowledge, it may not be safe for mediocre athletes to take in more than 800 cc per hour (3.5 cups). Recent studies show that fit humans can tolerate significant fluid loss before their performance suffers, and that most cases of muscle cramps are not caused by dehydration or salt loss. They are caused by muscle or nerve damage and can be controlled by stopping exercise and stretching the cramped muscle.

Lack of Sugar

Low levels of sugar can cause muscle pain and weakness called “hitting the wall” that occurs in long distance runners, and confusion and passing out (called “bonking”) that occurs in cyclists. Your muscles use primarily sugar and fat for energy. You have an almost infinite amount of fat stored in your body, but you start to run out of sugar stored in your liver after 70 minutes of intense exercise. Bonking (in cyclists): There is only enough sugar in your bloodstream to last three minutes at rest. To maintain blood sugar levels, your liver constantly releases sugar into your bloodstream. However, there is only enough sugar stored in your liver and muscles to last about twelve hours at rest and less than 70 minutes when you exercise intensely. Your brain has almost no stored energy, so it gets almost all of its energy from the sugar carried to it in your bloodstream. When liver sugar levels drop, your blood sugar levels must also drop and your brain has lost its main source of energy. Your brain then cannot function normally and you feel weak, tired, and confused, and can even pass out. Hitting the Wall (in runners): Muscles have only a limited amount of sugar stored in their cells. When muscles run out of their stored sugar supply, they hurt as you exercise and become difficult to coordinate. A limiting factor to how fast you can move is the time it takes to bring oxygen into your muscles. Since sugar requires less oxygen than fat does to power your muscles, you will slow down when your muscle sugar and blood sugar levels start to drop.

Sugar before Competition or Intense Exercise

Take sugar no more than five minutes before you start your competition. Do not take sugar earlier than that because when you eat sugar and your muscles are not contracting, you can get a high rise in blood sugar that causes the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin. This can cause a drop in blood sugar levels that can tire you. On the other hand, exercising muscles draw sugar rapidly from the bloodstream without needing insulin, so taking sugar during exercise or just before you start usually does not cause the high rise in blood sugar levels.

During your competition or exercise session, take sugar before you feel hungry. Hunger during exercise is a very late sign of not getting enough calories. By the time you feel hungry, your body will be so depleted of sugar that you will have to stop or slow down so you can eat a lot of carbohydrate-rich food just to restore your sugar supplies. On days that are not too hot, your exercise performance will be harmed far earlier by lack of sugar than from lack of water. The rule of thumb is that athletes should take a source of sugar during all competitions lasting longer than an hour.

Lack of Salt

The only mineral that you need to take during prolonged exercise is sodium, found in regular table salt. Potassium, calcium and magnesium deficiencies almost never occur in healthy athletes (Medicine & Science in Sport & Exercise, October 1999). Just about everyone agrees that you need to take in extra salt during extended athletic competitions in hot weather. Salt is necessary to hold water in your body, prevent muscle cramps, and help keep your muscles contracting with great force. However, excess intake of salt may raise blood pressure and increase risk for heart attacks, particularly in people who have big bellies and high blood sugar levels. Most processed foods are full of extra salt, so people who eat the typical North American diet will almost always get all the salt they need from their food and should restrict adding extra salt from a salt shaker.

If you do not meet your needs for salt during extended exercise in hot weather, you will tire earlier and increase your risk for heat stroke, dehydration and cramps. During vigorous exercise lasting longer than three hours, you should eat salty foods such as salted nuts, peanuts or potato chips. Some sports drinks contain salt, but since salted drinks taste awful, the amount added is so small that it may not be enough to meet your needs. One study showed that you cannot replace all of the salt lost through exercise by drinking the sports drinks that contain salt, since they typically contain very little salt (British Journal of Sports Medicine, April 2006).

You Can Take In TOO MUCH Fluid

The American College of Sports Medicine formerly recommended fluid intake of 1200 cc (five cups or two average-size water bottles) per hour, but for people who are not exercising near their maximum, this can be too much (Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, July-August 2005). People exercising near their capacity, and not slowed down by fatigue, probably do not have to worry about limiting fluid intake. They are working so hard at maintaining intensity that they do not have enough time to drink too much. On the other hand, people slowed down by fatigue or those who are out of shape should limit fluid intake, probably to no more than two water bottles per hour.

Some people develop hyponatremia (low salt) when they drink too much. It almost always occurs in people who attempt events that are beyond their training levels. They run out of energy, slow down and focus on drinking fluids instead of maintaining their pace. Hyponatremia is caused by drinking too much fluid, not by excessive loss of salt in sweat or by the stress of exercising. The extra fluid expands blood volume and dilutes blood salt levels. This causes blood salt levels to drop to low levels, while brain salt levels remain normal. Fluid moves from an area of low salt concentration into areas with high salt levels, so in hyponatremia, fluid moves from the bloodstream into the brain to cause brain swelling. Since the brain is enclosed in the skull, which is a tight box, the expanding brain has nowhere to go and the squashing can cause a headache, nausea and blurred vision. Since these are the same symptoms caused by pure dehydration with normal blood salt levels, the only way to diagnose the condition is with blood tests. As blood salt levels drop even lower, the person becomes confused, develops seizures and falls unconscious. You should suspect hyponatremia if the person has been exercising for a long time and has been drinking often. Under any circumstances, a person who is confused, has seizures or has passed out should be sent to a hospital immediately. Hyponatremia requires skilled management because the first impulse is to give intravenous fluids, which would dilute blood salt levels further to cause more brain swelling that could kill the patient.

My Recommendations

© Copyright 2024, Gabe Mirkin MD, all rights reserved.r>

By Mark Nardone and Erik D'entremont

We are looking forward to our first Century of the season, North to New Hampshire on Sunday, May 19! Choose from three distances – 100 miles, 63 miles (100 km), or 50 miles.

The 100-mile route has been reconfigured to accommodate a new rest stop and bypass the traditional roads through Kensington. The new GPX file is available now on RideGPS and on the CRW Century page.

Please note that if you are using cues, there are notifications indicating the points where the route changes.  We have added a scenic loop after the Maudlay Park stop which takes you past the Historic Quaker sites in Newburyport, before rejoining the old course. The loop keeps you off a busy road segment, but does require that you cross that same busy road. The Century Committee is planning to have a detail in place to help manage that crossing.

We hope you will enjoy the new route! See you on May 19!

By Mark Nardone

You may be puzzled by the names of two rides appearing on the calendar this season: PANDA and CANADA.

These rides are not about cute animals or the Great White North. They are recurring rides designed to help cyclists grow their skill levels in two important areas: paceline and climbing. The rides are scheduled for Tuesday afternoons, and will start at the Natick Common.

PANDA (Paceline Around Natick/Dover) is a development-focused, no-drop ride to help cyclists learn and practice paceline skills on the smooth roads of Natick and Dover.

CANADA (Climb Around Natick And Dover Area) is for riders who want to improve their performance, skills, and enjoyment of cycling. The route includes climbs on the gorgeous roads of Dover, such as Strawberry Hill (3 or 5 times), the Wilsondale rollercoaster, the Skyline loop, and Pegan Hill. The ride concludes with a descent into Natick and a well-deserved ice cream stop!

The plan right now is to run each ride type at least once per month, and to post more frequently as the summer ramps up.

***Ride Leaders: If you would like to help out with either of these rides, please contact Mark Nardone at mark.nardone@crw.org.

By Amy Juodawlkis

CRW's Women's/Nonbinary Rides Program is getting ready to roll into another great season of fostering community and creating an inclusive space for women, nonbinary, and female-identifying cyclists. The program's mission is to invite more riders from these groups onto the road, help them connect with other riders, and serve as an entry point to the co-ed areas of the club. 

Our program's 2024 offerings are detailed below. Interested riders should determine which rides are a good fit for them. For safety, all riders are expected to have a reliable navigation app or device with the route loaded.

• Praline Croissant Social Ride (Friday mornings): This 20-mile led ride goes out year-round, weather permitting, from the Minuteman Bike Terminus in Cambridge (Alewife). The pace is a social 13-16 mph, and many riders stop for coffee afterwards. We regroup occasionally so that riders who maintain a 13 mph average speed will stay connected. Riders at slower speeds are welcome to come try out the ride, with the understanding that they may finish on their own.

• Speedy Croissant Developmental Ride (Tuesday mornings): Also leaving from Alewife, we ride 20-25 miles, early Spring through late Fall, working on paceline and other cycling skills. This is a “drop” ride, meaning we do not wait for riders who become disconnected from the group (sometimes more than one group forms). Pace is 16-18+ mph and requires intermediate group riding experience and fitness.
  

• Themed Rides (weekends, once per month): From May through October, our themed rides blend cycling adventures with fun social events. We vary start ride locations and try to offer a range of “no-drop” pace groups from 10-12 mph through 16+ mph. Highlights include a Season Kick-off ride on May 11, Kimball Farm Ice Cream ride on August 25, Apple Ride on September 21, and the Halloween Spooktacular on October 27 (costumes welcome!). 

The Women's/Nonbinary Program is always seeking more volunteers to assist in coordinating and leading rides. "We welcome and need ride leaders at all speeds. This year we especially would like to identify even more ride leaders who lead at a 10-12 mph pace," said program co-lead Robyn Betts. "Having more leaders at this level will allow us to welcome more riders and ensure everyone has an enjoyable experience. Ride leadership is a great way to build skills, give back to the club, and plays an important role in making the sport more inclusive and welcoming." 

The Women’s/Nonbinary Program is an active, dynamic community geared up for another fantastic season of adventures on two wheels. Watch the club events calendar to register for rides, and contact program co-lead Amy Juodawlkis at AJ@crw.org to get involved as a ride leader/coordinator, or with any questions. 

By Amy Juodawlkis

CRW has made it easier than ever for members to contact the club, submit reports and requests, and share feedback. Visit the Forms section on our club website to access our online forms.

Contact Us: Need to get in touch with the board or committee chairs? Use this form to send us a message.

Expense Report: If you have incurred approved expenses for club activities, submit for reimbursement using this expense report form.

Suggestion Box: Have an idea for improving the club? An event you would like to see? A question or concern? Let us know through the suggestion box.

Ride Feedback Form: Help us enhance our ride offerings by providing feedback after participating in a club ride or event.

Ride Leader Incident Report: Ride Leaders should use this form to report accidents and other safety-related incidents that occur on CRW rides.

Silent Sport Insurance Form: This form is for use by a club officer to report an accident or incident to our insurance company.

Volunteer Interest Form: The club relies on volunteers! Let us know how you can lend a hand by filling out this quick volunteer form.

We hope CRW members will take advantage of these convenient online forms. As always, we welcome your input to continue improving our website and resources for members.

Thankfully for millions of athletes around the globe, coffee can be enjoyed guilt-free as part of a healthy sports diet. Coffee contains nutrient-dense plant compounds called phytochemicals that promote health and offer strong anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Studies suggest coffee can actually improve heart-health. That said, high coffee/caffeine intakes can trigger pre-existing cardiovascular conditions such as atrial fibrillation. And, needless to say, coffee brimming with sugar, flavorings, cream, and coffee whitener is not a part of this conversation!

Scientifically speaking, coffee and caffeine are two different substances. Caffeine is pure and comes in standardized doses (such as NoDoz, caffeinated chewing gum, caffeinated sports gels,). The average American consumes 165 to 230 mg. caffeine per day—that's more-or-less the amount in two small (8-oz) cups coffee or a 16-oz Starbucks Grande. The caffeine content of coffee varies according to the type of bean, how it is roasted, ground, and brewed. Analysis of 20 commercial espressos reported the caffeine content was inconsistent and ranged between 50 to 320 mg per 8-ounce serving. FDA's recommended daily limit is 400 mg caffeine per day.

Although coffee is the most popular form of caffeine, other sources include:

Caffeine appears quickly in the blood (within 5 to 45 minutes after ingestion). Its impact generally peaks within 15 to 120 minutes and the boost can last for ~4 to 6 hours. By that time, half of the caffeine has been metabolized by the liver. By 10 hours, caffeine generally will have been completely cleared from the bloodstream. Caffeine's impact varies widely person to person, depending on genes that influence the breakdown of caffeine. Athletes who are fast metabolizers of caffeine get an immediate boost. Others are slow metabolizers. Learn your body's response!

For athletes who already feel anxious before a competitive event, pre-exercise caffeine can put them over the edge by increasing jitters and anxiety levels. A better time to consume caffeine to enhance performance can be when the athlete starts to feel tired (as opposed to taking it an hour pre-exercise). Delaying caffeine use until the onset of fatigue gives a welcomed boost. Caffeinated gels, sports drinks or sports chewing gums are popular energizers during endurance exercise!

Given most athletes know that coffee/caffeine can make a workout seem easier, this article addresses other questions asked about this beloved morning wake-me-up-er and idolized afternoon energizer.

Do habitual coffee drinkers get the same performance benefits as non-users? 

Yes. If you habitually drink coffee every day, you may need a higher dose of performance-enhancing caffeine than a coffee-abstainer. A proposed dose is about:

For a 150-lb athlete, this ranges widely between 150-450 mg. per dose.

The days before your event, there's no need to stop drinking coffee. You'll simply suffer through withdrawal symptoms like headaches. You won't get an added boost from abstinence followed by an event-day jolt of caffeine.

How much is too much coffee/caffeine?

The FDA's suggested 400-milligrams of caffeine per day is a safe dose for most adults. That's the amount in about four 8-oz cups (32 oz.) of coffee, 10 cans of cola, or four 12-ounce cans of Red Bull. If you are pregnant, abstaining from coffee will minimize the risk of miscarriage or other negative outcomes. A toxic amount is 1,200 mg caffeine taken in one dose. Unlikely to happen, but not impossible...

Does coffee/caffeine "work" for every type of athlete?

Yes, caffeine can effectively—and equally—help males and females, sprinters and endurance athletes, power athletes and teams. Athletes have sought-out caffeine for more than 100 years. It improves  both physical and mental performance. Caffeine increases arousal, alertness, vigilance, and mood. It reduces perception of pain and can make a tough workout seem a lot easier! That said, caffeine's effectiveness is variable. The response is weaker for some athletes and stronger for others, depending on  their genetic predisposition.

The suggested performance-enhancing dose is between 1.5-3 mg/lb (3 - 6 mg/ kg). That equates to roughly 200 to 400 mg for a 150-lb (68 kg) athlete. That said, each athlete needs to experiment during training to learn the right dose, timing, and source of caffeine for their body. Perhaps a sip of morning coffee does the job? Or maybe you benefit from an hourly caffeinated gel during the marathon? Whatever you do, don't over-do it! More is not better, and you want to be able to sleep that night...

Is coffee dehydrating when taken during exercise? When consumed throughout the day?

No. Caffeine is not a diuretic. Drinking coffee does not lead to dehydration. A study with 50 habitual male coffee drinkers who consumed coffee with ~300 mg. caffeine four times a day indicated no difference in urine output compared to when they drank the same amount of plain water. That means you can count coffee as water, even when exercising in the heat. It replaces sweat losses and contributes to the daily recommended 8 glasses water a day.

Many athletes believe coffee has a diuretic effect because, after having consumed a mugful of coffee, they need to visit the bathroom. While they might need to pee quicker than if they had consumed plain water, in 24-hours, they won't pee more than they consumed. (That is, unless they consume very high doses of caffeine (>6 mg/kg or >500 mg/dose). By that point, they would likely feel yucky and jittery.

The bottom line:

If you are a coffee drinker, please enjoy your morning brew guilt-free (as long as it is not loaded with cream, sugar, and excess calories). As an athlete, you may want to learn how to best use coffee/caffeine as a potential performance enhancer. That said, no amount of caffeine will compensate for inadequate sleep and an irresponsible sport diet. Fuel wisely, sleep well, train appropriately, and then add some caffeine, if desired.

Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD  counsels both fitness exercisers and competitive athletes in the Boston-area (617-795-1875). Her best-selling Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a popular resource, as is her online workshop. Visit NancyClarkRD.comfor more information.

For more information:
Antonio J. et al. (2023) Common questions and misconceptions about caffeine supplementation: what does the scientific evidence really show? J Int'l Soc Sports Nutr 21:1, 2323919

Lowery L et al. (2023) International society of sports nutrition position stand: coffee and sports performance. J Int'l Soc Sports Nutr 20:1,2237952