Inspiration from Two Terry Customers Putting Themselves and their Gear Through the Paces
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Terri Morton is new to endurance cycling, but you would never know it from the scale of her ambitions.
Fueled by a readiness to escape the confines of the lockdowns, Teri really started riding seriously in 2020, facing challenges big and small on her way to completing her first century ride.
She had been away from her bike for decades, and had never done more than short, fun rides. Last year, at age 59, she set her sights on a century, and set about preparing – as she puts it, “My first real bike riding ever!”
“She Believed She Could So She Did”
Teri credits this inspirational message, inscribed on a necklace she found at Terry, for at least some of the will to keep going, as she battled obstacles with her bike and in training. “My Terry bike necklace message was great for keeping my spirits up…it was all bigger than me!”
Terri participated in the Strawberry Century Ride on June 12th, held in scenic country well south of Portland, Oregon. They offer various distance events, and Teri completed the 70 mile course. However, she had really set her heart on doing a full century, so once finished she rode 25 more miles, and took to side roads to add another 9 for a day’s total of 104 miles.
Now Teri is ready for her next cycling adventure, a 1,200 mile bike-packing trip with her pastor and his family. They actually start today, and will ride from Oregon, through Idaho and Montana to the Rockies.
Teri tested several Terry bike bottoms to find the right fit, and followed our customer service guru’s recommendation to choose shorts with the Flex Air chamois. She reported back, “I followed your advice and tried all three of these good quality ‘bottom-protecting’ styles, two lengths each, and am embarrassed to say I fell in love with each one and am keeping them all! But also I’m very excited about them.”
Terry Ambassador, Robin Leftridge Rocks the Commute
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Robin is one of those hardy souls who commutes by bike year round. She works for the City of Cleveland, Ohio, and let us know about Cleveland Vision Zero, a great bicycle safety project in her area that could be a model for other cities too.
She has now ridden to work every single day for five years, in all weather, and Cleveland is hilly, so this is no ordinary level of dedication! She has racked up 2,007 commuting miles already this year.
Robin was encouraged to get back into cycling by an old friend, Robert, who rides with the Major Taylor Club in Cleveland.
If there was ever a story of a person overcoming adversity with grace to achieve great things, Major Taylor’s cycling career embodies it. He defied every obstacle to become world champion in 1899, and was really the first black sports superstar at a time when such a thing required limitless strength of character. A most fitting hero to choose as figurehead of a bike club.
Robin has a flair for fashion on and off the bike, and we’re happy she chooses Terry for her cycling wardrobe and beyond. She says, “I love the cut of your jerseys and the way the material feels against your skin.”
A helmet can only protect your head, or that of your child, if it’s fitted correctly.
I’m always happy to see people on the bike paths and lanes where I live wear bike helmets, but I’m often surprised how many don’t have them adjusted correctly. What’s troubling is that they have made the effort to wear a helmet and believe they are safer for it, but they don’t know that their helmet may not protect them if it isn’t correctly positioned and secure on their heads.
Here are the tips you need on how to fit a bike helmet properly, so you can be absolutely sure your helmet – or your child’s – is able to do its job of protecting you in a crash.
Bonus tip: a damaged bike helmet may be useless in a crash, even if it is fitted properly. Check the helmet for signs of damage every time you use it. This is especially important for your child’s bike helmet. Here’s how to know when to replace a bike helmet.
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How to fit a bike helmet properly – quick version: the 2V1 rule
Use the 2V1 rule, and teach it to your kids so they can get the helmet fit right on their own.
2 – No more than two finger breadths from eyebrow to helmet. This keeps the helmet low enough on the forehead to protect the head front and back, and stay in position if a crash should happen.
V – The straps make a V under your ears. That way you know the straps are adjusted to keep the helmet in the correct position. If there’s any floppiness in the straps, the helmet can be dislodged in a crash, and may give no protection.
1 – No more than 1 finger can slip under the chin strap when fastened. That keeps the helmet tight enough to stay in position in a crash.
How did we do so far? He’s got it right, she needs to read on for some adjustments for a correct helmet fit.
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Steps to fit your bike helmet correctly
First step – make sure the helmet is the right size
Helmets are sized by head circumference, so you can start by measuring with a tape measure to find which range you fall into. Measure just above your brow and around the back of your head where it’s largest. On the other hand, if you can visit a local bike shop, you can just dive in and start trying them on.
Many people find the best way to choose a helmet for the first time is to visit a store in person. That’s because helmets from different manufacturers and model lines have different contours even when sized the same. The only way to know which is going to be comfortable for your own individual head is to try a bunch of them on, much easier to do in person.
Helmets are made to fit a range of heads, using a supply of velcro or self-adhesive pads that come with the helmet to fine tune the fit within that range. When trying helmets on, the goal is to find one that is just a little bigger than your head so you can use some of the supplied padding to make it fit securely and comfortably.
Most helmets these days feature a cradle in back that wraps under the back of your head and is tightened with a dial. If it’s the right size, the helmet will feel snug all over your head and will not wobble around or slip when this fit ring is tightened.
If you feel pressure points on your head when trying a helmet on, even if they are only slightly uncomfortable, try another. That slight pressure can become intensely uncomfortable after an hour or two of cycling with the helmet properly tightened. Voice of experience speaking there…. The goal is for the pressure to be even and comfortable all over your head.
Second step – make sure the helmet is positioned correctly
This is a most important detail for fitting your bike helmet properly: your helmet should sit level on your head, with not much more than an inch of space above your eyebrows, and be level from side to side. A helmet that sits high on the forehead is not going to protect a vulnerable part of your noggin, and worse, can slip off your head altogether when the forces of a nasty crash come into play.
Third step – make sure straps are adjusted evenly
If your helmet can move backwards to make more than two fingers space above the eyebrows, tighten the front straps. Unbuckle, shorten the front strap by moving the slider forward. Buckle, retighten, test again.
If your helmet can move forward to your eyebrows, tighten the rear straps. Unbuckle, tighten the back strap by moving the slider back toward the ear. Buckle, retighten your chin strap, and test again.
Strap arrangements can vary quite a bit amongst makes and models, but the principle is the same. Adjust so the the tension is even on all the straps – no loose or bulging straps anywhere, so you can be sure that your helmet will stay exactly where you need it to be in a crash.
Once the helmet straps are set up correctly you shouldn’t have to bother with them again, so it’s worth the effort to get it right at the outset.
How to get a good, safe fit for a your child’s bike helmet
Good first step, Dad, ready for fine tuning that helmet fit.
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All the steps above apply equally to your child’s bike helmet, but since they will not be able to manage this on their own, you will need to evaluate the fit and adjustment for them. Here’s how to fit a bike helmet properly on your child’s head, with steps to check the adjustment as you go:
1. Position the helmet so it is level on their head. (Ask them to use the 2 finger rule so they learn how to check for themselves.)
2. Check that the front and back straps make a V that meets below the ears with no floppy or loose straps. (Point out the V shape so they know what to look for.)
2. Make sure the chin strap is tight enough by asking your child to open their mouth halfway. If they can feel the helmet pressing down on the top of their head, it is tight enough. (Have them try the 1 finger test to check for themselves.)
4. The helmet should sit about an inch above your child’s eyebrows when the straps are fastened. Try pushing the helmet up from the front. If it moves backward, the straps in front of the ears are loose.
5. Push up on the back of the helmet. If you can slide it forward or it slips lower on the forehead, you will need to shorten the back straps.
6. Push the helmet from side to side, backwards and forwards. The helmet should be snug enough for your child’s skin to wrinkle at the temples rather than slide over.
7. If your child wears a ponytail, make sure to check the helmet with the hairstyle they are likely to ride with most of the time.
Pop quiz – fitted right or not?
Full marks for the guy in back, but this girl’s helmet needs to be much lower on her brow for a correct fit.
Metro Skort – won’t make you immortal, but will enhance the ride.
File this one under Good news that we sort of knew already:
Researchers seem to have discovered the secret of eternal youth – riding a bike.
It’s nice to have something you thought all along confirmed by research: A Dutch study found that cyclists live longer than others, and endure fewer health complications as they age.
This is not exactly a new study, as it dates back to 2015, but it keeps surfacing on the internet, and recently Cycling Today put it this way: it turns out every hour you spend riding a bike extends your lifetime by … one hour!
Hmmm… if that’s true, the secret to eternal youth is to just never get off your bike!
Well, maybe cycling won’t guarantee immortality, but it is nice to know that the health benefits of cycling are quantifiable. Knowing this, it’s much easier to make that choice between getting some unpleasant project done, or going for a ride. Now you can say the ride should most certainly come first, and it will actually give you more time in your life to get those less welcome tasks done later… right?
Either way, what we have known all along is that getting around by bike, for health, transport, fitness or simply for fun, adds immeasurably to your quality of life. Knowing it’s also making that happier life longer is great.
Terry Amabassador, Kathy Hahn, in Chill Tri Shorts & Sun Goddess Jersey in Mont Ventoux
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Terry Ambassadors agree – Chill Tri Short Sets a New Standard for the Best Triathlon Shorts
Whether it’s the infamous Ironman with its 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile bike ride, and full marathon run to the finish line, or a local event that’s more do-able for mere mortals, triathlon is a uniquely demanding sport. Whatever length the race, competitors are training to high standards in three very different disciplines.
Triathlon also presents challenges when it comes to choosing equipment, including apparel. Time spent transitioning from each leg of a race to the next is an important factor in overall performance, and to keep that time to a minimum it’s a big advantage to have an outfit that can be worn for all three. That way you don’t lose time changing clothes between stages.
What are the Best Shorts to Wear in a Triathlon?
The outfit that helps a triathlete swim, ride and run as fast as possible is fairly specialized, as you might imagine. These days, apart from cold water events where some kind of wetsuit is needed for the swimming leg, most triathletes choose either a one-piece or two-piece triathlon suit, designed to be worn throughout the race and perform well in each stage. The one-piece is essentially a short sleeved or sleeveless body suit. The two-piece resembles a pair of bike shorts and bike jersey, but with some specialized features. It’s more versatile and easier to deal with than a one-piece, especially for nature breaks.
The two piece configuration is where the Chill Tri steps in, and it’s designed to stand among the best triathlon shorts available. It features quick drying, high compression fabric that aids performance and muscle recovery, and is both hydrodynamic and aerodynamic. The 6 inch leg length is optimized for performance and comfort throughout the swim/bike/run stages of a triathlon.
The chamois is a critical component of the Chill Tri Short. It provides a critical level of on-bike comfort for both racing and training, but is smaller than a typical chamois. A regular cycling chamois would absorb a lot of water during the swim and be a real hassle to deal with afterwards. Our new Tri Comp chamois avoids that problem entirely. It’s designed to drain and flex so it is comfortable during the swim and run portions of a triathlon.
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How Does the Chill Tri Perform in Competition?
We turned to a couple of our Terry Ambassadors to put the Chill Tri to the test in real world triathlons.
Stacy Dietzler
Stacy, based in Tennessee, competes in triathlons and endurance cycling events. She was among the customers who requested a triathlon specific short, so we really value her opinion of the Chill Tri.
I was so excited to see the new Terry Chill 6 Tri Shorts! I have been a loyal Chill 7 shorts wearer for the past several years. The tri shorts are as comfortable as the Chill 7 shorts and the compression feels great along with the light fabric. They don’t ride up and the legs stay put.
I’m wearing them 3-4 times a week as I begin to train for a Half Ironman in October. I look forward to wearing them during open water training swims and testing out the light-weight chamois, which has no bulk, eliminating any drag. Because I live in a hot and humid city, the Chill Tri will be ideal for running as well.
I appreciate Terry putting a lot of effort into the needs of a triathlete and launching the Chill Tri Shorts!
Kathy Hahn
Kathy lives in Pennsylvania, and competes in triathlons and other multi-sport events, in addition to enjoying century rides.
This year, with Covid restrictions beginning to lift, I was able to compete in a local in-person short course duathlon. I planned to wear the Chill Tri Short, and added a Soleil Long Sleeve Jersey to my collection, as the weather in early May in Pennsylvania can be quite unpredictable!
As expected, race day morning started off in the mid 40’s along with 15 mph winds, and by the end of the race, progressed to the high 50’s and lower 60’s. Since there was so much “Chill” in the air that day (pun intended LOL) I ended up wearing the Chill Tri shorts under a pair of old running capris so I’d have a little more coverage on my legs, but they were awesome to run/bike/run in!
Ordinarily, I NEVER wear 2 pairs of bottoms when I run or ride, as I can’t stand the feel of two waist bands. However, these Tri shorts have a super soft, wide waist band, so I didn’t even know they were there! Also, the thinner chamois was perfect for this short course duathlon and I did not feel them on the run at all! I am certain they would be well suited for longer distance events, as well.
The long sleeve Soleil jersey totally “checked off all the boxes,” as I was comfortable throughout the entire event, both running and riding!
My first official Tri is not until later in the summer, but I always make it a habit to wear new things in training before actual race day. I look forward to doing my open water training swims in the Chill Tri Shorts in June, in preparation for the New Jersey State Triathlon on July 18th!
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Inspired? Maybe you should try a Tri too – and when you do, Terry has you covered top to bottom, with our best triathlon shorts, the Chill Tri Short, plus a multitude of high performance jerseys to mix and match.
We’re here. We’ve still got two wheels. We learned how to find joy and freedom on our bikes during a wild ride called 2020. The year brought us together as a planet in ways that we will never forget. For me the metaphor of climbing a gap applies: an uphill battle, a sweet ride down.
I started the year with a plan for a RAID ride: to cycle the spine of the Pyrenees in France from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean. 8 rides, 495 miles, 14 cols and a few feet of climbing with a group of close friends. Like all of yours, my plans were dashed, and a new reality set in as Covid took hold of our planet. It unified us in a common experience we could never predict: separation from our families and parents, a virus that took the lives of too many, racial inequity that tore us apart, jobs lost, relationships broken, hunger, loneliness and uncertainty. And a new accessory called masks.
Someplace in that climb called Covid, we found that two pedals were a safe place to be.
In late March of 2020, I converted my dashed RAID dreams to a 3000-mile goal for the season. April gap rides in Vermont are chilly! I relied on my every woman must have Terry winter tights and insulated jerseys. As lockdown set in, my Covid release was 130 miles a week on my bike. With my two closest friends we rode “in our bubble” all summer exploring endless dirt roads we had never travelled before…on gravel bikes. We never left Vermont but experienced a whole new world of beautiful farms and pastures, sunsets and even a portage around a crumbled bridge. We stopped and took pictures…posting and sharing on Strava. It was our way to stay connected with friends in a year of distance and disconnect.
On July 18th I put my Terry Tour de France kit on, today was the day to cross the 3000-mile mark. Fittingly, I achieved it at 37.08 miles into that ride at the top of a Middlebury gap climb. On the sweet ride down through curves and landscape that had inspired Robert Frost to write poems such as “The Road Not Taken,” I moved my goal up to 3500 miles. The next 500 miles included the virtual Kelly Brush Ride, an annual century event raising funds to support people with spinal cord injuries with adaptive equipment to live active lives (www.kellybrushfoundation.org). In a year of reinventing how we did everything, KBF smashed its fundraising goal- a strong testament to cyclists across the country who took part.
I crossed my next milestone on a gnarly 4th class gravel grinder in October. With insulated Terry tights back on, we encountered 50 miles of dirt, mud, water, rocks and navigated our way through forests. With snow and winter setting in, 4000 miles called. I felt a strong drive to beat 2020, to have one defining victory in a year called terrible. I kept riding – often on my own – but stopped to take in the scenes along the way. Christmas Eve was a balmy day in Vermont, my two wheels called, and I crossed the 4000-mile finish line.
The year behind us was an uphill climb in every way we could never imagine. But we had two wheels and cycling was freedom, fresh air, exercise, and solace. We united in our experiences as moms, daughters, grandmothers, partners, and friends to take care of one another.
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4000 miles later. We’re here. It’s a new season. Hope and our bikes beckon. Maybe you discovered cycling in the last year, maybe you shared it with kids or grandkids, maybe you cried one day out on the road. Maybe you found hope, health, and happiness on two wheels. Maybe you’ll ride your bike to get vaccinated!
However you do it, ride in Terry. It’s gear made for us. Women who fight the uphill battle and enjoy the sweet ride down.
#terryfaerie #rideladiesride
Karen Marshall – #terryfaerie – is a healthcare management consultant living in Vermont, enjoying road cycling, gravel grinding, skiing, skinning, sailing and her two adult kids.
Make Life Better this Year by Walking and Bicycling
A little inspiration for new cyclists from a Terry Ambassador
100 days into 2021, and one year into this pandemic – a year of risks, restrictions and for many, real hardship. How have you coped with it so far?
A lot of people in the Terry orbit have been riding more, some a LOT more.
Others have not had that freedom, and many of us turned to creature comforts while stuck inside more than we ever thought possible.
With all that extra time available, cooking and baking often became a way to enjoy time with family, feel productive and learn new skills, and of course enjoy good food as a source of comfort. Naturally, a few extra pandemic pounds is a very common result.
As cyclists we know at least one great way to counter that! Terry Ambassador Tracy Flucke passed along some advice she and her husband, Peter, shared around New Year, to encourage their neighbors with healthful resolutions. Their work involves getting more people on bikes, on safer roads.
Tracy and Peter Flucke maintained their momentum through the pandemic with cycling and hiking. They’d like to help you do so too…
Since we know some of our new Terry friends are also new to cycling, and we’re now at the time of the year when most New Year Resolutions have been forgotten, we’re staging a Resolution Revival: time for a little inspiration to get out and work on healthy goals, New Year or not…
Here are the tips and insights Tracy and Peter shared…
Many of us started 2021 with a list of New Year’s resolutions: get more exercise, lose weight, spend more time with friends and family, save money, travel more, reduce stress, live life to the fullest… Sadly, roughly 50 percent of people who start a New Year’s resolution will not complete it.
Well this year especially, we’re determined to create healthy goals and stick to them, and we want to help you do the same. Here’s what we’ve learned along the way.
A walking and bicycling habit can truly help you achieve your goals.
Getting more exercise by walking (running) and bicycling is easy. To quote the old Nike commercial, “Just do it!”
Set aside just 15 minutes a day to get your new habit going – make it so easy to accomplish that you can’t miss.
Start out slow and build to your goal. It’s more important to create a regular routine than to achieve a performance goal at first.
Diet and exercise are key to losing weight. Burn more calories by walking and bicycling. The more you move, the more you lose.
Walking and bicycling with friends and family is a win-win. With a companion by your side the miles fly by, and you will make memories that last a lifetime.
Save money by driving your car less – walking and bicycling are almost free. A good pair of shoes and an occasional tune up for your bicycle and you are good to go.
Traveling by foot or by bicycle are two of the best cures for wanderlust. Moving at a different pace with the wind in your face will give you a new perspective and stimulate your imagination.
Trips big and small count. “On a bicycle you don’t have to look for adventure, adventure finds you.”
Stress is a normal part of life, and we have all had plenty lately. Feeling stressed? Go for a short walk or a bicycle ride. You will always come back feeling better than when you left.
Keep your resolutions SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Tell a friend your resolutions and ask them to hold you accountable. And, if you fall off your resolution wagon, take a breath, and then get right back on. You are human, be kind to yourself.
It is not about adding more miles into your life, it is about adding more life to your miles.
Here is our list of cycling and exercise goals for 2021:
Stay healthy!
Continue to log our walking, running, and bicycling miles
Ride my bicycle as often as possible for local errands (Tracy)
Ride a century (100 miles in one day) on our tandem and my road bike (Tracy)
Bicycle to as many Wisconsin cities as possible (Peter)
Start bicycle touring again (post pandemic)
Ride the Fox-Wisconsin Heritage Parkway (Green Bay-Prairie du Chien) on our tandem
Ride a double century with daughter, Melissa (Peter)
Drive support vehicle for Peter and Melissa’s double century (Tracy)
Buy a new tandem bicycle
Assist local walking and bicycling organizations and efforts (e.g. Wello – Greater Green Bay Active Communities Alliance, City of Green Bay – Green Bay Safe Walk & Bike Plan, Ashwaubenon – Bicycle & Pedestrian Committee, Friends of the Fox River Trail – resurfacing project)
What would be on your list of post-pandemic goals?
Let’s make 2021 a great year!
Even though we’re well past the New Year, it’s always a good time to start working toward a better future. Here are some past posts about goals and resolutions, especially relating to cycling.
A whole new print collection that pays homage to the great climbs of cycling, new limited-edition bottoms proudly made in the USA, a Grand Touring Short that’s a step up in featuring and fabrication, and some fun collaborations with our lifestyle partners to round out your summer wardrobe.
Enjoy this sneak peek, and prepare for a GREAT season ahead.
Soleil LS Versailles; Bella LTD ShortSoleil LS Alp d’Huez; Power ShortSoleil SS Flow/Mont Ventoux; Peloton LTD Capri/DanishBreakaway SS Jersey & Capri in DreamchaserBreakaway SL Jersey/Mountain Poppy; NEW Grand Tour ShortSignature SL Jersey/Evening in Paris; NEW Grand Tour ShortSoleil LS Flow/Paris Sunrise; Peloton LTD Capri/gold chainSun Goddess/Mountain Poppy Blue; Peloton LTD Short/DanishBreakaway SS+ Into the Blue; KnickerSoleil LS Flow/Edelweiss; Wayfarer Short in NEW GarnetSoleil Racer Tank/Versailles; NEW Bike Bermuda LTD; NEW Butterfly LTDSoleil Racer Tank/Gold Chain; Bella LTD Short; Butterfly LTD (find the saddle!)Soleil Tank/Bergtop; Navaeh 7 ShortBreakaway SL/KBHVN; Peloton LTD Short & T-Glove LTD/DanishSoleil LS/TDF; NEW Power ShortSun Goddess/Pink Chain; Peloton LTD Short & T-Glove LTD/DanishMixie Tunic/Gruppo; SpinnakerSwing Tank & La Vie SkirtKimono & Strappy Tank
Contributed by Amy Fleming, Terry Merchandise Coordinating Star
A bike this dirty is a sure sign of having way too much fun…
Spring Has Sprung!! Well, almost… and that means it’s time to get your bike and equipment tuned up and ready to ride.
Spring is in the air; you can feel the sun is getting stronger and the days are getting longer. Covid-19 made last year so difficult with the future so uncertain, but one thing is for certain… riding your bike will make you feel better. Get the wind blowing in your face and feel the sun upon your skin. Time to get out of the house and get some fresh air.
The best way to get your mind thinking forward is to start getting your equipment checked, updated if needed, and ready for the roads and trails.
Here’s a quick bicycle spring cleaning checklist:
Wash. It’s time to get rid of any leftover dirt and debris from last Fall that’s been caked onto your bike all winter.
Tire Rims. Even though your rims are barely noticeable, they have a huge impact on the performance of your bike.
Clean your chain and cranks.
Clean all nooks and crannies. Make sure to get into even the tightest spots.
Lubricate correctly.
No need to head to your local bike tune-up shop for this, with a little help it can all be done at home. Here’s a simple video to show you the best way to clean your bike:
Park Tool is one of the top leaders in bike cleaning products to assist you at home to do-it-yourself. One of the best inventions ever was the chain scrubber. This tool features a super tough die-cast aluminum case and handle plus a unique brush/sponge replacement cartridge that makes it easy to keep it running smoothly and working properly. What used to be a very messy chore is now a breeze with the assistance of the Professional Chain Scrubber. Watch the video below to see how easy this is to operate.
Bio Chainbrite, made specifically to clean your chain and drivetrain, is an all-purpose, plant-based, 100% biodegradable degreaser. It’s perfect to use with the Professional Chain Scrubber and/or basic brushes. This gentle but tough cleaner will not harm alloy, plastic, rubber or carbon fiber parts. It’s as easy as covering parts in solvent and scrub using a brush.
This specialized brush set by Park Tool is super handy too – it includes some unusual shapes that will let you get just the right amount of elbow grease into every awkward nook and cranny on your bike.
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Keeping your bike clean not only makes it look great, it will help it last longer and perform at its best.
When spring cleaning turns to spring tuning
When you’re cleaning your bike you’ll be looking closer than you usually do – it’s the best time to check that there aren’t any mechanical problems that need to be addressed. Here are some tips to help you evaluate while you clean – this post gives some pointers to fix simple maintenance issues, and when to take your bike to your trusty local bike shop to take care of tougher mechanical issues: 6 Essential Spring Bicycle Maintenance Tips.
Get that cleaning and maintenance taken care of now, so when those first wonderful days of warm sunshine finally arrive you’ll be ready to roll!
Contributed by Terry Ambassador Yvonne Austin-Cornish.
Hello biking community!
Like most people, every year I make New Year resolutions, but with everything that has happened in 2020, I ushered in 2021 making bucket list plans instead.
Such as, me and “The Stallion” touring different states in my Terry gear, and on my new Raven Ti Gel seat.
I have always enjoyed riding outdoors but because it gets too cold to ride during the winter months here in Louisville, KY, I have to hang “The Stallion” up for a few months. That was before I discovered these amazing fleece tights by Terry!! They have been life altering :–D. Providing both warmth and comfort in weather where I simply wouldn’t have considered going for a ride before.
Extending the cycling season with Terry Powerstretch Pro Cycling Tights
This is me in 40 degree weather, wearing my Terry Powerstretch Pro Tights and “The Stallion” equipped with a Terry Raven Ti Gel seat. This is exactly what I need to train for my first ride in April in Jamaica.
What cold weather biking accessories are you wearing?
Thank you Terry – the Original Women’s Bicycling Company – for giving me 3 extra months of outside training. Looking forward to exploring more new places through winter, spring, and beyond!
I always imagined mountain biking as an extreme sport: flying off jumps, rock hopping or balancing on a narrow log bridge – the threat of injury always a misstep away.
I first tried mountain biking 25 years ago in Moab, Utah, the original mountain bikers’ mecca. I did my best to follow gung-ho friends on sandstone routes, and ended up walking a lot, but that was fine. Besides, it was a great way to enjoy the rust-colored, rocky beauty. It all ended with a brief visit to the ER – not me, thankfully – but one of those crazy friends had to get stitches. Soaking in a hot tub at the end of the day never felt so good!
Now, as an older cyclist, I am more cautious, but that doesn’t mean I don’t try new adventures.
After an amazing afternoon at Kingdom Trails in 2019, I realized how much fun it was rolling on single-track, weaving around trees, negotiating small hills and widerbridges – nothing too technical – it suited my two-wheeled wanderlust just fine! This was not dangerous, but gentle exploration on a comfortable bicycle. What a revelation!
After that, getting a mountain bike was on my radar for a while. It took the pandemic, relocating to a home near a town forest with trails, plus an extremely crowded multi-use path, to have me heading to Vermont’s hills for solitude.
In the fall of 2020, our youngest son helped me choose a bike. With limited local supply, I was lucky to get a bicycle at all! I spent the autumn exploring trails as the leaves changed color and puddled beneath my knobby tires. I rode two to three times a week, alone or with our son and his friend, once venturing to leaf-covered Cochran’s Trails in Richmond, Vermont. It gave us a real challenge in navigation – we got lost – but eventually found our way back on track to descend at sunset.
I went by myself to ride Waterbury, Vermont’s Little River State Park’s easier trails, and discovered how much I like curvy single-track.
Every new adventure teaches me something – sometimes it’s just to bring adequate water and a snack! I have a lot to learn, but there’s no hurry. The trails are out there, waiting for me to slowly pedal through Vermont’s lovely landscape.
