Terry Peloton

Tag: cycling

  • SHOP LOCAL: BURLINGTON’S SKIRACK.

    Skirack_WomensBikeNight

    Don’t let the name fool you–this is one shop that puts women and cycling front and center. Outfitting enthusiasts since 1969, Skirack is Burlington, Vermont’s Community Bike, Run, Ski, Ride Store.

    Visiting Skirack is an adventure all its own. Located on lower Main Street a couple of blocks away from Lake Champlain, many beautiful mountain areas, trails and resorts, you’ll be outfitted for any adventure with the highest quality gear, footwear and clothing.

    Whether you’re a skilled cyclist or just starting to ride, you’ll not only find a warm welcome from Skirack’s expert female and male staff, but you’ll also find the best selection of women’s bikes, cycling clothing and accessories anywhere. 

    Skirack is a key Terry partner, stocking one of the widest varieties of cycling clothing you’ll find in the US. They also provide valuable information about road, off-road, downhill, mountain, fat biking, and commuting. Skirack employees several women who are bike enthusiasts and experts in all kinds of cycling; they welcome any opportunity to encourage and assist women and young girls of all ages and backgrounds to achieve their personal aspirations. In fact, they serve as mentors for Vermont’s “Little Bellas”, a program that serves as an opportunity for young girls to learn to ride, build their biking and personal life skills and develop self esteem and confidence.

    Most importantly, Skirack provides a friendly, inviting atmosphere for all riders by listening to each individual’s aspirations and providing expert advice. 

    Next time you’re in Vermont, be sure to stop in and say hello, or check them out online at www.skirack.com.

    Happy Riding!

  • LET’S GET COMFORTABLE.

    My Journey to Saddle Comfort.

    Happily climbing Emerald Bay.
    Happily climbing Emerald Bay.

     

    I can vividly remember my very first rides in 1999.  I had signed up to train and ride 100 miles in Lake Tahoe, and my saddle pain seemed insurmountable. Finally, I looked at my coach and said, “I can’t do this, the pain is too intense.” He looked back at me and using his charming French accent said, “go get a saddle with a cutout and I’ll see you next week.”

    I hobbled to my bike shop and repeated the words of my coach (without the accent) and, I am happy to report, my shop put a Terry Butterfly on my bike.  Best bike upgrade ever!

    The rest is history…I rode a very comfortable 100 miles in Lake Tahoe and a few thousand more.

    A good bike fit and good, padded, breathable shorts (without your underwear) will also help you achieve saddle comfort.  I was very lucky to find a great saddle so quickly and I have great sympathy for those struggling with this endeavor.

    The moral of this story is to keep working to find the best saddle for your needs and reach out for assistance if the road gets rough.

    Tailwinds,

    Lisa Wilkes

    About Lisa: If you’ve had the pleasure of talking to a “real person” at Terry, chances are good that it may have been Lisa or one of her team. As a former bike coach and our Customer Service Manager, she’s full of personal inspiration and professional expertise when it comes to getting comfortable with saddles, choosing the right apparel, answering questions about cycling and a few other specialties that are guaranteed to help improve your attitude, if not your ride!

  • La Course: Second Annual Pro Women’s Race on the Champs-Élysées.


    Best of – La Course by Le Tour de France 2015 by tourdefrance

    I hate to say it but, as the TDF Peloton came into Paris this year it was a bit anti-climactic; the GC champion had been named and Sagan had the green jersey in the bag.

    That being said, La Course existed in complete contrast – it was SO GOOD.

    The contenders lined up with barely anyone one the sidelines for support and heavy rains threatened in the not-so-far-off distance. These racers could have held back, played it safe for 12 laps and had a quick and dirty sprint finish but instead they gave it everything they had.

    The only thing that the video does not serve proper justice, in my opinion, is the initial breakaway by Anna van der Breggen. From the moment she tore off I was at the edge of my seat. Some may say she broke off a bit early and there was a moment at the final sprint where it didn’t look like she could hold off. It was amazing, there was this intensity that was nothing like we saw in the previous week’s stages. She pulled it forward with Marianne Vos roaring for her teammate to fly first through the finish and as she did – she secured the 1st place title would stay with Team Rabo/Liv for the second year of La Course History.

    Here’s to preparing for the next La Course, I hope to see you all there –

    Whitney McKiddy

     

    A big thank you to Le Tour de France for the video and images copyright: Cor Vos.

  • GEAR GUIDE: BIKING TO WORK

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    Getting geared up for Bike to work week? Don’t forget these top 10 items for your ride. From an athletic friendly work top to bike cages and lights, these gadgets will make your commute the best part of your day.

    Click on the slide to find out more about any of these items. Also, if there is anything that you cannot commute without, let us know in the comment section below!

    Wishing you happy trails and a beautiful Bike Month,

    Whitney McKiddy

  • SPRING CLASSIC: THE MUDDY ONION.

    It’s officially mud season in Vermont – an incredibly fitting name for this dreary phenomenon. With bare trees and sloppy, frigid mud covering every surface imaginable, one bike ride stands as a beaming ray of joy, inviting riders to revel in this unlikely cycling paradise. That ride is the Muddy Onion hosted by Onion River Sports in Montpelier, VT.

    Over 200 riders lined up to grind 34 miles of gravel roads around Vermont's capitol of Montpelier.
    Over 200 riders lined up to grind 34 miles of gravel roads around Montpelier, VT. Photo credit: Bill Merrylees

    Terry Graphic Designer, Erika Boyce, joined in the action for the third year in a row saying, “this is my favorite ride to kick my butt into shape”. This year, her goal was to ride all of the hills (this course happens to be one giant gravel hill with over 4500′ of elevation gain) and she succeeded!

    Erika is all smiles at the first rest stop after enjoying some pickles and chocolate dipped bacon.
    Erika (right) is all smiles at the first rest stop after enjoying some pickles and chocolate dipped bacon.

    One often imagines the picturesque hillsides of Vermont covered in golden leaves and happy dairy cows, but even when those hillsides are brown and covered in mud, this is a pretty great place to grab your bike and embrace the joy of gravel.

    A typical April day in Vermont-- 40 degrees, no leaves and plenty of cows!
    A typical April day in Vermont– 40 degrees, no leaves and plenty of cows! Photo credit: Bill Merrylees

    If you’d like to join us in getting muddy next year, visit www.onionriver.com/muddy-onion/ for more details!

    Tailwinds,

    Whitney McKiddy

  • A TWO-WHEELED TALE OF DC.

    Exploring our nation’s Capitol by bike.IMG_2370

    DC is, in my opinion, America’s best biking city; with great downtown lanes and Capitol Bike Share, all to take you on a self-guided tour of the monuments and other sites. It also links together a great variety of well maintained bike trails that take you into the suburbs and beyond into horse country.

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    The Mt. Vernon trail runs between the river and Memorial Parkway, right past Reagan National Airport (you can practically reach out and touch the airplanes at the gate from the trail skyway) and is a great ride into DC from National Harbor or Alexandria. The P Street Bridge which crosses over the river to the Jefferson Memorial connects with many great bike lanes that take you into the heart of DC. Ten minutes further north you can cross over the Key Bridge from Georgetown to the Lincoln Memorial.

     

    Did I say spring was LATE this year? Good thing they plow and salt the commuter trails!

     

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    You can ride a century round trip on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. I rode a half century out to Herndon, through Arlington, Falls Church, Vienna and Reston. The Capitol Crescent Trail is a really scenic route that takes you along the upper Potomac and into Bethesda and Chevy Chase. The Curtis Trail links from the Washington and Old Dominion Trail into Arlington.

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    With the convenience of intercity bike lanes and the option for some serious miles, DC has everything a two-wheeled traveler is looking for. Do you agree? What’s your favorite city to bike in?

    Until next time,

    Tailwinds!

    Elisabeth Robert

  • The New Rider: I Love Cycling!

    Cycling in Vermont
    Riding in Northern Vermont is so beautiful!

    I have come to love cycling. Really! I am not just saying that because I work at Terry Bicycles. My husband and I have gone out on some really great rides together. It’s something that we can do together on our days off or when we find the time. He is new to cycling as well, so it’s a no-judgement type of thing that we can share while we get better at it and improve our overall health.

    Cycling is good for my brain in so many ways. When I was younger I was an Equestrian (Dressage specifically), so I was very fit and active riding every day. Making a large animal do movements that don’t necessarily come easily to them is a challenge, but it’s a challenge that I loved. I really miss riding horses and now that I don’t have much time and have a family it has become more difficult to find time for myself. Cycling has gotten me back into the mindset of achieving personal goals. I really love Dressage because it suits my perfectionist personality. I found while riding yesterday that cycling gives me that same feeling of accomplishment that I got from Dressage. There are certain tweaks I was making while riding and seeing immediate results. My mph speed yesterday was quite good for me and I felt great after the ride. I wasn’t sore and I felt that my position was good. All of your suggestions about sitting back in the saddle when going up hills and staying out of my drops when I get wobbly helped so much. I felt like you all were there in my head while I was riding. It’s great to feel such a connection to the cycling community already! Thank you so much for your support.

    I am almost ready to try clipping into some pedals!

  • The New Rider: Finding My Cadence

    The New Rider - Finding my CadenceIt’s fairly easy to spot new riders on the road because they usually haven’t found their cadence yet. I don’t want to be that new rider that weebles and wobbles all over the place. I know there will be a bit of that while I am getting used to a road bike, but I would love to not look like a complete newbie if possible! I believe that I have an advantage over most new riders because I am starting with the best saddles made specifically for women and finding the perfect saddle is half the battle. While riding my bike with the Butterfly Saddle I noticed an immediate difference in my cadence. It was almost like my seat bones were glued to the saddle! It felt great. The saddle on my old mountain bike was WAY too big for me and it was very uncomfortable. I have a small frame and I guess you could say that I have a bony butt. Having a good saddle has made a huge difference in my comfort-level on a bike. Riding with a chamois was new to me, but I noticed a huge difference from that as well. I have logged about 40 miles or so over the past couple of weeks on my road bike and I haven’t had any complaints about my Butterfly saddle, but I am a little wobbly at times with my front wheel. I am mostly wobbling when the going gets tough. I feel really good while I am down on my drops. My weight is being more evenly distributed that way and it helps my legs to power along a little easier. I also feel like I am not working as hard when I am down on my drops because my body is compressed and I am not wasting as much energy. I am working on trying to keep my upper body more still when I start to struggle and when I have to really use my leg power. My immediate reaction is to sway from side to side trying to push my legs into over-drive, but I know that’s not right. I know that swaying is taking up too much of my energy and I should try to minimize my effort in my upper body and work my lower half.

    I am getting my confidence up while riding on the road. I am finding that I am VERY out of shape and my heart and lungs haven’t worked this hard in a long time, but it feels really good to finish a ride and to be able to go faster and further on the next ride. I have been tracking my progress with an app on my phone, which has been great for bragging rights with my husband who is also taking up cycling.

    It is great seeing the world by bike!

    What helped you find your cadence? Is it something that comes with miles?