Hi Kathy -



Do you have a favorite chain lube that you use for Cyclocross and muddy conditions?





Bicycle chain lube can improve shifting, reduce noise and increase the life of the chain by preventing corrosion. I do have a favorite chain lube for cyclocross (among mtb and road racing) but everyone will have different ideas on which is the best. For really wet conditions I love the Dumonde Tech Original Formula because it repels mud like a dream and for dry and dusty conditions I love the Dumonde Tech Lite Formula because the dust doesn’t stick to the chain. But if you just go in to any reputable bike shop and get whatever lube they have for the conditions you will be riding in, that will be ample.



It is amazing how important using the right chain lube can be in certain conditions and you want to make sure you are using the right lube for the right conditions otherwise things can get interesting. Lube can be a lot of money per ounce but the bottle will last you forever if you do things right and don’t over lube. Here are the steps for lubing your chain:



1. Clean and dry your chain.



2. Place bike in an area that can get dirty or simply lay down some rags under the chain.



3. Either place the bike up against something where the pedals can turn freely OR pinch the bikes rear tire in between your legs to hold it up.



4. Use your bike lube and apply it to the part of the chain that touches the gears as you simultaneously spin the pedal backwards with your other hand.



5. Apply sparingly. Once you have applied a thin coating to the entire chain (one rotation through), stop lubing.



6. In order to wipe of the excess off get a rag and grab the OUTER parts of the chain gently with the rag while spinning the pedal backwards with your other hand until the outer surface of the chain appears dry.



There is no need to reapply until you begin to hear your chain. Sound, is the best indicator if you need to relube your chain.





Kathy Sherwin

Velo Bella – Kona Elite Cyclocross Team

More trick rides from Interbike

The Traitor PBR Fixed-Gear(not that I'm in to that sort of thing) but this bike is bad













Orbea carbon frame 29er















The very cool Felt full carbon 29er













Pivot's race bike the Mach 4, weighing in at just over 21lbs














Giant XTC full carbon hardtail















New full carbon GT Marathon, rides as nice as it looks












Specialized may be leading in the lightweight full-suspension race bike category and it looks cool as hell too!

Hey Kathy,

I know you're still in your 'cross season, but I have an off-season question for you: Do you lift weights during the off-season? If so, what do you do? Do you fit it in before your base phase or during?

Mike

Iona, Idaho

Hi Mike,

I used to lift weights in the 2006 off season through the 2007 season. Back then I started first getting my body used to lifting weights by doing sets with little to no weight and then slowly adding weight week after week. I did a combo of squats, lunges, hamstring curls, leg press machine, dead lift, bench press, lat pulls, push ups, sit-ups and back extensions. I did that for a few months and it was pretty low key while I got my body used to lifting. Once my body adapted, I moved onto the transition phase of weight training where I did high reps and started adding more weight to the lifts on the second and third sets.

After about a month of the transition phase I began the strength phase which lasted about 2 months. During that phase I did the first set with very little weight as a warm up set and the second and third set were as much weight as I could lift.

The power phase of lifting was next which included high reps, low to moderate weight and a high-velocity muscle contraction. I only did this phase on the lower body.

Once the start of the mtb season rolled around I began my maintenance phase. Throughout this phase I did sit-ups, push ups and back extensions every day too. And then once I got into the gut of the mtb season I ONLY did back extensions, sit-ups and push ups.

BUT after all this hard work, losing a good amount of weight and getting better defined muscles I wasnʼt convinced that it did much of anything for me on the bike unfortunately. I didnʼt necessarily feel stronger on the bike although I new I was stronger overall. That said, we modified my weight training program this year to only include only minimal lifting and to instead spend more time doing weight lifting workouts on the bike. And that has worked for me.

So now I only do sit-ups, push ups, and back extension throughout most of the year in addition to going to pilates or yoga when possible. And once the mtb season begins I cut down to only doing yoga and pilates. This change in my weight lifting routine has really been working for me but you may find that you feel stronger and faster WITH weight lifting. Every ones body is different.

If you decide to lift, it is important to really be careful as you will need a spotter on most lifts. In addition, you really need to be aware of any pain you are experiencing in your joints and making sure you have good form!!

Good luck to you!

Kathy Sherwin

SoBe/Cannondale MTB Team