April 2015

Stage 5 of the 2015 Tour of California takes the riders 154km from Santa Barbara to Santa Clarita. Click here to subscribe to GCN: 

This undulating stage will take in over 2000m of elevation and could see the opportunity for a breakaway to steal the show over what will be a class field of sprinters, including Mark Cavendish, Marcel Kittel and Peter Sagan.

Dan was joined (for some of the route at least) by his former teammate Dave Zabriskie. They tackled the infamous Balcom Canyon Road, which features grades of up to 20%.

The race finishes near Six Flags Magic Mountain - they'll pass by the theme park on the way to a rollercoaster ride of a finish in Santa Clarita.

The Global Cycling Network puts you in the centre of the action: from the iconic climbs of Alpe D’Huez and Mont Ventoux to the cobbles of Flanders, everywhere there is road or pavé, world-class racing and pro riders, we will be there bringing you action, analysis and unparalleled access every week, every month, and every year. We show you how to be a better cyclist with our bike maintenance videos, tips for improving your cycling, cycling top tens, and not forgetting the weekly GCN Show. Join us on YouTube’s biggest and best cycling channel to get closer to the action and improve your riding!

Welcome to the Global Cycling Network | Inside cycling

Amgen Tour Of California 2015 | Stage 5 Preview

Did we mention we've been to California? The Golden State is one of the most beautiful places in the world to ride a bike. Here are 10 tips to get the most out of it. Click here to subscribe to GCN: 

From where to ride to what to eat after your ride, we've got you covered when it comes to riding in California. A wide range of terrain is within easy access of most major cities, from beaches to mountain ranges. Enjoy the riding, but try to avoid the traffic, bugs and sunburn!

Music:
Little Comets - Jennifer (Instrumental): 


Collectors Club - Shoulder To Shouder (Instrumental): 

Top 10 Tips For Riding In California

Better braking helps you to ride faster. Don't just get better at braking though; here's how to perfect your braking.
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Braking is arguably the most important cycling skill to have. Getting better at braking won't just help you to stop faster, it'll also allow you to gain seconds through corners, down descents and ride with more confidence in a bunch.

This series is all about perfecting, though, so don't just aim to get better; get out, session some sessions and see how these different braking strategies can enable you to carry more speed and rider more safely.

Music:
DEXTERS - The Hard Way/Cloud Fest: 

How To Perfect Your Braking – Get Better At Slowing Down To Cycle Faster!

We review Fleche Wallone and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, Dan is LIVE at the Kask helmet factory in Italy, and we announce the winner of our amazing Giro D'Italia competition! Click here to subscribe to GCN: 

Elsewhere in the racing world, Mark Cavendish has been dominant on the flat opening stages of the Tour of Turkey, Anna Van Der Breggen has taken over the lead of the Women's World Cup after victory at Fleche Wallone and Richie Porte looks in great form after the Giro del Trentino.

Dan's got some cutting-edge helmet advice from Kask HQ, plus we've got your usuals - tweet, caption and comment of the week.

Don't forget to LIKE this video and SHARE with your friends!

The Ardennes Classics, Giro Competition + Tour of Turkey - The GCN Show Ep. 120

You'll find cartridge or sealed bearing hubs on a lot of mid-high range wheels these days. If you have the right tools, it's a reasonably straightforward job - here's how to service them. Click here to subscribe to GCN: 

"If you notice that your wheel hubs are making a grinding noise, or if there's play in the axle, then it's time to have a look at the bearings. Types of hub fall into two categories. If your hubs use cup and cone bearings, check out this video: 

But if they're cartridge bearings, this is the video for you!


You may just need to clean and re-grease the ball bearings that sit inside the assembly. Just be careful not to damage the outer seal when you remove it.

However, if there is play in the axle, then replacing the cartridge is the way to go. We wouldn't recommend doing this without a specialist bearing puller and bearing press to push the new cartridges in. It can be a costly mistake if you get this wrong!

How To Service Cartridge Wheel Bearings

Team Cofidis have switched from Look bikes to Orbea in 2015. Tom takes a closer look at the bike of rising GC star Nicolas Edet.
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Orbea is a company with a long history - we're pleased to see that they're name is back in the ranks of pro cycling.

Cofidis run a mix of FSA and Shimano for their components. The transmission is Dura-Ace Di2, with FSA providing the crankset, brakes, stem and bars. Edet was rolling on Vision Metron 40 wheels for the start of the Tour of the Basque Country. Vision also provide the seatpost.

Rounding things off - Zefal bottle cages and Look Keo Carbon Blade pedals. 

Sadly the curse of the GCN pro bike continues. Nicolas was caught up in that horrible crash on Stage 1 in Pais Vasco and suffered some nasty bruising. Fortunately he's now back and racing in the Ardennes as we speak.

Music:
Sound Of Guns - Architects (Instrumental): 

Nicolas Edet's Orbea Orca OMR

With the help of our new friends over at FiT, here's a 35 minute yoga session that can help build your core strength and improve flexibility - something the GCN guys definitely struggle with!
Click here to subscribe to FiT: http://get-f.it/Subscribe
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Yoga can help us as cyclists get into a more aerodynamic position on the bike and even reduce the risk of niggly injuries. That's why we asked for the help of Bex Bridgford, the yoga instructor over at the brand new Global Fitness Network (FiT) channel to put the GCN boys through a 35 minute session. As you can see, it was a bit of a 

 we hope this session will help supplement your training with a bit of core work and stretching that should help your cycling in the long run.

If you're into keeping fit (which we presume you are) then we'd recommend checking out FiT. Their team of expert instructors and athletes bring you fitness classes, nutrition advice and yoga classes, plus a blend of top tens and fitness how to videos. They've got something for every fitness level - we've certainly already learned a lot!

Click here to subscribe to FiT on YouTube, of course it is totally free: http://get-f.it/Subscribe

Music:
Vamp - Murmuring (Instrumental)
Ruckspin Planas - Warfare (Ruckspin Planas Remix)
T.W.i.N.S - Ride The Horsey (Instrumental)
Ruckspin - Get Naked
Lucky Loop - Oiental Space Night
Gary Harry - YOGA THEME
Apollo Nova -Eastern Moment 
Ficci -Breathe You In feat. Laura Hahn (Instrumental)
Dale Sumner - The Miracle of Pushkar

Not all exercises are suitable for everyone - there is no ‘one size fits all’ approach. As with any strenuous exercise, you should take into account factors such as your flexibility, strength and overall health to determine if an exercise is appropriate for you, and consult a doctor/physician before beginning a programme of exercise. Discontinue your exercise session immediately if you experience any pain, dizziness or discomfort. 
Partaking in training sessions following GCN's video instruction is entirely at your own risk, and Global Cycling Network, its partners and its affiliated companies cannot be held responsible for any injuries which may occur as a result of these exercises.

35 Minute Yoga Workout For Cyclists With FiT - GCN Does Yoga

Most of us have to fit riding our bikes around work or study. Matt juggled a full time job and racing to a high level for years - he shared his secrets.
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Planning your training sessions is useful. It helps to work out the amount of hours you can commit to riding the bike - using a training diary will help you figure out what is the best way to structure your sessions.

Of course, when you don't have unlimited hours to ride your bike, you need to make the most of the time you do have. This does mean making your sessions a bit harder, but, just as importantly, allowing yourself adequate recovery. If you're racing, like Matt did, it can help to have a 3 or 4 day block of hard training followed by a couple of easy days ahead of your target race.

Training Around Work Or Study - How To Train With Limited Time

The 2015 edition of La Doyenne is set to be another unpredictable affair. But we put our necks on the line and picked 10 riders to watch anyway! Click here to subscribe to GCN: 

The numerous climbs in Liège-Bastogne-Liège often draws the Grand Tour favourites the the start line alongside your usual one day 'specialists'. Alejandro Valverde has won so many classics that you could probably put him in both categories - the 2-time winner of this race goes in as the favourite with the bookmakers.

We've also got small, punchy climbers like Joaquim Rodríguez and Domenico Pozzovivo who look likely to thrive in the Ardennes. Perennial classics men like Philippe Gilbert and Dan Martin have tasted victory in Liége before and will be ready to try and add another monument to their palmarès.

Who do you think will be victorious at Liège-Bastogne-Liège? Let us know in the comments down below.

Top 10 Riders To Watch: Liège-Bastogne-Liège 2015

Cornering on a road bike is all about technique, confidence and grip. This video is all about perfecting every aspect of your technique to maximise your grip.
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You've probably seen how pro cyclists absolutely fly round corners, especially when they're descending. And, as cornering fast is about technique rather than fitness, you can corner like – or better than – a pro.

With the basics of confidence and line choice nailed, focus on the smaller aspects, the marginal gains that make up to big differences. Half a second gained in a corner doesn't sound like a lot, but it's half a second that others have to chase to make up. Think about things like body position, road surface and counter-steering.

What advanced tips would you add to this video? Comment below and let us know...

How To Perfect Your Cornering – Corner Faster + With More Confidence

Some big tech innovations have been announced, and not just at Sea Otter. Disc brakes could arrive in pro road racing by 2016. We've got the full details here.
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For your chance to win a VIP trip for 2 to the Giro D'Italia, simply click this link and follow the instructions: 

Rewind to Amstel Gold, and it was the World Champion Michal Kwiatkowski who made his mark early in the Ardennes Classics. He beat out Philippe Gilbert and the gutsy Michael Matthews.

On the track, Bradley Wiggins will go for the hour record on the 7th June - can he beat Rohan Dennis to the 'holy grail' of cycling?

Neal was over at SRAM's launch of '1x', which could be another innovation in road cycling. Could you see yourself riding a single chainring system in the future?

Elsewhere, Kirsten Wild wins the Ronde Van Gelderland, Pierre Rolland gets on form in the Vuelta Castilla y Leon and Dan Craven tries to kiss a pig - this show has everything!

WIN A Trip To The Giro D'Italia! + Disc Brakes Coming To Road Racing -The GCN Show Ep.119

Replacing your brake lever hoods is a great way of freshening up the look and feel of your bike. This is a guide to replacing Shimano hoods.
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Replacing brake hoods requires a couple of things; brute strength (good luck Dan) and alcohol hand wash.

If your hoods are starting to look a bit tired, shiny or worn out, it's probably time to replace them. Hoods are actually made from pretty touch rubber, so they're very difficult to tear off the levers. Instead, try pulling them off the lever. 

Replacing the hoods is just as simple. Hoods are for specific sides of the bike, so make sure you get this one right. This is the point that you need the alcohol hand wash. Use it to lubricate the lever as you slide the hood on.

April 2015

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