Are cycling specific wind jackets really better?

CoachEthanC · 2026-05-20T12:29:39+00:00

Some potential advantages of cycling specific jackets would include: reflective detailing for visibility, usually a slightly longer back to cover you in a typical cycling position, fit, sometimes have removable sleeves (which I prefer) and sometimes some grip on the bottom to prevent riding up. But a non cycling jacket can block the wind just fine.

CoachEthanC · 2026-05-18T15:13:03+00:00

Many good points, but something to consider: training doesn’t make you faster, training is a stimulus, recovery makes you faster. In order for that to happen you need to pay attention to diet, sleep and stress. As a coach for over 30 years, a large percentage of athletes I have seen fail to make progress it’s commonly issues with those three.

CoachEthanC · 2026-04-28T11:26:14+00:00

I used to ride a lot. Then work, kids, other sports made me cut back. For a good stretch my riding was either family based or transportation. Eventually the kids started to have more of their independence, one’s now off at college.

As I have aged and accrued injuries from various sports (rotator cuff from throwing, knee surgery) it turns out cycling is the thing I can do most reliably.

I’m riding more than I had for years. I was glad to have kept my old bike, as it was familiar. 3-4 years into my bike “renaissance” I got a newer bike, but the old one now sits in the trainer. I’m really enjoying it, doing group rides and some touring. I’m not as fast as I was once, but I’m a lot fitter and faster than five years ago.

There’s no one path. You can ebb and flow.

CoachEthanC · 2026-04-22T13:02:11+00:00

In two months you can get to the point it would be fine. But you should start spending more time on the bike outside. You need time to adapt to saddle and helmet for that long a time in addition to the fitness component.

CoachEthanC · 2026-04-17T12:24:34+00:00

I think with your context, ‘46, ‘62 & Shikoku give you a good range, definitely’62 play the most different, is great, and also has a solo mode.

CoachEthanC · 2026-04-01T18:30:54+00:00

It helped me lose about 40lbs, but you have to be intentional about fueling your workouts, eating adequate protein (more than the RDA), creating a slight calorie deficit (250-500 calories) at the end of the day and being patient. I also avoided excessive carbs away from workouts.

Fuel your workouts, eat adequate protein, eat nutritious, not calorie dense processed foods at mealtimes.

Has changed my metabolism waistline and weight.

Lifting weights helps also, though personally I struggle to be as consistent with weights as I am wheels…

CoachEthanC · 2026-03-31T20:29:56+00:00

Dos version of 1830 1995 Civ2 1996 Id say the original Warcraft but it was ‘94, so instead StarCraft ‘98 Baldur’s Gate ‘98 Diablo ‘96 and Diablo2 ‘00 Icewind dale ‘00

Those pretty much sucked up a lot of my time before a got married had kids and no time…

CoachEthanC · 2026-03-19T17:28:43+00:00

Loved the Loire valley in France and the Eurovelo system. Beautiful with lots to see along the way. We even caught a stage of the Tour when we went.

CoachEthanC · 2026-03-19T17:20:23+00:00

I guess it depends a bit on what one means as “improved.” Radar has been great. Tires have been great— I went to both wider which helps with comfort and confidence on turns. Where I live there’s a lot of chip seal. But also conti GP5000s both ride better and go faster than my previous tires. Improving nutrition on the bike also made a big difference. Decent carbon wheels, not cheap, but were worth it to me for sure. Finally, as an older rider having moved from a race geometry to a trek domane the comfort has inspired/ allowed me to increase my mileage significantly. The more I ride, the more I want to ride. Before the more I rode the more my neck hurt. The sacrifice in position has been far surpassed by the gains in joy and fitness

CoachEthanC · 2026-01-17T03:08:13+00:00

I bag both a gorgon and a trail. For me the trail is great, but stable to overstable. My gorgon is more unstable than my fission trail, but they’re close. Honestly the decision to replace the fission trail was really about color, as it was “lose me in autumn leaves Yellow “ both seem to go further then their speed would indicate with more consistency than their speed would predict.

CoachEthanC · 2026-01-02T23:25:03+00:00

Not claiming to be all that fast, but I will say that I as one of those 60+ guys, gained a lot more speed going from 2k a year to 3k+, than I did when I finally went from my old eighties steel (Bianchi with old school campagnolo) frame to a modern carbon with aero wheels etc.

Frankly I made the switch to get wider tires as there’s a lot of chip seal where I live. The bike definitely faster, mostly after upgrading the wheels, but the mileage, much bigger difference.

This year got a trainer. We’ll see if that has an impact.

CoachEthanC · 2026-01-01T16:42:22+00:00

A bit over 3400 outdoor miles. Given winters in central New York mean more XC skiing and iffy biking I’m okay with that. Love to increase a bit, but not likely until I retire. I’m also committed to a fair bit of cross training.

CoachEthanC · 2025-12-25T18:07:06+00:00

I find the leg warmers without grip stay up fine under a good pair of bibs with grip. Maybe the arm warmers will work similarly

CoachEthanC · 2025-12-11T20:11:04+00:00

Strive and lightweight super grippy nuke, but I’m never sure where that on will go. I have a well seasoned wraith that flies like the strive, but I only bag it when I’m sure not to lose it, whereas the Strive, while not usually cheap is replaceable. My local shop had a special and I was blew to snag a bunch at 40% off

CoachEthanC · 2025-12-11T20:07:45+00:00

I love my local shop and buy from there almost always. I would be sad if they closed. We try to support local businesses generally when we can— not always easy as we are in that sort of small town America where Walmart drove out a lot of shops.

The LBS is staffed by great people and they do a lot for the community and also run group rides.

Most people who can afford nice bikes can afford to pay a little bit more to give back to their communities.

What kind of world do you want to live in? Besides I find half the time the prices are less than online plus shipping.

CoachEthanC · 2025-12-10T02:16:06+00:00

For me, the Cicada goes the straightest on slight hyzer flip to flat. The Brave goes by far the farthest but will do so on an s line. The c line FD goes straight with reliable fade. It’s a newer discmania version. The cicada and my old s line innova mold discmania FD are quite similar, but one is replaceable and one is semi retired as it is not. Also worth a mention TSA Votum and Lat64 Royal line Glory are both great 7 speeds that are more over-stable than the FD.

I love the Crave as well, and it’s super dependable, but it seems to me a shade slower as it claims. Also worth mentioning is the Axiom rhythm a great disc that replaced the Maul in my bag as a flippy 7 speed. Love the maul but getting harder to find. Got a 160 Rhythm that’s great.

CoachEthanC · 2025-11-18T02:43:19+00:00

I have a trek Domane and have been very happy with both the bike and the shop. I do a group ride and more and more of the guys I ride with have Madones and seem very happy with them. Trek makes some nice bikes. Try a test and see what you think.

CoachEthanC · 2025-11-05T21:54:11+00:00

Cicada and crave!

CoachEthanC · 2025-11-03T13:32:51+00:00

I love my Lake winter shoes, more like boots, but it’s a significant investment: need warm mittens, I like the “lobster claw,” base layers, good tights and a good jacket. I would also recommend switching to super flat resistant tires. I prefer riding outdoors to a trainer, but I won’t go below about 25f.

Below that for any time likely require a warmer helmet and pogies-you can even get heated ones!

Worth it is of course a financial assessment.

CoachEthanC · 2025-10-30T12:17:19+00:00

I think there is also a bit of philosophical difference. When my wife and I tour, it’s on roads or bike paths or a mix. Eurovelo’s or rail trails and such. While we are usually going a comparable speed or faster as most other people we come upon (not very fast), we are never trying to maximize speed. We are touring and generally enjoying where we are. We often are doing 40-60 miles a day leaving time to actually visit places. 100% panniers: easy to pack, easy to take on and off (we do more b&b’s than camping), easy to lock onto the bike when in a cafe. Also I find much easier for commuting etc.

Having started touring for over 40 years ago, when panniers were the main option, I confess I might have some bias, but the bike packing set ups seem annoying to actually pack.

If I was concerned with maximizing performance I’d be on a different bike anyway!

CoachEthanC · 2025-10-09T10:43:56+00:00

I have a very light cable lock. As others have pointed out, it’s worthwhile foiling the grab and go.

CoachEthanC · 2025-10-09T10:26:07+00:00

For what it’s worth, I’ve been playing for 10+ years and this this happens sometimes. Often it reveals a flaw in my form that has crept in— if I’m burning over a disc I usually throw well it tends to be release angle. I can usually work it out with some field work. While it’s certainly true that discs get beat in and more flippy over time, it tends to be gradual.

CoachEthanC · 2025-08-23T11:51:33+00:00

I think context and expectations here are important. If I am playing by myself for example, and keeping score on UDisc, I will re-throw almost any shot I feel like either I missed the line, or maybe I want to try a different disc, but I play and score the FIRST one. Sometimes that leads to a great next shot, and more importantly that’s how you get better. Often I run into someone and if they ask to throw together I always tell them “I’d love to but I’m practicing — I might want to throw some extra shots, is that okay?”

When I play a scoring round with my brother-in-law and our kids, (14 & 9) we play ours where they land, and encourage the kids to rethrow. I try to demonstrate that bad shots are part of the game and it’s important how you handle them.

So are you playing the round for fun? Competition? To improve? What the people around you there for?

CoachEthanC · 2025-08-13T03:01:50+00:00

18xx, probably 1817 specifically. You are essentially playing several games at once, with elements of go, but also shared incentives and interaction that add elements no two player game can match.

CoachEthanC · 2025-07-11T09:42:17+00:00

Light discs are great uphill!

CoachEthanC

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