 |
| Mae Salong in November |
 |
| Doi Inthanon |
 |
| Tour of Lanna |
Every day is an adventure here in Thailand and we hope that you can join us in 2011 to discover the joys of cycling in this amazing country.
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| CT cycling through Pai, Mae Hong Son loop. |
Seasons Greetings from The Crouching Tiger Team! 2010
The crouching Tiger Team would like to take this opportunity to wish all our clients, friends and families a very merry Christmas and best wishes for 2011.
2010 has been an exciting year for us here in Chiang Mai and we would like to thank all of you for your support, encouragement and of course your custom! We have enjoyed some awesome tours, have had the privilege of meeting some of you for a second time and have many stories to tell. Thanks to all our cyclists for some wonderful memories and for some great rides.
Every day is an adventure here in Thailand and we hope that you can join us in 2011 to discover the joys of cycling in this amazing country.
Every day is an adventure here in Thailand and we hope that you can join us in 2011 to discover the joys of cycling in this amazing country.
Road cycling in Thailand - thewashingmachinepost features crouching tiger, hidden treasures
Very many thanks to thewashingmachinepost for writing and featuring this article on their website.
7 September 2010
sometimes you'd almost think i meant it, in the way that one day's article effortlessly segues into the following. but if you have read here for long enough, you will already have had such conjecture banished from thought, for organisation on that level is currently beyond my capabilities. i was, if you will allow a brief reprise from yesterday, laying bare my lack of affinity with a need or desire to travel further afield than specific areas of the united kingdom, most notably this comfortable little rock in the atlantic. thankfully, both for the future of cycling and providing interesting subject matter on which i can digress to my heart's content, there are many who shrug off the hardships, the danger, the unexpected, and thrust themselves into the unknown with nary a look over their shoulder. for such intrepid adventurers, the very notion of an organised cycling adventure is tantamount to an attack on their virility and man or womanhood; they look upon the catered-for cycle excursion with disdain. for me, and many others like me, being provided with a bullet-point itinerary, sensible feed stops, and the local equivalent of a mavic car driving behind is definitely not a step too far.
for many a year, so-called training camps have been provided on many of the spanish islands, masquerading as the ideal spots for pre-season training. only we know better; none of those attending such pain and suffering for softies have much intention of imitating cav or brad through the coming months. that is not to say that it's all a waste of time, for there can be little doubt that most will come back fitter than when they left, it's just that all will likely be squandered within a few weeks of reality. there are little if any bragging rights to be had by casually mentioning that one had spent the previous week amongst the hills in majorca, and at the risk of being struck off sven thiele's christmas card list, riding for three days from london to paris is no longer the trial of strength and endeavour it was once thought to be.
so what now?
when at school i was introduced to thailand by a studious geography teacher, though it was years later when i realised my mistake, having thought it was tie-land; in much the same way that everyone thinks those of us north of the border wear tartan skirts, i was of the impression that the population of this far-off land wore ties. sad, but true.
thailand is, of course a far more interesting location than my misapprehension would have me believe, and now offers even more than i had at first surmised, due to apparently being the hidden secret of the cycling world. and should you need any convincing of this fact, perhaps a look at the crouching tiger cycling tours website would cure of any misgivings.
the mention of the london paris bike ride is not entirely co-incidental either. in 2008, i rode this event in the company of many fine and friendly cyclists, one of whom was a chap by the name of gary thomas. riding events such as l2p, the tour of wessex and the tour des cols had already convinced the man of his affinity with cycling, so when he shifted to thailand, he felt he'd like to offer some of the same, but in the unarguably more exotic surroundings of this asian paradise.
crouching tiger cycling tours.
"the initial business plan was to run open fixed date tours on the routes that can be seen on our website, and that is still a future objective. however to date, we have found ourselves needing to cater for groups of riders who already ride together regularly and are looking for a new challenge. in general the majority of enquiries are from customers who are looking for tailor made tours to fit in with their existing schedules. we have happily adapted to this booking pattern and this has become our speciality."
now, doesn't that sort of sound like what we've just been talking about? but is it therefore a case of getting oneself to thailand with bicycle and being handed a route map, a monogrammed water bottle and told to have a great time? for instance, does anyone know what the thai is for inner tube, or, perhaps more salient, which side of the road they ride on?
"all tours are fully supported. our clients' safety and comfort are of the highest importance. our cycle guides take a similar role to the group captains on london-paris, assisting with marshalling the group along the route. we have vehicle support to assist with mechanical issues; and as an option for anyone who wants either a morning or afternoon off, a lift up a long climb, or simply a short rest. the support vehicle also carries refreshments and energy sustaining snacks. we have an excellent photographer on the team capturing memorable moments from the tours.
as well as our everyday support, we have an excellent relationship with the local police authorities and can arrange an escort where group numbers require."
if we assume that most of us will employ the same well-used euphemism, and ascribe the word training of a pre-seasonal variety to a week or couple of weeks in thailand, the ideal would be that the pelotonese joining a crouching tiger cycle tour ought to get a bit faster and fitter. since this would require to be gained from a base level of some description, is it necessary for the incumbent to maintain at least a minimum speed to partake of a tour? or, given the exotica of the surroundings and thailand's reputation as a holiday destination, are the tours geared more towards the family group looking for something a tad more strenuous than lying on the beach.
"the tours are aimed at the more experienced road cyclist with a good level of
fitness, but there is no minimum speed or level of expectation. participating cyclists simply need to be aware of the difficulty of the ride they subscribe to. we take great care to plan suitable itineraries, based on experience, expectation and ability so that our cycling friends will not only complete and enjoy them, but will also find them challenging and rewarding.tours catering for family cyclists is not a market we are anticipating entering."
if you, like me, have taken the time to have a browse through the tours on offer from crouching tiger, it will perhaps not have escaped your attention that there are many with breaks in continuity. by this, i mean, and unlike the london-paris, it is rarely a case of climbing aboard one's bicycle in the morning and setting off into the sunset for a day of perpetual riding, aside from the occasional stop for sustenance. surely cyclists are sufficiently obsessed to have it so, and not stop off to look at the scenery of an afternoon?
"our listed itineraries are designed to ensure that our cyclists have an experience of thailand, not only on the bike but as well as at the end of each day's cycling. we include rest days in listed tours because they are usually necessary, but in the new bespoke world of our tours we will include or exclude these days to our clients' requirements with due consideration and using our considerable knowledge and experience. for example, a group of australian riders recently took on the 700km "thai highland tour" in just five days.
"any cyclist or group of cyclists who book a tailor made tour can choose to set any pace that they are capable of maintaining. however we offer group tours and would not allow any individual rider to set off alone and unaccompanied. we offer a fully supported tour with safety foremost in our minds. While cycling on thai roads can be considered safe, in many regions we can be quite isolated. It can be many miles between anywhere to buy or beg drinking water and places where there is no mobile phone signal in the event of an accident or mechanical failure. with all cyclists to date being club mates, colleagues or team members, we have seen the usual camaraderie and encouragement we all enjoy as cyclists. don't get me wrong, it's fine to sprint for a post or be first to the top of the climb and wait, but a group ride should be just that, we start together, ride together and finish together."
so far, so good. thailand seems like the ideal location to combine rest and recuperation with days of pain and suffering, and much-a-plenty scenery to occupy the senses on the days when turning another crank is just a chain link too far. but on the days when cycling is the prime objective, there is little doubt that this will take place over the roads that thailand's population use for the day to day, likely less than wholly concerned with the proclivities of those awheel. so can the average crouching tiger peloton experience closed roads?
"quite simply, no, but wherever possible we use quieter routes, and we are in the lowly populated areas of the country, meaning that traffic levels are generally relatively low. in our experience thai drivers are very aware of and considerate towards two wheeled traffic. our support vehicles will be on hand to lead and or follow if necessary. safety is a top priority."
let's, for a moment, take a step backward and look at life in the real world. finding an easyjet or ryanair flight to spain or its surrounds is a particularly economic, if not entirely luxurious travelling experience, and once there, the worst that can happen by way of internal transport, is perhaps the need for a taxi to a local hostelry. thailand is half-way around the world, so what sort of costs are likely to be involved in transporting self, sportwool, lycra and carbon from here to there?
"there are a number of factors to consider, but typically you can fly from london to bangkok from about £550. some clients who may not live a suitable distance from heathrow might find departures from their local airport that connect via amsterdam or other hubs for similar prices. luggage can be an issue, with a bagged bike weighing close to 15kg, but i recently flew with emirates who offered a generous 30kg. in my experience, eva and thai airlines offer the best direct service, eva with seatback personal choice entertainment. emirates were also excellent.
"and certain of our tours offer free internal flights within thailand."
so there you go. while the rest of the velo club are finding odd bolts in the bike bag from last year, and perhaps in one or two cases, a bike that appears not to be theirs, as they pack for next year's flight to benidorm, having packed enough sandwiches and cans of fanta to obviate any excess fees from ryanair, you can smugly announce that your bike bag will be travelling emirates to thailand, fully catered for several days of an altogether different quality of cycling.
gary affirms that crouching tiger cycle tours are in their infancy; they have likely only scraped the surface of what is possible in an emerging nation. he figures that cyclists across the world are all looking for the same way to the top, (relatively speaking) and crouching tiger would like to help us get there. however, it's not all give and no take. while thailand may be a paradise for western visitors with bicycles, it is not short of problems of its own, and crouching tiger aim to cement their position within the thai community by putting something back. currently the hope is to aid with education and healthcare for refugees, while in the sphere of conservation, they aim to aid work to protect the endangered asian elephant.
can i fly direct from islay?
Thanks to thewashingmachinepost team.
http://www.thewashingmachinepost.net/crouching_tiger/
7 September 2010
sometimes you'd almost think i meant it, in the way that one day's article effortlessly segues into the following. but if you have read here for long enough, you will already have had such conjecture banished from thought, for organisation on that level is currently beyond my capabilities. i was, if you will allow a brief reprise from yesterday, laying bare my lack of affinity with a need or desire to travel further afield than specific areas of the united kingdom, most notably this comfortable little rock in the atlantic. thankfully, both for the future of cycling and providing interesting subject matter on which i can digress to my heart's content, there are many who shrug off the hardships, the danger, the unexpected, and thrust themselves into the unknown with nary a look over their shoulder. for such intrepid adventurers, the very notion of an organised cycling adventure is tantamount to an attack on their virility and man or womanhood; they look upon the catered-for cycle excursion with disdain. for me, and many others like me, being provided with a bullet-point itinerary, sensible feed stops, and the local equivalent of a mavic car driving behind is definitely not a step too far.
for many a year, so-called training camps have been provided on many of the spanish islands, masquerading as the ideal spots for pre-season training. only we know better; none of those attending such pain and suffering for softies have much intention of imitating cav or brad through the coming months. that is not to say that it's all a waste of time, for there can be little doubt that most will come back fitter than when they left, it's just that all will likely be squandered within a few weeks of reality. there are little if any bragging rights to be had by casually mentioning that one had spent the previous week amongst the hills in majorca, and at the risk of being struck off sven thiele's christmas card list, riding for three days from london to paris is no longer the trial of strength and endeavour it was once thought to be.so what now?
when at school i was introduced to thailand by a studious geography teacher, though it was years later when i realised my mistake, having thought it was tie-land; in much the same way that everyone thinks those of us north of the border wear tartan skirts, i was of the impression that the population of this far-off land wore ties. sad, but true.
thailand is, of course a far more interesting location than my misapprehension would have me believe, and now offers even more than i had at first surmised, due to apparently being the hidden secret of the cycling world. and should you need any convincing of this fact, perhaps a look at the crouching tiger cycling tours website would cure of any misgivings.the mention of the london paris bike ride is not entirely co-incidental either. in 2008, i rode this event in the company of many fine and friendly cyclists, one of whom was a chap by the name of gary thomas. riding events such as l2p, the tour of wessex and the tour des cols had already convinced the man of his affinity with cycling, so when he shifted to thailand, he felt he'd like to offer some of the same, but in the unarguably more exotic surroundings of this asian paradise.
crouching tiger cycling tours.
"the initial business plan was to run open fixed date tours on the routes that can be seen on our website, and that is still a future objective. however to date, we have found ourselves needing to cater for groups of riders who already ride together regularly and are looking for a new challenge. in general the majority of enquiries are from customers who are looking for tailor made tours to fit in with their existing schedules. we have happily adapted to this booking pattern and this has become our speciality."
now, doesn't that sort of sound like what we've just been talking about? but is it therefore a case of getting oneself to thailand with bicycle and being handed a route map, a monogrammed water bottle and told to have a great time? for instance, does anyone know what the thai is for inner tube, or, perhaps more salient, which side of the road they ride on?
"all tours are fully supported. our clients' safety and comfort are of the highest importance. our cycle guides take a similar role to the group captains on london-paris, assisting with marshalling the group along the route. we have vehicle support to assist with mechanical issues; and as an option for anyone who wants either a morning or afternoon off, a lift up a long climb, or simply a short rest. the support vehicle also carries refreshments and energy sustaining snacks. we have an excellent photographer on the team capturing memorable moments from the tours.as well as our everyday support, we have an excellent relationship with the local police authorities and can arrange an escort where group numbers require."
if we assume that most of us will employ the same well-used euphemism, and ascribe the word training of a pre-seasonal variety to a week or couple of weeks in thailand, the ideal would be that the pelotonese joining a crouching tiger cycle tour ought to get a bit faster and fitter. since this would require to be gained from a base level of some description, is it necessary for the incumbent to maintain at least a minimum speed to partake of a tour? or, given the exotica of the surroundings and thailand's reputation as a holiday destination, are the tours geared more towards the family group looking for something a tad more strenuous than lying on the beach.
"the tours are aimed at the more experienced road cyclist with a good level offitness, but there is no minimum speed or level of expectation. participating cyclists simply need to be aware of the difficulty of the ride they subscribe to. we take great care to plan suitable itineraries, based on experience, expectation and ability so that our cycling friends will not only complete and enjoy them, but will also find them challenging and rewarding.tours catering for family cyclists is not a market we are anticipating entering."
if you, like me, have taken the time to have a browse through the tours on offer from crouching tiger, it will perhaps not have escaped your attention that there are many with breaks in continuity. by this, i mean, and unlike the london-paris, it is rarely a case of climbing aboard one's bicycle in the morning and setting off into the sunset for a day of perpetual riding, aside from the occasional stop for sustenance. surely cyclists are sufficiently obsessed to have it so, and not stop off to look at the scenery of an afternoon?
"our listed itineraries are designed to ensure that our cyclists have an experience of thailand, not only on the bike but as well as at the end of each day's cycling. we include rest days in listed tours because they are usually necessary, but in the new bespoke world of our tours we will include or exclude these days to our clients' requirements with due consideration and using our considerable knowledge and experience. for example, a group of australian riders recently took on the 700km "thai highland tour" in just five days.
"any cyclist or group of cyclists who book a tailor made tour can choose to set any pace that they are capable of maintaining. however we offer group tours and would not allow any individual rider to set off alone and unaccompanied. we offer a fully supported tour with safety foremost in our minds. While cycling on thai roads can be considered safe, in many regions we can be quite isolated. It can be many miles between anywhere to buy or beg drinking water and places where there is no mobile phone signal in the event of an accident or mechanical failure. with all cyclists to date being club mates, colleagues or team members, we have seen the usual camaraderie and encouragement we all enjoy as cyclists. don't get me wrong, it's fine to sprint for a post or be first to the top of the climb and wait, but a group ride should be just that, we start together, ride together and finish together."so far, so good. thailand seems like the ideal location to combine rest and recuperation with days of pain and suffering, and much-a-plenty scenery to occupy the senses on the days when turning another crank is just a chain link too far. but on the days when cycling is the prime objective, there is little doubt that this will take place over the roads that thailand's population use for the day to day, likely less than wholly concerned with the proclivities of those awheel. so can the average crouching tiger peloton experience closed roads?
"quite simply, no, but wherever possible we use quieter routes, and we are in the lowly populated areas of the country, meaning that traffic levels are generally relatively low. in our experience thai drivers are very aware of and considerate towards two wheeled traffic. our support vehicles will be on hand to lead and or follow if necessary. safety is a top priority."let's, for a moment, take a step backward and look at life in the real world. finding an easyjet or ryanair flight to spain or its surrounds is a particularly economic, if not entirely luxurious travelling experience, and once there, the worst that can happen by way of internal transport, is perhaps the need for a taxi to a local hostelry. thailand is half-way around the world, so what sort of costs are likely to be involved in transporting self, sportwool, lycra and carbon from here to there?
"there are a number of factors to consider, but typically you can fly from london to bangkok from about £550. some clients who may not live a suitable distance from heathrow might find departures from their local airport that connect via amsterdam or other hubs for similar prices. luggage can be an issue, with a bagged bike weighing close to 15kg, but i recently flew with emirates who offered a generous 30kg. in my experience, eva and thai airlines offer the best direct service, eva with seatback personal choice entertainment. emirates were also excellent.
"and certain of our tours offer free internal flights within thailand."
gary affirms that crouching tiger cycle tours are in their infancy; they have likely only scraped the surface of what is possible in an emerging nation. he figures that cyclists across the world are all looking for the same way to the top, (relatively speaking) and crouching tiger would like to help us get there. however, it's not all give and no take. while thailand may be a paradise for western visitors with bicycles, it is not short of problems of its own, and crouching tiger aim to cement their position within the thai community by putting something back. currently the hope is to aid with education and healthcare for refugees, while in the sphere of conservation, they aim to aid work to protect the endangered asian elephant.
can i fly direct from islay?
Thanks to thewashingmachinepost team.
http://www.thewashingmachinepost.net/crouching_tiger/
Thailand – the alternative winter get away!
If you have been following the Tour de France or have just returned home after riding one of the tough classic challenges in Europe this summer then I guess you are totally hyped up and motivated about cycling right now. All you want to do is get out on your bike, feeling on top form and just wanting to ride. With warm sunny days and the longer evenings it’s easier to find time to schedule training rides and enjoy cycling with friends, but have you considered what you are going to do over the winter to maintain fitness and enthusiasm? If you are not looking forward to the prospect of riding through the cold, damp, gloomy northern winter, or like many cyclists, you are looking for a new more exciting alternative to the usual Southern European cycling destinations then we would like to offer you Thailand as a tempting new alternative winter get away.
Kick start your winter training in the warmth and constant sunshine of a Thai winter and discover the hidden treasures here; with ideal cycling conditions, fantastic roads, mild sunny days and balmy evenings. After a tough day in the saddle enjoy a therapeutic sports massage followed by a cold energising beverage and the exotic cuisine Thailand is famous for; fresh mango or passion fruit smoothies, and perhaps a delicious meal of steamed fish with a chilli, citronella sauce and stir fried vegetables . Tempted?
We invite you to come and join us in Thailand for an exciting cycling trip where road cycling really doesn’t get much better. With everything from challenging mountain passes, rolling hills, to long flat valleys; there is something to suit every training regime. With the added bonus of an exotic cultural experience and near year round sunshine, this destination will give you the WOW factor holiday where training suddenly becomes a pleasure!
Take a look at our itineraries, discuss them with your friends and if there is a tour that interests you then please call us on Skype or email us at info@crouchingtigertours.com.
If you have a different itinerary in mind and do do not see what you are looking for amongst our scheduled tours then please ask us – we can tailor make your own personalized holiday to suit your available time, riding experience, budget and of course your wishes!
Kick start your winter training in the warmth and constant sunshine of a Thai winter and discover the hidden treasures here; with ideal cycling conditions, fantastic roads, mild sunny days and balmy evenings. After a tough day in the saddle enjoy a therapeutic sports massage followed by a cold energising beverage and the exotic cuisine Thailand is famous for; fresh mango or passion fruit smoothies, and perhaps a delicious meal of steamed fish with a chilli, citronella sauce and stir fried vegetables . Tempted?
We invite you to come and join us in Thailand for an exciting cycling trip where road cycling really doesn’t get much better. With everything from challenging mountain passes, rolling hills, to long flat valleys; there is something to suit every training regime. With the added bonus of an exotic cultural experience and near year round sunshine, this destination will give you the WOW factor holiday where training suddenly becomes a pleasure!
Take a look at our itineraries, discuss them with your friends and if there is a tour that interests you then please call us on Skype or email us at info@crouchingtigertours.com.
If you have a different itinerary in mind and do do not see what you are looking for amongst our scheduled tours then please ask us – we can tailor make your own personalized holiday to suit your available time, riding experience, budget and of course your wishes!
Electrolyte drinks, energy bars, gels?
What should we consume during high effort rides?
There is not one simple answer and lots of advice out there but one thing for sure is that what we eat and how much we consume directly affects how well we perform, how quickly we recover from exercise and how much enjoyment we get from our riding.
How best to meet our energy and hydration needs for maximum safety and efficiency is a bit like using the gears on the bike – different combinations and choices can be adapted depending on the intensity and length of your rides and of course on the weather conditions.
For longer rides of 1 to 2 hours; Water and now glucose/fructose should be replaced and the easy way is to take an electrolyte replacement drink, which includes mineral salts or alternatively water and a gel. Replacing glucose helps prevent hypoglycemia and depleting glycogen reserves in the body. Highly concentrated gels may give the ideal boost to energy needed for a sprint finish but make sure you drink plenty of water at the same time as otherwise this remains in the stomach (and unpleasantly in the mouth!) and doesn’t reach your blood stream quickly enough. It has been suggested that consuming electrolyte drinks and gels together should be avoided to prevent too high a concentration of carbs in the stomach which can not only cause digestive problems but also reduced the speed of absorption.
For rides longer than 2 hours; We should now think of replacing water, glucose, mineral salts and Vitamin B on long duration, high effort rides. Vitamin B helps with the assimilation of glucose by our bodies. Sports fruit bars, and especially dried fruit are a good source of glucose and vitamin replacement and can be easily transported and consumed while riding, which makes them very practical!
Did you know?
Isotonic drinks are of the same osmotic pressure as the blood with a concentration similar to our body and therefore allow for rapid rehydration.. Because of this these drinks are absorbed more quickly than water, and are best used during and after exercise to boost energy levels and encourage rehydration. They contain carbohydrates and electrolytes. Popular brands include Lucozade, Isostar and 100 Plus.
Hypertonic drinks are more highly concentrated in sugars and therefore take longer for the body to absorb. They are recommended to be consumed several hours before training to “carbo load” or after exercise but are not ideal during exercise, particularly in hot weather, when quick rehydration is necessary.
Hypotonic drinks are less concentrated in sugar, easier to absorb and are especially good for rapid fluid replacement giving a better hydration in hot weather. Because they have fewer calories they can also be used in our everyday diet.
There is not one simple answer and lots of advice out there but one thing for sure is that what we eat and how much we consume directly affects how well we perform, how quickly we recover from exercise and how much enjoyment we get from our riding.
How best to meet our energy and hydration needs for maximum safety and efficiency is a bit like using the gears on the bike – different combinations and choices can be adapted depending on the intensity and length of your rides and of course on the weather conditions.
For short rides under 1 hour; water is the most important replacement. Our bodies are made up of 60% water and does not have reserves. It is essential to replace the amount of fluid lost during exercise and the accepted recommendation is to drink little and often, and never to wait until you feel thirsty. By then it’s too late! The recommended minimum is to drink 150ml every 15mins but this should be increased in hot weather.
For longer rides of 1 to 2 hours; Water and now glucose/fructose should be replaced and the easy way is to take an electrolyte replacement drink, which includes mineral salts or alternatively water and a gel. Replacing glucose helps prevent hypoglycemia and depleting glycogen reserves in the body. Highly concentrated gels may give the ideal boost to energy needed for a sprint finish but make sure you drink plenty of water at the same time as otherwise this remains in the stomach (and unpleasantly in the mouth!) and doesn’t reach your blood stream quickly enough. It has been suggested that consuming electrolyte drinks and gels together should be avoided to prevent too high a concentration of carbs in the stomach which can not only cause digestive problems but also reduced the speed of absorption.
For rides longer than 2 hours; We should now think of replacing water, glucose, mineral salts and Vitamin B on long duration, high effort rides. Vitamin B helps with the assimilation of glucose by our bodies. Sports fruit bars, and especially dried fruit are a good source of glucose and vitamin replacement and can be easily transported and consumed while riding, which makes them very practical!
Did you know?
Isotonic drinks are of the same osmotic pressure as the blood with a concentration similar to our body and therefore allow for rapid rehydration.. Because of this these drinks are absorbed more quickly than water, and are best used during and after exercise to boost energy levels and encourage rehydration. They contain carbohydrates and electrolytes. Popular brands include Lucozade, Isostar and 100 Plus.
Hypertonic drinks are more highly concentrated in sugars and therefore take longer for the body to absorb. They are recommended to be consumed several hours before training to “carbo load” or after exercise but are not ideal during exercise, particularly in hot weather, when quick rehydration is necessary.
Hypotonic drinks are less concentrated in sugar, easier to absorb and are especially good for rapid fluid replacement giving a better hydration in hot weather. Because they have fewer calories they can also be used in our everyday diet.
Final stage of Tour de France - Champs Elysees - 2010
 |
| The legend - Lance Armstrong! |
 |
| Mark Cavendish crosses the finish line winner of the final stage |
The winner of this years tour had been decided in the final mountain stage in the Pyrénées a few days before, so long as there were no crashes or technical problems and Alberto Contador crossed the line on the Champs Élysées holding up two fingers and his thumbs to signify his three Tour victories over the last few years. His battle for first place over the last few weeks with the young Andy Schleck won off with Andy coming second overall and also winning, for third time, the white jersey for best young rider under 25 yrs of age.
 |
| Alberto Contador wins the 2010 Tour de France |
 |
| Muravyev celebrating RadioShack team win on Champs Elysees |
 |
| RadioShack win best team |
 |
| Crouching Tiger enjoying RadioShack hospitalily |
Wearing Lance Armstrong's charity "Livestrong" t-shirt and feeling privileged with my RadioShack invitation, not only to the pre-race celebrations but also to watch from the stands at the finish line, I managed to capture photos of some of these athletes and enjoyed checking out and drooling over their amazing bikes! The Bugattis and Ferraris of the biking world! This was a once in a life time experience for me. This years Tour will go down as one of the most dangerous in recent history, with many early accidents and nearly half the field crashing in Stage 2 when the roads were covered with oil. The race also included long sections of cobblestones, which added to the peril.
 |
| Micaela getting up close, thanks to RadioShack |
Crouching Tiger follows stage 16 of the 2010 Tour de France.
The helicopters appear in the sky over head, an indication that the lead group are just around the corner and everyone jostles for prime position to see the breakaway group pass – Lance Armstrong and Chris Horner from Radio Shack pass so close that my camera doesn’t stop clicking as I try to get the perfect shot! And then they are gone. 5 minutes later another large group pass through to applause and cheers. A few minutes later the main peleton cruise through at a very decent pace considering they are still climbing and have already been cycling for several hours. Its an awesome experience. 
After a valiant effort from Lance trying to win the stage and a very gutsy last attempt at a sprint finish by him, the French finally win the day with Pierrick Fedrigo riding for Bbox Bouygues Telecome, crossing the finish line first – a fitting win for the French who are celebrating 100 yrs of the tour passing through the Pyrenees.
Crouching Tiger will be on the Champs Elysee on Sunday to witness the excitement of the final stage of this year’s Tour, to witness, maybe one last time, the infamous Lance Armstrong and to cheer on Mark Cavendish, willing him to take the stage in an awesome sprints that he is now renowned for.
Singapore Cycling scene
Crouching Tiger Team is just back from a meet n greet in Singapore with some of the big guns in the Singapore Cycling scene.
Crouching Tiger went on a PR trip to Singapore during 6 days of meetings and greeting teams, clubs, and bike shop owners. It was a fantastic experience meeting many of the who’s who people in the Singapore cycling scene.
The culmination of CT’s trip to Sg was attending the Singapore National Road Cycling Championships. Some great riders present of course but the power parade of ultra top end racing bicycles was mind blowing. Chris Bray of Team Cannasia likened the line up to an “Arms Race”. Pinarello Dogma’s, Look, Time, Cervélo, and then to top off the scene one cyclist arrives in his Ferrari 599 GTB!
All in a days’ work for the Crouching Tiger Team to let the world know how cool Thailand is for road cycling.
Crouching Tiger went on a PR trip to Singapore during 6 days of meetings and greeting teams, clubs, and bike shop owners. It was a fantastic experience meeting many of the who’s who people in the Singapore cycling scene.
The culmination of CT’s trip to Sg was attending the Singapore National Road Cycling Championships. Some great riders present of course but the power parade of ultra top end racing bicycles was mind blowing. Chris Bray of Team Cannasia likened the line up to an “Arms Race”. Pinarello Dogma’s, Look, Time, Cervélo, and then to top off the scene one cyclist arrives in his Ferrari 599 GTB!
All in a days’ work for the Crouching Tiger Team to let the world know how cool Thailand is for road cycling.
The Right Way to Fuel by Steve Born
In our search for improvements to performance and recovery times while training hard on the bike, and to understand more about replenishing your body during and following exercise we would like to share this article with you -
"Your body is extraordinarily designed and knows how to regulate itself when it comes to fueling. During prolonged exercise it does need your help, but you must cooperate with your body’s innate survival mechanisms. Give your body “a helping hand” by providing it with what it can effectively assimilate (instead of trying to replace everything it’s losing), and I absolutely guarantee that you will feel better during exercise and enjoy dramatic performance improvements.
What this means is that the body cannot replace fluids and nutrients at the same rate it depletes them. Yes, the body needs your assistance in replenishing what it loses, but that donation must be in amounts that cooperate with normal body mechanisms, not in amounts that override them. Here’s an important fact to keep in mind: at an easy aerobic pace, the metabolic rate increases 1200-2000% over the sedentary state. As a result, the body goes into “survival mode,” where blood volume is routed to working muscles, fluids are used for evaporative cooling mechanisms, and oxygen is routed to the brain, heart, and other internal organisms. With all this going on, your body isn’t terribly interested in handling large quantities of calories, fluids, and electrolytes; its priorities lie elsewhere.
Your body already “knows” it is unable to immediately replenish calories, fluids, and electrolytes at the same rate it uses/loses them, and it has the ability to effectively deal with this issue. That’s why we don’t recommend trying to replace hourly losses of calories, fluids, and electrolytes with loss amounts. Instead, we recommend smaller replenishment amounts that cooperate with normal body mechanisms.
Based on what science has shown us, plus over two decades of working with athletes, we have determined the following ranges as ideal for most athletes the majority of the time for maintaining optimum exercise performance:
• Fluids: 12-24 ounces hourly (350 to 700 mls)
• Sodium chloride (salt) in a balanced formula with other electrolytic minerals: 100-600 mg hourly
• Calories: 150-280 calories hourly
Of course, there are many individual variations that you will need to consider (age, weight, training/racing stress, fitness, acclimatization levels, weather conditions) to determine what works best for you. Some athletes will need less than these suggested amounts, a handful slightly more. Certain circumstances require flexibility. For instance, hot weather and high-impact exercise, such as the run portion of a long-distance triathlon. Hot weather usually means lower hourly calorie intake, a slightly higher fluid intake, and an increased electrolyte intake. High impact exercise such as running does better with roughly 30%-50% lower caloric intake per hour than what you’d consume during a less jarring exercise such as cycling.
We have been advocating the “less is best” recommendation for over two decades. Sadly, many athletes continue to listen to “consume what you lose” propaganda, arguing that nutrients and water need to be replaced immediately. This is neither true nor possible; fluids, calories, and electrolytes cannot be replaced 100%, or even 50%. As a result of following this flawed advice, athletes continue to experience cramping, vomiting, gastric distress, diarrhea, and other problems. The safe rule of thumb is to replenish at about one-third of loss values, obviously adjusting as conditions dictate.
Proper fueling is consuming the least amount necessary to keep your body doing what you want it to do hour after hour. And if you do err on the “not enough” side, that’s a lot easier problem to resolve than an “uh oh, I overdid it” problem. We’re pretty darn sure once you get away from those 500-700 calorie and liter-of fluid-an-hour regimens, your body will perform much better, you’ll feel better, and you’ll get the results you trained so hard for."
Thanks to Steve Born for the use of this article.
Steve Born is a technical advisor for Hammer Nutrition with over two decades of involvement in the health food industry. He has worked with hundreds of athletes—ranging from the recreational athlete to world-class professional athlete—helping them to optimize their supplement/fueling program. Steve is a three-time RAAM finisher, the 1994 Furnace Creek 508 Champion, 1999 runner-up, the only cyclist in history to complete a Double Furnace Creek 508, and is the holder of two Ultra Marathon Cycling records. In February 2004 Steve was inducted into the Ultra Marathon Cycling Hall of Fame.
© 2010, Endurance Marketing Group. This information is copyright protected. Please feel free to distribute this information as long as this copyright notice and EMG's phone number and/or URL (www.hammernutrition.com) are included. Content must remain unchanged and original authorship acknowledged.
Happy Songkran!
Training advice – hot tips for “cool” road cycling in Asia!
• Thirst is not a good indicator of fluid requirements. An essential point to be aware of; once you are thirsty you are already dehydrating. Drink lots of fluids before and during your rides. Drink at least 1 litre an hour. Drinking every 15 mins is the most effective way to delay the onset of dehydration. Do not forget to also top up your fluid levels after your exercise, something that many people ignore.
• Keeping well hydrated helps control body temperature, helps in the prevention of muscle fatigue and will help speed recovery from extreme heat and extreme exercise.
• Consider taking sports drinks to replace essential electrolytes lost through sweating. This will not only help avoid cramps but will also help to improve performance and recovery time.
• Freezing your water bottle overnight will give you icy cold water to drink as it melts, so helping to keep you cool on the ride but don’t over fill your bottle or it will break when the water freezes. Having two water bottles, but only freezing one, will give you essential water while allowing time for the ice to melt in the second bottle!
• Wear light coloured, light weight cycling clothing. Wearing an extra “vest” under a cycling jersey that wicks up moisture is a good way of keeping dry and cooler. Avoid fabrics such as cotton or silk which do not wick up moisture. Clothing with mesh added can aid ventilation and help keep you cool in really hot weather.
• Wearing a light coloured helmet with plenty of ventilation holes allows the breeze to keep your head cooler.
• Take a shower by pouring water through the vents in your helmet and over your face and neck, so keeping you cool while on the road. But don’t use up all your essential drinking water!
• Try soaking a bandana in cold water and wearing it round your neck to keep cool.
• If you have to stop for a rest or to mend a puncture always try to find some shade where ever possible. Once off a bike and standing in the hot sun your body can heat up very quickly indeed.
• Take a cool shower and replenish fluids after exercise to cool you down. Avoid exposure to the sun until you have recovered from your ride.
Have you “done” the Doi?
Think you are up to the challenge of cycling this classic climb? Too tough for you? Would you like to wear this T-shirt?
Road cycling up Doi Inthanon has got to be one of the toughest road bike rides in this part of the world. With an ascent of 2260 meters in 48 kms and with gradients exceeding 23% in places, more than three times as long as and certainly competing with the famous French classic L'Alpe d’Huez. Set in the most spectacular mountain range in Northern Thailand and with top quality, wide sweeping roads, Doi Inthanon is fast becoming the most popular challenge for road cyclists in South East Asia.
You have heard of the “mythic” cols of France, now take up the challenge and cycle the mammoth climbs in our Thai Highlands Tour and wear this T-shirt with pride. Available exclusively from Crouching Tiger Cycling Tours, it can be yours!
2010 - The Year of the Tiger!
Chinese New Year, also known as the “Spring Festival”, coincided with Valentine’s Day this year making it extra special for westerners and the Chinese alike. The Chinese know how to celebrate and this year in Chiang Mai was no exception. Chinatown was bustling, food stalls everywhere and decorations, especially red lanterns, not to mention hundreds of people, filled the streets.
The celebrations usually include a flamboyant parade and show, with the traditional dragon dance an essential part of the festivities. The Chinese New Year Dragon Dance shows off the best of Chinese traditions and customs. Dragons are greatly respected in China. There is a long held belief that the people are descendants of the dragon, an age old conviction which is firmly embedded in the heart and soul of every Chinese. In western cultures dragons are usually regarded as symbols of evil whereas in China the dragon is held in high esteem for its supernatural power, goodness, fertility and vigilance.
The pinnacle of the show was the climbing of the dragon up a pole 15 meters high - balanced and helped up by at least 8 Chinese guys stationed ( and clipped on for safety I am pleased to add) at intervals up the pole. This spectacular feat culminated in an impressive fire cracker / fire work show from the dragon’s mouth and eyes!!
The Crouching Tiger team wish everyone a very happy Chinese new year of the Tiger – This is the year for you to pounce on an experience of a lifetime. Why not join us on a special cycling trip – discover Asia with us and take home some wonderful memories. We can’t promise dragons but the Crouching Tiger Team are ready and willing to give you that holiday you thought was only for dreams!!
Gutsy Aussies Cycle up Doi Inthanon!
The Crouching Tiger Team has just returned after an amazing trip that we thought you would love to hear about. A group of Australian cyclists, living in Singapore, have just accomplished our Thai Highland Tour, usually taking 14 days, in just 4 days! Even our 14 day tour is challenging cycling for the super fit! Starting in Chiang Mai and taking in the most spectacular scenery through the highest and toughest mountains in Thailand, this road cycling tour traverses the famous Mae Hong Son loop. Culminating in the ascent of Thailand’s highest mountain Doi Inthanon, at 2565m over a climb of 47 kms, our clients take home some amazing memories, and two seriously tired legs!
We would like to acknowledge and congratulate our Aussie friends on their amazing accomplishment – a seemingly impossible goal when we were first asked to arrange their trip but well and truly achieved by one and all. This was certainly a cycling trip through Northern Thailand to be proud of.
Well done guys – you rode Thailand's toughest mountain route and cycled up Doi Inthanon - We thoroughly enjoyed your company and stand astounded by your endurance and spirit.Cycle Safe!
Interested in a custom-made group tour?
Travelling with a group of friends can make for memorable, fun holidays. However organising a trip for a group can be a time-consuming and stressful undertaking. Let us take the problem of organisation away from you by designing a tailor-made trip of a lifetime where all you have to do is arrive at the airport, get on your bike and pedal!
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