Rick's News
Memorial Service for Abraham Tobia to be held this Friday, April 23rd
For those of you who knew him, there will be an opportunity to share stories about Abe and his love of cycling as well as his joy of taking care of others.
TeamCBC Announcement
It is with great sadness that we inform you of the passing of Abraham Tobia. Abe had been a valued member of our team for many years. He spent his life helping others and regularly volunteered his time to support both TeamCBC and Bike MS.
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Communications: Verbal Commands Part 3
Here are the last group of verbal commands. Thanks again to Jose for the translations. Standing – The rider is about to stand up on his bike. This causes the bike to slow down. Spanish: Parandome Rolling – The group is continuing to ride after
TeamCBC Weekly Cycling Tip – Communications: Verbal Commands Part 2
Here are the next group of verbal commands. Thanks again to Jose for the translations. Car Up / Car Back – a vehicle is coming towards the group or coming up behind the group Spanish: Carro en frente/ car upCarro atras/ car back Passing –
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Communications: Verbal Commands Part 1
Last week we covered hand signals and for the next few weeks, we will cover verbal commands. As a bonus, I’ve included the commands in Spanish. Thanks to Jose for providing the proper translations. Right Turn – Group is turning right within 100 feet Spanish:
TeamCBC Announcement – CBC under new ownership
Effective today, March 31, 2021, the Carolina Brewing Company has a new owner. Mark, Greg, and the other current owners) will stay on for a few months during the transition, as the new owner gets up to speed on the operations. The name, the beer,
TeamCBC Team Store is Open!
The Team Store is now open and set to close on Monday, April 5th. The direct link to the store is https://teamstore.pactimo.com/stores/teamcbc/show. Order now! Any questions please e-mail gearchair@teamcbc.com. Stay safe! Rick Bunnell President, TeamCBC
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Communications: Hand Signals
For the next few weeks, we’re going to focus on communications. Most accidents occur because of a lack of good communication. Verbal commands are important and we will cover them over the next few weeks, but let’s start with hand signals. REMEMBER, if the road
TeamCBC – Stuff You Should Know
1. First of all, sorry about Monday’s long post about our Tuesday/Thursday rides. It looks good on the website and emails, but FB is difficult. From now I will post just the basics of our Weekly Rides and have a link back to our website
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – 5 Recovery Techniques for Busy Cyclists
With the start of Daylight Savings Time, you can now potentially ride 7 days a week. However, unless you’re training for a stage race, it’s not recommended. Every training plan includes days off or recovery days. Recovery is as important as training. If you don’t
TeamCBC Tuesday/Thursday Rides
With the return of Daylight Savings Time (yay!!), this week is the official start of our Tuesday/Thursday evening rides. There are several changes this year, so please read carefully. Locations New for this year! We will be riding out of two locations: 1. Tuesday night
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Rules of the Road
With the clocks changing this weekend, we will officially start our Tuesday/Thursday rides next week. There will be a separate announcement this weekend. With that in mind, it’s a good time to review our Rules of the Road. These rules are not just about being
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to Deal with Bad Roads
Last year several roads were repaved such as Pea Ridge and Tody Goodwin. However, there are still several that are in bad shape, especially Old Route 1 and Chapel Hill Road. Here are some tips on how to deal with these roads: Be Prepared 1.
Team CBC Welcomes SpeedHound as a New Sponsor for 2021!
Team CBC is pleased to announce SpeedHound, a provider of post-workout recovery systems, travel bags, and other key items for athletes, as a new sponsor for 2021. Speed Hound products are designed to meet the demands of an elite athlete, yet be within reach of
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – What to do after a bike accident: Assess your bike
We’ve discussed how to assess your body after a bike accident. Now, if your body is okay—just bruised or slightly banged up, you can move on to assessing your bike. Wheels: Typically, the wheels take the brunt of the crash and incur the easiest problems
Black History Month – Major Taylor
Black athletes didn’t have many choices 120 years ago. They were banned from baseball, basketball hadn’t caught on yet, and football was a brutal sport where passing was not allowed and players used their helmet-less heads as battering rams. Therefore Marshall “Major” Taylor chose to
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – What to do after a bike accident: Self-assessment.
Unfortunately, despite your best efforts, there is a possibility that you may experience a crash. If so, here are a few basic principles to remember from bicycling.com: Slow Down: The best thing you can do for yourself after a bike crash is to take your
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Now is the time to get your bike serviced
Whether you have a bike that’s worth more than your car or you ride an old beater, you’re headed for an expensive repair bill if you don’t take care of it. For those of you who are DIYers, here are some tips on how to
TeamCBC Code of Conduct
Welcome to TeamCBC. Whether this is your first ride, or you’re an experienced rider and member of the club, we are all committed to creating an environment that supports ALL riders in a welcoming, positive, safe environment. All TeamCBC members have the responsibility to: 1.
TeamCBC Board of Directors for 2021
Here are your TeamCBC Board of Directors for 2021: President – Rick Bunnell (president@teamcbc.com) Vice President – Linda Murray Ride Captain – Bob Oderkirk (captain@teamcbc.com) Treasurer – Dan Leinbach (treasurer@teamcbc.com) Gear Sales Chair – Nancy Canterbury (gearchair@teamcbc.com) Sponsor Chair – Tom Henson Secretary – Sheila
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Is your saddle too far forward or too far back?
First of all, the 3 most important things about your bike saddle are comfort, comfort, and comfort. If you’re not comfortable, something is wrong. Secondly, adjusting your saddle is just one part of a bigger picture called bike fit. You need to make sure you
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How Bad is Alcohol for Cycling Performance?
A few years ago, I attended a 2-day Stress Management class required for our corporate executives. Not surprisingly, the topic of alcohol was discussed. The instructor used data from a triathlete to illustrate the results. It demonstrated the negative effect of alcohol on your heart
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Rules of the Road
Most of us would agree that the most important thing about cycling is having fun. However safety is a close second and there is nothing fun about getting injured while on a ride. With that in mind, we at TeamCBC want to be the leader
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – What’s the deal with Gravel Bikes?
Gravel bike sales have been skyrocketing over the past few years. Riders want to enjoy riding a bike, but off the roads and away from the traffic. Some people will tell you to just put gravel tires on your road bike. That might work, but
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to Keep your Feet Warm while Cycling
Keeping your feet warm and dry while riding can be the key to keeping you healthy as well as keeping your body warm. Being closest to the road, your feet are more likely to get wet and, in cold weather, that will lead to cold
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Indoor Trainers
With the days getting shorter and colder, many of us take it inside. However, with the continuing pandemic, cycling classes are limited and wearing a mask while riding is a challenge. Therefore, this may be the year to invest in an indoor trainer. Here are
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – What to buy a cyclist for Christmas
First of all, this tip isn’t for you. It is for your friends, family or significant other. This is a public service for those of you that have received cycling gifts in the past that you are too embarrassed to even regift. Therefore please forward
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – The Power of the Potato
Tomorrow many of us will be eating some type of potato for Thanksgiving, so I thought this would be a good topic for this week. When I met Toms Skujins at the Tour de France a couple years ago, one of the on-running jokes was
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Wear an ID
I know what you’re thinking, “I’m in great health and don’t have any medical issues, why do I need to wear an ID?” My answer is that there are many risks in cycling and, despite your best efforts, they cannot always be avoided. Unfortunately we
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – 7 Things to Know Before Buying Bike Computers
Over the years I’ve progressed from using my iPhone (not good in high humidity) to my Apple Watch (glitches and limited features) to a cycling computer. Here are 7 things that you should look for in a cycling computer. 1. Types of Cycling ComputersBasic These
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to dress for Fall rides
Fall is a difficult time to dress for cycling. You can start out with temperatures in the 40’s and end up in the 60’s or higher. Although you may feel cold at the beginning, don’t dress for winter riding. You don’t want to overheat and
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – What to carry in your road bike saddle bag
First of all, you should at least have a saddle bag. I saw a rider the other day who did not even have one. Years ago I rode in the Tour de Cure without a saddle bag. I had a new bike and thought that
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to stop a “Shimmy” or “Speed Wobble”
One of our teammates brought this issue to my attention. He experienced a severe “shimmy” while descending the big hill on Route 42. His bike just started shaking and he couldn’t control it. Fortunately he was not close to his fellow riders and was able
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – The TeamCBC Way
This was composed several years ago by our Team Captain, Bob Oderkirk. It is meant for those of us who have been here awhile and also for all the great new riders coming out and joining the club for rides et al. When I started
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Bike Lights
With the days getting shorter, it is even more important to use both a front and back light when riding during the day. Cars can have a difficult time seeing you as you ride in and out of the shadows. Not only should you have
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Chainrings and Cassettes, what do those numbers mean?
Have you ever had another rider start asking questions about your chain set using lots of numbers and you answer, “hmmm, I think so.” Well, here are what those numbers mean and what they mean to you. A “Compact” chainring is 50/34. This means there
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Lack of Standardization
I went to Home Depot to get a replacement toilet flapper, but bought the wrong one. I thought that they were all the same. (Bonus tip: In 2005 some toilets changed to 3”, not 2”) Bicycle parts are not all the same either. There are
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Thru Axle Maintenance
People ask when will I run out of cycling tips. The answer is when I stop riding. Bad things tend to happen to me. Sometimes they are my fault and sometimes not. Fortunately you can learn from my mistakes. (Here’s a bonus tip: Don’t fly
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Understanding the Tour de France: Strategies and Terms
What Strategies Should I Look For? Breakaways — Riders are very strategic, and don’t cycle as fast as they can throughout the race. They tend to cycle in a main group called a peloton, and have smaller groups break away to the front at almost
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Understanding the Tour de France: The Jerseys
After an almost 2 month delay, the Tour de France will begin this weekend. For those of you haven’t followed it very closely, here is a brief explanation of the jerseys. This year’s race will starts in Nice and end 23 days later in Paris.
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Group Rides: The Hows and How Nots by Kurt Ehlert (Part 2 of 2)
Group Ride Etiquette This can be where the newbie rider might get in trouble, but these are the basic things to pay attention to.First things first – if you decide to go on a group ride, show up ready. Be on time. “Clip in time”
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Group Rides: The Hows and How Nots by Kurt Ehlert (Part 1 of 2)
For those of you who have or want to ride in groups, here is an article submitted by one of our teammates, Kurt Ehlert. Since it is rather long, I am posting it in two parts. Next week I will post the second half which
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – 6 Tips for Safer Cycling while Descending
I noticed that we had quite a few climbers this past month and what goes up must come down. So here are some tips on how to descend safely. 1. Know your limits – It’s tempting to try to push it a little when your
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to Ride Solo
With many people riding solo this year due to the pandemic, I thought it would be a good time to review the basics. Plan your route – You should determine your rest stop options ahead of time. Once you’ve ridden over two hours, you’re going
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Tips to Help Cyclists Prevent Sore or Numb Hands
With many cyclists going on longer rides this year, hand soreness and/or numbness can be an issue. Here are some tips to help prevent it from occurring. Relax Relax your grip and your shoulders. Bend your elbows and engage your core. Practice taking your hands
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Recovery for Cyclists: The Importance of Rest Days
Anne suggested this topic and it’s a good one. I know my biggest issue is taking days off. Cycling can be addictive and, from what I see on Strava, many of you may have the same problem. Rest days are just as important as training
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Situational Awareness
One of our teammates, Walt, suggested that we focus on situational awareness this week. You can wear bright colored jerseys, hi-viz socks, and have front and back flashing lights, but sometimes that’s not enough. Here are three tips to help you be safer on the
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to Lose Weight through Cycling
Thus far this year I’ve offered a variety of suggestions to make your bike lighter and faster. However now it’s time to focus on the elephant in the room – your own body weight. Losing as little as 5 or 10 pounds can make a
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – What’s the Difference between Carbon and Aluminum Wheels?
Most new bikes today come with aluminum alloy wheels. There’s nothing wrong with aluminum alloy wheels, they are strong and lightweight. However just like with bicycle frames, carbon fiber, although pricey, has some advantages. Carbon is Lighter Entry level carbon wheels are about 10% lighter
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Riding in Hot and Humid Weather
I’m sure most of you have your own methods of riding in the hot and humid weather of North Carolina. Here are few that I have learned over the years: The higher the heat and humidity, the lower the oxygen content in the air. So
TeamCBC Group Rides/Events 6/4/20 Update
We’ve had lots of questions about resuming TeamCBC group rides. We know we are now in Phase 2 of re-opening NC. And, we know that riding solo or in small groups doesn’t quite replace the camaraderie of our social rides. After careful consideration and deliberation
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – The Truth about Wide Tires
There was a time not too long ago when 23mm wide tires were the standard road tire. Many pro racers used 21mm or even narrower, but now most of them ride 25mm. If wider tires were really slower, why would they ride on them? First
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How to Clean and Detail your Bike
We all clean our bikes (well, most of us), but are we doing it often enough and doing it right? If you’re on gravel or trails, you may need to wash it after every ride. However if you’re riding on the road, you should clean
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – 4 Bad Cycling Habits: How to Look more than a Pro on a Bike
Whether it’s cycling, running or swimming, the one characteristic that is common to most professional athletes is how relaxed and smooth they look. I remember watching Olympic Gold Medalist Cullen Jones at our neighborhood pool years ago. When he dove into the pool the water
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Are your Bike Shorts Torn? They can be Repaired.
As you know, jerseys and shorts can be expensive. Therefore you really don’t want to throw them out if they’ve been torn. If the tear is by a seam you’re probably going to have to sew it (yeah, right) or find someone to sew it
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Unofficial Tire Test with Surprising Results
A couple weeks ago I explained, in theory, how a tire with a better rolling resistance can help you ride as much as 1 mph faster. I compared my current tires, Continental Gator Hardshells, rated at 20 watts/each with Continental Grand Prix 5000 tires which
TeamCBC – All Group Rides/Events REMAIN SUSPENDED – UPDATE May 5, 2020
Dear members of TeamCBC, It has been nearly two months since we suspended our organized group rides. Although some communities are beginning to relax their “stay-at-home” orders, there is still a long way to go. As an USA Cycling member organization we will continue to
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Is Your Saddle at the Right Height?
It may seem obvious, but if your saddle height is wrong, you may develop knee pain. A general rule states that if the pain is in the front of your knee, your saddle is too low. If the pain is towards the back of your
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Are You Riding on the Right Tires?
Are the tires that came with your bike the right tires for you? Buying tires for a bike can be more complicated than buying tires for your car. There are dozens of choices, so maybe the best thing to do is ask your favorite bike
“Cadence” – Article Submitted by Danny Thomas
The reason you find so many conflicting answers to the question, “What is the ideal cadence?” is because there is no one ideal cadence for everyone, all the time. The best cadence for the moment depends on a number of interacting variables which change not
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – How Fast Should You Pedal?
What cadence do you pedal? I’ve read that 80 rpm’s is ideal, in a lab. However we don’t ride in a lab, we ride outside with all kinds of factors. So I decided to get some real life numbers. Since many of you have cadence
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Changing Out your Pedals
Now that you’ve followed my advice and bought some new pedals on-line from one of our sponsors, how do you change them out? First of all, you’re going to need an 6mm or 8mm hex tool depending on the pedal. This is basically a very
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Choosing the Right Pedals
So you just spent thousands of dollars on a new bike and it didn’t even come with pedals, why is that? The answer is that there are many different types of pedals and, to keep the price down, the bike companies leave it up to
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Does (Crank) Size Matter
This past week someone told me that I should get longer crank-arms. They said that I’m always riding in the higher gears and quickly top out going down hills. Being a mechanical engineer, it made sense to me that a longer crank-arm would produce more
We’re Back on Twitter!
This week we dusted off our old Twitter account, @team_cbc. Please follow us if you’re on Twitter. We will be tweeting and retweeting the latest news and updates in our cycling world. Stay Safe. Rick Bunnell President, TeamCBC
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Proper Tire Pressure
With group riding officially suspended, for the next few weeks I will focus on tips those riding solo can use. So, tire pressure, it’s easy, just fill your tires with 100 psi each and you’re done, right? Well, not necessarily. There are actually several factors.
TeamCBC – Please Consider Supporting Our Sponsors
Please consider supporting our sponsors! These are unprecedented times. Many small businesses have been forced to limit hours and services, or may even be forced to close temporarily. They are seriously at risk of not surviving this crisis. Therefore, IF you have to go out
TeamCBC SUSPENDING all Group Rides/Events
Dear members of TeamCBC In light of the emerging COVID-19 pandemic, TeamCBC is joining other cycling clubs across the Triangle and across the country by SUSPENDING all group rides/events for the next several weeks (until early April). We do this in an effort to protect
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Group Ride Etiquette
Etiquette (noun) – the customary code of polite behavior among members of a particular group. When I earned my MBA degree many years ago, our first class was on etiquette. We were told that one day, when we were in a professional setting, it would
TeamCBC Statement Regarding COVID-19 (aka coronavirus)
To TeamCBC Riders: In light of recent developments regarding COVID-19 (aka the coronavirus), TeamCBC has put together the following statement regarding our Group Rides: TeamCBC’s current stance is that our Group Rides will continue during this health advisory period as long as the following precautions
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Are Disc Brakes Really Better?
Why would anyone ask this question? It’s settled science, right? The consensus among cyclists is that disc brakes are clearly better than rim brakes and you just have to run out and buy a new bike with disc brakes. Of course most of us don’t
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Update on our narrow roads
As many of you have seen, the median on Brewery Hill has recently been extended to over a mile and the Town of Holly Springs left the uphill side as a single lane. Bob has updated our rides to avoid Brewery Hill, but Woods Creek
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Changing a Flat Tire
Changing a flat tire can be a challenge. Fortunately, when changing a tire on a group ride, there are usually plenty of fellow cyclists willing to help. However, there are about 20 steps and, when sweat is pouring down your face and everyone is waiting
TeamCBC Event – 2020 Bike MS Rock & Roll Kickoff Party
It’s time to Kickoff Bike MS 2020 with a Rock and Roll Party! Join us on March 7 as we “spring forward” and kickoff the 2020 Bike MS fundraising season with our very own local rock group: Peak City Band! There will be something for
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Why you need a Power Meter
I don’t have any on-the-road experience with cycling power meters, but I do believe that they can help improve your cycling experience. In my opinion it is a “nice to have” upgrade, but for some of the more serious riders, maybe it is a “must
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – Climb like a Pro
1. Pace, don’t race: Don’t go charging up a long hill. Keep a steady pace based on your heart rate or power (if you have a power meter). We’ll cover power meters in a future tip. 2. Steady Cadence: Keep your rpm’s steady. Some people
TeamCBC Announcement – New Email Service and New Website
Thanks to Linda Murray, I am pleased to announce that we now have a new email service and a new website. New Email Along with a new, more flexible, email service, we now have the ability to support multiple email addresses to make it easier for
TeamCBC Cycling Tip – “Find your Spot”: Aerobic vs. Anaerobic
When going up a big hill, or in a group ride that is going a bit too fast, you need to find the pace where your heart rate is at or below your Lactate Threshold. So what the heck is Lactate Threshold? Does it have
TeamCBC Cycling Tips for Climbing Long Hills
I think most of us have learned from fellow cyclists. Sometimes it is thoughtful and constructive advice and sometimes you just get yelled at. Some of it is good information, some of it seems worthless to you and some of it is just plain wrong.
TeamCBC – News for a New Year 1/3/20
Welcome to the 20’s! Here’s what’s new for this year. First of all, here are the brave souls who have agreed to serve as your Board of Directors for 2020. President – Rick Bunnell Vice President – Linda Murray Team Captain – Bob Oderkirk Treasurer –