Rider briefing

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Practical articles for gran fondo riders, with the research behind them.

Fueling

CaubergHow many carbs per hour on a gran fondo?
60, 90 or 120 grams an hour? What the research says about carbohydrate on long rides, and how to set your own target.
CaubergHow much should you drink on a gran fondo?
Enough to keep losses under about 2% of your body weight, but never more than you sweat. How to find your amount, and why not to overdo it.
CaubergMeasure your sweat rate with a bathroom scale
The simplest accurate way to know how much you sweat: weigh yourself before and after a ride. A step-by-step protocol and the sum.
Mur de HuyCaffeine on a gran fondo: how much, and when?
3 to 6 mg per kilo works for endurance, and later in a long ride may beat a big dose at the start. Dose, timing and safe limits.
Mur de HuySodium and sweat: how much salt do you lose on a long ride?
Sweat sodium varies several-fold between riders. What the research shows, and how the FondoLab planner turns it into a number.
VentouxGlucose and fructose: why the mix matters above 60 g/h
Why sports nutrition mixes glucose and fructose, what 2:1 and 1:0.8 mean, and when a single sugar is enough.

Mur de HuyRace strategy for a gran fondo: where to spend your watts
Even power is not the fastest way round a hilly or windy course. Push a little harder uphill and into the wind, ease off where speed is cheap.

CaubergRiding in a group: where the shelter is, and how to use it
Deep in a big group you push 5–10% of the air you would alone. Where in the group the shelter is, what the front costs, and how to ride a fondo with that.

Mur de HuyTyre pressure and rolling resistance (Crr)
How tyre pressure changes your rolling resistance, what Crr means in watts, and how FondoLab estimates yours from the pressure you ride.
VentouxHow much power does your drivetrain lose?
A clean derailleur drive delivers about 98% of your power to the wheel. What costs you the rest, and the default FondoLab uses.
VentouxWhat is CdA, and how to estimate yours
Drag area (CdA) decides how much power the air costs you. What it is, what riding position does to it, and how FondoLab estimates yours.
l'AngliruThe Chung method: aero testing with your power meter
Measure your drag area on a quiet loop with a power meter, and test a position or a helmet the way a lab would: one change at a time, A-B-A-B.

Mur de HuyDescending faster and safer: position, corners and cold
On a descent your position is worth more than your watts. Which tuck saves the most drag, where the time is won, and why to bring a jacket.

Mur de HuyCornering: how speed, radius and lean go together
How far you must lean in a corner follows from your speed and its radius. What that means for grip, where to brake, and the line fast riders take.

CaubergMental training for a gran fondo: self-talk, goals and a fresh head
How hard a ride feels limits how long you can keep going. Self-talk and goals can change that feeling; a tiring day at work can make it worse.
Mur de HuyHow Bad Do You Want It? What a great book teaches about suffering on a gran fondo
Matt Fitzgerald's book argues that your head, not your legs, sets your limit. What it gets right, what the science says, and how to use it on a fondo.