Cool history of the TDF Yellow Jersey you can share.

Cool history of the TDF Yellow Jersey you can share.

The Yellow Jersey Bicycle Insurance company is promoting their service with this very cool infographic about the Yellow Jersey, worn by the leaders of the Tour de France. As they are a UK company, it's fitting that they are highlighting past British riders who have worn the Yellow Jersey. If you follow professional cycling you're aware of how utterly dominate Team Sky / British Cycling has been over the past two years. More excitement will follow for sure 🙂

Click to embiggen

Click to Embiggen

You can download your copy here or use the share buttons below to get your friends and customers excited about the Tour! The race begins this Saturday, July 5th. Here's more info on the individual stages.

Cool history of the TDF Yellow Jersey you can share.

Pro Form Le Tour de France Indoor Cycling Bike with Power

Official Indoor Training Cycle of Le Tour de France

Did you see this new Indoor Cycle from Pro-Form during the tour this year? I'm not sure if it will qualify as a potential replacement for the bikes cycles in your club, but it is fascinating… at least it is to me. So I called the company and we are planning a future interview to learn more about it.

The Pro Form Le Tour de France Indoor Cycling Bike uses the same Magnetic resistance found on the Keiser M3, Schwinn AC and the new FreeMotion s11.9. As I've stated here on multiple occasions, I see Magnetic Resistance as superior in every respect as compared to a friction system; quieter, zero maintenance and most importantly the amount of resistance increases with cadence… just like a real bicycle on the road.

The Pro Form TDF bike adjusts pitch 20% from incline to decline

So how about adding pitch into our classes? Realryder has students rocking from side to side, but wouldn't it be cool if we could replicate the up and down of a real road as part of our class profiles?

The Pro-Form TDF can adjust the amount of Incline or Decline so you feel like you are actually climbing or descending.

I can envision having a control knob where I could control everyone's cycle; “going up!” 
 

 
I'm guessing that with a selling price of only $1,300, the Pro Form uses calculated power to arrive at the wattage displayed. That may not be optimal for the hard core Power fanatic, but for the 99% of us who just need a consistant indication of the work we create it's perfect.

Here's the link to the Pro-Form TDF information page.

Cool history of the TDF Yellow Jersey you can share.

ICI Podcast 161 Would you take a Cycling Vacation to Europe with your class?

Spinning instructor cycling vacation in Italy or FranceHave you ever considered taking a Cycling Vacation to Europe? Maybe to France or Italy where you could experience the roads and climbs you have seen at the Tour de France or Giro d'Italia.

Amy and I have dreamed about a trip like that… but then quickly dismissed it as fantasy as soon as we start thinking about the costs and details.

But the dream remains for us 🙂

You maybe aware that Amy and I travel to the Caribbean every year on what's called a working fitness vacation.  We trade our services (teaching fitness classes) in exchange for an All -Inclusive vacation at some very nice resorts in Jamaica or Mexico.

I've always wondered if there would be a way to create a similar program for Indoor Cycling Instructors wanting to take a Cycling Vacation. Most of us have large networks of friends and students, many who are cyclists…

After watching the video Tom Scotto and Gene Nacey made on their trip to Spain I decided to pursue this further.  I contacted Lauren Hefferon with Ciclismo Classico, the tour operator that coordinated Gene and Tom's trip. Lauren was very open to the idea of an Instructor program, but then she started asking me a lot of questions I couldn't answer. She suggested that I conduct a survey of listeners and readers to see if this would be of interest to you.

So here is our question:

With the proper incentives and resources, could you recruit a group of cyclists, train them this winter and then ride with them on a cycling vacation in Europe next Spring?

Please listen to the Podcast interview below and then

Click here to take the survey.