With colder temperatures setting in, it's time to start planning for those warm, sunny days that seem so far away!

What's New?

REGISTER SOON FOR THIS YEAR'S PRICES

Register with Domestique Tours by Shuttleguy now to lock in prices before they go up in January!

Prices will go up January 1st, 2014, so if you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for your favorite cyclist, consider registering with Shuttleguy before prices rise.

RAGBRAI 2014

RAGBRAI registration is in full swing. To register:

1. Go to the RAGBRAI register page:

http://ragbrai.com/registration/

2. There will be an option to either
A). Register as an individual
B). Register as part of a group

3. Register as part of a group (Shuttleguy #30469)

Due to the lottery style system of RAGBRAI, we encourage you to register as part of a group because if one individual from the group is selected to go, then the entire group is chosen to participate in RAGBRAI. Registering as part of the Shuttleguy group will increase your chances significantly.

4. After registering for RAGBRAI, return to the Domestique Tours website and register with us by selecting which RAGBRAI package you'd like.

To do this, click here.

Remember, registering for RAGBRAI does NOT register you with Domestique Tours by Shuttleguy, and vice versa. You must register with both RAGBRAI AND Domestique Tours by Shuttleguy.

Your RAGBRAI registration fees must be sent as a check made payable to Shuttleguy, P.O. Box 284, Dodgeville, WI 53533. Checks for RAGBRAI registration are made payable and sent to Shuttleguy so that we may compile them and send one lump sum into RAGBRAI. This check does not pay for any Shuttleguy fees, and is not for Shuttleguy.

WINE & CHEESE, MISSISSIPPI RIVER TOUR UPDATE

If you're interested in either the Wine & Cheese 2014 Tour, or the Mississippi River Fall 2014 Tour, please contact us at info@shuttleguy.com to indicate your interest. These tours require a minimum number of participants to take place in 2014, so if these tours sound interesting to you, let us know! To read more about the Wine Tour, click here. To read about the Mississippi River Fall Tour, click here.

TRAINING TIPS: CHEATING THE WIND

Speed Cycling, located in Fitchburg, WI is a company dedicated to training cyclists to improve their speed and allow cyclists to have the best experience possible on a bicycle. They emphasize hard work in an optimal environment, all designed for top performance.

Cheating the Wind is an article by Speed Cycling which discusses the best way to work with the wind.

It's important to focus on getting into "a less wind-resistant position to help cyclists of all abilities get more proficient at riding more aerodynamically."

Why is it so important to stay aerodynamically positioned?

"A rider who is in the front of a group or cyclists has to do about 40 percent more work than someone tucked behind in the group. Just by staying out of the wind, you are faster without putting out one more watt. If you don't have a wall of riders to hide behind, you still can cheat the wind by reducing the frontal area exposed to the wind; bring in the sail if you will."

How can I stay aerodynamically positioned?

"In a typical, comfortable riding position, the rider would place his or her hands on the brake hoods, or levers. But, that is not very aerodynamic. It's sort of like sitting on a chair, with your torso perpendicular to the ground like a sail. So, to combat the impact of the wind, you must bend at the [waist], and put your hands in the drops.

Let's start with a road bike. First, place your hands in the drops, then bend your elbows not quite to a 45-degree angle. Next, keep your face forward and your eyes looking at the road out in front of you. Resist the urge to look down, as it will cause you to sit awkwardly on the seat.

Keep your back straight."

Will it be easy?

"It takes time to develop strength in the muscles you will use to ride in aero position, because your body uses different muscle groups to pedal in this manner. At first, you may notice soreness in your lower back, hamstrings and glutes, but over time this will subside as those muscles learn to work well with one another."

Thanks Speed Cycling! Visit their website here for more tips and information.

Links of the Month

Each month we'll be passing on a few useful links that we think you might enjoy or find useful.

This beautiful short film is a talented homage to bicycling.
(click the image to view)

Doemstique Tours by Shuttleguy specializes in superior bicycle touring services for bicyclists with discriminating taste. Let us make life easy for you this summer on one of the many tours we support.

Sincerely,

Tym Allison
Domestique Tours by Shuttleguy