Bet on cycling

Archive for June, 2009

During the summer season, most cyclists hit the road to put in a good ride. Obviously, the days are longer, group rides are in full swing and it becomes easier to motivate yourself to get outside.

However, when you live down South and the temperature starts hitting triple digits consistently, the last thing a cyclist should do is ride outside. Not only are you more susceptible to dehydration but also more prone to heat stroke and other serious health problems.

So, what does a southern boy do?

Believe it or not, he moves the trainer inside for a more comfortable ride. But not for just any old training ride! If he’s going to be inside grinding out the mileage while the skies are blue outside, he’s going to need some strong motivation and inspiration to stay focused.

Enter Global Ride’s DVD series.

Now I’ll be the first to admit, when I first received my boxed set of Hawaii rides I didn’t expect much but panoramic video footage of lightly clad islanders pedaling along with lays wrapped around their torsos. Boy was I surprised!

Yes, the panoramic views are included but the rides are anything but a leisure stroll!

Upon unwrapping the Hawaii boxed set, I was greeted with three professionally packaged and produced DVDs — Maui Rollers, Oceanside Ride and StrenDurance in Hawaii.

The first one I chose was Maui Rollers.

“What could possibly be difficult about Maui Rollers?”, I thought.

I dropped the DVD into its player, mounted my Roubaix and stared at the 90″ screen neatly hanging from my home theater room’s wall. Yes, I know — a little excessive, but my kiddos like to watch Mickey Mouse in life-sized proportion.

Before the ride began, the intro warmup started with some nice upbeat music juxtaposed with a panoramic slideshow of the beautiful countryside of Maui. Ample time was given for the warmup and I felt ready to tackle whatever was next.

Surprisingly, the DVD transitioned into a calmer mood and started preparing me for a wet ride. It was obvious that rain had moved in during the initial filming and the producers did a good job of preparing you for the slightly distorted video footage. However, once the rain subsided, the camera lens was cleaned and the majestic Maui Rollers were clearly seen.

This is where things became even more interesting. I’ve used many different training DVDs in the past but none that even came close to what Global Ride provides with their realistic feel from the excellent video footage.

From every pedal stroke to hill climb, the workout was solid and exceeded my expectations. You will not be disappointed with this boxed set!

Another benefit is that each workout allows you to choose between a certified cycling coach from the US, Australia or Italy. Or, you can choose the bonus training workout which focuses on strength training, pilates and yoga.

All-in-all, an INCREDIBLE value for the cycling enthusiast. You want to make sure you add this to your list of “things to buy” in the near future.

In closing, I’ve embedded all three commercials for this particular boxed set. Enjoy!

Maui Rollers:

Oceanside Ride:

StrenDurance in Hawaii:

** FYI: I was not paid to endorse this product. I was simply asked and sent a complimentary copy of Global Ride’s Hawaii Rides for review and honest opinion. I believe their product is exceptional and well worth your investment to take the monotony out of indoor training sessions. **