A Cyclist’s Life in Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Interested in cycling for free here in Tenerife? Got your own cycling-related website or blog? Great. All you’ve got to do is supply a permanent link to www.tenerife-training.net, and you can then hire a bike FREE here in Tenerife for a 24 hour period after it’s approved by Les. Not got your own website? Then simply find another relevant site and suggest to the websmaster that they add www.tenerife-training.net to their links page. If you manage to get 5 in-links originating from different websites, get two free days!!

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, so what’s the catch? Please read the following terms & conditions:

(more…)

Tags: Sales Pitch // 1 Comment »

I have just been reading the website ActionCOACH, run by successful Australian businessman Brad Sugars. Anyone who has lived in an Australian city (like Sydney) knows that they are the most cut-throat business environments to be found anywhere. The trouble is that most business owners around the world are not formally trained in running or managing their own business and have to learn the hard way. Of course the easy way is to hire a business coach:

“The role of the Business Coach is to coach business owners to improve their business through guidance, support and encouragement. They help the owners of small and medium sized businesses with their sales, marketing, management, team building and so much more. Just like a sporting coach, your Business Coach will make you focus on the game.”

The ActionCOACH website contains many free helpful tips and obviously they can provide you with a business coach. What I found particularly useful about this website were the free introductory videos. They showed me the steps to becoming wealthy; first you need to start with cashflow so that you become income rich, then asset rich, and then finally paper rich. (more…)

Tags: That's Business // Add Comment »

Many readers who do not host their own websites will not realise this, but yes, whenever you visit a website, the server records how you got there. What does this mean? Well, whatever you enter into google is usually stored by the host-server, and it is in fact all-too-easy for someone like me to peruse that list. Just for the record, it’s also possible to know in which order you viewed the web pages on my site, and how long you remained on each page.

Anyway, browsing through all the many search terms that people use to find this site has quickly become a regular little past time. Knowing what people search for and what is successful certainly helps with Search Engine Optimisiation (SEO). Most of the search terms generally have keywords such as “cycling”, “bike hire” or “Tenerife”. But here is a list of the 100 all-time most unique search terms I have encountered so far, really standing out above the remaining 13,000+ internet searches used to find www.Tenerife-Training.net. All these people entered my site by typing these exact terms into a search engine:

JUST PLAIN STRANGE SEARCH TERMS:

1. “fish with big lips”
2. “sea snake santa”
3. “benedict alan climbed into a camel”
4. “submarine for hire”
5. “eggbeater review candy”
6. “chocolate coated banana business”
7. “in life some hoops you have to jump through will be on fire”
8. “purple kettle” (21 people actually searched for this term in the last year alone)
9. “crocodile initiation philosophy” 
10. “crocodile scars”
11. 2-oxo-l-threo-hexono-1 4- lactone-2 3-enediol
12. “tired after eating turkey”
13. “perspective of air resistance”
14. “what do tongan people look like”
15. “is soy good for nerves”
16. ujmwutzckmkdwean

STUPID SEARCH TERMS:

1. “i don t like turning left when the road marking makes me turn the car to the left”
2. “what should u use for a 3 year old when driving a car” 
3. “how much time do i spend in each place when traveling”
4. “could it be a big world after all”
5. “can you translate words and how”
6. “safe to eat a rotten banana”
7. “can you take shower gel in your suitcase now when travelling?”
8. “how many chupa chups have they sold in the world”
9. “the best inventions chup & chups”
10. “are there cheap paintings by pablo picasso?”
11. “earn twenty bucks now”
12. “how much space does 11 million metric tons take up?”
13. “how do computers remember the time”
14. “how big is 6 000 000 000″
15. “science learns you essential things for life?” (more…)

    Tags: Island Life, Mental Anguish // Add Comment »

Finding a good position on a bicycle is not an exact science because there is no one standard sized frame, body shape or “ideal position”. Different frames having the same seat tube length will have different top tube lengths. Look around and you will see that some manufacturers are reknowned for this. I still haven’t figured it out. It doesn’t help that some frames are measured differently. Have a look at the recent article I wrote concerning measuring bicycle frame sizes.

I’ve ridden quite a few bikes now, in many sizes. I’ve also been lucky enough to supply bikes for hundreds of people ranging in height from 152cm to 203cm (5′1″ - 6″8″) and listened to their feedback regarding how they felt about the way their bike fit. For me, you can only determine your unique “100% fit” by gaining your own experience about bikes that have fitted well in the past - this is a skill which can only be learned with time.

The best way is simply to ride as many different bikes, saddles, stems, handlebars and pedals as you can. Start with a bike you think will fit best and then alter the saddle and stem positions until you find what works best for you. Also try different bikes in a range of incremental sizes if you can. I have the view that obtaining your ideal bike is basically a process of trial and error. My first bike fit relatively well. I learned a lot of things about my subsequent bikes. Now I know that my “ideal frame size” is 56cm. I can ride a 55 or 57cm bike but they feel slightly too small or too big for me. This “ideal frame measurement” as I like to call it has taken years to determine, and will probably change a little as I got older (and shorter!).

I’m probably in the minority here, but in my humble opinion, fitting services (including stationary fitting machines) aren’t ideal either as they don’t give you a feel of how it feels to actually ride that particular sized bike that they are suggesting for 5 or more hours. For instance, a 140mm stem might be what you require on paper & it might even feel great on a stationary bike. Ride it, and you’ll soon discover the extreme difference it makes to the handling compared with a 120mm stem.

I’m a big believer in finding proportional length cranks, stems, wheels, etc. Unfortunately, people are STRONGLY biased in favour of 700c wheels. For small riders, 650c is a better choice, if only because of the toe-overlapping-the-front-wheel issue. If someone doesn’t agree, they’re most likely taller than 5′6″ (I am 5′11″). (more…)

Tags: Learning Curve // 1 Comment »

I recently wrote an article about the steepest street in the world, Calle Monroy. So after diligently studying the countour maps provided by Google Maps, I decided to take a look for myself, IN PERSON (no one ever does that these days!) I wanted to observe the entire street to judge it for myself, compare it with the other steep streets in the region, and of course take some photos.

I’d previously explored this region in 2006 and came across a sign which warned of a 30% grade! Despite the maze-like network of tiny roads and streets, I managed to find the same sign again; it appears at the top of the adjacent steet, “La Calzada”. The top section of this street is so incredibly steep that concrete is used to seal this road instead of bitumen or tarmac. Note that there are grooves moulded into the concrete in a chevron pattern to aid in the traction of vehicles going up or down this terrible slope.

I’ll confess that I did not even attempt to climb this street. I know it is well beyond my current capability. Not only that, but it can be dangerous: if you fail an attempt, you will inevitably fall of and slide backwards down the incredibly steep slope… it’s hard enough to stop with good brakes as it is. On the opposite side of the road, a small shrine stands as a rememberance to someone who died here. So I decided wisely to approach it from the top and decend the whole length of Monroy St instead. Even so, I have thoughtfully provided some free advice for tackling hills with 20%, 30% and even 40% gradients (see below). (more…)

Tags: Island Life, Ride the Volcano!, Learning Curve // Add Comment »

The guiness book of records states that Baldwin Street in Dunedin, New Zealand is the steepest street in the world. According to the figures, the Baldwin St is 359m in length (horizontal measurement) with a total elevation gain of ~80m.  The plaque states that “over the 161.2 metre length of the top section, it climbs a vertical height of 47.22 metres, which is an average gradient of 1 in 3.4.1. On its steepest section, the gradient is 1 in 2.86. However, there is some dispute over this as only 6m out of the total street length at the steepest gradient.

I’ve seen Baldwin Street in the flesh and was somehwat disappointed - in fact the first part is almost flat! It then ramps up considerably towards the top section. Hence, the average gradient of the entire street is more like 1 in 4.375. That’s the trouble with New Zealand - they tend to exaggerate a lot. So I would like to challenge that record today by making yet another claim for the worlds steepest street:

After scouring over online topographic contour maps, I have chosen Calle Monroy in the district of Santa Ursula, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain. I do not possess a global positioning system (GPS) to accurately gauge its gradient. Nevertheless, we can estimate that the length of this street from the data provided by Google maps. Monroy Street descends from 638 to 430 metres in a length of only 740 metres. Therefore, the average gradient over the entire street is 28.1% (a slope of 1 in 3.56) compared to Baldwin Street with an average gradient of only ~22.3%.

Besides, the photo to the left shows that the steepest part of the road has a slope with a ~40% gradient (caculated by the pixel method)! Now until some bright spark can come up with another street with a steeper average gradient, which can be confirmed, I’m going out on a limb and labelling Monroy Street the “steepest street in the world”, albeit unoffcially! Or if you prefer: “the street with the highest average gradient”. But I think the first one is more correct.

Oh and as far as I am concerned, taking slope readings only on the very steepest parts of the same street is cheating. If that were the case, I’d claim the inside portion of this street. Measured over a few centimetres, the gradient is technically about 80% over the length of one particular piece of aggregate!! Hell, you could probably even find a patch of tarmac with a slope greater than 100% on if you used a micrometer. Obviously, that’s not at all fair. For this reason alone, I challenge people to take the average slope over the whole length of the street. Take the reading from the very beginning to the very end of the same street, don’t leave any sections out, and neither can you add two or more street sections together. Also, I think it should be compulsory that the street has to have a name recognised by the local council…

If you take the entire length of the street and then determine the average gradient the way I propose, Monroy Street (Calle Monroy) appears to come out as the winner. This street does not have any flat parts; it is the steepest continuous grade sealed street with public access that I am aware of, also plainly visible in Google Maps.

OTHER CANDIDATES:

One other very steep street that I spotted also resides in the district of Santa Ursula. This particular street, which includes Calle Los Tosqueras for most of its length, descends from 1012 to 348 metres in a length of 2.5km, although the top section is not paved. Furthermore, Calle Los Tosqueras diverts horizontally while the steeper adjoining street has a different and as yet unknown name.

However, the neighbouring zones of La Corujera and Toscas de Ana María also provide many other possible candidates for the world’s steepest street. Camino el Monte, Calle La Calzada, Calle Las Turcas, Calle Los Castaños, Camino Los Pajales and Camino La Banderola are all noteworthy, boasting average gradients close to or exceeding 25% slope. Other extremely steep streets in the North of Tenerife worth a mention are Calle Argentina in Icod de Los Vinos and last but not least: Camino de Chasna in La Orotava.

Tags: Island Life, Ride the Volcano! // 3 Comments »

I’ve noticed that some cyclists seem to have an aversion to using clipless pedals. Actually I’d call it more like a fear of being clamped to the pedals. Maybe, like me, they tried a cheap set that initially came with their bike & nearly killed themselves. I urge you to try as many different pedal systems as you can. They’re definitely not all the same. Personally, my favourite pedals (for walking around in) are called Time atac. For road use, I’ve really come to like Speedplay.

Yes it’s true that sometimes I just get plain lazy. If I need to go down to do some errands, I just jump on one of my bikes that’s equipped with normal pedals & head straight out the door without the need for changing into my cycling shoes. And if I don’t change my shoes, I never change into my cycling clothes either. But I notice that whenever I do that and ride a bike with trainers & normal flat pedals, I actually feel less secure. Normally what happens is that on the back & up pedal stroke, my foot forgets that it’s free & promptly launches off the surface of the pedal. Also, the inevitable climb back to my house is much more difficult + slower. So far from saving time by not changing, I probably lose time riding the actual bike.

Whenever I go for a decent ride however, I don’t even think twice about using the proper equipment. If you’ve tried clipless pedals before & just can’t seem to cope with the fear, I highly highly highly reccommend powergrips. They’re much easier to enter & exit than traditional toe-clips & straps, and they offer a wide band of support.

Tags: Learning Curve // 1 Comment »

Bikes these days are all about fashion. The fashion changes just like anything else. Just look at sloping geometry. Carbon seat stays. Ergo bars. Compact cranks. White carbon and painted white carbon. Integrated seatposts. If you want to be a fashion victim, go with the flow. Mrazek aim to be different. To not follow fashion. I think they’ve achieved that.

Mrazek is art. And like art, whether it pleases you or not is very subjective. It’s your choice, and there are thousands of other “cookie-cutter” frames to choose from.  Some people say that they ride as well as they look. On the other hand, if you don’t like the way they look, you might not like the way they ride. And vice versa. (more…)

Tags: Spoke Bed, Inspiration. // Add Comment »

For the most part, shimano bicycle components work extremely well. Even so, after working on my fleet of road rental bikes for the past year or more I have come to despise certain maintenance tasks. What follows is a list of all the little niggly things which I dislike about shimano road componentry (5600/Ultegra level). Neither is this a simple comparison between shimano, campagnolo and sram:

• The alloy brake levers corrode within a few months of inital sweat contact. Why can’t they anodise these like the rest of their parts? Instead, they are clear-coated. This coating crazes and then spalls off in next to no time.
• Both the gear and the brake cables are much more difficult to install than they should be. Sometimes you can spend 5 whole minutes poking a brake cable blindly where you think it should go. This is the year 2008. It shouldn’t take more than 5 seconds.
• The lockring washer is deadly. Sure it may SEEM unoffensive, but it’s sharper than a pair of laser-cut scissors. How do I know? Well just last week I was called out to change one of my client’s cassettes from a 12-25 to a 12-27 ratio. Part way through the job, the blasted thing gouged a deep cut right on my middle finger. Needless to say, it’s not a good image for your business when blood is running over your hand, the bike and the pavement as you’re attempting to do a simple cassette-swap operation.
• The chain comes pre-coated in the most tacky protective grease imaginable which can’t be removed by any known chemical method. OK, I admit its composition has improved with that of a few years ago, but it’s still not nice to work with.
• The shimano logo wears off the cranks too quickly. You’d think they’d have the word shimano laser etched on all their parts by now. Not so.
• Shimano free hub body splines are so shallow that the cogs ruin them. It doesn’t help that shimano removed half of the splines on their cogs for no apparant reason, effectively halving the contact surface area, doubling the load (and the chances of ruining the free hub body).
• Speaking of cranks, there aren’t many versions of a shimano compact crankset to choose from.
• Shimano spare parts (genuine or otherwise) are practically nonexistent - hence shifters etc are not rebuildable.
• The front deralilleur cannot be fine-tuned all that well while riding.
• Simultaneous braking & up-shifting not possible at the same time. Whenever you slow down, it means you have to change up gears. Everyone knows that. But with the combined shimano brake and gear lever, it just isn’t possible.
• Last but not least, the gear housing doesn’t go under the bar tape. Why not?

Tags: Spoke Bed // Add Comment »

The band is Powderfinger. No it’s not from Tenerife, not even from Spain or Europe… but all the way from Australia (like me). This is the sort of music that gets me going… it just rocks and nothing more needs to be said.

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

Limited time only: 20% OFF all rental bikes during the whole month of May!

Just three simple conditions:

1) This offer applies to deliveries around the El Puerto de la Cruz region only.

2) To be eligable, you must quote the keywords: “vertebrae ceramic”.

3) This offer is obviously subject to the availability of bikes in your sizes…

Tags: Sales Pitch // Add Comment »

I have come to learn a lot about providing a reliable bike hire service here in Tenerife. Most cyclists rent our bikes from 5 to 7 days and cycle an average of 300-500km or more. In that time, the riders make at least one ascent up to the base of Mt Teide. It’s not uncommon for clients to climb a cumulative total of 10,000 vertical metres!

I’m not 100% convinced that they check the bike over during the time that they’ve rented it either. Needless to say, these pro hire bikes have a very hard life indeed. However, contrary to what you might think, we rarely see genuine mechanical breakdowns. The secret is that our bikes are regularly serviced -every single week- after every single use.

So welcome to Part II of how to make a “bombproof reliable” bike. Here I’m going to share with you some easy ways to achieve that smooth-running, ultra-reliable drivetrain. Part I: Wheels & Tyres can be viewed here.

1. Regularly clean your drivetrain! The chain and sprockets are the heart of a bicycle’s drivetrain. They are also the first parts to wear out. They’re not cheap to replace- so it pays to look after these parts. You’ll get the most life out of your drivetrain if you periodically clean the chain, chainrings and cassette.
   • There’s no need to invest in special “chain cleaning devices”; in my opinion, they’re not terribly effective, and the mess they remove from your chain tends to leak out and make a mess out of the rest of your bike. If you use the reccommended special degreasers, they’re not particular cheap chain cleaning solutions either.
   • Instead, simply clean the chain and the rear cogs with a rag. The best method is to first rub the lower part of the chain backwards and forwards. When that is clean, move on to the next section. Wipe around the chainrings on the crankset. Then use the rag to clean between the cogs on the rear cluster, as that’s where most of the residue ends up. Also clean the little pulley wheels on the rear derailleur. The last step is to apply a few drops of light or oil or wax-based lubricant.
   • By far the best guide to bicycle chain maintenance can be found on the KMC website. Follow their advice to the letter!
   • Of course, if you find all of this to be a major chore, you might like to have a look at this nifty invention: “The Scottoiler Cycle Oiler dramatically improves the service-life, efficiency and cleanliness of bicycle transmission.” It was first devised as an automatic chain lubrication system for motorcyles and has since become extremely popular with motorbike riders. It sparingly applies a liquid-based oil at regular intervals, and hence the chain doesn’t get so dirty. (more…)

     Tags: Learning Curve // Add Comment »

Last week I ordered a new batch of official www.Tenerife-Training.net T-shirts! Short sleeve T-shirts are available in small, medium and large & cost only €12.50 each. Long sleeve T-shirts are available in medium and large sizes for only €15. They’ll most likely be available before the end of April, 2008.

Tags: Lucky Dip // 1 Comment »

Amaral is a very famous Spanish pop/rock band almost unknown outside Spain. Amaral originated in 1997 in Zaragoza, in the North-East of Spain. The band consists of Eva Amaral and Juan Aguirre. The following videos are in fact the first three tracks of Amaral’s third album, Estrella de mar (2002).

Sin ti no soy nada (without you I am nothing), music videoclip:

Moriría por vos (I would die for you), music videoclip:

Toda la noche en la calle (All night in the street), acoustic version:

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

How to measure a bike frame:

Bicycles are measured in several different ways. The usual sizing measurement relates to the seat tube length, given in centimetres for road bikes and inches for mountain bikes. The best way to measure the seat tube is from the centre of the bottom bracket shell to the centre of the top tube. Centre to top seat-tube measurements are often quoted (like in the diagram shown here), but in my opinion they aren’t as useful as centre-centre measurements because they often overestimate the size of the frame. This is especially the case with modern frames which now utilise top tubes with humongous outer diameters.

Unfortunately, with the advent of compact sizing, sizing has become even more difficult. As you can probably tell, I’m not a big fan of compact geometry bikes. The main reason for their introduction by the Giant bicycle corporation was to reduce the number of frame moulds required for the construction of their new composite bikes. Increasing frame stiffness, reducing frame weight and improving fit certainly weren’t the first considerations when the idea of compact frame sizing was conceived. I’ve come to loathe them even more when people don’t know how to quote their effective top tube & seat tube lengths. (more…)

Tags: Learning Curve // 1 Comment »

Sorry for the lousy cartoon - it was the only semi-decent one I could find about bicycle races. Anyway, I’ve just uploaded the Canary Islands cycle racing events calender for 2008; It is written in Spanish & you can download it HERE in pdf format.

Tags: News Reel, Ride the Volcano! // Add Comment »

I thought I would share my knowledge on how to make your bike more reliable, starting with the wheels & tyres. Yes, the most obvious problem encoutered when riding is still the age old flat tyre. While flat tyres can never be completely eliminated, most punctures can be prevented by adhering to the next five guidelines:

1. Maintaining sufficient air pressure significantly reduces the chances of pinch flats (the most common type of puncture). For a 23c tyre, you need to pump up the pressure to at least 100psi (7 bars), or more if you’re a heavy rider. Rear tyres carry more weight than front tyres, so you should preferably inflate these a little more than the front tyre
2. Use premium-quality rim tape, which stops tubes from chafing against the spoke holes in the rim. I use cloth tape, similar to that made by Zéfal.
3. Don’t skimp and save on your tyres! Cheap tyres are just not worth it - they’ll be cut to shreds long before the tread wears out. Really good tyres provide an enhanced level of flat protection in the form of a higher density casing & puncture resistant aramid belts. (more…)

   Tags: Learning Curve // 1 Comment »

OK, he’s finally added me to my myspace profile after a loooong delay, so here’s my tribute to Mario Cipollini! I’m not going to bore you with his long list of race performances which you can easily get elsewhere. Wikipedia cites the following:

Mario Cipollini is an Italian professional road cyclist most noted for his sprinting ability, the longevity of his dominance (his first pro win came in 1989, his last in 2005; 191 victories in all) and his colourful personality.

Although he was an adept sprinter, climbing was not Mario’s forté; despite entering the Tour de France 8 times and winning 12 stages, he always dropped out before the race even hit the mountains, casually slipping into the back of his team support car… no, he was never going to be a real overall contender.

His competition results aside, he takes top honours for the best dressed cyclist both on and off the bike. When riding, he is well known for his outlandish lycra skin suits… my personal favourite is the zebra pattern he wore in the days when he was sponsored by Specialized. Off the bike, he has extravagant taste in designer clothing, owning literally hundreds of formal suits, ties and shoes. Yes it seems to be true: Italians must have a 6th sense when it comes to STYLE!

Those that have met or interviewed Mario Cipollini say that he is very charming, tall (190cm) and handsome. Along with that long fringe of hair, he is reputation as both the ”Lion King” and “Super Mario” are well deserved.

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

ITER refers to the windmill farms as “Parques Eólicos” not “Molinos” as you might think. And unlike the fake, stationary molino that was built not far from my place last year, these ones actually work! There are three such wind parks located at Grandailla & Arico in the South of Tenerife, with a combined annual energy production of 36.764 MWh/year. These are enough to effectively reduce the petroleum consumption by 3170 tonnes per year, which is what would have been used to generate the same amount of energy from conventional means.

They may all look the same, but ITER uses aerogenerators which are supplied from several different manufacturers: Vestas, Ecotecnia, Made, and Enercon. They’re currently experimenting which ones are the most suitable (offering least noise & superior performance).

Interestingly, Spain already generates the highest proportion of it’s energy from wind energy (compared to other countries) and the new industry is booming. (more…)

Tags: Island Life, Inspiration. // Add Comment »

It’s not often I post an article in both the “Inspiration” and “Island Life” categories simultaneously. But looking out the bus window earlier last month, I noticed a strange series of dark, tilted platforms located in an arid coastal region of Granadilla. They’re only visible from freeway TF1 for a few seconds. To my eyes, it appeared to be a vast series of solar-cell panels forming one giant array.

Well after doing a bit of investigating, the project turns out to be called “SOLTEN“, constructed and operated by the Instituto Tecnológico y de Energías Renovables (ITER). My hunch was correct: SOLTEN is reportedly the biggest photovoltaic solar power station in Europe, so I’m really suprised I haven’t heard about it before!

The SOLTEN solar installation was initially expected to consist of 150 solar energy modules; each module was comprised of 576 photovoltaic solar cell panels distributed in 24 rows and yielding up to 100 kilowatts of electricity. The installation was expected to generate a total energy capacity of 15 Megawatts of power. Source. 

Instead, SOLTEN has been conceived in two steps, SOLTEN I and SOLTEN II. The photovoltaic solar units ultilised in the SOLTEN project are fabricated by Kyocera, ITER, Yingli and Solarworld. The good news is that the energy that is generated will be connected to the local electricity grid, which is managed by Unelco-Endesa.  (more…)

Tags: Island Life, Inspiration. // Add Comment »

You’ve probably already seen this as it is one of the most watched videos on youtube. I really love this video! I lived in Sydney for 28 years so it is even more special for me as I recognise all the locations where it was filmed.

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

Here’s the section where we will present you with the latest merchandise. Many products will be available later in the year; all products will be offered at amazing prices & all with the tenerife-training logo: water bottles, carbon bidon cages, ingenious multi-tools, cycling apparal. We’ll possibly add further items for free, such as: key rings, calendars & screen-savers, etc. We already have the free stickers & T-Shirts… If you have any ideas, feel free to leave a comment here.

Tags: Lucky Dip // Add Comment »

 Over the next hour or so, I’ll be performing some website maintenance & updating some files. I just thought you’d like to know. Expect glitches.

Tags: News Reel // Add Comment »

The phrase “quantum leap” is most often used by people who know sod all about quantum mechanics. Usually what they mean to say is that whatever they’re talking about provides a huge step forward. If they knew anything, they would know that quantum mechanics is the study of subatomic particle interactions.

By its own definition, a quantum leap is a miniscule jump. The classic example is a single atom; when it absorbs a certain amount of energy, an electron orbiting the nucleus instantly jumps from a low energy state to a higher energy state. An excited electron can also fall back to a lower energy state while spontaneously emitting a photon in the process. These are said to be quantum leaps as they involve discreet, discontinuous energy levels. Ironically, I first heard the phrase “quantum leap” being used by an ignorant science tv show presenter.

In physics, a quantum leap or quantum jump is a change of an electron from one energy state to another within an atom….. In real physical systems a quantum leap is not necessarily a large change, and can in fact be very insignificant….. In the popular sense, the term is usually applied to mean a large or significant change, which is thus not strictly correct.

Tags: Science Simplified // Add Comment »

Well I finally signed up to payperpost a few weeks ago, and now I’m writing the first sponsored post to earn 20 American bucks. Yep, that’s what they’re paying for me to just spread the word!

PayPerPost is a site where you can earn money from your blog. All you have to do is sign up and write blog articles for different advertisers. There are heaps of opportunities to choose from. There’s even a direct link where they contact you…

What can I say? Yes I’m partially guilty of selling out. Or 100% guilty of partially selling out. I dunno. But actually, this week I’m pretty desperate for the money. Working for yourself is tough. No I don’t have the security of a weekly paycheck, but I definitely don’t miss having to do whatever my boss used to tell me! (he he he) Trouble is, I have to come up with other ways of earning money and paying the bills. (more…)

Tags: That's Business // Add Comment »

One thing that I like about life here in Tenerife is that the people aren’t rich enough to take part in the consumer culture that is so rampant everywhere else. It’s been a while since I wrote anything for this section “Vida Enigmática”, so here’s my take on current consumerism:

Just a few decades ago, the reason we gave to buy something new was because what we had simply broke and could no longer be repaired. The art of repair seems to have been forgotten alright. Lost in fact. To the point where today, material goods are no longer repairable because to do so is uneconomical. Often, you replaced things with an identical unit. How many times does that happen today? Never. Why? Because even if we wanted to, the flux of change is so great, it is no longer possible to buy the same item even only 1 or 2 years later.

(more…)

Tags: Vida Enigmática // 1 Comment »

Petrol is a mixture of several different organic carbon compounds. The most common molecules in petrol are the alkanes, consisting of straight or branched carbon chains with between 5-8 carbon atoms saturated with hydrogen molecules (pentane, hexane, heptane and octane).

This is the chemical formula for the complete combustion of octane:

2 C₈H₁₈ + 25 O₂ = 18 H₂O + 16 CO₂

As you can see from this simple equation, for every single octane molecule that is burned, 8 molecules of CO₂ are produced. The standard unit measure of compounds is the mole. 1 mole of octane weighs 114 grams and contains avogadro’s number of molecules, 6.023 x 10²³. 1 mole of CO₂gas weighs 44 grams, but takes up much more volume. It’s important to remember from the ideal gas law that at standard laboratory conditions (25°C and 1 atmosphere pressure) one mole of gas at occupies 24.5 litres. One litre of petrol contains ~737.22 grams of liquid (or ~6.47 moles). Therefore, when one litre of petrol is burned, 2.28kg of CO₂ are produced, equivalent to 1268 litres of of CO₂ gas!! Every single 50 litre tank full of petrol will produce over 63,400 litres of CO₂ gas (63.4 m³), or a volume equivalent to an imaginary cube with sides 4 metres long.

I find it interesting that people talk in terms of kilograms of CO₂ because it really underestimates the quantity of gas we’re dealing with. Gases weigh hardly anything! In fact, 1kg of  CO₂ equals 557 litres! Why don’t we learn to quote the data figures of  CO₂ in litres instead? How much petrol must be burned to get 1kg of CO₂ gas? The answer is that only 324 grams of petrol will yield 1 kg of CO₂. (more…)

Tags: Science Simplified // Add Comment »

As of the 15th of April, we will be reducing prices for renting 4 or more bikes! To make it fairer for everyone, we also need to optimise our existing pricing structure for renting 2 or 3 road racing / mountain bikes. What this means in real terms is that for the most part, the prices for renting 2 or 3 bicycles will increase slightly (since they were overly discounted to begin with). To clarify, all the current bike rental prices for single bikes will remain the same.

Furthermore, the current pricing structure will be honoured for all bookings made before this time. The new rental prices for groups hiring 4 or more bicycles will come into effect immediately. Please email me for a quote. So if you’re thinking about coming to Tenerife for that well earned cycling holiday vacation, this is one more incentive to reserve the best bikes at the best prices!

Tags: News Reel, That's Business, Sales Pitch // Add Comment »

Today, I thought I’d share with my readers this fantastic old link to the many flags of the Canary Islands! It is a comprehensive site (dating back to at least before 1999) with all the islands represented, and many municipalities within each island. It includes a brief history section of each region, flag descriptions and important dates. Further descriptions about the History of the Canarian flag and its coat of arms make interesting reading.

I’m pleased to discover that the author, José Manuel Erbez, is now promoting a new site based on the content of of the old site with a blog layout, Symbols of the Canary Islands, although it currently doesn’t have all the flags of the old site uploaded. Like the old site, the new site is also available in three languages: Spanish, English and German.

Tags: Island Life // Add Comment »

People often ask questions like: “Who is your idol?”. I don’t have any true idols, but yes I do find inspiration in some people. Sarah Ulmer is one such person. A New Zealand track cyclist legend, Sarah Ulmer broke the world record in the qualifying event for the women’s 3km pursuit time trial competition. She then came back to smash the world record during the race. Announcing her retirement from professional cycling in November 2007, Sarah Ulmer now focuses on her own online business, after launching sarahulmerbrand. This is a very comprehensive website with its own line of clothing plus lots of other quality content for cyclists.

Her achievements are many; here are a list of accomplishments (Source: famous New Zealanders): (more…)

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

That’s right, if you are a past or future customer of www.Tenerife-Training.net, we’d love to see photos of you cycling in Tenerife! Please send us your photos via e-mail to this address: cycling@tenerife-training.net. All image file formats are acceptable. The bigger the image, the better. If you have many photos, please send them as a zip archive. Once approved, the best photos will be selected & displayed on our guestbook page. We’re thinking about offering free bike days for the best photo submissions. The second prize could be a free T-shirt or something…

Tags: Sales Pitch, Ride the Volcano! // Add Comment »

One of the major tasks here at www.Tenerife-Training.net is swapping pedals. There are more pedal systems out there than CO₂ molecules at the moment, and I know people are finding it all a bit too confusing. Judging by the perplexed customer responses as they inevitably bend down and spin another hitherto unknown pedal on its axis and say “they’re the wrong pedals!”, by far the biggest misunderstanding lies with the Shimano Pedalling Dynamics (SPD) system. (more…)

Tags: Spoke Bed // Add Comment »

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

The aim of trials riding is to jump over obstacles (either natural or artificial) with only the bikes’ tyres touching the ground. Think of it like those dog trials you sometimes see on television, except with humans on bikes! Points are deducted if any part of your body or the bike touch the ground. Some competitions allow the underside of the bike and pedals to touch the ground. During observed trials, each rider attempts the set course with . The duration of each event is usually around 180 seconds; points are also deducted for going over that time limit. The winner is the rider who has the least number of accumulated points at the end of the competition.

Bicycle trials riding originated in Spain in the 1980s. The modified class of trials riding uses a special-purpose single-speed bicycle, built with small 20″ wheels and extremely low gearing, no saddle, no seatpost, and little else. The frame itself is built with a long wheelbase while the wheels utilise a high number of spokes and fat tyres. Trust me, these guys make it look easy - it takes HOURS of practise to reach this level of skill and ability:

(more…)

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

I’d really appreciate it if a few of you cyclists could take the time to fill in this brief one-page survey. It will only take 3-5 minutes of your time, and will help us improve our bicycle hire & tours service. We don’t ask for any personal information & your answers are kept strictly confidential.

The aim of the survey is to:

1. Receive feedback about future potential hire bikes + rental equipment and the level of quality that customers expect or desire.
2. Evaluate the website’s effectiveness in displaying information
3. Find ways to improve the website.
4. Devise ways to significantly increase our web traffic and hence our exposure by effective marketing.
5. To acertain your future level of interest with regards to cycling and training events in Tenerife.

Here’s your chance to have your say! 
Thanks,
The management.

Tags: News Reel, That's Business, Ride the Volcano! // Add Comment »

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

Over the last few weeks I have been adding a few new features to the blog & I’ve also refined the style of theme I have been using. Here’s a list of what’s recently been added or changed:

• Google adwords have now been placed on this blog, to recoup some of the costs of running a high-profile website. When I started the blog, my plan was never to “sell-out”. But these days, some people (cyclebetter.com) are using my RSS feed contributions on their site to generate revenue! Cheeky bastards! When I saw that, I suppose it was kind of the final straw. The remaining top-level www.Tenerife-Training.net domain pages will of course remain ad-free.
• You may have already noticed that a new feature called “snapshots” has also been added. These provide a quick preview of an externally-linked website. They also allow youtube text links to be played without leaving the page you’re currently viewing. If these bother you, they can be turned off or the preferences changed. Just adjust the settings in the top right corner of the snapshot preview window.
• Many new local cycling blogs & local cycling clubs in the Canary Islands have been added to the blog roll. I believe this is now the most comprehensive list cycling links in the Canary Islands.
• After some serious effort working on my current theme & the CSS styles it was using, the text now automatically wraps around the thumbnail images, leaving a nice margin around the picture. Previously when I tried to wrap text around a picture in the WYSIWYG editor, when the article was published online, the text jutted up against the picture leaving absolutely no space around it. That’s the reason I placed the thumbnails above and away from the paragraph text. However, it was one aspect that I never liked about the old design & knowing how to fix it has bugged me for some time. So I’m very pleased to announce that it’s now finally fixed!
• Borders around linked pictures are no longer blue, they’re gold-yellow.
• The borders around linked images now change to the colour red when you hover the mouse over them.
• The search box has been placed at the top of the sidebar. Unlike before where it was restricted to searching the blog, it now searches the entire www.Tenerife-Training.net internet database including the forum. It actually works quite well, so please feel free to use it!
• The RSS feed subscription icon has now been delegated to the bottom of the sidebar. Who uses RSS feeds anyway? Not me.
• The calender has also been shoved down the sidebar quite a bit. Of course the idea behind all this was to improve the exposure to the ads, because they’re no use to anyone at the very bottom of the page.
• Categories have been renamed thusly:
  • Inspiration.
  • Island Life
  • Lucky Dip
  • Mental Anguish 
  • News Reel
  • Ride the Volcano!
  • Sales Pitch
  • Science Simplified
  • Spoke Bed
  • That’s Business
  • Vida Enigmática

Tags: News Reel // Add Comment »

You hear so many people talking about how business owners should treat their customers, that “the customer is always right”. We’ll I’ve had one or two irritable customers so I’ve written this article with something different in mind: Tips on how to be a polite customer!

(more…)

Tags: That's Business // Add Comment »

As far as most people are concerned, all foreign speech sounds more or less the same. When you are first learning another language, you can soon expect to identify people only by hearing their voice. In my experience, this important listening skill takes place within a matter of weeks or months, depending on the amount of exposure you’ve received.

This is because everyone has a unique voice, just like their fingerprints, retina/iris; all three can be used for biometric recognition scans:

I was exceptionally good at identifying actors in different roles by their voice patterns, especially when wearing some sort of disguise. Just recently, I identified (more…)

Tags: Island Life // Add Comment »

Tags: Inspiration. // Add Comment »

It appears that Tenerife North airport (TFN) will get a new control tower, more than 30 years after the world’s biggest air disaster took place there. While the existing control tower is only one of three to be fitted with sophisiticated surface or ground radar equipment in Spain, it’s the second oldest air traffic control tower in the country, apparantly dating back to 1965.

With an height of 41.3 metres the new tower will stand almost double the height of the current tower at TFN airpor