I have mastered the farmer blow:

1. Take index knuckle of hand opposing the nostril you wish to clear and bend in into a tight nub.

2. Press nub into the nostril you wish to block.

3. Inhale slightly through your mouth and pretend you are preparing for the recoil of a .45 automatic.

3.5 Just prior ot launch, lean slightly in the direction of the departure. Till head in such a way as to give a bit of lift to the projectile.

4. Blow intensely in a short punctuated burst, with a slight suction at the end.

5. Brush nuckle past cleared nostril and remove residuals.

With practice, you should be able to mostly clear your shoulder. And if not, who fucking cares? You are riding a technically advanced vehicle that utulizes space-aged carbon fiber components and a seamless transfer of momentum that is superior in every aspect. A little snot on your jersey just makes you more macho.

I find that when it is cold, anywhere below 55ºF, I have build-up every five or ten minutes. I used to just let in run and grabbed it with my sleeve as needed. That always meant that I had a running nose, which is impossible to breathe with in cadence, and it was always partially blocked.

Pinch left-blow right fixes all of that. Do be courteous toother riders.

Climbs and riding in general:
High cadence is the key. I have spent miles riding bikes like mule--it's great for your side kick, not so good for cycling. Select a lower gear that alows you to ride at a higher rpm. For me, I ride between 80-100 rpms, that's 20-25 pumps per 15 second interval for those with a stop watch on their ride. THis allows you to react to changes in resistance, either wind or grade. With a higher gear you have less rotations to to change your pace to accommodate the change. This slows you down and nocks you off pace. More rotations, or a lower gear ratio will distribute the resistance more evenly.

Sure, you are still gonna pump like hell up the hills. But more rotations into the hill will put you in a position to accelerate and pop over it. That takes care of the quick changes in grades or wind that can wreck your pace. The long climbs and stretches into the wind will still require you slug it out. But the higher cadence training will allow you get firther into the climb before you have to really dig in.

Drop-downs and the hood:
Ok, so you have a pair of drop downs and you have a problem getting comfortable with the shifting. You are going to do most of your riding on the hood, or with your hands on the top part of the shifters. This is a relaxed position that allows you to steer with precision and puts your legs in the best position for power. The trick is that the brake seems to be way down the handle bar. This is true. However, the good news is that you are riding a finely tuned machine which has brakes that are wicked touchey. Even the slightest tap will take the head off your pace.

So, you need to learn how to hit the brakes without moving your hand from the hood. It's just a stretch with the index and middle finger. Most of the time I can hit the brakes with enough stopping strength with just my index for most situations. The white-knuckle stops will require a full grip, but you should be able to get this without moving off the hood, with your thumbs on the top of the shifter and your fingers closing the grasp without hold the actual handle bar.

I never ride in the drop down--unless I am trying to out run a rabid New foundland.

Gears:
You may not be awarre of this. I was not when I first got on the road bike. Your front deraileur has FOUR positions. That's right, there are two half-stops after the full shift. Take your bike to the low ring on the front crank. the deraileur is at the bottom. A half move with your left hand shifter will move the deraileur halfway between the bottom and the next stop. This allows you to get higher gear ratios. Without the half-stop, your chain starts to grind when you get near the little ring in the back, when you are using the small ring in the front. The chain rubs against the deraileur in the front.

The halfstop moves it just enough to clear more gears. I can get into the second smallest ring in back whil in the smallest in the front.

It works the same way with the largest ring in the front. there is a stop PAST the one required to move the chain.

The halfstops are subtle and you may be blowing by them and not realize it. Try playing with the shifters while the bike is not moving and see if you can find them.

Saddles:
Less padding in the seat is better. Do youself a favor and pick up a pair of expensive biking shorts I dropped nearly a hondo on a pair of Specialized shorts that have a scuba-like insert in the crotch. They don't bunch up, they don't cause numbness. Hands-down, some of the best cash I spent.

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