This fall, we were lucky enough to spend a few days in Italy, riding some of the best roads that Tuscany had to offer, sipping some of the best wines from the region, and eating food prepared by a master chef every night for dinner. Did I mention the daily massages? We were on the Chianti Classico tour with inGamba, and when I say that the trip is well worth the spend if you can afford it, I really mean it. This company—which I’ve had the pleasure of working with for the last year or so—is SO serious about bikes and about making every trip utterly unforgettable. I’ve been on bike tours in the past, and nothing holds a candle to this experience. But beyond just a fantastic few days on the bike, the trip made me think about a few habits and rules for life that I want to embrace this year.
Clean your bike after every ride
As it turns out, there is NOTHING nicer than getting on a bike that’s so clean it looks brand new. I’m not normally a great bike cleaner (sorry, Peter) but this trip may have convinced me that the upgraded experience of being on a bike that’s been cleaned, lubed and gone over makes for a much more pleasant ride. My bikes tend to … well, not be like that. And as a result, the rides are less flawless. My chain is squeakier, my shifting is less precise. Taking a few minutes to clean my bike post-ride, as it turns out, does make a big difference—and (spoiler alert) when you’re in the habit of doing this after every ride, your bike is actually easier to clean than if you only do it every few weeks.
An occasional coffee stop isn’t a bad thing
I’m normally a get-out-and-get-it-done rider, not a big coffee shop person. This trip may have converted me, at least for longer rides. It was absolutely lovely, pulling into a cafe and sipping a quick espresso and snacking on a pastry, hitting an actual bathroom rather than a portapotty and filling up water bottles. I realized that taking an extra 10 minutes mid-ride isn’t the end of the world. If anything, you make up the time because you’re feeling better, you’re less likely to bonk or be dehydrated, and you’ve had the chance to do little things like pulling off your jacket because the temps have warmed up.
Take time for self care
On the inGamba trips, riders return home to a daily 30 minute massage from a former WorldTour pro soigneur. It is A Luxury. And sadly, one that I do not have access to at home. But what I do have is a plethora of foam rollers, massage guns and of course, my beloved compression boots. I needed this reminder that a 30 minute massage after a hard ride or workout can make a big difference in terms of physical and mental recovery. Especially for someone like me who works at home, there’s no reason why my afternoon can’t include a spin in the recovery boots while I work on an article like this one!
Savor mealtimes—and not just the food
One of our favorite parts of the tour was definitely mealtimes. The food was incredible, as was the wine, but the conversation and the meandering pace of the meals was the real star. Rather than a quick breakfast or lunch while still somewhat working and definitely scrolling on my phone, mealtimes started at the big farmhouse-style table long before food was served. Over sparkling water, we’d chat about our days, movies we love, books we were reading, places we have ridden, philosophical musings, whatever came to mind. We’d linger over the two or three course meals, savoring each bite, continuing the conversation long after the plates were empty. Even the multiple courses was a revelation: Why couldn’t I slow down mealtimes, especially dinner, by splitting it up? Obviously, that doesn’t work every night for every meal, but we’ve definitely slowed down mealtimes and made more time for just chatting at the table.
Little things make a big difference
inGamba is all about the little details on and off bike. That’s the biggest takeaway I found on the trip, and it’s a pretty great lesson. I’ll talk more bike specifics in a sec, but I saw this really come out in two specific things on the table every day: the wine glasses and the olive oil. Sure, most people own wine glasses and buy olive oil. But at the Lecchi inGamba house, the wine glasses are these gorgeous, thin Zalto Denk’Art glasses—and yes, the quality of glass really does make a difference to the enjoyment of the drink! The olive oil was utterly delicious and super flavorful, because it was from Ama, the local vineyard that also produces its own olive oil. These small upgrades made a big difference in a truly luxurious experience… and it’s one that I can emulate at home. I may not be consistently buying renowned vintages of wine, but the wine I do drink can be made much nicer by getting glasses that I really love.
