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Trek opens School of Certified Service

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Charie_Brown

When you take your car to the dealership for simple repairs, it costs MUCH more than having a major repair shop do the work. I imagine repairing a TREK bicycle at the dealer will now cost more than another comparable bike shop. Speaking from experience, it easy to buy a repair manual, tools, and learn how to fix your own bike. I've made many friends helping those alongside the road with bike problems.  

Geoff_Hampton

While you make some valid points, how many people do you know that actually work on their own car? I usually go to the dealership for most of my repairs/maintenance ----- They have woken up and ARE competitive most of the time. You and I are willing to spend the money on the necessary tools and the time to learn. Learning can be expensive ---- I've screwed up a couple of repairs on my bike, but I learned. There is a saying "Learning is expensive, but stupidity is even more expensive". And then there are some people that couldn't pour water out of a boot if the instructions were printed on the heel! There is also the issue of after market parts that are "just as good" as original. When you deal with an "Authorized Service Representative" you have the ability to go all the way back to the manufacturer. I've invoked that option only a couple of times, but it saved me a world of headaches! Sometimes it is easy to be penny wise and pound foolish!  

JOHN_DEL_VACCHIO

I own two Trek bikes. I earned a Masters degree and I am a speech pathologist. I see there are multiple openings for a part time Trek technicians. I filled out the application online for a part time position and did not receive any feedback. I called the Cherry Hill, NJ store and asked the manager to call me back , she did not. I called the corporate office and explained my situation to a customer service representative, he checked with someone and came back with an answer of email someone, he did not provide a name or email address. I asked to speak to someone in HR, I waited on hold for 20 minutes and when the person picked up the call, they hung up. I purpose and commit that if I am hired, I will conduct my self as a professional to set an example to those that currently work there and do not understand what it means to be professional. You can show all the shiny mechanics labs and write a lot of nice prose, BUT if you fail to exhibit CHD, common human decency to people, it does not matter how excellent the bikes are, you will lose good people. I challenge someone in upper leadership ( if there any leaders there) to respond intelligently to my request to work as a Trek technician.  

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Certification

About Our Certificate Programs

UBI is the most respected training institute in the bicycle industry. For this reason, there are more graduates from UBI working in the field (with companies like Trek, Specialized, Shimano, Raleigh USA, Industry Nine and many more) than any other national mechanics school. We are proud of our record, and continue to expand and improve our curriculum as bike technology constantly changes.

UBI offers two types of certificate programs

• Certificate of Completion is awarded to all students who successfully attend every class session and complete all required course work. This certificate is available for every class we offer.
• Certified Bicycle Technician Program is for those who wish to be employed in the bicycle industry, or for experienced mechanics who would like advanced certification. This certificate means the student has passed a rigorous testing procedure, and has been certified by United Bicycle Institute to be proficient in the given discipline. This program is available through our Professional Repair and Shop Operation class, and Advanced Mechanics Seminars.

In addition, we also offer advanced certificates for graduates of our DT Swiss Advanced Wheel Builder Seminar and Suspension Technician Seminar (view more info about our Advanced Certification Seminars ).

Continuing Education

UBI’s Continuing Education Seminars and Clinics are designed for experienced mechanics, or previous graduates who have completed our Professional Repair and Shop Operation course. In these seminars, students learn specific skills and technologies that will help them become more complete and current bike mechanics.

Topics vary from year to year in order to stay current with the latest bicycle technology. View Mechanics Classes for our current schedule.

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How to Train For Your First Bike Race, According to a Pro Cyclist

Maximize your preparation for race day, whether you hit the road, stay inside, or both.

By Eric Arnold • April 24, 2024

Choose the Right Race to Compete In Arrow

Build a Bike Race Training Plan Around Your Goals Arrow

Consider Cross Training Arrow

Five Tips on How to Train for a Bike Race Arrow

How To Train For a Bike Race with Peloton Arrow

This past winter, when the hillsides near my house were blanketed with snow and the mere thought of taking my bike out of the garage for a weekend ride ranked up there with arm wrestling a polar bear, fellow Peloton member Liesel_Vink asked if I’d be interested in joining a 50-mile bike ride in the spring.

Every year she gathers a team, Suds Girls Crew , to raise money for the American Heart Association in honor of her late father. I eagerly accepted since I’ve been looking to tackle a new challenge after clocking thousands of miles on my Peloton Bike over the past four years. But a question immediately arose…How do I train for a bike race, anyway? I had no idea where to begin. 

Choose the Right Race to Compete In

Before signing up for an event of any kind, think about the type of race you actually want to compete in. Is it indoors or out? Hilly or flat? Long or short?  A benefit ride may be a great place to start if you’ve never done a competitive ride before. Benefit rides can be competitive, but the purpose of the ride is to benefit a charity or cause, so it can be as intense as you want it to be—or not.

You’ll also want to consider how you will train for it.  “At the end of the day, the most important factor is that the training gets done, whether it’s indoors or out,” says Peloton instructor and pro cyclist Christine D’Ercole. She trains indoors when the weather is cold, but emphasizes that “it’s equally important to train on the terrain on which you will be racing.” 

“Training for your race is based on the demands of duration and intensity,” Christine says. That’s whether you’re training for the 3,000-mile Race Across America, a 200-meter time trial in a velodrome or anything in between. Select and understand your race, first, then build your training plan around it. 

Outdoor Races

No two races are the same. Beyond the type of race, consider the location and terrain you will compete in. “37.5 miles on a flat at sea level is a very different ride than the 37.5 miles from sea level to 10,023 feet of elevation on Haleakala in Maui,” Christine says. She also notes that there are several types of outdoor races to consider.

Century Rides: 100 miles, and a good place for anyone to start with as a benchmark.

Stage Races: Races that take place over several days. 

Crit Races: Short course races with multiple laps, that require riders to make tight turns.

Indoor Races

Consider an indoor race, especially if you prefer sprints to endurance rides. And best of all, you can do some of your training indoors, including on a Peloton Bike . A Virtual Race is a type of indoor race. They’re exactly what they sound like. Race against other people—also pedaling at home—through a virtual world. Virtual races vary in length and difficulty.

Regardless of the type of race you choose, Christine says it’s important to establish your fitness baseline so you can create the most accurate and impactful training program. Take the 20-minute FTP test on your Peloton Bike, which determines your endurance pace. “Once [you] know your data, [you] can train to your strengths (or weaknesses) depending on what you want to achieve,” she says.

In other words, the data might surprise you—maybe you thought you were a sprinter, but it turns out your body shows a preference for longer, steadier endurance rides. So, let the data help you pick the race that’s right for you.

Velodrome Races 

Velodrome Races are races on oval, indoor, or outdoor tracks that can last 10 seconds (200 meters) or 20 minutes (a few miles), with several lengths in between.

“A Velodrome is a type of stadium. Spectators can view races in their entirety from the stands around a banked oval track. There are multiple race formats and they are shorter in duration compared to the Crits and Stage Races. Races are as short as the 200 meter time trial to a 200 lap Madison Race. There are both indoor and outdoor Velodromes,” explains Christine.

Build a Bike Race Training Plan Around Your Goals

Once you’ve selected a race, it’s time to build your training plan. In my case, the race will be 50 miles on relatively flat roads—but I live in a hilly area. By training on hilly roads, so my thinking went, I’d be adequately prepared for a flat endurance race. (Right away, however, I learned two harsh lessons: 1. Shifting gears timely and sensibly takes practice, and 2. On a Peloton Bike, if you’re having trouble with a hill you just dial back the resistance—but on a road bike you would potentially shift into a lighter gear as you approach the incline in order to avoid shifting under torque. But there are a couple of other key considerations to bear in mind.

Understand Your Goals

Everyone who enters a race for the first time has a different goal. Is it just to finish? Is it to finish strong, feeling like you could do it all again right away? Is it to win? Once you understand your goal, you can start developing your training program. 

Determine Training and Recovery Frequency

Finding a training plan can look several different ways. You can consult a pro or coach who can help you make a plan if you aren’t sure what’s right for you and your fitness level. Your plan will be based on the type and length of race. In my case, I found an eight-week training schedule of three rides per week. My plan included recovery days for each week, typically with two full rest days after the longest rides, on Saturdays. Here’s an example of how the first few weeks looked like for me:

Week 1: Tuesday 6 miles; Thursday 9 miles; Saturday 12 miles

Week 2: Tuesday 9 miles; Thursday 12 miles; Saturday 20 miles

Week 3: Tuesday 12 miles; Thursday 12 miles; Saturday 25 miles 

Of course, this is my personal plan, so what works for you may look different. For example, on the days that I know I can’t ride outside, I can just hop on the Peloton Bike. 

Consider Cross Training

Even if you cycle every day, it’s important to carve out time for other types of exercises. 

One area that I know needs improvement for my race is leg strength. There are plenty of lower body strength classes on the Peloton App and, if you haven’t tried them before, you’ll learn as I did that they will make your legs sore. After all, you’re using the muscles in different ways. But over time, strength work will leave you less sore and putting up bigger numbers on the Bike.

Try Peloton Lower Body Strength Classes

20 min Strength Roll Call: Glutes & Legs

Adrian Williams · Strength

10 min Glutes & Legs Strength

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30 min Glutes & Legs Strength

Tunde Oyeneyin · Strength

But there are other ways to build strength and endurance ahead of race day. Here are two:

Cross Train with Running

Remember, biking is a low-impact endeavor. But when you run, each stride involves your foot hitting the ground. This impact helps increase your bone density , which can help prevent injury. “ Cross training is important to help us avoid injury from repetitive, limited range of motion activities,” Christine says. And cycling is, by its nature, repetitive with limited range of motion.

Cross Train with Rowing

Rowing is also great for strengthening your core and lower back (a part of your core), which helps you maintain your posture and balance on the bike—especially over long distances. 

You’ve also probably heard that rowing is a full body exercise , working multiple muscle groups simultaneously so you expend a high amount of energy at a lower overall impact. That’s exactly what you need when training for a cycling race.

With both running and rowing, though, there’s another key benefit: building your mental strength. Put simply, your brain needs a break from biking all the time. Mixing things up with other exercises helps clear your mind, especially as your training rides get longer as race day approaches. 

Five Tips on How to Train for a Bike Race 

While it might seem daunting training for your first bike race (even if it’s a charity ride), if nothing else you just get out there—or clip into your Peloton Bike—and ride. Just as we all get better at various things with repetition, cycling is no different. But if you want to put in your strongest possible performance, bear these tips in mind.

Establish a Baseline

As Christine mentions above, take the FTP test and a sprint test to help you figure out where your strengths are, what type of race to enter and how you should train. “No matter what kind of race you do, it is essential to create a base of fitness,” she adds, and by doing long endurance rides such as Power Zones during the winter months, you’ll build your fatigue resistance.

Train to Your Strengths

Christine, for example, knows that one of her strengths is around a two minute effort. So her training involves building her capacity around that duration. No matter the type of race and training you choose, she says, “that program should have the correct balance of low-, mid- and high intensity, as well as strength, plyometrics, overload, stretch, and recovery.”

Remember Your Goals

If it’s your first race, the goal should be to finish. How you want to feel after you finish—ready for bed, ready to party, or somewhere in between—is up to you, and should influence your training. “Part of training is developing the mental ability to catch oneself before they give up, and instead of pulling back, pushing harder,” Christine says. “This requires a willingness to go deep, confront fears of discomfort and plow through them.”

Eat and Sleep Well

Data scientists like to use the expression “garbage in, garbage out,” meaning if you don’t put in good information, you won’t get good insights back. The same goes for training. Food is fuel, so take a look at your typical consumption habits and do a little homework on nutrition to help determine how it can help your training. Plus, be sure you’re getting an adequate amount of sleep . This is what helps your mind and body recover and prepare for each new training session and, ultimately, the race.

Stay Positive

“Be patient. Allow yourself to be a beginner . Ask questions. Curiosity creates possibilities. Do not judge yourself. Set the ego aside.” All great pieces of advice from Christine, someone who’s been through it all on the bike. “What we say to ourselves has a profound impact on how we behave.” 

Perhaps the most important piece of advice Christine offers, though, is to remember that it’s ok to feel a bit of race day jitters. “We often get nervous as race day approaches,” she says. “[But] nervousness has the same physiological response as excitement. Remembering this can help us reframe and reinterpret what we are feeling.” Understanding what that nervousness is and where it comes from can also be what pushes you forward.

How To Train For a Bike Race with Peloton

Peloton has you covered for training for a bike race, whether you want to train on the Peloton Bike with guided Power Zone classes from expert instructors, Peak Your Power Zones Progam with Christine , cross train with a comprehensive library of strength content, or recover with instructor-led mobility and stretching classes —you can find it all on the Peloton App . 

Try Peloton Cycling Classes

20 min FTP Test Ride

Christine D'Ercole · Cycling

30 min Power Zone Ride

45 min Power Zone Endurance Ride

If you’re already a dedicated Peloton rider, the hard part is already done. All you have to do from here is apply a bit more structure to your training based on the type of race you’ve chosen. But whether you’ve had your Peloton Bike for six weeks, six months or six years, you’re ready to start training for your first bike race. 

At the end of the day, keep in mind that your race should be fun. Think about it that way, “and you just might surprise yourself and make yourself proud,” Christine says. “Sometimes, simply finishing the race is a win. Sometimes, showing up is gold.”

Christine D'Ercole

Christine D’Ercole is a decorated track cyclist who brings this expertise to every Peloton class.

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2024 La Vuelta Femenina: Stage Recaps & Highlights

Check out our up-to-date recaps of the latest Vuelta stages and catch up on all the action.

Stage 2: Buñol to Moncofa, 118.3 km

Movistar’s Annemiek van Vleuten won last year’s race and became the first woman to win all three of the major women’s stage races (La Vuelta, Tour de France Femmes , and Giro Donne). But she retired at the end of 2023, so there is no chance of a repeat winner.

Stage 1: Valencia to Valencia, 16 km

Sunday’s 16-kilometer team time trial in Valencia, Spain, was flat and fast. This, first and foremost, means we got another look at the Visma-Lease a Bike TT helmets , and we also saw a lot of excellent team action.

It was a tight race throughout, with everyone looking to claim an early general classification lead. But it was Lidl-Trek that took the victory late in the day. The women averaged just under 50 km/h to finish in a time of 19:20. Gaia Realini led across the line and thus will wear the leader’s jersey heading into stage two.

The lead didn’t come without drama. Ellen van Dijk and Elynor Bäckstedt both crashed, slightly holding up their teammates on the approach to the finish. But the American team managed to regroup and push to the line just 0.02 seconds over Visma-Lease a Bike.

“After crashing in the TTT, Ellen [van Dijk] has a wound on her chin, which will require stitches, as well as blows to her right shoulder and left knee. She will be taken to hospital for checks to rule out any fractures. Fortunately, there is no sign of concussion,” shared Lidl-Trek in a statement via social media .

In her post-race interview, when asked if the team would work to hold onto the leader’s jersey, Realini said, “For sure, we will take this jersey and defend it for the next stage.”

Alison Jackson Takes a Stunning Sprint Win

Alison Jackson (EF Education-Cannondale) won stage 2 of the Vuelta Femenina in a reduced sprint after surviving a crash-marred final kilometers. The Canadian beat Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime), who finished second, and Karlijn Swinkels (UAE Team ADQ), who finished in third place. After taking the bonus seconds at the finish and in the intermediate sprint, Vas is our new GC leader.

The meat of the action came in the final third of the stage, with bonus points and seconds available at Porte L’Oronet (a Category 3 climb 40 km away from the finish), in the intermediate sprints following the climb, and at the finish line. With such a tight GC standing after Sunday’s team time trial, bonus seconds proved crucial for the green jersey.

Swinkels took the maximum points on the QOM climb. Amanda Spratt (Lidl–Trek) took second, and Gaia Realini (Lidl–Trek) third. Following the climb, Anneke Dijkstra (VolkerWessels) took the first sprint points toward the green jersey, Blanka Vas (SD Worx-Protime) took second, and Grace Brown (FDJ-SUEZ) took third. But it wasn’t a done deal until the sprint to the finish, which came with even more bonus points.

The final kilometers were flat, with some technical turns and damp roads that required some serious bike handling. With three kilometers left, there was a major crash in the peloton, and then another at a roundabout with 2.4 km to go. Tons of riders went down.

Despite the crashes, Jackson delivered a beautiful sprint against a reduced group of riders. In her signature style, the victory was immediately followed by a dancing celebration.

“​​I was in the right position at the right time with teammates to take care of me from beginning to end. And then, we just made the right decisions. Crashes were happening, and I kept safe, playing it smart. At the finish, it was all due to my teammates,” said Jackson in her post-race interview.

Heading into Stage 3, Jackson will wear the green jersey, Vas of SD Worx-Protime will wear the leader’s jersey, and Swinkels of UAE Team ADQ will wear the polka-dot jersey. Lidl-Trek still leads the team classification, followed closely by Visma-Lease a Bike, and SD Worx-Protime.

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California climbers train for Mt. Everest from the comfort of their own beds

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Graham Cooper sleeps with his head in a bag.

Not just any bag. This one has a hose attached to a motor that slowly lowers the oxygen level to mimic, as faithfully as possible, the agonies of fitful sleep at extreme altitude: headaches, dry mouth, cerebral malaise.

“It’s not all bad,” Cooper insisted, nodding to the humming motor. “That’s like white noise.”

Cooper, 54, an Oakland biotech executive who has handled finance for a number of companies, including one that sold for $7 billion, isn’t a masochist, exactly. He’s acclimatizing, in the bedroom of his second home near Lake Tahoe, for an attempt to climb Mt. Everest in May.

He has signed up with an Olympic Valley-based guide service whose founder, Adrian Ballinger, is breaking with decades of tradition to create what he believes are better and more ethical ways to climb the world’s tallest mountain.

Ballinger said he was appalled by the risks, filth and ballooning crowds on the traditional southern trek up the mountain in Nepal. That’s the route familiar from countless documentaries and books, including the 1997 classic “Into Thin Air.”

So he decided to take clients up on the north side, a journey that starts in Tibet.

“It’s colder, the route is more difficult, and the bureaucracy of dealing with China and getting the permits is a complete nightmare,” Ballinger said. “But despite those things, the Chinese are attempting to regulate, so once you get on the mountain, it’s safer, it’s cleaner, and it’s much less busy.”

Ballinger is also pioneering a technique he calls “rapid ascent,” which cuts the duration of the expedition roughly in half: from about two months to about one. That suits his clients, who usually have more spare money than time. And it buys Ballinger more time to spend at home with his wife and newborn son.

The catch? You have to spend a few months before the trip with your head in the bag.

“It’s not great, I’m not gonna lie,” Ballinger said with a laugh, but the technology is improving.

“Hypoxic tents,” as they’re called, have been used by other endurance athletes for years. In their original form, they would cover a client’s entire bed. That led to difficult conversations with spouses and partners about the necessity of sleeping at progressively higher simulated altitudes until they reached the height of Everest’s base camp, roughly 18,000 feet, where there’s about half the oxygen available at sea level.

As you can imagine, some clients wound up relegated to a couch with their bizarre-looking contraptions.

Cooper, who used one of the enormous old tents preparing for a 2015 trip to climb the highest peaks in Antarctica and South America, confessed he had no luck sweet-talking Hilary, his wife of 28 years, into sharing the adventure. He got bounced to a guest room.

“It was a lonely boy-in-the-bubble experience,” he said. But he has fond memories of the looks on his kids’ faces as they trooped into his little dungeon to kiss him good night.

This time around, “the bag,” as he calls it, covers just his head and upper torso and takes up about a quarter of the bed. Hilary sleeps next to him, Cooper said, and she finds the hum of the motor surprisingly soothing.

It goes without saying that the luxury of acclimatizing at home, in bed, with your partner curled up beside you, represents a profound break from the usual manner of preparing to ascend what is still one of the world’s deadliest mountains .

The traditional method starts in Kathmandu, at nearly 5,000 feet, where climbers spend a few days getting over jet lag. That’s usually followed by a quick flight to the small mountain town of Lukla, at just over 9,300 feet. The airport there — perched on a narrow Himalayan shelf surrounded by towering peaks, with a steep drop-off at the end of the runway — is regarded as one of the trickiest places in the world to land an airplane.

From there, climbers begin a long, deliberately slow 10-ish-day hike to base camp. The point is to give the body time to gradually adjust to the lack of oxygen.

Ballinger cuts nearly two weeks from his trips by driving his bedroom-acclimatized clients from the airport in Lhasa, Tibet, straight up to the northern route’s base camp, which is also at about 18,000 feet.

For some old-school purists, eliminating the long walk borders on sacrilege, said Will Cockrell, a journalist whose recent book, “Everest, Inc.,” explores the evolution of commercial guiding on the mountain. “They’ll say, ‘You’re not a real climber; you’re not a real nature lover,’” Cockrell said.

But since the arrival of big commercial expeditions on Everest in the mid-1990s — complete with Sherpas to install climbing ropes, chefs to cook meals in camp, team doctors to monitor health, and guides to accompany clients every step of the way — Mt. Everest has ceased to be a classic off-the-grid mountaineering challenge.

“It has come to represent something completely different,” Cockrell said, “something crazy to do to shake up your life, like running an Ironman.”

Ballinger makes no apologies. “We’re not old school, we don’t spend a lot of time sitting around drinking whiskey and playing cards,” he said.

That suits his clients, who “tend to be pretty type A, pretty high performing in everything they do,” Ballinger said.

They’d better be. His company, Alpenglow Expeditions , charges $165,000 (before tip) for a private climb, meaning one professionally certified guide per client, and $98,000 for a group climb with three clients per guide.

“We’re proudly expensive,” Ballinger said. “I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about what it takes to run a trip safely and ethically, and this is what it takes.”

Climbing from the north side, as Ballinger does, avoids the huge crowds who flock to the southern base camp from all over the world every May, the prime climbing season on Everest, to wait for a brief window of good weather to try to make it to the summit.

Anyone who has even loosely followed events on Mt. Everest in recent years is probably familiar with the terrifying “conga line” photos of climbers stuck in the world’s highest traffic jam.

It forms just below the summit on the southern route, at the last technical obstacle, a nearly vertical 40-foot rock wall called the Hillary Step. It’s on a ridge with a 10,000-foot drop to the climber’s right and an 8,000-foot drop to the left. So, when exhausted and inexperienced climbers inevitably struggle there, everybody else waits in a single file, hanging onto a fixed rope, while the bottled oxygen they need to survive at that altitude slowly drains away.

Worse is the Khumbu Icefall, a glacier just above the southern base camp. It’s best known for wide spine-tingling crevasses spanned by flimsy-looking aluminum ladders lashed together with rope. Climbers have to walk across those ladders, wearing big boots and crampons, as they make multiple trips back and forth to advanced camps to acclimatize before finally heading for the summit.

As dangerous as it is for the mostly foreign climbers and guides, the odds are even worse for the local Sherpas, who regularly traverse the Khumbu ferrying equipment — tents, food, oxygen canisters — for the climbing teams. Last year, the deadliest climbing season in Everest history, three Sherpas were killed in the Khumbu when a towering block of ice collapsed and buried them.

In six seasons climbing the southern route, from 2009 to 2014, Ballinger said he passed through the Khumbu 38 times and had two close calls. While nobody on his teams lost their lives there, he helped recover the bodies of other climbers who had not been so lucky.

Finally, he did the math and concluded there was no way he could get through a whole career — 20 or 30 years — without losing someone he was responsible for in the Khumbu.

“I just couldn’t do it anymore,” Ballinger said. “I just couldn’t justify the risk.”

Ballinger’s data-driven approach and stellar track record were enough to win over Cooper.

And he has been willing to wait.

He was ready to climb Everest four years ago, but when China shut down expeditions to its side of the mountain in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ballinger stuck to his principles and refused to resume climbing with the crowds in Nepal. This is the first year since the pandemic that the Chinese side has been open.

The Alpenglow team, which includes 26 clients, guides and Sherpas hoping to reach the summit, were originally scheduled to begin their expedition in late April. After a late permitting change from the Chinese government, that date has been pushed back to May 7.

Cooper has competed in the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii 11 times and has won the legendary Western States Endurance Run, a 100-mile ultra-marathon. He is not a man accustomed to sitting around. “I’m feeling ready and anxious to get going,” he texted a reporter last week.

When not trying to sleep in his hypoxic tent, Cooper has spent his training days in Tahoe on back-country skis doing laps up and down a mountain, his 3-year-old dog, a Vizsla named “Busy,” at his heels. Indoors, he straps on a hypoxic mask hooked to the same motor he uses for the sleeping tent and rides a stationary bike an hour at a time. Or climbs a StairMaster. Or throws on his mountaineering boots and a heavy backpack and trudges up and down slopes.

“I’m addicted to doing this kind of stuff,” said Cooper, who ran his first marathon when he was 13. “I just feel like a fundamentally happier person when I’m training.”

After a trust fall left him paralyzed, climber scales 3,000-foot El Capitan using only his arms

In 2015, mountain guide Zuko Carrasco’s world collapsed in a trust fall gone awry. Eight years later, he looked to reclaim his independence with an audacious plan to scale El Capitan.

Jan. 11, 2024

Ballinger leads clients on bucket list climbs all around the globe. Many of the treks present more interesting technical challenges than Everest. Almost all of them feel like wild outposts compared with the circus vibe on Everest’s south side.

Still, he gets poetic when he describes why so many clients are drawn to the world’s tallest summit.

“Because it’s so hard,” he said. It takes incredible fitness, mental fortitude and a heavy dose of luck to make it to the top. And no matter how many precautions you take, there’s that uncontrollable element of risk.

“It’s not just a battle for success, it’s a battle for survival up there,” Ballinger said. “That’s something that many of us have not experienced otherwise. I think that really captures people.”

More to Read

Letters to the Editor: Permits won’t deter hikers who have no business on Mt. Baldy

March 14, 2024

Editorial: Winter permits for Mt. Baldy could save lives of hikers — and rescuers

March 11, 2024

‘Craziest thing you can do’: Why are so many adventure seekers warming up to ice climbing?

Jan. 23, 2024

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Jack Dolan is an investigative reporter for the Los Angeles Times. A winner of numerous national awards, he has twice been named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize.

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Travel & Experiences

Trains Moscow to Elektrostal: Times, Prices and Tickets

• Train Times
• Seasonality
• Accommodations

Moscow to Elektrostal by train

The journey from Moscow to Elektrostal by train is 32.44 mi and takes 2 hr 7 min. There are 71 connections per day, with the first departure at 12:15 AM and the last at 11:46 PM. It is possible to travel from Moscow to Elektrostal by train for as little as or as much as . The best price for this journey is .

Get from Moscow to Elektrostal with Virail

Virail's search tool will provide you with the options you need when you want to go from Moscow to Elektrostal. All you need to do is enter the dates of your planned journey, and let us take care of everything else. Our engine does the hard work, searching through thousands of routes offered by our trusted travel partners to show you options for traveling by train, bus, plane, or carpool. You can filter the results to suit your needs. There are a number of filtering options, including price, one-way or round trip, departure or arrival time, duration of journey, or number of connections. Soon you'll find the best choice for your journey. When you're ready, Virail will transfer you to the provider's website to complete the booking. No matter where you're going, get there with Virail.

How can I find the cheapest train tickets to get from Moscow to Elektrostal?

Prices will vary when you travel from Moscow to Elektrostal. On average, though, you'll pay about for a train ticket. You can find train tickets for prices as low as , but it may require some flexibility with your travel plans. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets. Unfortunately, no price was found for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find price results. Prices will vary when you travel from Moscow to Elektrostal. On average, though, you'll pay about for a train ticket. If you're looking for a low price, you may need to prepare to spend more time in transit. You can also often find cheaper train tickets at particular times of day, or on certain days of the week. Of course, ticket prices often change during the year, too; expect to pay more in peak season. For the lowest prices, it's usually best to make your reservation in advance. Be careful, though, as many providers do not offer refunds or exchanges on their cheapest train tickets.

How long does it take to get from Moscow to Elektrostal by train?

The journey between Moscow and Elektrostal by train is approximately 32.44 mi. It will take you more or less 2 hr 7 min to complete this journey. This average figure does not take into account any delays that might arise on your route in exceptional circumstances. If you are planning to make a connection or operating on a tight schedule, give yourself plenty of time. The distance between Moscow and Elektrostal is around 32.44 mi. Depending on the exact route and provider you travel with, your journey time can vary. On average, this journey will take approximately 2 hr 7 min. However, the fastest routes between Moscow and Elektrostal take 1 hr 3 min. If a fast journey is a priority for you when traveling, look out for express services that may get you there faster. Some flexibility may be necessary when booking. Often, these services only leave at particular times of day - or even on certain days of the week. You may also find a faster journey by taking an indirect route and connecting in another station along the way.

How many journeys from Moscow to Elektrostal are there every day?

On average, there are 71 daily departures from Moscow to Elektrostal. However, there may be more or less on different days. Providers' timetables can change on certain days of the week or public holidays, and many also vary at particular times of year. Some providers change their schedules during the summer season, for example. At very busy times, there may be up to departures each day. The providers that travel along this route include , and each operates according to their own specific schedules. As a traveler, you may prefer a direct journey, or you may not mind making changes and connections. If you have heavy suitcases, a direct journey could be best; otherwise, you might be able to save money and enjoy more flexibility by making a change along the way. Every day, there are an average of 18 departures from Moscow which travel directly to Elektrostal. There are 53 journeys with one change or more. Unfortunately, no connection was found for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal. Selecting a new departure or arrival city, without dramatically changing your itinerary could help you find connections.

Book in advance and save

If you're looking for the best deal for your trip from Moscow to Elektrostal, booking train tickets in advance is a great way to save money, but keep in mind that advance tickets are usually not available until 3 months before your travel date.

Stay flexible with your travel time and explore off-peak journeys

Planning your trips around off-peak travel times not only means that you'll be able to avoid the crowds, but can also end up saving you money. Being flexible with your schedule and considering alternative routes or times will significantly impact the amount of money you spend on getting from Moscow to Elektrostal.

Always check special offers

Checking on the latest deals can help save a lot of money, making it worth taking the time to browse and compare prices. So make sure you get the best deal on your ticket and take advantage of special fares for children, youth and seniors as well as discounts for groups.

Unlock the potential of slower trains or connecting trains

If you're planning a trip with some flexible time, why not opt for the scenic route? Taking slower trains or connecting trains that make more stops may save you money on your ticket – definitely worth considering if it fits in your schedule.

Best time to book cheap train tickets from Moscow to Elektrostal

The cheapest Moscow - Elektrostal train tickets can be found for as low as $35.01 if you’re lucky, or $54.00 on average. The most expensive ticket can cost as much as $77.49.

Find the best day to travel to Elektrostal by train

When travelling to Elektrostal by train, if you want to avoid crowds you can check how frequently our customers are travelling in the next 30-days using the graph below. On average, the peak hours to travel are between 6:30am and 9am in the morning, or between 4pm and 7pm in the evening. Please keep this in mind when travelling to your point of departure as you may need some extra time to arrive, particularly in big cities!

Moscow to Elektrostal CO2 Emissions by Train

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