Embrocation.....Some like it hot

When it comes to enhancing your mood while riding in cold weather, nothing quite does it for me like some good embrocation. So what exactly is this stuff and what is it for? Well the answer may best be answered in an explanation from the old Belgium Knee Warmers site:

For many professional cyclists the Spring campaign is the toughest of the season; it means training from October until March in the worst, character-building weather conditions Europe can dish out. This weather and the suffering that is bicycle racing breed characters known as “hardmen”.


Select cyclists tackle these conditions in shorts, long sleeve jerseys or short sleeve jerseys with arm warmers, wind vests, and shoe covers. A true hardman opts to forgo the knee or leg warmers and instead chooses an embrocation, or liniment to cover the knees. This liniment provides warmth for the legs and keeps the blood circulating and muscles supple. Embrocation and the sheen created is affectionately known as “Belgium knee warmers”. The hardest of cyclists will sport bare legs in the most ruthless of conditions..


Now, I don't know about having bare legs in the most ruthless of conditions, but I will certainly do some 50-60 degree racing with bare legs and embrocation. Honestly for an old guy like me with bad knees, embrocation is almost a necessity. At least I feel like it makes a huge difference. It's also nice to put on your lower back for CX races. I like putting it on my upper back and shoulders for really long rides. Helps with the stiffness you can get in your neck from a 5-6 hour ride.

Musclor #3 = Very Hot

This is the first kind I ever tried. I had a bunch of it a while back. I used the #2 the most, but all I have left is a couple tubes of the super hot #3. This stuff is super old stock from my Dads old bike shop. Like from the mid 80's. Still works fine. The smell is more of a "get the job done" than the pleasant smells of today's embrocation.

My current favorites from Mad Alchemy

I got hooked up with the Mad Alchemy stuff from a Villain CX deal. I really love this stuff. To say it's  got staying power is an understatement. Smells and feels great.

Kind of a funny story from this past weekend at our training camp that got me thinking about the whole embrocation thing - So one the new guys on the team from Kansas was asking if anybody had any embrocation as we were getting dressed to go ride on the coldest day. I told him I had some and gave him my container of "Russian Tea". Another guy wanted to try it as well, so they passed it back and forth and applied the heat. I kind of thought they were putting on a lot and were just used to it. I generally put it on pretty heavy when it's really cold, but what I didn't realize was that neither of them had ever used any kind of embrocation before, they had just heard about it. Shower time later that day was not fun for them.

I wasn't there, but from what I hear, between the screaming, cussing and calling me names, there was the quote "He saw how much I was putting on".

Tip: The first time you try any kind of embrocation, start with a small amount in a small area and see what it feels like when you get it wet, and put on a light coat overall. Also VERY IMPORTANT: Put your shorts on first then apply. You don't want to get any on your junk. Trust me on this. At least I warned the Kansas guys about that.