Cycling Through Life: How to Enjoy Family Biking

May 9, 2023 by Eric Lister

As cyclists, we are huge advocates for family biking as a way to improve the physical and mental health of children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. No matter your age or current level of fitness, cycling is a sport that is low-impact, accessible, and brings people together through the exploration of surroundings, breathing of fresh air, and enjoyment of physical exercise.

(Image credit: Adobe Stock)

With society still lingering in the fog of the COVID-19 pandemic, and a resultant 25% and 20% of youth, respectively, experiencing clinically elevated levels of depression and anxiety, we are all now more than ever overdue for some quality time together outside. Cycling provides a sense of adventure for everyone involved, and can indeed take you to places you’ve never been before.

Benefits of Family Biking

Aerobic exercise like cycling has been shown to have an incredibly positive effect on a child’s brain. From executive functions like planning, organizing, and memory to having improved concentration, a longer attention span, and better academic performance at school. The elusive elixir that calms our kids and keeps them occupied doesn’t have to be a phone, why not a bike?

For adults, regular cycling will contribute to weight loss, better modulation of stress levels, reduction in anxiety and depression, and so many more positive outcomes. We often use the excuse and blame poor health on the fact that we’re getting old, when the truth is more likely that we’ve just stopped doing the things that were keeping us healthy.

(Image credit: Adobe Stock)

Senior citizens are not exempt from the benefits of cycling. In fact, for older adults, cycling has been shown to improve inhibition (control of impulsive or automatic responses), keeping track of changes in the environment, cognitive processing speed, and engagement with the outdoors. All important parts of maintaining a high quality of life as we age.

Whether its parents and kids, grandparents and grandchildren, or any other mix of relatives, partners, or siblings, cycling is a generational sport that we can all enjoy, be a part of, and benefit from. Teaching kids to exercise early has prolonged effects throughout childhood, and cycling as a form of transportation has massive cost-saving and environmental benefits to society at large.

How to Start Biking as a Family

Getting everyone to go riding together can be challenging, especially if each person has a varying level of biking experience or different attitudes towards cycling. However, that shouldn’t discourage you from enjoying the benefits of family biking we’ve just talked about. Below are some helpful tips that will make it easier to integrate biking into your regular routine.

(Image credit: Adobe Stock)

Plan Your Gear

Safety is always the first thing you want to check off your list. Especially for the younger kids and beginner riders of all ages, getting a properly fitted helmet is key to mitigating the repercussions (and concussions) that can happen as a result of a fall. Gloves, knee pads, and elbow pads too are all great pieces of equipment that should be considered.

Plan Your Route

If you’re heading out as a group for the first time, try planning your ride in leisurely areas that are comfortable and spacious for people of all skill levels. Paved community paths, parks, or even laid-back trails are perfect for learning to safely explore the outdoors on a bicycle without the risk of traffic and crowded areas that can intimidate beginners and kids.

Pack Food & Supplies

It’s always good to be ready for falls, scrapes, cuts, flat tires, and other likely scenarios that are all just a part of cycling. Bring along some basic first-aid items like band-aids, as well as a tire patch kit and even a mini pump to get you through should somebody get a flat. Remember too to pack lots of water to stay hydrated and snacks in case someone starts to get tired or cranky!

Split Responsibilities

If you have people of varying skill, age, or fitness levels, it can sometimes be good to have one parent with one group and another parent with another group. This way you can travel and explore at different speeds or even along similar but different routes to keep everyone stimulated, challenged, and excited to be out riding together. Reconvene at a checkpoint for water and food!

Embrace the Opportunity

Being outside as a family is a great time to bond over each other’s interests, personalities, and the exploration of surroundings. Nature and exercise are healing powers that bring out emotions, foster ideas, and nurture relationships. When you’re out riding together, you’ll share an experience with so much more sustenance than just sitting around watching TV, embrace it!

Looking for Fun Workouts the Whole Family Can Do?

Get in shape as a family! To complement your newfound cycling adventures, why not exercise the whole body with the versatile programming we’ve created over at Dynamic Cyclist! We have hundreds of scalable workouts that anyone can do and benefit from. High-quality follow-along instructional routines. Try us out for 7-days FREE by clicking here!

A Beginner’s Guide to the Cycling Essentials

August 1, 2020 by Sarah Lauzé

If you walk into a bike shop with zero context or little to no experience in the cycling world, the sheer amount of stuff can be overwhelming. If you’re not careful, you can end up buying a lot of things you don’t necessarily need, and missing out on some of the things you really need. Here are some of the cycling essentials (and near essentials) that will get you started in the world of cycling.

The Cycling Essentials

A Bike

Okay okay, this one is a little obvious, but it can be confusing to know what to look for in a road bike when you’re first starting out. Do you get the bare minimum and upgrade later? Or do you invest a little more now? Check out this great article on “How to Buy a Bike” for some guidelines.

Helmet

Riding without a helmet is NEVER cool. So, if you own a bike, you should also own a helmet. It doesn’t matter if you’re riding on busy roads, technical trails, or bike paths. If you go down and hit your head, a helmet can prevent disastrous consequences. There are a ton of cool looking options out there, so make sure you get one that fits you properly.

Glasses

You may have a pair on sunglasses you’ll wear on those bright, summer days, but wearing glasses while on your bike can do more than shield from the sun. Glasses help break the wind when you’re riding, preventing eye irritation. They also work wonders to keep bugs, rain, and other debris from smacking you in the eyeball (which is not a pleasant experience). Many cycling glasses will come with interchangeable lenses, so you can wear the same pair no matter what the weather.

A Bike Lock

If you’re ever going to leave your bike outside anywhere, then you’re going to want to lock it up. Bike locks may seem pricey, and it’s tempting to go for the cheapest option, but ensuring it’s difficult (if not impossible) for someone to steal will save you money in the long run.

A Bike Cover

If you don’t have room to keep your bike inside, you will want to get some sort of bike cover to keep it protected from the weather. If you leave it open to the elements, over the course of just a few weeks you will begin to see visible damage. The colour will fade, chain will rust, and your bolts will corrode and seize up. So, invest in a cover that fits well over your bike, keeping it dry while also allowing moisture to escape.

Cycling Jacket

A cycling jacket is an indispensable garment that will keep you comfortable and on your bike even when the weather goes bad. Most are lightweight and waterproof, so they will not only block the wind and cold, but rain as well. Most are small enough to roll up and stuff into a jersey pocket so you are always prepared in case of an emergency.

Pump, spares, a multi-tool

You won’t want to have to end your ride and take your bike into the shop every time you get a flat. You’ll need both the tools and the know-how to take care of some of the most common bike fixes. A good tire pump, multi tool and spare tubes (if you have clincher tires) will go a long way to keep you out on the road. For some basic maintenance and repair, check out “101 Best Bike Repair and Maintenance Tips.”

The Cycling Near-Essentials

Cycling Shorts

Possibly the most critical item of technical-gear you can purchase for cycling is a good pair of cycling shorts. A solid pair with a good chamois will allow you to feel more comfortable, powerful, and in control while on the bike. It will also allow you to ride for longer periods of time without discomfort.

Cycling Cap

A cycling cap is for both function and style. It keeps the sun out of your eyes as well as sweat and rain, and winter caps can keep you warm on a chilly day. Also, if you use your bike for commuting around town and are worried about having hemet-hair, a cycling cap can be a great lightweight fix.

Clipless Pedals and Cycling Shoes

Clipless pedals with cycling shoes is the most efficient and comfortable system out there when it comes to road biking. The stiff sole of the cycling shoe provides a rigid platform to transfer power from your legs to the drivetrain and propel the bike forward. Even if you’re just starting out, cycling in your regular running shoes can begin to hurt your feet, so getting used to the clipless system from the start may be the best idea.

Bike Computer

It can be fun and inspiring to track your progress over time, and the best way to do that is with a bike computer. It can track your ride metrics; from time and distance on the most simple computer, to location, power, and far more on the most powerful ones.

4 Ways Cycling Makes You a Stronger Runner

April 26, 2020 by Sarah Lauzé

Some runners like to poke fun at us cyclists, with our padded shorts and funny looking shoes. Yes, we spend hours out on roads pretending we’re in the Tour De France, but cycling is one of the best forms of cardio for all athletes. If you both run and ride, then you already know that cycling is key to making your running game a whole lot stronger. Here are just some of the ways cycling makes you a stronger runner.

How Cycling Makes You a Stronger Runner

Active Recovery

Many runners will turn to cycling after an injury. Stress fractures and joint pain are common to running, and cycling offers a great low-impact solution to keep you moving. It’s also a great means of active recovery. After a long run, it’s tough to find the motivation to get back out the next day for some active recovery. Hopping on your bike will help increase your blood flow, flush out lactate acids, and get your muscles loosened up and ready to run again.

Strengthen Complimentary Muscles

It’s easy to get into a routine with a single activity. If you find yourself exclusively running, you are strengthening certain muscles within a specific range of motion, while others are left underdeveloped. It’s easy to hit a plateau with your training, as doing the same thing every day will eventually stop yielding results. This is why cross training within any sport is so important. When you start cycling, you’ll be using those same muscles, but in a different and new way. You’ll find your legs and core will thank you, and yes, will make you a faster and more efficient runner.

Leg Speed

Cadence is a huge part of cycling, but the same idea applies to running. Both cycling and running require a consistent and steady motion, cadence for cyclists and leg turnover for runners. The more you ride and work on having a cadence of 90-100 rpm, the more your legs will be able to mirror that quick turnover while your running.

Give Your Joints a Break

You can work on your running mechanics all you want, but the truth of it is, running will inevitably put a pounding on your body. Especially for marathon and ultra runners, it can become hard to maintain high milage without injury. Cycling can provide you the workout you need, without the impact. If you don’t won’t to replace a whole run with a ride, try switching half way through. It can be a great way to train running on tired legs without putting your ankles, knees, and hips through a beating first.

If you’re not convinced, give it a try and experience the benefits for yourself. Both your body and your mind will thank you. For more on starting cycling, check out our complete guide for beginners. The added benefit to adding cycling to your running training is– you only have to start swimming and you can tackle a triathlon!

How To Clean Your Bike in 5 Minutes or Less

January 3, 2018 by Adam Farabaugh

Having a clean bike that looks good and works flawlessly is something that all pro riders have for every single ride. Their trick though is that they have a mechanic who keeps their bike looking and working like new. You too can have that clean, smooth working bike without spending ages working on it after every ride. The trick is to know what to do and having everything set-up and ready to use when you clean your bike.

Washing

After a ride in the rain, mud, or other gnarly elements, using water on your bike is the easiest way to get your bike clean. It gets the big stuff off without having to wipe your bike a million times with a towel or rag.

The Hose Approach

If you have a hose, leave it set up so all you have to do is turn on the water and hose down your bike. Leave the wheels on as you aren’t doing a top to bottom scrub. You just want to hose everything off and get the grit out of the nooks and crannies. Do a once over on the whole bike but when you get to the drivetrain put the spray on the chain and run the pedals backwards. After a few revolutions, keep spinning the pedals backwards but move the spray to the cassette and then the pulley wheels on the rear derailleur. Also get both brakes good.

The Bucket Approach

If you don’t have a hose, a bucket is your next best alternative. Get a sponge, or an old t-shirt, and get it sopping wet and wipe down the bike starting with the handle bars, then frame, then wheels, and then drive train to get to progressively dirtier and dirtier areas of the bike. You’ll have to ring out the sponge, or t-shirt, a few times depending on how dirty your bike is. When you get to the drivetrain you’ll spin the pedals backwards with the sponge in your other hand cupping the chain. This will get a good bit of any gunk that has built up off. Then scrub what you can off both derailleurs. After you are done scrubbing, take the remaining water and dump it slowly over the whole bike washing away anything that was left behind.

Wiping Down

If your bike wasn’t too dirty you didn’t have to hose down or use a bucket luckily. Whether you just used water on your bike or it wasn’t too dirty, you will now wipe down the bike. The best approach to this is to get a dry rag and some simple degreaser. Start with the dry rag and run it over the shifters and handle bars. Then spray a little degreaser (such as Simple Green which is light enough on everything) on a corner of the rag and wipe down the frame, scrubbing a little where it needs it. The degreaser will easily remove any dirt and grime on the bike and leave it shining like a pro’s bike. After you’ve gone over the frame, go over the rims but since you still want ample use of your brakes, don’t wipe the braking surface since the degreaser is quite slippery. A little bit won’t hurt it though if you do accidentally rub a little bit on it.

Next is the drivetrain. Take the degreaser and spray a little on both the front and rear derailleurs in their smallest gear and then again in the biggest. This allows the degreaser to get into the moving parts. Then wipe down both. Now that your rag has a descent amount of degreaser on it, run the chain backwards with the rag grasped around it. This will help to get it clean and shiny again. If you used a bit too much degreaser, take another clean dry rag and wipe down the bike again as you don’t want a slippery frame. Doing this will get your bike looking clean. How long it stays clean though is up to you.

Lubing the Chain

A smooth working bike, provided you’ve taken proper care of it with parts that aren’t too warn out, keeps it staying smooth and feeling like new due to proper lubrication. You should lube your chain every few rides at least but definitely after cleaning your bike. Since you already ran the chain through a rag when you were cleaning the bike you don’t have to do that again. If you didn’t and you’re just lubing the chain, run the chain backwards through a rag.

Take your bottle of lube and tilt the bottle slightly placing the nozzle so it just touches the top of the chain and a single drop comes out of the bottle. Now turn the pedals backwards getting roughly a drop on each link. The key to lubing a chain is that you want the lube inside the pins, not on the surface. Once you’ve gone around one to three times depending upon how dry you chain is, take the bottle away but continue running the pedals backwards. This will help to get the lube inside the chain itself. Now take a rag and run the chain backwards once again wiping off any excess lube. Your chain should now look sparkling clean.

Smooth Shifting

To keep your shifting working smooth you now want to put the bike in its biggest gear and then littlest putting a few drops of lube at all of the pivot points. Shift the gears from the biggest to the smallest and vice-versa a couple of times and then wipe off any excess lube. Now, assuming you have old school cables, flip your bike upside down, taking care not to scratch the shifters, and put a couple drops of lube underneath the bottom bracket on the cables where they slide through the plastic sleeves. Many bikes today have different cable routing designs so you’ll have to look at your bike and see where the friction points occur. They are going to be right around here where they make the bends to their respective derailleurs. Once you do this shift through all the gears a few times and add a few more drops if needed.

Now you have a clean, well-oiled machine that you obtained with minimal effort. Keep your sponges, rags, degreaser, and lube together in a convenient spot where you can grab it and be done with it five minutes after your ride. And if your bike tends to get a bit more dirty, keep a hose or bucket handy so you can do a once over on it quickly while still in your kit. Not only will you now show up on all your rides with a bike that looks like a pro mechanic took care of, it’ll work like one did too. Keeping your bike clean and lubed will also help your parts last longer too!

So You’re Going To Get Into Cycling…

May 10, 2016 by Adam Farabaugh

So you want to get into cycling? You found the itch and maybe have an idea of the benefits riding can bring. Starting out and having a good time from the get go without a lot of trial, fails, and errors will help to ensure that you have a pleasant entry into riding whatever style that constitutes: road, trails, city-paths, around-town, whatever your desires. We want you to try and stick with the sport and experience all its benefits. Ask other riders around and you’ll find that they have been riding for sometime and wish they had found the sport earlier. So don’t wait, get into cycling now. You’re future self will thank you.

First Up – Do You Have a Bike Yet?

To get into cycling you first need a bike. What you don’t need however is a high-end, expensive bike which can be a large barrier to entry. Any bike at the start will do just fine. A few things you want to make sure of though is that it is functional and safe to ride. This means that everything works on it; ie. the wheels turn and are true, the gears work, the brakes work, and it’s something that fits you well and is not a struggle to ride. It can be a hybrid bike, mountain bike, or road bike. After starting out and getting a few rides in, you’ll find what you like and don’t like and can begin the process of choosing a more appropriate bike for you.

Do You Have Any Cycling Clothes?

When you first get into cycling, wear what you have. A t-shirt and gym shorts work just fine but as your rides begin to increase in length and frequency you’ll want to upgrade your shorts first to skin tight, padded shorts specific to cycling and then to a cycling jersey. Prior to this, men should try and wear tighter and more supportive athletic underwear to keep things in place. Women will want to wear an athletic type of underwear. For socks you will also want to wear something more athletic and not made of cotton.

How About Cycling Shoes?

Starting out, you can wear sneakers when you ride with platform pedals or pedals with straps to hold your feet in place. This will allow you to be able to focus on the riding and not have to worry about clipping in and out…yet at least.

Starting On Your Own

Depending on how much experience you have on a bike, you will want to start out getting the basics down. Turning, braking effectively, and then shifting. Then graduate to going up and down hills and through corners. Getting the feel for the bike and being able to ride on your own will then allow you to ride safely around other people and in the road and traffic where your attention needs to be on the cars around you and not just riding the bike. Safety is number one.

Finding Someone To Teach You A Thing Or Two

After you can safely and effectively ride, finding someone to ride with who is an experienced rider will help you improve tremendously in all things cycling not to mention give you company to ride with. Maybe someone you already know rides and you can ask them if they can take you on a ride or two. If you don’t know anyone who rides, ask around at your local bike shop or put an email out to your local cycling club, if you have one in your area. If you still can’t find someone, keep improving your riding on your own and with cycling “how-to’s” such as this and then see if you can find a local group ride.

Finding A Local Group To Ride With

With riding in a group you will want to be extremely comfortable on the bike and not have any issues cornering, riding a straight line, shifting, braking, et cetera. Searching online for local rides is a good first option and then hitting up your local bike shop can give you the inside scoop on local rides. Here you will be able to learn a lot from other riders just by watching and doing what they do along with them being able to give you advice on your riding.

How To Improve Your Riding

One thing with getting into riding is that whether you are just starting out or have been riding for decades, there is always something to improve upon. It’s a sport that’s never “learned” and done. Keep riding more and more and you will not only get better physically but in all things cycling related. You will have blunders as you go but you will learn from them and correct them. Reading up on all things cycling will continue to develop your knowledge base. (It’s been said that ILoveBicycling.com has nearly everything you need to know to be a better rider.)

The Most Important Part When You Get Into Cycling?

And of course the most important part when you get into cycling is to have fun. Cycling is going to give you an endless amount of new experiences, new friends, a great body, and a fantastic time all in all for the rest of your life. Embrace it, share it, and enjoy it.

How to Buy a Bike

October 16, 2015 by Adam Farabaugh

Buying a bike is an important investment in your health, wellbeing, and overall enjoyment. Getting the right one that is perfect for you will help ensure that you get the most out of your purchase and are thoroughly happy with it. Whether you have ridden a little bit before or you are a first time buyer, knowing a little bit about what you’re looking for will go a long way and will make the buying process easier.

Following this guide starting from before you even go to your local bike shop to your first ride on your new bike will help you get the most out of your buying and riding experience.

Homework Ahead of Time

Before you go to a bike shop to take a look around, you should do a little bit of homework first so you know what you’re looking for.

First, determine what type of riding you are going to do and where your fitness level is at. Are you going to be riding primarily on trails, the road, cinder bike paths? Is your riding just going to be a short commute to work or are you looking to build to 100 mile century’s on the road. Knowing what type of riding you are going to be doing will allow you to narrow your focus on bikes specific for your type of riding.

Buy a Road Bike

Buy a road bike if you are looking to stay on the road, stay away from any sort of rough terrain and are looking to go fast.

Buy a Mountain Bike

Buy a mountain bike if you are looking to do a little off road exploring or mountain biking. The suspension system will absorb the shock of the rocks, bumps and roots out on the trail.

Buy a Hybrid

Buy a hybrid or a commuter if you are looking to cruise around at a medium pace, want a relaxed upright position, want to carry items, or plan to be on a mix of pavement and gentle off road riding.

Research and Price Range

Once you have determined what type of bike you want to buy, ask your cyclist friends what specific bike they might recommend. If you don’t have cyclist friends (and even if you do) go on the internet and look at the varying options and prices of a number of different brands with the style of bike you are looking for.

Call or go on the websites of your local shops and see what they carry and use that as a starting point.

Each company breaks down their bikes by category and you can get a better look at the kind of bikes you’re looking to get. Look at the frame and component specifics with their corresponding prices. This will give you a better idea when you get into the bike shop of how to compare bikes. As you’re doing this, it doesn’t hurt to write down a few questions to take with you to the local shop.

At the Shop

Before you go into a shop, call or go on their website and see what their focus is. If you’re looking for a mountain bike, you want a shop that has a good selection and isn’t focused mainly on road bikes and vice versa.

If you’re looking for a bike for commuting and around town, make sure they have those too. After you have a bit of a background on what you’re looking for, go into your local shop. Also ask around to see which shops are good or better known in the area. When you get there, browse around and get a feel for what they have.

Then talk to a knowledgeable employee and explain what you’re looking for and why. They will be able to help guide you toward the bike that is perfect for you and your price range. Ask questions about the bike and ask to see a bike one level up as well as down from what they recommend to get a feel for what you’re getting and for what price.

Test Ride

Once you find a bike you like, take it for a test ride. You’re not going to get the full feel of what it’s like on a normal ride but just a ride around the parking lot will give you a feel for its fit and how it handles. Shift through the gears, test the brakes, get out of the saddle, do some turns.

You should get a good feel for the bike. After riding this one, ask to ride the next level up bike as well as down so you have a good comparison for what you’re getting. You may find that the cheaper bike feels just fine for you or that the more expensive one is well worth the upgrade.

If you are reading this guide on how to buy a bike it is likely you are a beginner cyclist, in saying that, you should be focused on one thing above all else, comfort. If you are not comfortable on your bike, no matter the price, you are not going to enjoy it.

Make sure to test ride a minimum of 3 to 5 bikes before making any decisions at all. Discuss with the sales person what you liked about one bike, but perhaps not the other, especially regarding comfort or bike fit. Sometimes a small adjustment of the saddle, or stem length will make all the difference.

Buying a New or Used Bike in Person

Once you’ve gotten a good feel for the bike and have compared it to others along with its price, ask about what comes with the bike. Does the shop offer free tune ups for the first year that you own it? How about a discount on other products like helmets or a jersey?

Most shops will have some sort of extra incentive to buy from their shop. If they don’t, ask for something like it. They may not give a discount on the bike but they may throw in some extra free tune ups if you buy a bike and up to 50% of any accessories you buy.

Once you’re comfortable with the bike and everything you’re getting with it, make the purchase. You can sweat all the little details but in the end it’s how much you like the bike and want to ride it. Also, if you can’t afford the full price of the bike up front, a lot of shops will offer financing, so ask ahead of time if that’s something they can do.

Buying a New or Used Bike Online

Honestly, if this is your first bike purchase I highly recommend against buying online unless you are able to test ride elsewhere first. You have to be very confident that it is the right bike for you.

The amount of money you save from buying a bike online will be outweighed by the service, knowledge and fit that you would receive from your local bike shop. If you are purchasing a bike for under $1000 then your savings are generally negligible by purchasing online. Save yourself the headache of purchasing additional parts to make your bike fit properly or other such disasters that occur online.

First Ride

After you’ve bought the bike, you’re going to want to take it for a ride straight away. Be sure that you have a good fit on the bike such as the saddle height and the reach to the handle bars. The shop can help you with this as well.

Also make sure you know how to make all the necessary adjustments so if you have to raise or lower the seat mid-ride you can. Make sure you have a multi-tool to do this as well. Once you’re riding, don’t go to crazy straight away. Any bike is going to take some getting used to so ease into your riding and get comfortable with it. You’ll be glad you did once you get everything dialed.

Buying a bike is an exciting time and knowing a few things going into your purchase will make the experience that much better. It will also help to make sure that you are getting the best bike for you. There’s nothing worse than making a purchase and realizing it wasn’t the one you wanted. Doing a little homework, asking the right questions at the shop, and taking multiple test rides will help ensure that you’re getting the best bike for you as well as your price range.

How To Use Bike Gears Properly

October 4, 2015 by Lee Agur

Bike Gears – How They Work

How To Use Bike Gears Properly — This bike is in the easiest gear possible. It is in the small chainring upfront, and it is in the largest gear in the back.

Bikes have anywhere from one front chainring to three chainrings these days, accompanied by seven to eleven gears in the back. The different combinations of these gears will determine how easy or difficult it is to pedal and will dictate your speed. If you are looking to make small adjustments in the speed/difficulty then you will want to change your back gears (also known as cogs).

If you are looking to make a big change in your effort or speed then you will likely want to change the front chainring. A great example would be when you are heading from a downhill in the big ring and then switching to the small chainring as you climb up the other side of the hill.

Shifting Bike Gears

Left Shifter – Changes the front chainring and makes the biggest shift change.

Right Shifter – Changes the rear cogs and makes the smallest incremental shift changes.

What Is the Proper Gear To Be In?

The appropriate gear to be in is a gear that allows you to have a good steady cadence without feeling like you are pedaling too hard or too gently.

If you select a gear that is too high for the conditions, it will force you into a slower cadence. Pedaling slower than your ideal cadence is wasteful of energy. You also run a higher risk of muscle strains and joint damage, particularly to the knees and hips. Pedaling faster than your ideal cadence can allow you to generate an extra burst of speed, but you will tire yourself out too soon if you try to maintain an excessively fast cadence.

Aim for a constant cadence of 75 – 95rpm.

What To Avoid When Changing Bike Gears

Cross chaining occurs when the chain is on a big slant. The chain should not go on the big ring up front and the big ring on the back simultaneously, nor should it go on the small ring upfront and the small ring in the back. Cross chaining wrecks your chain, decreases efficiency and it also gives you less options when trying to find a new gear.

Using Bike Gears

To begin with, start in your small chainring up front.
Get on your bike and become familiar with changing your back gears with your right shifter.
Get comfortable shifting through the gears (while avoiding cross chaining) before you start shifting with the front gears as well.
Attempt to maintain a smooth steady cadence of about 75 – 95 rpm while maintaining a moderate effort when pushing on the pedals. Change the gears appropriately to maintain this steady cadence and effort.

How To Use Bike Gears On a Hill

Use the small or middle chainring upfront and the bigger gears in the back. You will want to switch in to these gears early as you approach the climb allowing you to climb the hill slowly and with less effort.

How To Use Bike Gears On a Flat

Use the middle front chainring and the middle or small gears in the back. Focus on small adjustments with your back gear.

How To Use Bike Gears Descending

Use the large front chainring and the middle or small gears in the back.

How To Teach a Child To Ride a Bike

September 29, 2015 by Lee Agur

The step by step guide outlined in this article can teach a child to ride a bike as quickly as an hour or two. The important thing to remember is that everyone learns at their own pace, so be patient have fun and use the techniques and steps outlined in this article and you will be riding bikes together in no time.

The traditional way of teaching a kid to ride a bike was to strain your back holding them while running along side them until they got the hang of the balance, pedaling and steering. This method of teaching a child to ride a bike is no longer suggested. There is a faster and safer way!

First of all you want to teach your child to do one thing at a time. There are 4 main skills to acquire: balancing, steering, pedaling and stopping. Below we will focus on each of these skills 1 by 1 and step by step.

How To Teach a Child To Ride a Bike

Generally, you are able to teach your child to ride a bike as early as 3 years old. Riding bikes can be a great family activity and can be enjoyed by all.

Items needed: A bike and helmet are absolute essentials, but if you are looking for more safety gear then short of wrapping your child in bubble wrap you are able to get gloves, elbow pads and shinguards. Items not suggested: loose fitting pants.

How To Teach a Child To Balance on a Bike

Take the pedals off your child’s bike or use a balance bike.
Adjust the seat height so that your child is able to touch the ground flat footed with both feet.
Find a gentle grassy slope, 3 degrees is sufficient. It only needs to be approximately 25 yards long with a flat spot afterward or even an uphill. Then instruct him or her to go downhill by pushing with their feet. As they get more comfortable encourage them to use their feet less and less.
Make sure they are relaxed (not gripping too tight on the handlebars) and looking straight ahead and not down right in front of them. Also, keep legs and arms tucked in and close to the bike for better balance.
Do not hold on to the bike, let your child feel the balance on their own. If they really want you to come with them then make sure you run behind them and not beside them so you do not distract them.
Once they have improved balancing, challenge them to games of how long they are able keep their feet off the ground. Ie. count to 10, sing the abc’s or sing a song. Keep it as fun as possible.
Remember to always praise improvement.
Continue to coast downhill until your child is comfortable balancing on their own down the entire slope. No need to rush this step, it is the single most important one.

How To Teach a Child To Steer a Bike While Coasting

Your kid may have already started to learn this while coasting down the gentle slope; however, have them make gentle turns while going down the slope so they are able to get a feel for steering.
Make another game of turning, put two cones out and have them go on the left side of one and the right side of the other, gradually move them wider apart.
Continue to build their confidence by constant encouragement.

How To Teach a Kid To Pedal a Bike

First, put the pedals back on the bike if you removed them.
Stay on that very same hill, start from the top and ask your kid to only pedal once down the entire slope. Then pedal twice.
When they feel comfortable have them pedal on the flats or slight uphill after the gentle downhill slope.
Once they get the hang of pedaling, teach them how to stop the bike. Once they are comfortable stopping, raise the child’s seat an inch, have them practice more, then raise it another inch. Raise the seat until it reaches it’s ideal saddle height. Rough guide to ideal saddle height for children, is that there should be a slight bend in the knee when at the bottom of the pedal stroke. The leg should be about 80% – 90% straight.

How To Teach a Child To Stop

Now it is time to teach your child to stop without using the feet on the ground as brakes.
While costing downhill have your child press on the coaster brake to stop. Once your kid has done this a few times without wobbling too much then it is time to break out the games: Use your cones to get them to stop a specific points or play red light green light.
Remember to tell them what a good job they are doing.

How To Teach a Kid To Ride In a Straight Line

Congratulations, your child has the basics of riding a bike down. Now we can start to combine the skills they have learned. Find a flat parking lot, cul de sac, or even a wide long driveway.

Teach your kid to ride a bike from a stand still. If they are right hand dominant, teach them to put the right pedal at the 2 o’clock position to get started. If your child is left hand dominant, then teach them to put the left pedal at the 2 o’clock position to get started. By doing this it will ensure as they get on the bike it will start to move forward, making the balancing act a little bit easier.
Teach your child to look straight ahead, as looking to any side will make them turn or possibly lose balance.

Tips on How To Teach a Child To Steer, Pedal and Brake

Once your child gets the hang of riding their bike, challenge them to a right hand turn, then a left hand turn, then graduate them to circles and finally ask them to do figure eights. Once they have this mastered this then it is time to go for a ride with them!

Mistakes to Avoid When Teaching Your Child To Ride a Bike

Buying too large of a bike – many parents do this so the child is able to “grow into the bike” however, this makes it significantly more difficult while learning. Ensure that your child is able to to stand over the top tube, with both feet flat on the ground and can comfortably reach the handlebars. You can purchase inexpensive child’s bikes here.
Not making bike riding fun – make games out of the separate skills, you and your child will have more fun.
Rushing the lessons – breaks are necessary, if they are not feeling up to the next skill test don’t force them. Also make sure they are comfortable with the skill before moving on.
Not giving enough positive reinforcement – focus on the positive things your child is doing as opposed to pointing out all of the mistakes.
The steps outlined below is the safest way to teach a child to ride a bike; however, don’t expect that it will be crash free. You may need to comfort and bandage your child, then tell them how tough they are and encourage them to get back on the bike.
If decide to hold on to your child or their bike at anytime, make sure that you do exactly what you tell your child you are going to do. For example do not lie to them saying that you are holding on to their bike when you are not. It will diminish trust and their confidence will decrease.

Teaching anyone to ride a bike can be a fun and rewarding experience. Just make sure to keep it fun and provide lots of positive energy and encouragement.

Don’t forget to share this with anyone you know that has a child.

Top 10 Tips for New Female Cyclists

September 19, 2015 by U.M.

Getting into a new sport can be difficult both physically and mentally. Cycling is no exception to this and while there are plenty of tips that you can get for new cyclists, not all of them are specific or even helpful to women. For example, many new women cyclists can struggle with confidence in group riding or with understanding the intricacies of a good bike fit. Here’s the top 10 tips for new female cyclists.

1. Nutrition

Nutrition is a daily part of life but it is especially important when you begin cycling. Pro cyclist Tiffany Cromwell recommends that you eat healthy but that you don’t obsess about it either like many women are prone to do. If you focus too much on being healthy you’ll start to lose some of the enjoyment you get from cycling in the first place. Women cyclists should stick to green vegetables, carbs, protein, and water. Eat meals regularly and also eat when you’re on the bike to avoid hitting empty on your fuel supply.

2. Clothing

Many female cyclists will prefer a tighter fitting jersey and shorts that come to roughly the mid-thigh. A tighter jersey will prevent having loose fabric flapping in the wind as you ride and causing air drag. You’ll be more aerodynamic with a tighter jersey and therefore faster. A pair shorts that comes about mid-thigh are ideal. They give you the movement you need without forcing you to pull them down every five minutes should they ride up while you pedal.

3. Gears

You have a big chain ring, a small chain ring, and usually ten to eleven gears in the back. Don’t be afraid to cycle through all of the gears and work up a sweat when you ride. Using the big chain ring will require you to put out a lot more power and is a great way to burn off a lot of calories in not a lot of time. You won’t have an easy ride but you will have a great workout.

4. Saddle

The saddle is very important because it’s where you’ll get the most comfort. It’s also a very personal choice. Some people prefer softer saddles while others prefer a harder saddle. Many women will prefer a men’s saddle, usually with a cut out because of the perceived flexibility and ability to handle bumps in the road more effectively. Before you go to buy a new saddle see if there’s some cycling friends who will let you try theirs so that you can get an idea of what’s comfortable for you or try them at the local bike shop before you buy.

5. Bars

Female riders have a bit of a reputation for taking a bike as-is and often end up with bars that are too wide for them. A good bar width will be the width of your shoulders. Having bars that fit you will improve both your comfort and handling ability.

6. Bike Fit

The bike fit is equally as personal as the saddle because good bikes are molded to the rider, not the other way around. This is when you need to find a very good bike shop who knows how to help with bike fits. They’ll measure your limbs and body to give you a correct frame. Without a good bike fit you could have too long of a reach, too high or low seat post, or any other number of problems which make good form impossible.

7. Ride with the Guys

Riding with men will help you to improve your fitness levels much more effectively than if you ride alone. Men are great race partners and having a group of people (both men and women) you trust will make you feel safer when you ride. Furthermore, being able to keep up or beat the men at a friendly race will boost your confidence in your riding skills and abilities.

8. Confidence

If you aren’t very confident in road cycling, start with a quieter area first and work your up to paths that may take you through heavier traffic zones. Remember that drivers will give you space. They don’t want to hit you anymore than you want to be hit. When you cycle on the road you don’t want to be scared. This will make you hyper aware of your surroundings but will also prevent you from actually training because you may stop frequently, slow down, or simply cut out early. Give yourself time to get used to the idea of road cycling and build your confidence up.

9. Relax

Be relaxed on your bike. When you come down a hill for the first time, the last thing you want to do is to lock your elbows and tense up because you’re scared or uncertain. You want to maintain proper cycling form but you also want to be able to flow with the movements of your bike. Just take a deep breath and stop worrying. You’ll be fine.

10. Looking Good

Looking good is part of the battle especially when it comes to how other riders perceive you. If you’re having a bad day but your bike looks good and all of your cycling gear is properly maintained people (including yourself) will think it’s just a bad day and tomorrow will be better. You don’t have to look the part, but it sure helps!

These 10 tips for new female cyclists will keep you from making some of the common mistakes that many new cyclists make. You should be able to avoid much of the growing pains that come with cycling for beginners and ease your transition into the sport.

Getting Started: Road Biking For Beginners

September 14, 2015 by U.M.

Heading out onto the roads can often be a little intimidating for experienced cyclists, which means that road bikes for beginners can be even scarier. In fact, there are some people who have given up on the hobby entirely before ever exploring the myriad of benefits that it can provide, no matter what your current levels of fitness or experience.

Here we aim to give novices a little bit of a shot in the arm by letting them know just what road cycling can do for them. These tips are ideal for anybody who is looking into exploring the topic of road biking for beginners.

If you are looking for a complete guide to cycling for beginners start here.

Start Slow

You don’t need to be race material from the second that you set foot on your bike, so take a little while to acclimatize to your local area and the routes that you are most likely to take. This way you can not only enjoy your surroundings while you are cycling, but you will also be able to identify any areas that you are less than comfortable with. Over time your confidence will increase and you will find you tackle these routes much more quickly as your fitness builds.

Remember to Recover

When starting any new physical activity it can always be tempting to just jump right in and keep plugging away during every spare moment that you have. After all, constant cycling will surely help you to achieve your fitness goals even quicker right?

Actually, you would do well to remember to take a little time to recover, particularly after long and taxing rides. You won’t feel the full benefits of your workouts if you don’t let your muscles adjust and then recover, and you will find that your workouts are affected and you leave yourself more open to suffering injuries.

Learn About Hill Climbs

When you are first getting to grips with road biking for beginners, coming up against a hill can be a nightmare. Choosing the right gear and powering your way up is something that no cyclist truly relishes, but if you want to build power in your legs so that you can develop more speed it is something that you are going to have to contend with. Learn about which gears feel comfortable for you when riding up hills.

Mix Up Your Rides

The main issue with practically any type of workout is keeping your motivational levels high enough to keep going. When things start to feel a little bit too samey it can be very easy to simply stop caring about whatever gains you are making, leading you to skipping a session here and a session there until you just don’t bother at all.

Try to make sure that you have multiple routes that you can take and mix up your rides at every opportunity. Not only will this help keep interest levels high, but it will also keep your body guessing as well, which is ideal for novice cyclists who are trying to build fitness.

Listen to Your Body

You don’t have to push yourself to your limits every single time you get on the bike. After all, there are many external factors that add stress and affect your body and, in turn, affect the way that you ride.

As such, you should always listen to your body and pay attention to what it is telling you. If you feel tired then it may be a good idea to recover or take a light ride, whereas if you feel like a world beater on any particular day then it might be time to tackle a new challenge and really push yourself.