I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

What Is a Hybrid Bike? (A Beginners Guide)

by

You may be a road cyclist, mountain biker, non-participant or somebody just getting into the sport of cycling. But whoever you are, it’s not at all uncommon to have posed the question upon visiting your local sporting goods store, “What is a hybrid bike?”

You may have had the experience of being one of those poor souls entering into a bike shop for the first time. It is then that you were encountered by an enthusiastic young salesman asking what kind of rig you might be in the market for.

Road? 

Mountain? 

Commuter? 

Touring? 

City? 

Hybrid? 

It can be a bit overwhelming…

Hearing the word hybrid no doubt implies the combination of some such things…all of which you know absolutely nothing about!

Well, we’ve today endeavoured to mitigate this experience to the best of our ability, by teaching you a little bit about what this style of bicycle entails, its uses, and who it might be best suited for out there in the vast landscape of buying possibilities. We hope that by the end you’re able to approach the matter in a way that makes you a little more comfortable, especially for those out there getting into cycling for the first time.

Sales associate helps a woman pick out a bike at a bike shop.

torwaiphoto/Adobe Stock

What Does “Hybrid Bike” Mean?

Hybrids are basically a blend of the two major cycling disciplines, road biking and mountain biking. They are a composite that seeks to address some of the major components of both types of bike in one, so as to create a machine that is versatile enough to accommodate activity performed on the road and on the trails.

Some of these components include the following:

Handlebars –  Hybrids typically have flat handlebars, like those of a mountain bike, as opposed to dropped handlebars like you would see on a road bike. This contributes to a more upright riding position.

Tires – Modern hybrid bikes can be fitted with several sizes and types of tires that you’ll find on both road and mountain bikes. 26” used to be the standard, but it is now common to see 27.5” and 29” as well.

Suspension – Typically hybrid bikes are limited in suspension, and some don’t have any at all. It’s not uncommon though to see front suspension forks that offer some relief if you were to head out on some light-medium duty trails.

Gears – Some hybrid bikes have only one speed (and are aptly named “single speed bikes”). Others can have a wide range of gears, which is something you’ll want to pay attention to. Less gears means less variability in intensity, which for a beginner rider can be overwhelming.

The term hybrid bikes can mean a lot of things. In general, yes, it means the combination of a road and mountain bike in one. But depending on the brand, style, etc. that hybrid bike could lean more towards a road bike or more towards a mountain bike. Let’s look at the pros and cons of this bike category to better determine if it’s going to be the right choice for you.

Hybrid bike on a trail

MarekPhotoDesign/Adobe Stock

Pros of Hybrid Bikes

If you’re someone who is just getting into bike riding (or haven’t done it in a long time), a hybrid bike is a good way to start acclimatizing your body to the sport. The more specialized you get with a bike into a particular discipline, the more aggressive the positions you’re going to be in on the bike. Different parts of your body are going to be subject to more load and intensity, and it’s going to vary depending on the specialty of your machine. 

A hybrid bike keeps you in a more upright position, which lessens the load on your hands, wrists, shoulders and lower back. Your body needs time to adapt to spending time on the bicycle, and if you eventually decide to get into road cycling, for example, your body will appreciate the time it had to strengthen itself on a hybrid before dropping into a more loaded, aerodynamic position.

The cost of a hybrid bike is another excellent benefit, and is reflective of its more generalized nature. If you were looking for the tip of the spear in terms of performance, parts and quality…you wouldn’t be buying a hybrid bike. That’s not to say they aren’t well-built and dependable pieces of technology. But it is to say that they will only take you so far in any such direction…

…which takes us to the cons.

Cons of Hybrid Bikes

By far the biggest con of a hybrid bike is going to be its limited performance. If you start to become more serious about a particular type of biking, a hybrid bike is going to quickly fail you as soon as the demands exceed its capabilities. A hybrid bike rapidly becomes just a bad road or mountain bike as soon as you venture further into one discipline or the other.

If you want to become a competitive triathlete, you better be able to ride a road bike – fast – and maybe for hours on end. If you want to rip down gnarly mountain terrain – tackling tight turns, huge drops and acute changes in speed – you better be able to harness the unique feel and frame of a high-end mountain bike. A hybrid bike just won’t cut it either way.

This can also have a troubling psychological effect, particularly on people who are getting further and further into mountain biking (which is what hybrids are often marketed for). Not knowing the potential performance metrics of your bike can be catastrophic when trying out new terrain that is more difficult than you’re used to. These types of bikes have to be treated with caution, and the trails you’re on have to always be respected for their level of difficulty.

Is a Hybrid Bike Right for You?

Hybrid bikes are perfect for people who want to cycle recreationally and on different types of terrain. They’re great for commuting and weekend rides with the family. They allow you to get into the sport at perhaps a slightly lower price point, and at the same time experience all the diversity of the outdoors, which is a major part of what makes cycling so engaging and attractive to its participants.

They help your body mold to the bike without putting it into positions that can lead to injury. This helps prepare the body for more aggressive postures that might need to be sustained in things like road racing somewhere down the line. But being more upright and taking things slow is always a good approach. The hybrid bike allows for that.

As soon as you start to become more specialized, it’s time to start looking at more specialized bikes. Not only will a more specific rig be more functional, efficient and durable for the tasks it is designed to do – it will be safer and more dependable as well. 


vit/Adobe Stock

Become a Better Cyclist!

Dynamic Cyclist is a training platform for cyclists that offers interactive, follow-along videos and programming that addresses mobility, strength, injury prevention and more! No matter what type of bike you’re riding, it’s always good to make sure your body is in check, healthy and prepared for the demands you’re about to place on it. Sign up for a 7-day free trial HERE!

This Pre-Ride Warm Up Will Make You A Better Cyclist

by

Most people don’t even bother with a proper warm up before biking. They figure they’ll just ease into the ride and then kick it into high gear when everything starts to feel loose. It’s a common problem in all sports and recreational physical activity. As cyclists, we often take our bodies for granted and get ahead of ourselves before the rubber even meets the pavement.

This, is how injuries occur.

Knowing what to do before a bike ride can help settle nerves, set goals, reduce the risk of injury and improve overall cycling performance. A correct cycling warm up will address several things at once, so it’s important we integrate it into our race days, training sessions and even prior to an easy ride. 

This article will briefly teach you the importance of warming up before cycling, and then show you a simple 5 minute routine that you can have in your arsenal at all times!


Source: Andriy Bezuglov – Adobe Stock

Why Warm Up Before Cycling?

One definition of intensity is the amount of load being put through the body during an exercise or activity. For example, doing a 1RM back squat is more intense than doing 50 bodyweight air squats. The heavy weight on your back is putting more axial load through the body than you doing a squat with no weight at all. With this definition, cycling is a low intensity exercise.

However, another definition of intensity is how hard the body has to work to do the exercise. Depending on your level of fitness, those 50 bodyweight air squats might take your RPE (rate of perceived exertion) to a level 8 or 9. With this definition, we can see how cycling could span the spectrum of intensity from low to high.

All this to say that cycling has the potential to place huge demands on your body despite its reputation for longevity and low impact on the joints. Yes, the bike supports your body. Yes, you push against free moving pedals instead of the immovable ground. Nevertheless, it is probably more intense than the rest of your day’s activities, so we need to prepare accordingly.


Source: brizmaker – Adobe Stock

Benefits Of A Cycling Warm Up

By performing a pre-ride cycling warm up you will increase the temperature and blood flow in your muscles. This has been shown to increase performance outcomes and reduce the risk of cramps or injury by making your tissues more pliable (“limbering up” so to speak).

Something else not often talked about is the psychological benefits to a warm up routine. This time can be used not only to prepare your body but your mind as well. Western medicine and society as a whole tends to compartmentalize the body and mind as different (sometimes opposing) entities. In reality, you as an individual are a complex intermingling of both.

Pay attention to how you feel prior to riding. Set goals for the session whether it’s for enjoyment, recovery, training or performance. Visualize the outcome of your race or desired sensations during your ride. Calm your nerves and avoid an “adrenaline dump” early in a race or heavy training session. All things we can attend to and include in the space of a dedicated warm up.


Source: fifeflyingfife – Adobe Stock

Should You Stretch Before Cycling?

It depends on the type of stretching. You’ll notice that all our warm up routines at Dynamic Cyclist are…dynamic. This means that we are constantly moving through a range of motion as opposed to just holding an end position (which is known as static or passive stretching). 

A dynamic warm up is more productive in terms of increasing the temperature of your muscles and preparing them for movement. Static stretching also has a number of downfalls prior to exercise including the decreased neural excitation of your muscles. This means they won’t fire as quickly, won’t be as strong and won’t last as long.

Holding a static stretch means you’re asking the muscle to relax into a lengthened state. This is contradictory to what you want during exercise, which is for the muscle to contract forcefully for several repetitions. These opposing ideas are a recipe for injury. Best to save any static stretching for after your ride or a rest day.

Pre-Ride Warm Up

Now that you know a little bit about why a cycling warm up is beneficial, it’s time to actually do one! This is a full 5 minute warm up routine you can use before going out on any ride. We will show you the exercise, tell you how to do it and why it will contribute to better cycling performance. 

Each exercise has an accompanied link that will take you to a follow along video teaching each exercise, led by our Dynamic Cyclist coach, Alisha. Let’s jump in!

March In Place

Try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

  • Warms up the hip flexors which play an important role in recovery phase of the pedal stroke; hip flexors tend to be dysfunctional in cyclists with lower back pain
  • Balancing on one leg works unilateral stability and fires all your glute muscles which is important for power initiation while cycling and overall hip health
  • Integrates hip and core musculature together; crucial for force absorption and production while riding
  • Large movement gets the heart rate up, circulates blood and increases the body’s core temperature
  • Cross lateral movement integrates your brains left and right hemispheres which results in better focus, peace of mind and improved motor functioning

Pulse Squats

Try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

  • Works all your knee extensors (quadriceps) which do the majority of the work while cycling
  • The wide stance works your adductors (groin muscles) who, in addition to adducting the leg (bringing it towards the midline) also have a secondary hip flexing function
  • Squatting deeply forces activation of the gluteus maximus, which is important for initiation of the power phase while biking
  • Alisha’s cue to drive the knees out helps engage all other glute muscles including gluteus medius/minimus; important for single leg stability and support of the pelvis while riding
  • Pressure from the saddle leads to several urogenital problems in cyclists (like numbness, infection and sexual dysfunction); this exercise opens up that sensitive area and stimulates blood flow to the surrounding tissues

Arm Circles

Try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

  • Important for shoulder health; cycling limits the range of our shoulders and never takes our arms into an overhead position
  • Our shoulder joint is the most mobile joint in the human body, this exercise takes it through the full range of flexion and extension
  • Mobilizes your scapula (shoulder blade) which becomes stuck and stagnant staying in prolonged, fixed positions on the bike
  • Opens up connecting tissues in the chest and lats (under your armpit), both of which become compressed in a rounded, forward flexed cycling position
  • Bringing the arms overhead helps mobilize the thoracic spine (mid back) which cycling and several modern activities tend to stiffen

Dynamic Forward Fold

Try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

  • Both strengthens AND stretches muscles on the front and back of your body through a large range of motion
  • Stretches hamstrings and back on the way down, contracts them on the way up; Stretches core, chest and hip flexors leaning back, contracts them folding forward
  • The core/chest stretch you get leaning back is great for maximizing your breathing capacity once you get on the bike where these tissues are crunched up and compressed
  • You get a pumping sensation in the low back as you hinge forward and backward which stimulates blood flow to this often injured area
  • Fluid movement that feels fantastic on the whole body; great for overall feelings of agility and nimbleness prior to riding

Dynamic Lizard

Try this exercise with Alisha!

Why It Works

  • Integrates the whole body and helps it work together as a single unit prior to getting on the bike
  • Great mobility exercise for hip health as you have to use your own strength to bring the hip into almost full flexion
  • Prepares you for mounting and dismounting, where you perform a large hip movement very much outside the range of normal pedaling; often injures bikers at the beginning of a ride when they’re not warmed up or at the end of a ride when they’re fatigued
  • Integrates loaded wrist extension into the warm up; it’s often overlooked that the wrists are under sustained load in different positions on the bike
  • Loads the upper body, particularly the front of the shoulders, which are going to be working hard when leaning forward on your handlebars

Take Your Cycling To The Next Level

This was just one of the many warm up, mobility, injury prevention and strength workout routines we have available through our Dynamic Cyclist training platform. Also available is 1-on-1 coaching for a more personalized approach.

We want to help you ride pain free and feel your best on and off the bike! We hope you join us and become part of our community of cyclists committed to riding pain free!

Cycling Hand Signals

by

Whether you’re riding solo or in a group, you need to alert those around you of your intended movements. Like when you’re driving a car and use lights to communicate, cycling hand signals serve as your turn indicators and brake lights. It’s important to know the proper hand signals to ensure both cars and other riders can understand what it is you’re going to do.

Many accidents occur from misunderstandings between cyclists and drivers, and either side can be quick to point a finger of blame. However, it is up to both to know and understand cycling hand signals and the overarching rules of cycling.

Cycling Hand Signals

Stop

The most common hand signal to indicate you are slowing to a stop is to extend your left arm out to the left and angle the forearm vertically down from the elbow. There is some controversy around this, as if you are coming to a sudden stop, it means taking one hand off your brake and handlebar, which could actually prove more dangerous. If you are riding in a group and don’t feel comfortable taking your hand off your bike, yell a courteous “stopping” over your shoulder to warn those riding behind you.

Left Turn

Almost intuitive, to signal a left turn simply extend your left arm out horizontally. Be sure to do to the signal in advance to the turn (like you would in a car), not just when you are actively making the turn.

Right Turn

Cycling Hand Signals

Historically, to signal a right turn you would extend the left arm out, and then up at the elbow. This practice is no longer in use to cyclists, and has been replaced with the simpler right arm straight out horizontally. The Uniform Vehicle Code in the U.S. recognizes both, although it recommends the right arm out approach. State traffic laws generally conform to the UVC, but exceptions may exist.

Passing on the Right

Quite often cyclists will be moving fast than traffic in dense areas, so be sure to stay about a meter from the curb or well within the bike lane where applicable. Although you do not signal passing on the right, always be alert. This is an issue that can still come to debate in court. Look out for cars backing out of parking spots and driveways, turning left across the road toward you, or turning right into you. The truth is, they probably don’t see you. Never ride on the left side of the road or on sidewalks, as this is both illegal and increases the risk of a collision.

Take a lane

If you are moving a similar speed to traffic, or need to make a left turn in the near future, then be sure to signal and get into a lane. This will put you in the position to properly navigate the intersection with the rest of traffic. Always remember, the same rules apply to cyclists as cars.

Commuting can be the best part of your work day, but make sure you get there and back safely by using these hand signals and staying alert. Never listen to headphones in traffic, and give plenty of warning for each action. For more information on riding safely in a group, check out “Group Ride Etiquette.”

Using Time as a Guide for Training

by

Using Time as a Guide for TrainingTraining by time is a popular and easy method to use when outlining your cycling training program.  The only tool you need is a device that will record your ride time, whether that is a bike computer, a phone app, or a wrist watch.  It is an easy and inexpensive way to track your training and is helpful when planning training around all the other activities in your life.

If you have an hour available for training after work you can plan for an intensity that is appropriate for that time block or arrange your day to allow for a 4hr long ride with the confidence that you will complete your training goal before you need to get home for dinner.

Although races are based on a set distance, a rider must plan for the time that it would take to complete the course.  An 80 kilometer race might mean a 2hr effort if it is flat and fast, however if the course is a circuit with an 8km climb at 15% every lap the race might take 3hrs or longer depending on how many laps you are expected to do over the climb.  The intensity and pace required for a 2hr race is very different from what is required for a 3hr race; therefore understanding what your training effort should feel like for these different scenarios will increase your odds of success.

Using Time Based Training

When using time-based training, you will get a feel for the amount of intensity you can lay down on the pedals for various training efforts no matter the level of fitness you are at.  When training by time, it is important to keep in mind what your ultimate goal is.

Here is a guide and a few workout examples on how to manage training intensity based on time:

Time Intensity Workout
6-10 sec Maximal effort; Sprints Use in warm-up: Ride 10-30min or until warm, 3 x 6sec max sprint
10-30 sec Sprint practice: Start with 2 sets of 3 x 30sec sprint with 30sec recovery and build to 5 sets, 3min between sets
1-8 min High; Intervals Improve VO2max: 4 x 4min on a hill, riding steady-hard in between, work to increase number of repeats
10-30min Moderate; TT effort or Tempo TT Tempo effort: 2 x 10min TT effort with full recovery in between increase workout by 2min each week (2 x 12min, 2 x 14min)
30min+ Low; Endurance ride Long ride 2-5+ hrs

Maximal Effort – Sprints

The highest anaerobic effort will last 6-10 seconds and can translate into a varied range of distances from person to person depending on individual fitness.  A 30 second anaerobic sprint might equate to 250m for a male pro but only 100m for a beginner cyclist with their 30lbs. commuter bike.

Sprints are useful for road cyclists who want to beat their competitors to the line.

Moderate and High Intensity – Intervals

Moderate and high intensity intervals will help all cyclists, whether it is powering up a climb, breaking away from the group or just improving overall speed.

Low Intensity – Endurance

If you are planning a century ride or long distance races over 40km then you will want to add a lot of endurance rides in to your training.

Why You Should Be Excited About the Cycling World Championships Coming to the U.S.

by

Why You Should Be Excited About the Cycling World Championships Coming to the U.S.The Road Cycling World Championships happen once a year, most of the time, in Europe. The World Championships are like the Olympics where countries send their best riders as opposed to them racing for their normal trade teams. This brings an Olympic like quality event dedicated just to road cycling that is attended by the very best. The multitude of events also brings an Olympic feel where there is more than just one event to check out and watch unlike that of the Tour de France or other big races.

Cycling in Europe is something that is ingrained in the culture, particularly in some places such as Belgium or Holland. In these countries, many of the fans and spectators aren’t actually cyclists themselves whereas in the US, many people that attend the big races are into cycling one way or another. The number of high level races in North America has been steadily increasing over the years as has the size of the sport in general. Events like the World Championships in Richmond are not only huge for the sport in general in the country, but also huge in the fact that it is helping to further grow cycling in the culture.

Second Time in History

This is only the second time in history that the Road Cycling World Championships have been hosted by the United States. The first time was in 1986 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Canada hosted Worlds twice; once in 1974 in Montreal and again in 2003 in Hamilton, Ontario, so the highest level events have been few and far between in North America. In 2013, the US hosted the Cyclocross World Championships in Louisville, Kentucky which was the first time that the event was held outside of Europe.

Home Field Advantage

Along with the World Championships mostly being held in Europe, the majority of the top level professional races are also held in Europe. This creates a home field advantage for the majority of the peloton which are from Europe.  Even though most pro’s that are foreign to Europe reside there during the season, racing in a foreign country with foreign food, and a foreign language no matter how seasoned, will never feel like the comforts of home.

Travel and time zone differences also add up to another hurdle that “Euro’s” always complain of when coming to the States or Canada. North American riders now have that advantage, particularly the ones living close by to Richmond. Along with that, normally when racing in a foreign country, cheers are in foreign languages and normally for the local teams and riders. This time in Richmond, all those fans and cheers will be for American riders which gives that little bit of an extra push and motivation.

Benefits to a Cycling Culture

Cycling is engrained into European culture for a number of reasons. The history of the racing there along with how often there are races to watch and see in person are the big two. This gets a large number of people as well as kids exposed to the sport to have the chance to get into it.

Cycling is something that kids can do in many European countries as a sport just like Little League Baseball or Soccer. With such a high level cycling event in Richmond, you can bet that in the coming months and years, cycling will see a rise in the area. Not only in riding as a sport, but commuting and riding for leisure as well.

In many places around the US, cycling is not seen as a sport or as a way to get around. This will extend past Richmond as well with media coverage being highlighted across the country. The more that high level cycling events are held on TV, the higher the number of people watching the sport and in turn hopefully become inspired by what they see, particularly it not being a sport held off in some foreign country but right here in the United States.

The Thrilling Events in Person and on TV

Seeing any professional event in person is like none other. In cycling, you can’t compare the wind, noise, and rush of a peloton passing by along with its entourage of vehicles. Fortunately if you can’t make it to Richmond, watching on TV can still be great as you can see the entire race as opposed to only seeing it go by in one location. You also get the benefit of getting play-by-play commentary especially if you don’t always know what’s going on.

Team Time Trial

The team time trial is a race against the clock that is competed by trade teams oddly enough. It is a newer event that has only been around in its current form since 2012. Before 1995 however it was competed by nations but was done away with.

Time Trial

The individual race against the clock is also exciting to watch particularly if you have a certain rider or riders you are cheering for. Despite the bit less excitement than the team time trial or the road race, you have the chance to see each rider individually over the course of several hours as opposed to just seeing the riders go by in more of a blur.

Road

The road events are the feature races of the World Championships.  They are classified into a number of categories with Men’s and Women’s, along with classifications of Elite, Under 23, and Junior. The feature event is the Men’s Elite which is held on the last day of the week-long event. In any World Championship the course is made to showcase a challenging and exciting course not only to race but also to watch. In Richmond they have done an incredible job of this including a twisty, cobbled climb up through Libby Park that will not only be interesting for the riders to ride but also to watch.

It’s exciting when any bike race comes to your town or country but when it’s the World Championships it’s very exciting. The best in the world will be there and American’s and Canadians alike have great shots at doing well in all events. The scope of an event this large will have a profound impact on the local community as well as cycling across the country as cycling continues to become more mainstream. Wherever you are, check it out, and get others interested as well, even if they’re not cyclists. It’s a pretty cool race and sport after all.

More information about the Road Cycling World Championships can be found on: www.richmond2015.com

What Happens to You When You Stop Cycling

by

Cycling is one of the best forms of exercise around for boosting your overall fitness and dropping those extra pounds that you have been finding so difficult to shed. It is excellent for your cardiovascular conditioning and the fact that it is a low impact sport means that you don’t need to worry about suffering injuries in the same way that you would with weight training or running.

As the amount of cycling you do increases, your body’s fitness levels improve with it. As such, if you choose to stop cycling regularly you are going to find that everything that you worked so hard to achieve is going to come under threat. Here we look at just a few of the things that will happen to your body if you choose to stop cycling regularly.

What Happens to You When You Stop Cycling

Your Mood Dips

Every time you exercise your brain is improving. In fact, exercise is considered to be a key way of keeping the brain healthy and active even into old age. Exercise also triggers the release of serotonin, which acts as an anti-depressant and generally keeps your mood positive. That great feeling you have after a good workout? That’s the serotonin at play.

Your body becomes used to having this shot of happiness on a regular basis if you are exercising, so if you suddenly stop cycling regularly you are going to find that your mood starts dipping as a result, making you even less likely to start exercising again.

Your Metabolism Drops

Exercise causes your metabolism to speed up, which is one of the key reasons why you can burn so many calories when you are cycling. In fact, it is believed that your metabolism works at five times the speed when you’re on the bike than it normally does. This accounts for about 400 to 500 calories every hour.

If you stop cycling regularly, your metabolism is going to stagnate and you are no longer going to lose weight if your diet remains the same.

Blood Pressure Rises

Cycling is an aerobic exercise, which means that it encourages your body to release hormones that keep your blood vessels in check and ensures that your blood pressure stays at a healthy level. Cycling on a regular basis has been found to lower your blood pressure somewhere between 8 to 10 points every single month, which reduces the risk of heart issues and other ailments caused by high blood pressure.

If you stop cycling regularly you lose all of these advantages very quickly, and you will find that your blood pressure starts rising again. It will start after about a week and in just a few weeks you will find it is back to the level it was at before you started.

You Might Put On Weight

It should go without saying that when you stop cycling regularly you are going to put on weight if every other aspect of your life remains the same. There is a misconception that the gains you have made will last a long time even if you stop.

In fact, that simply isn’t the case. As mentioned previously, your metabolism stagnates when you stop exercising, which means your body’s ability to burn fat is reduced. This means that if you stick to the same diet you are going to start noticing that your body is getting a little softer in areas that used to be lean and trim. Even if you reduce you calorie intake, you are going to notice your tone softening and your waistline increasing. Over time, the effects will only increase, so be sure to keep getting out there and exercising to keep yourself in top shape.

Useful Info

Recent Posts

Connect with Us