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What to Buy to Start a Bicycling Program
More and more people are turning to cycling for exercise, commuting, and errands around the neighborhood. Bicycles have long been known to be one of the most efficient forms of transportation;using a lower number of calories required per mile than cars, trains, planes, even walking. Cycling can be faster than driving for short trips on traffic-clogged streets, and best of all riding a bike is a perfect way to get exercise and fresh air. If you've been thinking about starting a cycling program for exercise or just to cut back on your driving, here are some pointers.
Choosing a Bicycle
There are three basic types of bicycle, all of which have their advantages and disadvantages. perhaps most familiar is the road bicycle (as featured in the Tour de France), sometimes called a "ten-speed" by old-timers. Road bikes like the Pinarello FP2 feature narrow tires, drop handlebars (shaped like a ram's horn) and skinny seats - all intended to be light and aerodynamic so you can go long distances in a hurry. At the other end of the spectrum are off-road bikes (also called mountain bikes) like the Fuji Reveal with fat, knobby tires and handlebars that are flat, or straight across. In the middle you'll find city bikes, hybrid bikes like the Diamondback Clarity 2, and touring bikes like the Novara Safari: all three have sturdy frames that allow an upright position like a mountain bike but are lighter in weight and have narrower tires for less rolling resistance.
The type of bike you buy is a matter of choice and the purpose for which you intend it. Road bikes are less comfortable because of their hard, narrow tires and "bent-over" riding position; but you can ride fast and far on a road bike. Mountain bikes have a more comfortable ride because of their fat, low-pressure tires and upright riding position; but both features contribute to slow travel. Road bikes perform poorly on dirt or gravel roads, where both hybrid and mountain bikes excel. Many commuters choose a touring or hybrid bike because they combine a comfortable position with a sturdy frame for potholed city streets, and are designed for the addition of racks and saddle bags to carry work clothes and laptop or other work gear.
Also consider the terrain: mountain bikes tend to have very low gears for climbing steep hills, while road bikes are more likely to have high gears for high-speed runs on the flats or slight inclines. Touring and hybrid bikes split the difference.
The type of bike you buy is a matter of choice and the purpose for which you intend it. Road bikes are less comfortable because of their hard, narrow tires and "bent-over" riding position; but you can ride fast and far on a road bike. Mountain bikes have a more comfortable ride because of their fat, low-pressure tires and upright riding position; but both features contribute to slow travel. Road bikes perform poorly on dirt or gravel roads, where both hybrid and mountain bikes excel. Many commuters choose a touring or hybrid bike because they combine a comfortable position with a sturdy frame for potholed city streets, and are designed for the addition of racks and saddle bags to carry work clothes and laptop or other work gear.
Also consider the terrain: mountain bikes tend to have very low gears for climbing steep hills, while road bikes are more likely to have high gears for high-speed runs on the flats or slight inclines. Touring and hybrid bikes split the difference.
Other Bike Types
The frame shape of a triathlon bike like the Kestrel Airfoil Pro is designed for riding in a near-prone position using aerobars, which support the rider's weight on the forearms instead of the hands. A cyclocross bike (the Scattante X-330) is a newer development, a light-weight bike with a frame similar to a racing road bike but with components and tires configured for rougher terrain, especially muddy riding. Beach bikes or cruisers, like this one from Greenline, are usually one-speed bikes with an upright position and a coaster brake; the lack of gears makes them best for riding on flat terrain - like beaches. Last, if you and your partner are committed to cycling, consider a tandem like the Mongoose Wanderer A1, also calledr a bicycle built for two ("Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer do...")
Lying Down on the Job
If an upright bike isn't an option due to back problems or other reasons, you can still get out on the road for exercise and fresh air with a recumbent bicycle. On a recumbent you sit on a broad seat with a back, and pedal with your legs almost horizontal. Specially-designed hand-cranked recumbents, like the one shown here, give paraplegics a means for cycling.
Essential Gear
Don't even think about riding a bicycle without a helmet. As someone once said, whether you wear a helmet or not, people are going to see whether you have brains. Choose a helmet that matches the style of bicycle you've chosen. Road helmets like the Garneau X-Lite are light-weight, while off-road helmets often come with visors that would block the view on a road bike.
Also spring for gloves. You'll support a portion of your weight on your hands, so padding your palms makes sense. Gloves also keep you from ripping your palms to shreds if you take a spill. Most cycling gloves don't cover the whole finger, like these Pearl Izumi Select gloves (they're cooler that way), but you can get full-finger gloves for cooler weather.
You're crazy if you go more than a mile or so from the house without a pump (such as the Topeak Road Morph), tire levers, and a spare inner tube. Learn how to fix a flat and carry your repair gear, and you'll never find yourself trudging home dragging the bike again!
Also spring for gloves. You'll support a portion of your weight on your hands, so padding your palms makes sense. Gloves also keep you from ripping your palms to shreds if you take a spill. Most cycling gloves don't cover the whole finger, like these Pearl Izumi Select gloves (they're cooler that way), but you can get full-finger gloves for cooler weather.
You're crazy if you go more than a mile or so from the house without a pump (such as the Topeak Road Morph), tire levers, and a spare inner tube. Learn how to fix a flat and carry your repair gear, and you'll never find yourself trudging home dragging the bike again!
Road bikers are usually decked out in skin-tight spandex®, not because they want to show off their butts but because they want a more aerodynamic shape (road biking is all about the speed). Be aware that biking shorts come in men's and women's designs - the details are different. Mountain bikers are more into baggies, which are less likely to tear or snag on brush.
Whatever style of riding you choose, though, your ride will be more comfortable in shorts specially designed for cycling. These have padding to reduce the "pain in the rear" that afflicts new cyclists. Jerseys are also specially designed, made with new technological fabrics that wick way moisture and resist wind. Road jerseys are made with an extra-long tail in the rear to prevent "gaposis," and all jerseys have rear pockets for stowing gear or snacks where they won't be in the way.
Cycling is a year-round activity for many, so consider some cool-weather gear as well: tights, jackets, and gloves help keep away the chill.
Whatever style of riding you choose, though, your ride will be more comfortable in shorts specially designed for cycling. These have padding to reduce the "pain in the rear" that afflicts new cyclists. Jerseys are also specially designed, made with new technological fabrics that wick way moisture and resist wind. Road jerseys are made with an extra-long tail in the rear to prevent "gaposis," and all jerseys have rear pockets for stowing gear or snacks where they won't be in the way.
Cycling is a year-round activity for many, so consider some cool-weather gear as well: tights, jackets, and gloves help keep away the chill.
More Gear
Like enthusiasts of any other pastime, cyclists have access to a variety of gadgets and gear. There are all kinds of packs, locks, cycle computers, and shoe-cleat-pedal combinations to make your ride more comfortable, safer, faster, or just more fun. Most of those can wait until you've gotten that bike broken in - but consider them a reward for that first twenty-five mile ride or the first time you ride to the store for a gallon of milk instead of driving!
When it comes to choosing a bike and all the other gear, you don't need to spend $4000 on a bike, but if you buy a heavy, clunky, poorly-made model at the local drugstore, it will be unpleasant to ride. And if it's unpleasant to ride, you'll quit before you get started.
Find a store that sells quality bikes and get something that will last and stay fun to ride. One advantage of a professional bicycling store is that the salespeople (usually) know how to fit a bicycle, something you can't count on at a discount department store or toy store. Keep an eye on end-of-season sales and even trade-ins, if the store fixes and sells them. A decent bike can make all the difference!
When it comes to choosing a bike and all the other gear, you don't need to spend $4000 on a bike, but if you buy a heavy, clunky, poorly-made model at the local drugstore, it will be unpleasant to ride. And if it's unpleasant to ride, you'll quit before you get started.
Find a store that sells quality bikes and get something that will last and stay fun to ride. One advantage of a professional bicycling store is that the salespeople (usually) know how to fit a bicycle, something you can't count on at a discount department store or toy store. Keep an eye on end-of-season sales and even trade-ins, if the store fixes and sells them. A decent bike can make all the difference!
Shift!
Last, learn how to ride your bike, especially how to shift a multi-speed bicycle. Every time I hit the trail, I see people struggling uphill in high gear because they don't know how to downshift - and that's just as "not fun" as a bike that collapses underneath you
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