Beginner's cycling tips: 25 essential pieces of advice for new cyclists
-
Loading... - Florent Ateba
- 17 Aug 2022
- 73 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
These cycling tips, covering kit, clothing, nutrition, technique and more, are aimed at beginners, the new riders who’ve just started out on their great two-wheeled adventure. Think of BikeRadar as your riding buddy, who wants to help you get the most out of yourself and your bike!
Below, we’ve tried to cover the common pitfalls of getting into riding, but not forgotten that the best thing about cycling is that it’s fun.
Whether you’re a road cyclist, mountain biker or city commuter, there’s bound to be something here for you (spoiler alert: the most important one is at the bottom).
In the words of the great Eddy Merckx – the legendary Belgian ex-pro cyclist who won 11 Grand Tours, including five Tour de France victories: “Ride as much or as little, as long or as short, as you feel. But ride.”
There’s some excellent cycling clothing out there, designed to keep you comfy and looking good. Robert Smith
Right, let’s start with what to wear. There’s a huge range of cycling clothing out there, in a dazzling variety of colours and fabrics, from the easily affordable to the insanely expensive. Let’s measure you up…
1. Padded cycling shorts
The best cycling shorts stop your backside from hurting so much.
If you’re asking yourself: should I wear underwear under padded cycling shorts? the answer’s no. Massively padded perches won’t help you on longer rides, trust us on this.
The only way to be comfortable in the saddle is to wear padded shorts, choose the best bike saddle, set the saddle height on your bike right and ride until you get used to your saddle.
2. Wear a cycling helmet
We know legislating helmets is massively contentious, but the best road bike helmets and best mountain bike helmets might save your life.
It’s not hard nowadays to find one that’s comfy, light and affordable. And no, you don’t have to buy the most expensive model because they all conform to current safety standards.
3. Try clipless pedals
Deciding between flat or clipless pedals can be tricky.
Clipless pedals are confusingly the ones you clip into using cleats, and they are without a doubt the best road bike pedals.
The binding can be made loose enough to come away easily, you’ll quickly learn how to use clipless pedals and they’ll make a massive difference to your pedalling efficiency.
4. Mountain bikers, wear protection
Mountain bikers, particularly when you’re starting out or learning new skills, will be very grateful for a decent pair of gloves and knee pads, as a minimum.
What to wear mountain biking depends on how technical your riding is. If you’re learning big jumps or hardcore downhill trails, consider armour and pads for your elbows, and even back protectors too. Read More...
