Biking is a fun form of exercise or even transportation, so why not put in more effort to ensure you are doing it the right way.
There are a lot of exciting reasons to take up biking, plus it’s a way for you to explore the world and stay active.
Benefits of Cycling
- It’s a fun and healthy way to move around
- It has low-impact on your body, so you aren’t at risk of getting injured, like with running
- It’s a great exercise to start your day with
- It’s free; you don’t have to buy gas or pay for parking space
Biking can be whatever you want it to be, joyful, scary, silly, romantic, whatever at all, you name it. You can also decide on the type of biking you would be doing, depending on your mood, and your preference. For this reason, so many avid cyclists end up having more than four different types of bikes.
How to Setup Your Bike
Buying a bike from a professional workshop would save you from having to do this, but you can also do it yourself.
Saddle Height
The right way to check the proper seat height for you is to engage the “heel-to-pedal” method. You might need someone to hold your bike when you want to do this.
To do this, you need to sit on top of the bike seat and push one pedal down in a 6 o’clock angle. Your knee should be straight when you touch the low pedal, but if your knee is bent, even if in the slightest, then you need to adjust the height. Also, if your leg cannot come in contact with the pedal, then the seat is too high for you and needs to be lowered.
Saddle Angle
You are mostly going to prefer your seat to be paralleled to the ground. So, this should be the first option, but along the line, if you discover that you are more comfortable in other positions, you can then adjust it slightly.
Handlebar Reach
This can be a bit personal, because only you understand what works for you. But in general, you are supposed to feel comfortable when controlling your bike. It makes no sense if you have to strain to get complete control of your bike.
When you are seated, it should be easy for you to touch the shifters and break, and your elbows should be slightly bent and not fully locked.
Firstly, you need to adjust your seat, and while seated, you can then adjust the bars to your ideal preference.
What Gears To Purchase for Biking
Helmet
It is very important to have and wear a helmet while biking. There isn’t any law that stipulates wearing a helmet as a must, but of your own volition, you should. If you don’t know what kind of helmet to buy, you can go to a bike shop so that they can tell you the options available. There is
Bell, Giro and Specialized; all of these make very good helmets, so it boils down to your budget and preference.
Blinky Lights
Most times, bikes don’t come with their lights, hence the need for you to get one yourself. This is especially important if you would be riding at night so that you can be as visible as possible. Even if you don’t have the intention of riding when its dark, sometimes, outside can get dark without our consent, so it best if you are very visible on the roadway, to prevent any minor/major accidents.
Clippy Shoes
If riding is going to be a frequent sport for you, then its best you switch to clipless pedals and shoes. If you are worried about it not being comfortable, you are right. For the first time, it might be a bit shaky and can cause you to fall over maybe once. But rest assured, that’s a rite of passage,
and it’s worth the fall. With time, you would adjust to it, and you would be glad you made the switch.
Things to Bring On Your Bike Ride
- A spare cylinder of CO2
- $15 for emergencies
- Spare tube
- CO2 inflate
- Tire levers
All of the things listed above can fit into a small canvas bag, and it can also be flipped into your jersey pocket. With this in mind, you won’t need a seat bag, as that can be a bit uncomfortable and it has every tendency to fall apart after a few miles.
You shouldn’t go for expensive bike tools, because all repairs can be done with the tools as mentioned earlier. Any damage that cannot be done with that is a rider end.
