4. Invest in a proper bike fit. You
don’t want to start your cycling career
off with a bad position. This will just lead
to harder problems to fix down the road.
Before heading out on the road, be sure
to get correct measurements done at
your local bike shop and keep a record
of them.
5. The corollary to tip #4 is that
there are many schools of thought and
theory on what makes a “correct” bike
fit. Two “expert” fitters could have two
completely different ideas on what
your proper fit should be. The bottom
line? If it hurts, it ain’t right. Just
because you get a bike fit
doesn’t mean you have to
pain your way through
each pedal stroke. If
your knee,
shoulders or
back are
hurting, it
might be
time to get
realigned.
6. Be
sure to
spend more
time
looking
ahead. You
want to start
your cycling
experience
off with the
habit of looking
up to see what
is coming your
way and not looking
straight down in front
of you. This will give you
more time to avoid any possible dangers coming your way.
7. Get comfortable shoes. There are
plenty of shoe options out there, and
instead of just looking at the price tag
or color, be sure to try on many different
ones to find the best fit. You don’t want
to grab a pair of shoes that are too wide
or tight for your feet. Having a properly
fitting shoe can make all the difference
in whether you can finish a long ride
or not.
8. Dress to impress. At times cycling
can seem to be as much a fashion show
as an outdoor activity. Many cyclists we
know spend an inordinate amount of time
making sure their “kit” is team-, brand- or
color-coordinated. That’s all fine, but more
important than making sure you look good
is making sure you can be seen. While
not advocating a wholesale move to
fluorescent colors, riding with clothes that
use reflective or florescent stripes can
only help.
9. What’s the best accessory you
should think about buying with your new
bike? No, not a computer or a heart rate
monitor. Lights. In the last year, the tail and
headlight market has grown significantly,
with new designs that are more compact
and powerful than ever before.
10. Never leave home without the
essentials to fix a flat tire, which include
a spare tube, a tire iron and mini pump
or air cartridge. The next thing to always
remember is that if you get a flat, as soon
as you get home, throw the used cartridge
and tube away, which is another way of
saying, there is nothing worse than getting
a flat tire only to discover that you never
replaced the old inner tube and cartridge
from your last flat.
11. With the arrival of more bikes with
thru-axles, more roadies are having to
start acting like mountain bikers. If your
new bike has thru-axles (versus traditional
quick-release skewers), be sure to include
an Allen wrench in your seat bag to avoid
being stranded in case you flat.
9.
12.
