More Questions? Here are a few for new riders
What is with the cycling clothes - do I need them to ride?
NO - but you do need to get on the bike and get out there - don't let clothing hold you back. Cycling clothes help you manage the weather, temperatures, deal with sweat, and are more form fitting to reduce clothing blowing in the wind. Cycling shorts have padding built into them to help manage your comfort on the saddle over longer rides. Cycling clothing, while beneficial, is not required to ride.
Do I have to clip my feet into the pedals?
NO. Clipping your feet into the pedals takes getting used to but it is not a requirement. The advantage - when your feet are clipped into the pedals you transfer power to the pedals more efficiently as your feet can lift as well as push the pedals. This engages your muscles all the way around the rotation of the pedals, using different muscles and making your pedal stroke smoother and more efficient.
Do I need to get a professional bike fit?
Not necessarily, but your bike does need to fit. Cycling is great aerobic exercise that helps you stay in shape, but, if your bike does not fit you properly, can also pose risk of injury. If you start riding and you are comfortable, don't feel pain here or there, then you likely fit your bike pretty well. If you don't feel right, then a bike fitting may be a good idea. A bike fit can range from the basics (seat position, how your knees position as you pedal, etc.) to more extensive fit-ups. More extensive fittings can be considered to fine tune but, start riding and see how you feel on your bike. Also, pay attention to how your saddle feels. When you are first starting out, it will take some getting used to and you will likely feel some discomfort. If that does not lessen or go away for a typical ride then you may need a different saddle. There are many styles and types and sometimes trying different ones is key to you being comfortable and enjoying you bike.
Bike maintenance basics
Tires - use a basic floor pump and pump those tires up before every ride as they loose air over time. Your bike's chain needs to be lubricated and cleaned periodically. This is a task that is part of any typical maintenance at a bike shop but can also be done on your own. Generally keep your bike clean so dirt doesn't get into your gears and other components. And keep an eye on wear over time - tires for example, will wear down and need to be replaced periodically. Consider an annual service for your bike to keep everything in tip-top condition. Bike shops (like our sponsor Aistriu) provide various bike maintenance services when needed including checkups or repairs.
Do I need a road bike to ride on the road?
There are many bike options. hybrid bikes, mountain bikes, gravel bikes, and yes, road bikes. When first starting out and joining group rides it is up to you. You will likely start with more casual groups and a hybrid bike may get you rolling. As you gain experience and become more comfortable riding you will find you can ride with faster groups but going faster will get tough on a hybrid bike. Road bikes are light, aerodynamic, and enable you to ride faster for the effort you put into the pedals.
What should I bring on a ride?
Don't leave home without a few key supplies:
- Your helmet
- Water bottle(s)
- Replacement tube(s) and some tire changing tools. A small multi-tool is also helpful in case you need to tighten, loosen, or adjust something on your bike. For pumping tires on the road if you get a flat - a small mini pump or CO2 cartridges and an inflator.
- Your phone in case of emergency
- Food: its a good idea to always have something with you to keep your energy up on a ride
- Sunglasses - leaves and other things are often blowing around and protection for your eyes is important
- As you do longer rides and travel further from home things like chain repair tools (quick-links), added food and water, a map or bike computer for guidance, a small first aid kit, and never forget - a fun attitude!
Are lights required for my bike?
Safe riding means being seen on the road by drivers and others. Team Evesham HIGHLY recommends a flashing rear light (red) for your bike which helps drivers see you. Visibility is critical for safety. We also recommend consideration of a light on the front of your bike (white) so you are more visible to drivers that might be turning from side roads or backing out of a driveway.
How should my helmet fit?
Your helmet should fit firm (not overly tight) on top of your head. The front should be positioned low on your forehead - think 1-2 finger widths above your eyes. You should be able to have a little room between the strap and your chin (maybe be able to slide a finger in there) but too much and the helmet may not stay where it needs to in order to protect you in a fall. If you have it on and you lean forward or shake your head and it moves out of position - it is not fit correctly.
How do I get started riding?
Start with short rides. Get used to your bike, gears, how it works. As your comfort grows, lengthen your rides. When you are comfortable with your bike and have the basics buttoned up - come join us and we will help you grow from there.
What are some tips for riding safely on the road?
Coexisting with others on the road can pose challenges and, to a degree, depends on others as you can't control drivers or road conditions. There is much to learn here but a few starters include:
- Be visible - lights, bright colors help
- Ride predictably. If you are riding on the shoulder and weaving in and out to avoid things on the side of the road you are not riding predictably as drivers and other cyclists don't know what you will do next or how to react to you. Keep your eyes up the road and pick a travel line that can keep you riding consistently while avoiding what you see on the side of the road.
- Know the traffic laws as they pertain to bikes and cars. On team Evesham rides we signal turns (right, left, slowing) and signal to other riders the same as well as calling things out (hole, slowing, car back, etc.) so those around us in our groups know what is happening on the road or what we are about to do.
- A mirror (off glasses or mounted on your handle bars) is helpful to see what is happening behind you.
- Watch the road - literally. Potholes, debris, fallen branches pose hazards to riders and bikes. Scan ahead and also look around. Always watch for cars entering or turning as drivers will always mis-judge how fast you are going so be aware.
- Riding with other cyclists: While accidents with cars happen, most accidents are the bike to bike variety. Ride predictably so other riders can safely ride with you. When riding with others take care to 1) don't overlap your front wheel with someone's rear wheel (cross-wheeling or crossing wheels). If they have to move to avoid a pothole for example, because your front wheel moved left/right and their rear wheel is fixed, at a minimum such contact will result in the rear rider falling and may take both riders down. 2) Ride slightly left or right of the rider in front of you. This allows you to see both that rider and the road ahead so you can better anticipate things up ahead of you. 3) Give yourself some drift space. If the rider in front is riding to the right edge of the road, position yourself to the left so you have space to move if needed. 4) Easy on the brake. If you need to brake, call out "stopping" or "slowing" so the rider behind is not caught off guard. Remember, you don't have brake lights so a sudden stop can cause an accident. Practice gentle use of your brakes to avoid sudden reactions.
What skills should I work on developing?
Once you have started building your love of cycling, its time to improve.
- Practice riding with others and learning to pace and hold your spacing with other riders without staring at their bikes.
- Practice smooth predictable riding.
- Practice going around corners - when cornering, slow down before your corner to a comfortable speed. As you learn to ride faster it is important that the pedal to the outside is always down, shift your weight to over that pedal. For faster riders this is important to keep the center of gravity/your body weight to the outside while leaning the bike to the inside of the corner (lean your bike more than yourself).
- Try to take corners as wide as is safe to smooth the travel of the bike around the turn.
- Brakes: In addition to learning to avoid harsh braking, focus braking with the back brake primarily, and with both brakes, but keep the pressure in the rear higher or the same as the front. Braking hard with the front wheel can shift your weight forward and your don't want that.
- Drafting: when you ride behind another rider, the air flows around them, reducing the air resistance on you. Learn how to draft, how to maintain a consistent distance from the rider ahead of you, and enjoy the draft which can reduce your effort appreciably depending on the speed you are riding. Remember, the person in front is working harder for you...always take your turn returning the favor.