People every year discover a joy never realized before in riding a bicycle. What most people face is a huge dilemma when they go to buy a beginner road bike. Even talking to friends about what they recommend is enough to blow your mind. You end up with a lot of information which does not make any sense to you. What you find out later is there are many different aspects of a bike which make it better suited to one person than another. You have to find what your own personal preferences are.

Starting Off With a Used Bike

Getting you on the road with a beginner bike is the most important thing. Good advice here is to buy one from a bike club, bike shop or the Salvation Army. Before you buy the bike, make sure you get measured to find out what size bike is best for you. You can then buy an inexpensive bike which is well suited to your needs. Make sure to have the bike checked for a tune up by your local bike shop before you hit the road. You should be able to get on the road for less than $100.

Take Some Bicycling Classes

If you live in or near a major city, there is most likely a few different cycling clubs you can join. Joining the club will help you to get lessons on how to more effectively ride your new beginner road bike. As you learn, you will learn all the different features which your bike has and how they help you to ride better. You will also learn which elements you would like to improve about your own ride. Once you have learned the range which your bike is capable of, you will be ready to make a better decision on the bike you will buy.

Pricing a New Bike

Armed with knowledge about what you really want in a good beginner road bike, you are ready to make your first real purchase. You can approach the different bikes available to you with more confidence. While price should not usually be a deciding factor in which bike you will buy, it should be for your first new bike. This is because while you have more information than an absolute newbie, you are still pretty fresh on the scene. Buy a good bike in the thousand dollar range and after a couple years, you will know exactly what $5000 bike you want to buy.

Stepping up to a Triathlon Bike

Many people buying a beginner road bike want it for triathlons. The beginner bike is still a good idea as you get used to riding the bike. You can even complete your first triathlon with a beginner bike. As your skills progress, you will find more benefit in buying a triathlon bike. You will find you are able to run better after the bike portion. You will also find you are able to have less impact on your back muscles. Just make sure you take steps instead of making a blind leap.

Photo Credits: jim212jim

Originally posted 2010-03-30 10:09:50. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

One thing many people look forward to every year is a good bike trip. There are others who have yet to take a trip of this nature. The good news is there are so many destinations for the cyclist you can always find a fun and challenging location to travel to. Cycling trips are fun whether you go as a group, alone or with your family. Being adventurous has never been so much fun as when you are able to combine your passion for cycling with your passion for travel.

Cycling Clubs

The biggest reason why many people join cycling clubs is for the big biking trip they take at least once a year. This is a great idea if you are single. You will be able to meet other people who share your passion for biking. You will also be able to visit places which you might not have been inclined to go to on your own. Choose a club which goes on the amount of trips you would like to go on every year. Also you might want to find out where the club goes every year. Join clubs which are going to the kind of places you would choose to go by yourself.

Take Care When Traveling Alone

If you decide to go on a biking trip alone, there are a few things you should do to stay safe. Always bring some form of communication with you. This can be something as low-tech as a cell phone. It can even be something as advanced as a GPS tracking device. The most important part is that you have some way of allowing other people to be able to find you should you become injured or lost.

A good biking trip should always be well planned. This means choosing a route before you leave and making sure you know all markers to look out for. Some people prefer to load their route into a GPS navigational system which can be attached to the handlebars. This will help to keep you from getting lost and also can act as an indicator of your location if you should become injured.

Always pack enough food, extra money and plenty of water in case you are not able to get to a water source at some point in your journey. Do not plan on stopping somewhere for refills without a backup plan. This will avoid additional problems.

Getting the Family Involved

There are many different biking trip destinations which are great for the whole family. This is a great way to reconnect with your family and share your passion for biking. You will be able to share extraordinary landscapes as you cycle. You will also be able to share your experience when you stop for breaks and when you stop for the night. For families not ready to travel by bike, bring your bikes on a car trip and stop to take rides on picturesque destinations. You can also take day trips from the home.

Photo Credits: orangecountyparks

Originally posted 2010-03-26 10:46:44. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Madison - Named after Madison Square Garden, which was the home of the original six day races. Madisons are team races that can last from six hours long all the way to six days long, with a team consisting of two to three riders. Each team will only have one rider racing at any given time, riding as hard as they can for a lap or two before being replaced by another team member.

One of the things that set Madison races apart from others is that the team member entering the race is catapulted into the race by the rider coming off of their turn using a specially designed handle that is kept in the back pocket of their racing shorts. Victory is gained by being the team which has traveled the largest distance.

Match Sprint - This is an event generally run like a tournament. It involves a series of races between two riders with the winners going on to the next level of competition until an overall winner is determined. Many times there is a repechage, or second chance, for riders who lose in the first round of matches.

Miss-and-Out – This is a variety of race that uses the mass start rule, in each lap of a miss-and-out race the final rider to cross the finish line is eliminated from the race. Once the field of competition is narrowed to a certain number of riders, the riders will sprint to the finish to decide the winner.

Motor Pace – In a motor pace race, every competitor rides behind a moped or a small motorcycle which provides them with a slipstream.

Neutral Support – Neutral support refers to help that is provided to a rider by anyone other than a fellow team member. An example is a follow truck which contains spare parts, tires, and a mechanic to aid riders who are experiencing mechanical issues. This is not always allowed by the rules, for example in a race using mountain bikes a rider using neutral support will be disqualified.

Noodle – Noodling is described as being riding at a slow and yet casual pace.

Olympic Sprint – An Olympic sprint race is a type of pursuit race with participants competing in teams of three. At the end of a lap, the lead cyclist of each team leaves the race until the third and final lap when the last riders from each team race to the finish line.

Pace Line – This is a group, usually riding in an echelon, who swaps the lead position so that the rest of the group can ride on the lead rider’s draft.

Peloton – The field is also known as the peloton in certain circumstances.

Photo Credits: TimothyJ

Originally posted 2009-11-19 03:48:04. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Handicap - Handicap races are quite popular in Australia, in them, the racers start at different points on the track based on their performance. “Scratch Men” are the fastest of the riders, and start at the traditional starting line and “out markers” are the rest of the riders and depending on their speed can get up to a 250 meter head start.

Hang On - To hang on means to be able to just barely keep up with a group.

Headset – On a bicycle frame, the headset is described as being the area where the handlebar, the fork, and the stem are fitted to.

Hook – This is a maneuver where the back wheel of the bike is moved to the side in order to prevent another rider from passing.

Hooks - On handlebars that are turned down, the hooks are referred to as being the curved areas.

Individual Pursuit – This is a type of two rider race. In individual pursuit, the riders start at opposite sides of the track, and pursue each other until one rider manages to overtake the other, or they travel from 3,000 up to 5,000 meters. If neither rider catches the other the winner is based on speed.

Interval – A method for wearing out other riders by alternating between resting and hard bursts of speed.

Jump - This is described as being an abrupt spurt of speed that tends to turn into a sprint while cycling.

Keirin – This is a single motorbike variant of motor pace racing from Japan. Up until the last lap, riders compete to position themselves in the slipstream of the motorbike. The motorbike leaves the track slightly before the final lap and the riders then sprint to the end of the race. This is a popular sport for pari-mutuel gambling in Japan. Keiren is also an acceptable spelling of the same concept.

Kick - A kick is when a rider makes a final push near the end of a race to attempt to pass other riders.

Lap - In a race where multiple trips are being made around a single course, a lap is considered to be just one trip around the course.

Lead Out - This is a tactic where one rider will sprint in front of another, a teammate in nearly all cases, so that the other rider is able to ride in their draft for a while before making a faster sprint to cross the finish line.

Mass Start - A race with a mass start is a type of race in which all riders start simultaneously or at the same time. This is the starting method used by miss-and-out, points, and scratch types of races.

Photo Credits: doviende

Originally posted 2009-11-16 03:45:36. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

f650biker

Originally posted 2010-03-13 03:17:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Biking is a sport which is often shared with the whole family. This is because it is a low impact sport which is fun. The only problem is that not every family member wants to go for a ride around the park every morning. This is why it is a good idea to find biking tours you can take. These are like mini vacations where you are riding your bike as one of the sources of transportation. There are many scenic areas which highlight having these kinds of tours available.

Finding the Right Challenge

The important thing when looking for the right biking tours is to make sure you are able to find a challenge for every member of the family. This is not always easy to accomplish as most families will have different levels at which they are performing. Your level may be much higher than what your children are performing at. The right idea is to sign up for a trip which will allow a chaperone for your children while you ride ahead with a pack of other riders which are at the same level you are at. This way you can find a challenge while your kids have fun.

Finding a Tour which is Fun

There are biking tours in most parts of the nation. It is possible to find ones on resorts such as Disney. This allows you to get a great workout in while still being in a place which will allow your whole family a way to have fun while not on the bike. You can take tours a few days while you wander the park on other days. This will allow you everyone in the family to get something they want.

Memorable Tours

Another good idea for biking tours is to take a tour in an area which has historic or scenic value to it. This will allow you to get a good workout while you are enjoying the view. You can take tours through some of the most scenic and historic national parks available. This allows you to have something which is highly memorable for years to come. Not to mention the vistas will allow you to take great pictures your friends will actually like to see for a change. Make sure you pack your camera and extra film on these kinds of tours.

Romantic Tours

Every once in a while you might want to sign up for biking tours which will be just you and your significant other. This will allow you to challenge each other and to relax at the end of a long day on the bike. There are many tours which will include stops at great hotels and bed and breakfast locations. You may also opt for tours which will leave and return to the same location every day. This way you will be able to have a great day of biking while you have a great night of relaxing with your significant other.

Photo Credits: hans s

Originally posted 2010-03-14 03:24:43. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

The bicycle rides you choose will depend on how you will be using them. When you are talking about rides, you are talking about your bike. Something people are not aware of when they first buy a bike is that there are different rides they can choose from. You can choose one which is designed for the road, for a triathlon and for mountain biking. It is a good idea to make sure the ride you choose is designed just for what you will be using it for. This is because you will find superior comfort as well as superior performance.

The Female Bike

While it is possible to buy bicycle rides which are unisex, it is a better idea for women to buy bikes which are designed just for women. This is because the frame is designed to meet the needs which are specific to women. The seat tube will be at a sharper angle to the ground in order to accommodate the longer legs women typically have. The top tube will also be shorter to accommodate the shorter torso most women have. You will even find shorter cranks to avoid your foot running into the wheel.

The Street Bike

This is the lightest of all the bicycle rides on the market. This is because you will not need a lot of reinforcement for the ride ahead of you. You will be on smooth surfaces with varying slopes. You will need the lighter bike so your energy will be directly translated into forward momentum. The street bike is also designed to give you options between riding upright and hunching down to get more aerodynamics. You should make sure the bike you choose is designed for your height. Ask a good bike shop to measure you for the right size bike.

The Triathlon Bike

The bicycle rides used for triathlons are different from the average street bike. While it is possible to ride a street bike in your first triathlon, it is not recommended as you reach higher levels of performance. This is because the triathlon bike will actually help you to be ready for the running portion of the race. The handlebars which are used by the triathlon bike will force your body to use skeletal support rather than muscular support to create an aerodynamic posture. This will make it where your back will not be tired as soon as you start running,

The Mountain Bike

The first difference you will notice in bicycle rides designed for mountain biking is their heavy reinforcements. You will also notice the shocks which are on the front and rear forks. This is important to allow you to go over the roughest terrains without causing any damage to yourself or your ride. You will also notice a difference in the gears which are used and the way in which you shift gears. Another main difference is in the handlebars and the wheels which are used. This provides you with a ride designed for abuse.

Photo Credits: Thorne Enterprises

Originally posted 2010-03-12 03:09:01. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Here is the final installation of our glossary of triathlon cycling terms and definitions.

Team Pursuit - This is a type of race that is similar in nature to the individual pursuit style of racing, however instead there are two different teams, each of which is made up of four riders. These teams will ride in pace lines, with the leader changing either every half lap or with every lap. The standard distance for this type of race is a distance of 4000 meters. The time for the team is taken upon the third rider crossing over the finish line, meaning that the fourth rider on the team does not have to finish the race.

Technical – This describes a portion of a racing trail that is designed to test the handling skills for the rider.

Time Trial – This is a race that involves riders or teams of riders going around the course or the track individually. The team or the rider that has the fastest time is deemed the winner of the competition.

Toe Clips – These are either straps or clips that are designed to securely fasten the feet of the rider to the pedals of the bicycle.

Track Bike - This is a very simple style of bike that is used for the purpose of racing on a track. This type of bike only has a single speed gear without any freewheeling, and it does not have any brakes.

Track Stand - This term describes the act of balancing the bicycle while the feet are on the pedals. During a match sprint style of racing, the riders typically begin in track stand because they want to allow one another to set the pace for the race so that they can take full advantage of the slip stream for the purpose of drafting.

Velodrome – This is a type of track that is specifically built for the purpose of bicycle racing. It is typically comprised of two long straight areas and two short curved areas that bank sharply. Most of these types of tracks are only 1/3 of a kilometer in length, though some can be as short as only 200 meters, or as long as a full 500 meters in length.

Weenie Gear - This is another word that is used to refer to granny gear. Granny gear is described as being the lowest of all gears on the mountain bike, and this particular gear is typically used when you need to climb a very steep grade while riding your bike.

Wind Out - This is a type of sprint that develops relatively slowly, and involves a gradual level of acceleration to the top speed.

Photo Credits: Nelson D.

Originally posted 2009-11-12 03:42:14. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Many people when riding a bike believe the right biking gear means nothing more than having a good bike and a water bottle. What many people find is that when they upgrade to gear which is actually designed to increase performance that they will actually be able to ride longer and with better performance than they ever imagined possible. This is because they will have more comfort and will get everything they need as they complete their daily exercise or training regimen.

It All Starts With the Bike

You will be surprised how many people are riding a bike which is the wrong size for them. Since the most important piece of biking gear is the bike itself, this is a huge oversight to make. It is easily avoided simply by going in to a good bike shop and having them measure you for the right size bike. You will be able to then choose the frame which is best suited to your body type. You will be able to find comfort for your legs and for your back by riding on the frame which was designed specifically for you.

Get the Right Shoes

Your shoes are very important pieces of biking gear. This has to do with where you will be clicking in to your pedals at. The right placement of the secure will allow you to easily find the pedal every time. It will also help you not to have a dangerous overhang which can cause your foot to run into the front wheel at lower speeds. The right shoe will also help to make sure your feet are not in extreme pain at the end of a long ride with extreme climbs.

Under Where?

It is important you have the right kind of clothes right next to your body. This is a piece of biking gear which is not often thought about. The good news is there are more jerseys which are made out of more than just spandex. There are many jerseys which are made out of bamboo fibers. This is important because of the wicking properties you will find in bamboo fabrics. Bamboo has the ability absorb more than three times the amount of water cotton can. This allows your skin to stay cool and the water can evaporate from the fabric which will act like an air conditioner.

Staying Fueled up

While the water bottle is important biking gear, it is also important what you put into the water bottle. Many people will fill the water bottle with nothing but Gatorade or something similar. This is a mistake as your body needs water more than anything else. You should have at least two water bottles on your bike if you are going for a decent length ride. One should contain water while the other can have some kind of energy replacement beverage. The danger in drinking only energy replacement beverages is the high sugar content they contain.

Photo Credits: Mr. T in DC

Originally posted 2010-03-13 10:20:31. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

Many people into biking can tell you about the days when all biking clothing was made out of spandex or some other kind of material which does not breath. They will also tell you horror stories about not wearing the right clothing while biking. The good news is there are so many different kinds of clothes which are designed just for the cyclist. You will be able to find clothes which will help to protect you will they keep you safe and comfortable at the same time.

The Best Socks for Biking

One piece of biking clothing which does not get a lot of recognition is the sock. There are biking socks which are made of bamboo which elevate the comfort level for the biker to a whole new level. This is because of the unique properties bamboo brings to the table. The fibers in bamboo naturally have the ability to absorb three times the amount of moisture as cotton. This will help your feet to stay cool and dry. The other good news about bamboo socks is their natural antibacterial qualities. This will allow your feet to actually stay free from odor while you sweat.

The Comfort of Biking Pants

The pants which are designed for biking clothing have been designed to help you stay comfortable while you are in the saddle. The pad which is in the seat of the pants have been designed to provide you with a soft seat. They have also been designed to absorb moisture which will prevent you from having a moist groin area. Staying dry in the groin will not only help you to stay more comfortable, it will help you to avoid such problems as jock itch. This will make it possible for you to stay comfortable even while you are not on the bike.

Why Jerseys Are Superior to Shirts

There are a few different reasons why you should opt for biking clothing over street clothing. For one thing the biking jersey has quite a few advantages over the regular shirt. For one thing, you can unzip the biking jersey should you get hot. This will allow you to still have protection from the sun while allowing more air to get in to your torso. Jerseys also have pockets on the back which you can store things like food and extra water bottles. This will help you to stay hydrated and fueled without having to install a basket on your bike.

Good Glasses Make a Difference

Another piece of biking clothing you should not be without is not technically clothing. This is the glasses you wear. It is a good idea to wear glasses which have protection from UV rays. This will help to protect your vision while you are riding and after you are off the bike. The added benefit you get from the right glasses is the ability to protect your eyes from having bugs and other objects fly into them.

Photo Credits: tonylanciabeta

Originally posted 2010-03-12 10:13:45. Republished by Blog Post Promoter