Guide to Buying a Good Beginner Road Bike

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

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Take the Biking Trip You Will Always Remember

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

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