November 27th, 2011 — Biking, Clothes and Gear, Swim Bike Run
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
Related Posts -
Cycling Glossary Continued Handicap - Handicap races are quite popular in Australia, in them, the racers start at different points on the track based on their performance. âScratch Menâ are the fastest of the riders, and start at the traditional starting line and âout markersâ are the rest of the riders and depending...... -
How to Buy Running Sneakers Perfect for You Every runner has a different way in which they run. Is there any wonder there are so many different kinds of running sneakers on the market? The industry has tried to create a different kind of shoe for every kind of running style. They have also tried to keep in...... -
Great Triathlon Equipment Makes All the Difference Some people think competing in a triathlon means wearing what you would normally wear in the different individual sports. This is not accurate. In fact, you should have special triathlon equipment to help you get the highest level of performance possible. Make sure you choose the equipment which is recommended...... -
More Children Bike Competitively The popularity of biking in America has meant an increase in how many children bike competitively. There has been a switch between those who bike for fun and those who are biking for a reason. This creates a unique opportunity for parents who enjoy biking and would like to share...... -
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......
Online Stores
November 10th, 2011 — Biking, Swim Bike Run
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
Related Posts - More Children Bike Competitively The popularity of biking in America has meant an increase in how many children bike competitively. There has been a switch between those who bike for fun and those who are biking for a reason. This creates a unique opportunity for parents who enjoy biking and would like to share......
-
Choosing the Right Triathlon Bike pt 2 You are really going to want to choose a bicycle that fits your body perfectly, comfortable, and also fits your budget. You can buy an extremely expensive bike, but if it does not fit your frame, then it is completely worthless when it comes to meeting your bicycling needs. The...... -
Gear Up for your First Triathlon When it comes to packing in preparation for your triathlon race, it is best for you to break all of your necessities down into four different categories. This way, you can focus on each of the categories one at a time. One example of breaking your categories down is to...... -
What to Pack in Your Bag for a Triathlon You have probably spent months if not years preparing for the upcoming triathlon race, so in all honestly, the last thing that you need right now is to have your mind wandering to things that you may have forgot. Why worry about whether or not you forgot something, when putting...... -
The New Generation of Biking Clothing 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......
Online Stores
November 8th, 2011 — Biking, Clothes and Gear, Swim Bike Run
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
Related Posts -
Biking Tours Are Fun for the Whole Family 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...... -
Triathlon Tips Which Really Work Competing in a triathlon is one of the most challenging experiences you can hope for. This is why so many people look for good triathlon tips. This is because while many will be happy just to finish, others would like to move up in the rankings as they compete in...... -
Triathlon Terms part 2 Here is a brief glossary of terms used in triathlon training and triathlon racing. Bonk - This describes a situation where you suddenly begin to lose energy and a level of fatigue sets in. This is typically caused by depleted glycogen stores within the liver and the muscles, and it...... - What to Pack in Your Bag for a Triathlon You have probably spent months if not years preparing for the upcoming triathlon race, so in all honestly, the last thing that you need right now is to have your mind wandering to things that you may have forgot. Why worry about whether or not you forgot something, when putting......
-
Triathlon Terms Here is a brief glossary of terms used in triathlon training and triathlon racing. 70.3 - This term is used to describe a Half Ironman race distance, which is a 1.2 mile swim, a 56 mile bike an 13.1 mile run. 140.6 - This term is used to describe an......
Online Stores