Avoid these five new-cyclist mistakes Buying the Most Expensive Gear Fancy parts dont make you a better rider. What matters is how well you take care of your gear—and that you actually use it. The best-looking bike has a clean chain and bar tape, but a well-worn saddle and brake hoods. Starting Out Too Hard Its fun to ride fast, but its not fun to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. Use the first third of a ride to warm up, the next third to settle into a rhythm and the final third to hammer. This strategy prevents midride burnout and trains you to push hard when youre already fatigued. Not Refueling Enough Eat before you get hungry and drink before you get thirsty. For rides lasting more than one hour, take some sips from your bottle every 10 minutes and eat a few small bites of food every 15 minutes. Finish one bottle and eat one energy bar per hour. Acting Like a Know-It-All New riders can be overconfident, especially if theyve enjoyed success in another athletic discipline. Cycling is a complicated sport, and youll progress faster once you realize that every ride offers an opportunity to improve. When you reach the point where you can help others, offer a single piece of advice at a time so they can focus on improving one skill before building to the next one. Breaking the Group-Ride Rules Theres a protocol to riding safely in a group, but new riders often dont master the system until they get yelled at. If youre new to pack riding, hang out at the back and watch whats going on. Dont be afraid to ask someone for help.
Posted on: Sun, 10 Aug 2014 05:41:35 +0000
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