Bike Riding – A Few Things You Should Know
Beginners bike tips from Eamonn Tilley.
There are certain nuances of riding a bike that are passed down by word of mouth or that some times will be demonstrated (by a good coach!). Many are simple, but if you are never informed, how will you ever know? Here are 10 of the most important, especially for those starting in the sport;
1. Protect your rear, Wear the right gear!
Countless times over the years I have seen people out on bikes (even doing triathlons!) in shorts you would see on a GAA or Rugby Field! And even wearing stuff much worse!
Please note that all cycling shorts are designed with a padded chamois to be worn next to the skin. You may feel naked the first time that you do this but you will get used to it quite quickly. The seam of any underwear will cut into you and is a surefire way to get a saddle sore or to end up walking like John Wayne after a spin.
Chamois cream is a great way to cut down on the natural friction that occurs when pedaling at 90 rpm for a couple of hours. This can be applied to either the chamois itself or directly onto the skin where the point of contact is. Whilst everyone has a personal choice in saddle styles, in general they should be narrow for road bike use, as you will be sitting more forward and a wide saddle may cause chaffing between the legs. All saddles should be level, not pointing up or down. If you feel that you need your saddle pointing down towards the front hub, chances are that it is too high in the first place and vice versa. It does take time to get your rear end used to sitting on a saddle for hours on end, but this too is all part of training.
2. The Dreaded Puncture!
There are those who will phone a family member or friend to come and collect them after getting a puncture whilst out training and then bring the wheel to a bike shop to get fixed. If you had no way of communicating with someone who may come to pick you up there would be a much greater incentive to learn what to do yourself. And it really is pretty simple.
Forget about patches, that puts people off straight away. On every training spin bring a pump, tyre levers and 2 spare tubes. If you get a puncture, take off the wheel (if it’s a rear drop it down into the outside sprocket first as this will help you know where to hang the chain when putting the wheel back on).
Use your tyre levers to remove one side of the tyre and then pull out the tube. Pump the tube to see if you can find where the air is coming out. This will give you a good idea of where to check the tyre for the item which caused the puncture in the first place.
Locate the thorn, piece of glass, thumb tack, or whatever and remove. Then check the rest of the tyre. If you cannot find anything whatsoever in the tyre and the tube has two holes very close together, this may be a pinch flat. These are caused by riding an under inflated tyre over a pothole or stone. Next slightly inflate your new tube and fit into the tyre. Re-seat the outer bead of the tyre and finish near the valve. The reason for this is so that if a part of the tube remains under the tyre bead by pushing the valve back up into the tyre you can re seat this properly. Now pump the tyre as hard as possible using your hand pump and refit the wheel.
Don’t be afraid of it, have a bit of patience, you’ll be back riding in a few minutes.
3. Riding in the Wind (The Cyclists Greatest Enemy!)
With a little practice you can make life much easier for yourself when the trees start to sway. If you are riding in a group stay close to the rider in front. If the wind is coming from the left place your front wheel slightly to his right and vice versa. When riding on your own be conscious of any protection or shelter that a ditch or wall can offer. Use your gears and try to keep a good pace going.
Riding against a strong headwind is very similar to climbing. They say that’s why so many Dutch riders have excelled in the mountains of the Tour de France over the years. Always try to begin your training spins with a headwind so that you can enjoy the tailwind on the way back. Just like running!
4. Food and Drink.
Many will have a different take on this one! In general, for spins under 2 hours you do not really need to eat anything. Bring a gel in case you are having a bad day. For longer spins bring an energy bar (or even a Snickers/Mars bar), some ride shots, fruit (Bananas are very popular). or whatever you like to eat and nibble away from the 1.5 hour point onwards. Nutella on bread or toast can fuel you up very well for a long spin.
In all sports hydration is very important and can depend on the weather. It is a good idea to begin sipping within the first 5 minutes as this will set the tone for the rest of the spin. There are loads of sports dinks out there on the market, with trial and error you will find one that suits you or keep it simple and just drink water.
5. Using the Gears!
This has to be learned and takes a long time to get right. It is always easy to spot an inexperienced cyclist. They are trying to churn a huge gear with their shoulders. Take a look next time you see one and you will see their shoulders move at least 12 – 18 inches with each pedal stroke. Bikes nowadays can have anything up to 33 gears. Even if you only have 10, use them to keep a nice steady economical cadence. Spin, Spin, Spin! The average should be about 90 rpm on the flat and 70 rpm whilst climbing.
6. Clean your bike!
20 – 30 minutes once per week (I know we can’t all make that time!) will keep your machine running much better. Brakes, gears, handling will all run a lot smoother when a bike is well taken care of.
Chains and cassettes will not wear out as quickly and you will spot problems such as glass or thorns in tyres before they become an issue. You will also feel better as a nice clean machine whirring along underneath you will always lift your spirits. Try it and see.
7. Give it Time!
Cycling takes time. It takes time to go for a spin and it takes time to improve. Some day you will be out on the bike in the Wicklow sunshine thinking to yourself that you are actually enjoying what you are doing. Then the better you get the further you can go and it takes even more time again. With family, work and social commitments there will always be something else to do; you just have to find a way around them.
The biggest obstacle many people find when preparing for events is finding the time to train. Well, here are a few ways around that problem.
If you know the names of three or more characters on any of the Soaps or whatever TV show is on, you have the time to train (I’ll make an exception for the box set of ‘The Wire’, only viewed after 9pm though!) .
If you spend your lunchtime sitting in a cosy cafe, you have time to train.
If you sit in traffic for 1 or more hours per day, you have time to train.
Perhaps easier said than done, all you need do is to become a little more disciplined with your time management and you will find the hours needed to train. Train better and you will Race better.
8. Bend Your Elbows!
Experienced cyclists will all advocate ‘bending the elbows ‘. It makes sense really. If your arms are locked all the vibration from the bars travels up along to your neck and shoulders which causes neck and shoulder pain. You are also less flexible if someone bumps off of you in a group. It does take a bit of practice but will be well worth the effort.
9. Another Dread! Getting up those hills!
Many of us have a mental block about climbing, some love it! The main thing to know is that climbing does involve a certain amount of pain for everyone. The experienced cyclist will tell you that the best climbers are not the ones who can climb the best, but the ones who can suffer the most.
So be prepared for some pain, but also be conscious that everyone else is suffering too. This makes it a lot more tolerable. On short, sharp climbs, try to power over them but for longer climbs it is important to pace yourself a little. Find a gear that you are comfortable(ish) in and get into a rhythm. When rising out of the saddle change up a gear to maintain your speed and change back down when you sit down again.
The only way to improve your climbing is to climb, so don’t be avoiding any hills when out training
10. Look Up!
If you have ever been sea sick or car sick, you will have been told to look up at the horizon to make your body feel still. This is because 20% of your balance is related to your optic nerves (Science talking here!). This is important on the bike as well.
When descending you are much more stable when you look on up ahead than 5 feet in front of you. The speed of the road passing by can actually make you feel dizzy. You need to look where you want to go, not where you don’t. In a bunch too, it is important to look up. Your peripheral vision will take care of what’s around you and by looking up ahead you can look out for any parked cars or any other hazards etc. and also be more stable on the bike itself.
And finally; always wear your helmet about 1” above your eyebrows , not on the back of your head , call the potholes and obstacles when riding in a group and don’t be afraid to ask your more experienced cycling buddies if your not sure about something. You should get the answer you are looking for. Well, most of the time anyway. And don’t forget SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY! See you on the road!
