Seven Ways To Be A Better Cyclist

Seven Ways To Be A Better Cyclist

By:


The Tour De France seems to capture the imagination of an increasing number every year and results in more and more fitness and health conscious folk dusting off their cycles and hitting the streets. For the enthusiast, expert or novice, there are a number of points to consider and act upon before embarking on your adventures. Ignorance is not bliss. Absorb all the advice you can get before heading off and having fun.

1. Don't be tempted to start too soon. When the sun is shining, the kids are toey, and we're all inspired to head off, it's easy to forget the most important factor in bike safety. Check your bikes! A once-over should be given to gear changes, seat heights, the bell, and of course, the brakes. If the bike is not comfortable, it will not be a happy day and you'll know about it for days after! Give particular attention to the chains, cogs and gears as they can sometimes breakdown, especially if in years past they've been sprayed with products which can cause sand and grit to stick to them. Do take a puncture kit and don't even think about leaving home without one.

2. If possible ride with others. If fitness is your motivation, this helps to keep you accountable and you are less likely to opt out if you just don't feel up to it today. If you're a serious cyclist and competing is your driving force, then a buddy of comparitive standard will help push you to the next level. If fun is a high priority, then having others there to enjoy the ride, the scenery and the experience will heighten the event significantly. Obviously the safety factor also comes in here. A companion may even save your life one day. If riding alone is the only option, then always let others know your route.

3. Don't head off without a plan. Organisation is the key here. Is the route cyclist friendly and how long will it take? Unless you are experienced do not even think about embarking on treacherous stretches which are not cyclist-friendly. Stay calm, even if aggravated by motorists who don't see you or care if you're there. This is life, you can't change it by getting frustrated and angry during your ride. Next time you're out and about in the car, check out roads and routes which would be suitable for your next bike ride. Store them away in your memory, or keep a book with a record of where you've been and where you'd like to explore next.

4. You need to attach and take a water bottle and sip from it regularly to keep you hydrated. An amino based drink is ideal for serious riders. Try a drink designed to give advanced energy and endurance with carbs which also replaces electrolytes and prevents dehydration. This will enhance your performance on the bike. Other excellent essentials include bananas, other fruit and energy boosters.

5. It sounds an obvious one, but correct attire for cycling is paramount. Comfort and safety go hand in hand here. The correct choice of clothing can assist you greatly in your ability to stay cool in hotter conditions and conversely, can help heat retention in the cooler environments making for a much more pleasant outing. The color of clothing is also a major consideration. Make sure it's bright and easily seen by motorists and other road users. And make sure you have a suitable helmet! If you have kids riding it is imperative that the helmet fits correctly and the chin strap is set at an adequate tightness. Most kids loosen these and can therefore miss out on their amazing impact cushioning abilities in an accident. It is a proven fact that helmets save lives.

6. There are fewer lovelier sights than a whole family out cycling, from the tiniest tot strapped in to a bike seat behind mum or dad to Grandad and Grandma. Far from the tooting traffic, there are an increasing number of cycle tracks which have been exclusively created for cycling enthusiasts. Find them, take the whole family and enjoy them. You will be modelling a fit, healthy lifestyle to the kids and hopefully they will carry on their cycling into adulthood. What better way to combat rising childhood obesity?

7. A mistake many make is to give little thought to what happens to your body once your bike ride is complete. This is known as recovery. It is especially but not exclusively relevant to the serious elite cycling athlete, and proper attention to recovery and repair of muscle can prevent injury as well as enhance future performance. In a nutshell what you need here is protein which is the key ingredient in the building blocks of muscle cells, cartilage, bone and blood as well as a crucial factor in muscle growth, repair and recovery. Be like the professionals and head straight for a whey protein drink after exercise. Shake and take: your body will thank you for it.

Is fitness, fun and physical wellbeing on your life's priority list? Do you wish to model the same to your family? Then don the helmet and start pedalling. Peace of mind and the irreplacable feeling of the wind on your face will be your reward.

About the Author:
Colin Johnson has been a health instructor, drug instructor, elite sports coach and father of five all in one lifetime! Colin highly recommends Amino Acid supplements drinks for the elite athlete as well as whey protein for muscular repair.
You can get a unique content version of this article.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

|

Loading...
Related....
Videos...

Recent Cycling Articles

Comments

Still can't find what you are looking for? Search for it!

Loading

Site Navigation:

Copyright 2005-2011 ArticleSnatch, LLC - All Rights Reserved.
Privacy Policy | Terms of Service.