Cycling can provide a great workout, an effective means of transportation, and a fun way to interact with the world around you.
Although the professionals in the Tour de France make racing look easy, these races couldn’t take place without respect for safety procedures and precautions.
Whether you’re cycling on a strenuous path or taking a leisurely ride, the following safety tips will help you enjoy the journey.
What Are the Benefits of Cycling?
Cycling offers health benefits to people of all ages. It is an excellent aerobic exercise that helps your heart, blood vessels, and lungs get a workout. Riders can choose their level of intensity and add hills or distance to engage more muscles, burn additional calories, and improve overall cardiovascular fitness.
During any cardiovascular workout, people breathe deeper, sweat, and increase body temperature, which improves your overall fitness level.
Additional benefits of regular cycling include:
- Building endurance, strength, and muscle tone. You don’t only use your legs; your entire body gets a workout.
- Increasing agility. Balancing while peddling and steering around obstacles and trails will help develop your coordination skills.
- Increasing heart rate, which in turn strengthens your heart muscle, helps to manage weight and lowers blood pressure.
- Getting a low-impact workout that gives your joints a break.
- Preventing or managing physical and mental health issues.
- Taking in the scenery, which awakens the senses and helps improve mood.
Seven Tips to Get the Most Out of Cycling
Tip 1: Suit up
Wear proper clothing and safety equipment to help you enhance performance, stay safe, and prevent injury.
Some cyclists prefer to ride dressed head-to-toe in tight, spandex clothing. Special cycling shorts can offer additional padding and comfort. This material can reduce chafing and help riders feel cool and loose for miles.
However, it is also perfectly acceptable to wear everyday clothing on a casual or recreational bike ride. Wear whatever is most comfortable for you.
Safety equipment for cycling should include:
- Helmet. Always wear a helmet – no matter your age. Helmet straps should be tight enough to allow only one finger to fit between your chin and the strap. Make sure the V-shaped straps surround your ears, and the helmet covers your forehead. Helmets should not move when you shake your head.
- Proper shoes and pads.
- Reflectors, flashers, and headlights.
- Sunglasses and sunscreen to help protect from the sun’s powerful rays.
Tip 2: Pick the right ride for you
Your bike should leave one to two inches of clearance between your crotch and the tube connecting the handlebars to the seat. This clearance should occur when you stand flat-footed on the ground. Pay attention to handlebar height and tire pressure – and be sure to check the angle and positioning of your seat. Consider getting professionally sized for your best fit to make sure you can hold good posture while riding.
Once you’ve selected your best bike fit, check it often to make sure it is up to speed with your changing needs. Continually monitor and maintain the condition of your bike to ensure long-lasting success and safety. All cyclists should be able to change a flat tire before venturing out onto open roads.
Communicate your route, departure time, and anticipated end time of your ride to a friend or family member. Also, always carry a form of identification and a way to pay for unexpected expenses.
Tip 3: Carry a safety kit
While riding, bring a safety kit with you in case of emergencies. This safety kit should include:
- CO2 cartridge inflation device or a separate frame pump.
- Inner tube patch kit.
- Spare inner tube.
- Tire irons.
Tip 4: Stay alert
Wherever your path takes you, pay close attention to riding conditions. Although music can provide a nice soundtrack for rides, it can also interfere with your awareness of surroundings. Make sure you can hear and see the full road in front of you particularly when cycling on roadways. Monitoring the path and biking defensively are good, safe riding strategies.
Tip 5: Stretch before and after your ride
Before beginning any physical activity, take time to warm up and stretch to prepare for the roads ahead. Warming up your body through light calisthenics and stretching can help prevent injuries. After finishing a ride of any length, stretch and cool down to stay loose, avoid cramping, and aid recovery.
Tip 6: Observe cycling etiquette
Be courteous while riding and observe basic cycling etiquette. Some tips include:
- Announcing yourself and your intent to pass other cyclists saying, “On your left” before you pass.
- Observing traffic laws, including traffic lights, stop signs, and speed limits.
- Riding on the right side of the road or path, following the direction of traffic.
- Sharing the road with cars and paths with runners, walkers, horses, and other cyclists.
- Using hand signals to make cars and other cyclists aware of your turns.
Tip 7: Stay hydrated and fueled along the way
Bicycling is a strenuous athletic activity. To prepare your body for the challenge, hydrate before, during, and after your ride with plenty of fluids. Experts also suggest refueling after rides with a balanced meal rich in fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Indoor Cycling: Another Way to Ride
If a stationary bike or spin class is more your speed, indoor cycling is an excellent form of exercise — it’s challenging, fun, and provides a great workout.
Most gyms offer classes for different fitness levels. The classes usually last 45 to 60 minutes, which is also the daily recommended time for getting the most benefit from physical activity. If it’s your first time, ask the instructor to help you set up your bike. It’s important to find a comfortable position so you can use proper form.
Whether peddling indoors or outdoors, it’s important to stay in tune with your body. Increase your time and intensity slowly to enjoy all of the health benefits cycling has to offer while decreasing your potential for injury.
Editor's Note: This article was originally published on , and was last reviewed on .