nicetry

Hey guys, I'm new to cycling and have been watching gcn lately for tips. I doubt they have a video for everything though, any tips for a new rider that you wish someone had told you when you started?

Cheers

onomic

Welcome, I'm new here as well but I've been riding for almost 30 years. I'll pick a random bit of advice that I think is very useful but hardly see anyone do anymore. Learn to wipe your tires while riding. This will extend the life of your tires and lead to less flats which is always a good thing. For your front tire just reach down and using the palm of your hand wipe your tire. For your rear wheel, hook your thumb around your seat stay and then use your palm/fingers to wipe your rear tire. You can do this anytime you hit a patch of glass, junk, or anything that looks like it could cause you to flat.

f4rrest

Try not to lose any fingers wiping your tires.

Maelochs

If you wipe your tires without gloves you will find out how well fast-spinning metal and glass blades can slice through flesh. If you get a finger in a spoke, you will lose a chunk of flesh at least, and probably crash as well.

If I were that worried about my tires I would pull over and clean them. The idea of getting cut or crashing to prevent a flat ....

Most important things I could say is keep your wits about you in traffic, and enjoy riding .... unless you race, in which case you aren't making the grade unless every ride is so painful you would rather not be riding.

Make sure your bike fits. If you ride a lot, your fit will change, so make adjustments.

Don't plant your butt on the seat and don't lean on your hands. Make your legs bear most or your weight.

Enjoy riding even more.

Obey traffic signs, and expect that others will not. get good at panic stops.

Did I mention enjoy riding?

Snuts

Welcome to the forum.
Ride with care/caution until your first spill. then be even more careful.



-Snuts-

headasunder

my 3 rules of cycling
1. Don’t die
2. Embrace the pain
3. dont leave home without your kit(spare tube, pump and tyre levers)

Abu Mahendra

Is this for real?

dabac

Cadence.


While some riders do manage to do well while pedalling slow-and-hard, knees in general are more likely to tolerate fast-and-light.


And many rookie riders prefers the feel of slow-and-hard.


A bike computer with cadence is a good way to help you develop good riding habits.


Bike fit.


While a thorough upgrade rarely is economical, don't hesitate to change fit items ( stem, saddle, bar, seatpost with different offset etc)
Suffering should come from exertion, not from avoidable fit issues.
You may need some support in figuring out which changes that might benefit you.


Stretching and supplemental exercises.


Ignoring the rest of your body will eventually cost you. Not all of life is spent on a saddle, hunched over.

Darth Lefty 

Get some lights!

Maelochs

Most important-----------Steer clear of internet chatboards about cycling. The cynical, disappointed, contentious posters there will sap every bit of joy out of cycling.

Retro Grouch 

Ride often and try to ride a different route every time that you go out. If you do that far and fast will come.

NYMXer

Ride often and with others if you can, but keep it fun.
Also, if your bike is not working properly, get it fixed before you go out again.
Wear a helmet and some protective gear, inc bright colored clothes and obey the traffic laws.

1Coopgt

Really ? You do this while riding ? I'm guessing you're also talking about road tires. I'm with others about this it's a good way to possibly break fingers or shred your skin form glass & metal shards. You also assume that the OP has a road bike or is using road tires on their bike. Personally I think this is bad advice . I do think it makes sense to inspect your tires every once in a while ,while riding and after the ride . But not while you are moving.

Personally I own a DuelSport/Hybrid bike. The last thing I would do is run my fingers along my tires while riding . It would be a great way to break a finger/fingers.

GuyWood

In cold weather, never dress so that you feel fully warm when you leave the house. Dress so that you feel slightly chilly. You'll soon warm up to a normal temperature as you ride.

BobbyG

I wish bikeforums.net was around 40 years ago.

rumrunn6

everyone's journey is different & personal. for me a cpl things cud have been

• just get a modern road bike & don't mess with old broken mountain bikes & hybrids
• spring for brand name cycling specific clothes & don't waste your time trying to make other stuff work

both those tips would have saved me a lot of money, time & hassle

jefnvk

Use everyone here as a guideline, not a requirement, for what works for you. There generally isn't a "wrong" way to do things, amalgamate and use what information you can but recognize a lot of it may not apply to your personal situation.

I put off getting back into cycling for over a year because my friends told me I couldn't have fun on anything less than a 105 equipped carbon bike, and few bike shops around me at the time had an interest in selling me anything under the $1500 mark. Took me a while to figure out I could have plenty of fun on old refurbished vintage bikes that cost a tenth the price.

Also, using your hand to clean to clean glass shards from a fast moving wheel sounds like a great way to mangle your hand, in any of numerous ways.

MRT2

When buying a bike, get something one level sportier, and one level up the quality ladder than you think you will need. It is almost always more cost effective to start with a higher end bike than it is to try to upgrade from entry level later.

So if you think you need a beach cruiser, consider a comfort hybrid.
If you think you need a comfort hybrid, go with a sporty hybrid.
If you think you need a sporty hybrid, go with a Gravel grinder or endurance road bike.

No matter how out of shape you think you are, or how old you think you are, you will be amazed at how far you can go on a bike with just a bit of practice. And to that end, you will save yourself quite a bit of money, and aggravation down the line by future proofing your purchase by spending just a bit more up front.

DomaneS5

Start out with clipless pedals/cleats/shoes. Learn how to use them and take your lumps. I kick myself for using the cheesy toe clip/strap pedals that were standard on my bike for a year before switching to clipless.

MRT2

True, but you need to know what you are going when it comes to C & V. You are talking about machines that are 35 to 40 years old. I say this as someone who has ridden and owned some older classics for myself and my family including a '78 Peugeot which my wife loves riding as much as her modern road bike, a venerable mid 80s Schwinn Letour Luxe (now gone, but a fine bike), and my son's early '80s Gitane frame with a mix of vintage and modern components. I feel like I know the difference between an old classic and a 40 year old boat anchor. I do not know if the average newbie does.

I would check the tires when the bike is stationary, and be careful pulling shards of glass or debris from your tires.

bikecrate

If there is one thing I would like to tell new riders is do not ride against the direction of traffic (i.e. Salmoning).

jefnvk

Absolutely true. My point was more that the people giving me advice that I needed a carbon 105 equipped road bike were taking their preferences and needs and imposing them on me. For the type of riding I do, my (admittedly a boat anchor) Le Tour suits me well, and I wish I had just done my own research and gone that route instead of putting off the sport for a year, because they were telling me I needed something I was never going to pay for to get into a sport I may have not kept up with.

To be honest, I probably could have gone the BikesDirect route and gotten a mid-range road bike for a third that $1500 price tag, and been just as happy, I just chose the C&V path first.

MRT2

IMO, those people who said you need carbon fiber, full 105 etc...gave you bad advice. Which brings me to my next point. Even entry level, or near entry level from a local bike shop is very good. If you are buying a road bike, your basic 8 speed Claris equipped aluminum bike will function better than a lot of high end bikes from just 20 or 25 years ago. That isn't to say you a $2,000 bike isn't better than an $800 bike. It is. But if you buy a bike shop quality bike from a shop with a decent reputation, it is hard to go too far wrong these days.

jefnvk

I agree completely, and it put me off getting into cycling for a year, when I just said "if that's how much I have to pay, screw it".

To be fair, for the type of riding they do, the advice was spot on. It simply wasn't advice that was relevant for me or the type of riding I'd do, I wasn't about to jump into 8000 miles a year and AB group ride situations. That's why my biggest bit of advice is to treat any advice you get on what you need with a bit of cynicism and perspective.

After two seasons on those bikes, I finally understand what I personally like, what I prefer doing (longer solo slower rides, over fast groups) and am getting to the point where I'd willfully spend that on a bike suited for my riding style. The difference being, that now I know what I need, I'm not buying somethign suited to someone else's needs.

Fett2oo5

Get and use a helmet, and front and rear lights.

Hydrate before a long ride.

Understand traffic laws, and obey them, use turn signaling.

Know how to fix a flat (and have materials to do so with you on your bike), or know how to have someone come pick you up.

Find your favorite/a good LBS (local bike shop) Talk to the employees, especially the repair/service techs. See if they know what they are doing.

Join a local cycling club.