Cycling offers people freedom and the ability to go practically anywhere, so long as your ability allows it. For many of us the majority of our time riding is made up of dodging the hazards that face us in urban areas, with special mountain rides or cross country rides being something to look forward to with our friends, family or by ourselves.
If you love riding, we have compiled a great list with 5 tips to make the most out of your cycling. Check them out below and be sure to let us know whether you have any extra tips for readers to consider.
1. Safety first
Safety is a serious issue for cyclists, with nothing to stop you falling from your bike. For this very reason you should always wear a solid and reliable bicycle helmet, and added elbow guards or knee armour if riding in hazardous areas. If riding at night, always wear high visibility clothing, and consider installing LED’s on your bicycles frame to minimize the risk of motorists not seeing you. Always put your safety first when riding.
2. Plan your routes ahead
Creating a planned route might not allow for spontaneous riding, however it can help you make the most of a journey. If you are somewhere iconic or special like a mountain, riding dedicated or pre-planned trails may open up the best views and allow you to discover more than you ever would riding freestyle. Biking trails are also safer to ride than secluded spots, as if something happens, you are more likely to be found in time for help.
3. Carry a puncture repair kit
There is nothing worse than getting a puncture, especially one that stops us in our tracks. For that very reason I always recommend carrying a puncture repair kit whilst riding so that you can keep going for as long as it takes to get a new tyre. Also, make sure to pack a tyre inflator for more serious punctures which can be used after repairing the tyre.
4. Consider buying a rugged HD camera
If you love your riding then a rugged camera is definitely for you. The best options on the market are the super rugged GoPro 3 and ContourROAM2. Both of these full HD video cameras are waterproof and are designed to handle the rough and tumble of a bike ride and other extreme sports. If you are going somewhere amazing, recording your ride for later will allow you to not only see where you went, but also allow you to become a better rider by seeing any mistakes you made. If you are going to buy a camera for rugged terrain, also consider your bike. Kona bikes are great for rugged terrain offering stability for your camera.
5. Organize or take part in planned rides
There are many forums online dedicated to cycling with great communities of passionate cyclists. Joining these forums is easy, and there are regular planned cycling events on nearly all of them. Whether you love mountain biking, trail riding, urban riding or cross country riding, there will be planned rides to join in on to meet new people with the same passion as you.
This guest post was contributed by Holly Powell on behalf of Global Bike, the number one UK cycling retailer, visit site here.
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