It’s normal to make many promises to do different self-improvements throughout the year, especially around December and January. One of the most popular self-improvements that American citizens promise to make is improvements to their overall health and commitment to physical activity, with promises of this kind being one of the top New Year’s resolutions in the U.S. in 2019.
Those who make this promise to themselves try a range of fitness-oriented activities to kickstart their healthy lifestyle changes, with one of the most popular options being cycling. Cycling provides various physical and mental health benefits for those participating in the activity, from mixing up your mode of transportation, helping you age well, improving your social life, and much more.
However, like any new activity, it can be intimidating if you’re new to the sport. If you’re still not convinced, we’ve created this article detailing several pieces of essential advice for beginner cyclists – keep reading to find out more.
Table of Contents
Be Sure To Pack Water And Food
Riding a bike can be an excellent two-for-one workout combining aerobics and strength depending on a cyclist’s route. Due to this combination of activities, going on a long bike ride can quickly become tiring, especially if you’re a beginner and haven’t yet built up a resistance or lack sufficient practice.
As you tire, you might feel dehydrated or as though you’ve been wholly depleted of your energy, which can generally only be replenished by food or water. To avoid this, ensure that you pack a couple of rations each time you leave to go on a bike ride and fill a couple of bottles of water, so your energy doesn’t complete entirely.
Ensure that you take energy-boosting snacks that will fuel your body and keep it working at optimum capacities. Some of the best energy-boosting foods are trail mix, fruit, vegetables, hard-boiled eggs, nuts, and more. You could also consider packing food and beverages specially formulated to improve performance, such as energy bites, protein bites, and electrolyte drinks as these help you avoid cramps and improve your overall performance.
Take Out Relevant Insurance
Especially if you intend to travel far on your bike, it would be a good idea to take out relevant insurance to protect you and your belongings from any potential damage. Despite being a popular form of exercise, cycling has its risks, and the potential for the cyclist or the cyclist’s equipment to get damaged is there.
Therefore, beginner and seasoned cyclists must protect themselves against the potential risks by shopping around for and comparing relevant pieces of insurance for peace of mind while on the road. Due to the sport’s popularity, a wide range of insurance providers offers bike insurance policies, one such being Velosurance.
From medical coverage, any crash or accidental damage, electric bicycle coverage, and damage or loss in transit, their policy contains many helpful coverages and features to help keep cyclists and their property safe. For more insight, consider viewing their website for more information or their blog, which has many cycling-related articles covering topics from how to keep the bike riding longer to how bicycle theft happens.
Wear The Correct Gear
Since cyclists go on bike rides throughout the year for varying lengths of time, it is essential that they can dress for all kinds of weather that they might endure so that their performance is working to its highest potential.
One of the main reasons that cyclists wear specially designed clothing is because it fits better than traditional clothing, as it is more aerodynamic, which means bunching is reduced, the lower back remains covered, and they can bend over the frame of the bike easier.
Since the act of cycling can be a two-in-one workout, working both your strength and your aerodynamic functions can turn into a highly sweaty activity. So, if a cyclist is wearing regular clothing, the sweat will linger and seep into the cotton of their clothes, making them uncomfortable. If there is one piece of cycling clothing that you should consider purchasing, it is padded underwear.
Since no matter how comfortable and padded your seat might be, you’re bound to feel discomfort if you’ve sat down long enough. To avoid this, treat yourself to a high-quality pair of padded cycling shorts to help build your confidence and tolerance over your first couple of rides. Once you feel more comfortable and you’ve gotten more practice, you will be able to go for longer and longer bike rides.
Take A Lock And Lights At Night
If there is any possibility that you will be cycling during the evening hours, then we recommend taking a lock and a key whenever you go out on a ride, just in case. You can fit these to your bike’s frame, making unexpected trips to the local convenience store, having a quick coffee, eating some food, or simply just relacing easier.