The Cycling Equipment That I Use

When it comes to cycling equipment, the bike is probably the most important and expensive piece of equipment needed. However, the list of equipment you need or might want is much more extensive and involved than just making the decision of which bike or bikes to buy. My beginner’s cycling equipment I bought an Orbea Dama series road bike about five years ago as a beginner cyclist. The bike was a recommendation from my triathlon coach at the time. I wanted to start doing triathlons, and I didn’t have a lot of cycling experience. At the time, I spent about $1800 on the bike. The bike is great for beginners. It is on the low end, price wise, for bikes a semi-serious cyclist would use. Although it is more expensive than your average bike for use around the neighborhood, road bikes for dedicated road cycling can exceed $10,000. I replaced the frame once about a year later after an accident. The frame was bent slightly, but the bike overall held up remarkably in the accident. Orbea’s Dama series are all women specific road bikes. Orbea is a Spanish company that specializes in high quality road bikes. The frame of my bike is aluminum, but the fork is carbon fiber. Because the design takes into account a woman’s body specifically, I think it is the most comfortable bike for a woman without investing the money in cycling equipment required to buy a custom made bike. My Orbea is also light enough to carry up the stairs to my fourth floor apartment after a long day of riding. Over the years, my bike has endured thousands of miles. I have taken this bike from Manhattan to the top of Bear Mountain and back again. This trip is about 100 miles, and the [...]

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Why I Am Passionate About Cycling

I am passionate about cycling for many reasons. A few years ago, I drove everywhere, even if it was just a couple blocks to the grocery store. Then my car’s brakes started to go, and I could not afford to get the car brakes fixed until my next paycheck. My mom offered to let me have her old bike she had in the garage, and since I had no other options, I accepted it. (I will admit, I was not very grateful for the bike at the time. I would much rather she offered me the money to borrow until my paycheck came in.) I had to inflate the tires and clean the cobwebs off the frame, but the bike worked fine. I figured it would only be for a couple days, so I began cycling everywhere. Luckily my place of work is only a little over a mile away. How I became passionate about cycling The first day of riding, I was actually a little nervous, because I was not used to the rules of the road when it came to cycling. I also realized how unaware I was of cyclists while I drove places in my car all the time. After a few days though, I started to really enjoy riding the shorter distances. Cycling forced me to exercise if I wanted to go anywhere, and I began to feel more in shape and actually seemed to have more energy at the end of the day. My family thought it was great that I was getting into shape, but some of my friends could not understand why I would even consider it. I would point out the benefits, but they still rolled their eyes and said, “I just could never do that”. I would always reply, “That is [...]

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My First Bicycle and What Cycling has Meant to me over the Years

One Christmas, a blue Huffy girl’s bike showed up at my house. This was as simple a bicycle as possible, with the hub brake, 26” wheels, fat tires, no derailleur, and upright handle bars. I had learned to ride a bike using a hand me down boy’s bike and now, at last, I had my own brand new bike. That bike and I went on many an adventure. During my first few years with it, I mostly limited my riding to the park that was next to my house. It was a large park, with a baseball field, a swimming pool, tennis courts, swings, and so forth, so there were plenty of places for a youngster to ride without running the risk of getting hit by a car. With that Huffy, I learned every square inch of that park. As any kid, I too had many great adventures with my first bicycle The bike was, at first, an opportunity to pretend. It became a motorcycle, a trusty steed, whatever my mind could imagine. I was a hero, a cowgirl, a detective, a circus clown, and the park was also whatever I needed it to be. The hills were mountains, the sidewalks busy roads, the various features fascinating places to visit from all over the world. All these wonderful places were reachable with my bike and they were the reason I rode. Without my bike, my imagination would have been emptier. When I was in high school, the bike became a newspaper delivery device. I could carry papers and toss them onto porches, which I did every afternoon during the week and every morning (early…very early) on the weekends. With my bike, I could make the kind of money that seems very generous to a fifteen year old. I began to [...]

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Why I Prefer Mountain Biking To Road Cycling

Biking is a great sport. It is a good way to stay in shape and to help your cardiovascular health. If I had to choose between mountain biking and road cycling I would definitely choose mountain biking. I would choose mountain biking because it takes a lot more endurance and burns a lot more calories than road cycling does. Mountain biking often gives you great scenery to enjoy, while exercising at the same time. If you’re looking for a high intensity workout along with a good time, mountain biking is for you. Road cycling can become extremely repetitive and can easily get boring. It is hard to continue exercising and keeping in shape if your workout is not exciting or fun. Mountain biking is not only a lot of fun but it is something you can do when you travel and at the same time it will help keep you healthy and in shape. The best place I have ever mountain biked is at Crater Lake in Oregon. It is an extremely intense workout but I felt so amazing afterwards! I would recommend mountain biking, hands down, to anyone who is looking for a fun, exciting, and extremely exhilarating experience. If you are going to go mountain biking, you should make sure you have the right equipment. Make sure that you have knee and elbow pads, a helmet, and a proper mountain bike. You should also make sure that you have plenty of water to keep yourself hydrated. If you are going for a ride that will be more than a few hours, I would recommend taking a meal or two as well. Mountain biking is a lot of fun and I would choose it over road cycling any day. I think that anyone that has had a chance to [...]

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Picking the Right Bike

Riding a bicycle is a great way to lose weight and improve your physical conditioning, not to mention that it is a great way to get outside and enjoy a nice day. However, if you are not used to riding a bike, then there are some things that you need to know in order to stay safe and get the most out of your riding. The first step is to research the type of bike that you need. There are four main types of bikes to choose from: • Road • Mountain • Hybrid • Recumbent Road Bikes Road bikes are good for easy rides on paved streets. They have skinny tires that allow you to go fast, which is always fun. If you are going to stick to roads or paved paths and want to enjoy the wind on your face, then this is probably the right type of bike for you. The downside of this type of bike is that the riding position makes you bend forward, which might be hard on your back over long rides. Mountain Bikes Mountain bikes have become very popular. They have wide, knobby tires and a sturdy frame which can handle off-road paths. This type of bike is better for the adventurous type who wants to get out in the woods and really push themselves. The sturdy frame and thick tires will slow them down when compared to road bikes. One positive of mountain bikes is that the riding position is straighter. People with bad backs will enjoy this type of bike. Hybrid Bikes Hybrid bikes are a mix between the two. They have skinny tires like a road bike so that they go faster but the riding position is higher like a mountain bike. The ride on a hybrid is more [...]

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My Advice On Cycling At Night

Cycling at night can enable you to get more things done. In a perfect world there would be enough daylight for each of us to get everything we need to do before the sun goes down. But unfortunately we don’t live in a perfect world. Most of the time there doesn’t seem to be enough time to get everything done that we need to. Exercise is one of those tasks that always seem to be at the mercy of everything else we have to do and at often times must be done after the sun goes down. While most exercise doesn’t seem to be affected by the time of day in which it is done, cycling is different. Cycling should be done during the daylight hours, but if you have to squeeze it in at night, here are some tips to make sure you are safe. Prepare Yourself and Your Bike if You Plan to go Cycling at Night First, prepare yourself to be seen. The darkness can make you invisible and even though you are an adult on a giant bicycle, you would be surprised at just how much you can disappear in the dark. Wear the lightest colored clothing you own. Choose anything white or even something with neon qualities if you have it. Never wear blacks or navy. Wear white tennis shoes and socks. If you have a reflective vest, wear that over your shirt. You can never be too careful or overdo it when cycling at night. Also, make sure you always wear your helmet and that it also has reflective properties.  Most times we don’t want to stick out like a sore thumb, but when you cycle at night that is exactly what you want. Make sure that all your clothing helps you to be [...]

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Mountain Biking For Beginners

Gearing up properly for mountain biking when you are new to the sport is important to your personal success, and future enjoyment of the sport. I would suggest that someone just starting out go to The International Mountain Bicycling Association’s (IMBA) website, so they can learn the rules of the trails and how to stay safe. IMBA tries to promote responsible bicycling through environmentally sensitive environments. The way bikers behave on the trails will have an impact on future access to other riders. I cannot stress the importance of learning the basics, and knowing what to bring along with you when you first start out so you can have an enjoyable mountain biking experience. Be courteous to other people sharing the trails with you. Saying hello or ringing a bell to let hikers know you are approaching them from behind is the courteous thing to do. Slow down and go around other people slowly. You do not want to scare anyone as you approach from behind, as they might actually jump in  front of your bike and get hurt if you startle them in that way. Never assume that others can hear you coming. Always expect hikers, or other riders to be approaching you from the opposite direction when going around blind curve or uphill. Most importantly stay on the marked trails. Do not go biking off trail because this could damage sensitive environments and be reason for denying future access to mountain bikers. I would suggest you spray or cover yourself with some kind of insect repellent before going into the woods. You want to have a good time, not to get Lyme disease. It is also very important to be wearing the best helmet you can afford. Do not think you can get away with not wearing a [...]

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The Advantages and Disadvantages of Cycling to Work

“Well . . . I’d really love to exercise, but I don’t really have the time.” How many times have we heard this, or maybe even said it ourselves? I know I certainly have. This is the excuse I give when I don’t feel like exercising. This is the easiest way to excuse ourselves from not exercising because frankly, it is true. Before work, you are too tired to wake up an hour or two earlier to exercise. After work, you are probably so worn out from the long day that the last thing you want to do is “work” yourself up to exercising. You just want to relax with a drink and rest up for the next day. To solve this problem you just have to think of a routine that will not disrupt your life. Think about how you go to and from work. There is a simple solution to get exercise on your way to work and after work: Cycling. So, you’re probably thinking, “I’m no Lance Armstrong”, but you really don’t have to be. You’re not cycling around France, trying to win a contest. You are simply going to work and back home, just like you usually do. Cycling to work has many benefits. Some benefits you may know already. But, not only are these benefits physical, they can also be financial. Physically, a 20 minute bike ride will help you burn about 200 calories. That would be about 400 calories a day or 2000 calories a week. The average person eats about 2000 calories a day, so this exercise would be equivalent to not eating 3 meals in one day. This is greatly beneficial for those that are interested in losing weight. A brisk walk, which you normally don’t have time for, helps you burn [...]

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Will you Live Longer if you Cycle Everywhere?

In this new age of physical attractiveness coupled with earth conservation, many are interested in achieving both. How about if you could achieve both – at the same time? Sounds impossible? It is not. You can do this.  Who would have thought that hobby you had as a child would prove to be a beneficial life activity? Now, it’s not swimming, or basketball, or even tennis. These activities are good for your health, but they are selfish exercises that only benefit you. They don’t help the ozone layer in the process. Cycling is one of the only exercises that provides you the opportunity of improving yourself physically while also helping the environment. You can achieve both at the same time, effectively. This is one of the easiest ways to exercise without knowing you are exercising. Once you have learned to ride a bike, you never forget it – proving that just about anyone can do this form of exercise efficiently.   Bicycles tend to have longevity when it comes to upkeep. If you invest in a good bicycle and maintain its health regularly, you will be on the road to a long life in no time at all. There are many benefits to taking out the bicycle and riding it everywhere you would normally go in a car. Not only will you save money in gas fees, you will also help your body aerobically. Instead of jumping into the car to drive around the corner to the grocery, or even to work, you can take your bike out of the garage and get a workout as you travel. Walking is a good form of exercise, but while it only burns about 100 calories, and can be hard on your feet, cycling is much better, and faster. Cycling has been known to [...]

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Can this be the Future of Cycling?

I often wonder if the future will include flying vehicles. If that is the case where would this leave bicycles? Are bicycles not future proof? I beg to differ. I believe bicycle makers just ushered in the future with the invention of a bicycle that can read the mind of its rider. The PXP concept bike looks like a perfectly normal looking bike but seeing the headgear will convince you there is more to this bike than just cycling. It’s futuristic headgear can aptly be called as the neurohelmet is fitted with dozens of sensors touching the scalp and attached to dozen more wires which is in turn connected to a laptop. A smartphone with an application that reads a person’s brain waves, heart rate, pace, speed and most of all the person’e cycling habits is attached to the head gear as well as a laptop which translates and processes all information and turns it into a mechanical action on the bike. This bike works by catching the rider’s brain waves through it’s sensors. SO when the biker would want to turn left,  the sensors will detect the brain waves, extract the information and translate it into an action thereby actually turning the bike left. Neat! Unfortunately, this PXP design bike will not be available on the market. But the possibility of controlling a bike with your mind is not just a dream, it is already a reality.

Cycling Exercise from Cyclecore - Cycling Articles and Exercise Bike Discussion