Mind & Body

Reinventing The Wheel: Cycling Advice For Beginners

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One of the best ways to take care of your health is to cycle. As far as exercise goes, this is one of the super workouts because it targets a plethora of systems. The lungs and heart get an excellent workout, as do the leg and arm muscles. In comparison, only swimming comes close to matching it. Unlike doing lengths, however, cycling is quirky and requires a certain amount of expertise. For beginners, this can be daunting and dangerous in equal measure.

To avoid anything untoward, it’s essential to understand the tricks of the trade. Here are the things amateurs should know before getting in the saddle.

Motorists Take Liberties

Road biking is becoming popular, which means bikes and cars are sharing the asphalt. Mountain bikers will find themselves side by side with drivers too because your route won’t always be off the beaten track. Cycling on a busy road is dangerous because motorists are in a rush and take liberties. Plenty of victims have had to contact the Law Offices of Randolph Rice as they were involved in an accident which wasn’t their fault. What cyclists need to do is follow the Highway Code and stay as straight as possible. Also, consider taking out an insurance policy in case the worst happens.

Bikes Break

Yep, even the one you paid a couple of hundred bucks for which was billed as “top of the range.” To be fair, they are not normally big problems – a chain will come loose or a wheel will puncture. As long as you have the correct kit and the know-how, they’re easy problems to solve. However, loads of beginners venture out into the wilderness without a spare inner-tube and an instruction manual. It’s a long way back if the rubber splits halfway along the route, which is why you need to be prepared. Take a backpack and include the essentials, from recover kit to a cell phone.

Cycling Is Popular

This is important to remember because you may start out alone. It’s not uncommon when friends and family don’t want to join. So, you plan a route and try and get into the routine of riding. The problem is loneliness: it gets boring and monotonous on your own. When you’re in your head, this is when things stop being fun and you want to quit. Reaching out to fellow cyclists in the area encourages newbies to dedicate their time to the sport. They’ll provide new info and tips as well as laughter and drive.

And It’s Tough

A grave error in judgment is the belief that cycling is easy. There is a bike doing all the work, so it can’t be too hard. Then, you reach the first big climb of your career and almost die. The experience is enough to put novices off for life, which is why you should take baby steps. Plot a gentle course to begin with and move onto tougher ones gradually to get into the lifestyle.

All that’s left is to ask – are you ready to hit the road?

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My wit is my power. Writing is my life. I'm from this often stereotyped place called Mississippi. I like green eggs with my ham and pancakes without bacon. I enjoy cups of green tea and James Patterson books. I'm ultimately here to share my gift. The rest is still unwritten.

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