4ucycling

Nowadays, obesity has become one of the major health risks around the world. People need to understand ways to achieve and maintain fitness. One of the best programs to take on is good old fashion cycling. It has always been an effective way to burn up some calories, get in shape, as well as meet new people or bond with friends and family. So for those people in search of a good fitness activity that will allow them to bond with people and enjoy the great outdoors while keeping in, cycling is the way to go. Being overweight is usually a cause of misery and health problems. And something should be done about it. The downside with other types of exercises is that they can be exhausting, complicated or monotonous. Cycling on the other hand is simple to get into, interesting, and enjoyable. For most people, cycling doesn't have to feel like a routine or hard work. You can start out your cycling exercise by having a simple spin around the neighbourhood and then to the grocery store ...

Spring is in the air and along with it are the thousands of men and women, girls and boys who have waited through the long, cold winter to get back on their bikes. They are ready to say good-by to those long months of too much television viewing and too little exercising. No doubt extra pounds have found their way to many waistlines and muscles are likely much less defined than they were at the end of last fall after a nice long season of regular workouts. Now is the time to change all of that. It's time to turn off the remote, get off the couch and regroup. The cumbersome boots and heavy winter coats can now be stored and out can come the warm weather t-shirts, cycling shorts and fitted cycling jerseys. Hallelujah! This season has not arrived one minute too soon. A good many of us must feel exactly the same way because the streets are becoming crowded with cycling enthusiasts traveling in pairs, in groups and solo. The bright colors of their jerseys are a most welcome sight and co...

Nowadays, cycling has becoming more popular in our country recently for a number of reasons. One of those reasons, however, must be the three gold medals won by the cyclists at the Olympic Games. In fact, cycling is not just a sport though, and a friend of mine called Jim is just one of the many people who like to cycle long distances because they want to enjoy the natural beauty of the country. He belongs to an organization. Jim has been riding some routes for a few years now, along with his local friends. They do it to raise money for charity, but also because they enjoy the views across the country's scenic landscapes and like to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city. Lily is a campaigner who is always doing some charity rides and generally enjoying cycling, Lily runs a local group and helps organize the 'critical commute'- where cyclists gather every last Friday of the month and cycle into work together. For Lily, cycling is about saving the planet- a cost-e...

The inspiring story of Lance Armstrong's determined struggle against cancer and his triumphant return to professional cycling has touched hundreds of thousands of people across the world. His seven straight wins in the world's greatest cycling race, the Tour de France, has surely helped cycling's profile. But what is it about the sport of cycling that is so attractive? In part, the partnership of man and machine has a distinct attraction. The modern-day bicycle, with cranks and pedals, was invented in the 1860s with the first bicycle race thought to have been conducted at the Parc de Saint-Cloud in Paris in 1868. Man's desire to cross a variety of terrain and desire to ride faster has driven the evolution of bicycles. The predecessors of the sleek, light-weight carbon bikes used in modern professional racing are steel-framed, welded and by comparison unwieldy machines. For professional cyclists the difference between winning and losing a race may be a matter of ...

So, you wake up, draw back the curtains and everything is thick white snow outside. Does this mean the bike stays cuddled up next to the warm radiator? It should signal the chance to get out there and challenge convention and in some people’s eyes, wisdom! We always err in favour of a challenge, it’s the way we’re programmed. Stay loose Whatever style of bike you have, the over-riding thing which will help you get the most from riding in the snow this winter is to relax. Nothing unsettles the bike like tension in the riders body. It transmits right through the bike and into the tyres. It pays to be loose and limber when riding in the snow, from the finger tips in your gloves to the toes in your shoes and everywhere in between. The same is true for all mountain biking, but when the conditions are as sketchy as they often are when snow is on the ground, it’s even more important. Road bikes Snow is usually partnered by its sidekick, ice. Ice and the typically narrow, high-pres...

Folding tires (illustration) make a significant difference in handling and ride quality. For example, there's road rubber that uses special materials and construction to improve the suppleness of the tire, resulting in a much smoother ride. And, there are models designed for sky-high pressures, which on Folding tires cost more yet are lighter, easier to remove, and fit in packs and pockets, too!super-smooth surfaces, reduce rolling resistance and assist all-out racing efforts. And all folding tires are lighter for improved climbing and acceleration. Carry A Spare An often-overlooked advantage of these folding road tires is that it's easy to carry a spare. Folders pack small enough to fit in a seat bag, jersey pocket or suitcase (when you travel with your bike). This means that you can easily carry a replacement if you're concerned that one of your tires is ready to fail. Easy On And Off You'll also find that folding tires, both road and dirt models, are usually easier ...

Get the right bike for you If you are new to cycling, you will probably want to start with a bike that is fairly stable and easy to ride. Mountain bikes are great for beginners because they have fairly wide wheels and a good range of gears. Racers or road bikes have much thinner wheels and are built for speed. You will need to keep a careful eye on the road or path ahead. Potholes or large cracks in the surface of the road are more likely to knock you off a racer bike than a sturdy mountain bike. Many people find hybrids or commuter bikes a good compromise between speed and stability. Frames come in many different sizes and you should try and get one appropriate for you. Your seat should be high enough so your legs can completely straighten. This helps with your pedalling efficiency. Make sure you can be seen Black is definitely not the best colour to wear when you are riding, as it makes you the same colour as the road. You are at increased risk of being hit by a car if the drive...

Catherine, you prefer a bike as your means of transport. Why? A bike is a fast and inexpensive way of getting around. And it does me good to get a bit of exercise after uni, for example. I save on going to the gym and it’s fun. What do you like most about cycling? What I like best about cycling in the city is getting from A to B quickly. There’s no waiting, unlike with public transport. With the bike, I don’t have to worry how many minutes I have to wait for the tram. I just ride off. And when I go cycling at home (I’m actually from the countryside), it’s a great contrast. Especially in summer, when I want to ride to the lake or along the river. And if you had a choice, which city would be your favourite for cycling? Hmm … maybe somewhere in Iceland. I think Iceland’s great. Where I wouldn’t feel safe as a cyclist would be in Los Angeles or Barcelona. LA isn’t for cyclists who want to get to their destination in less than three hours. The promenade along the beach in Santa Monica ...

When the dark first comes it’s a shock. I love cycling, and I especially love riding with my young kids. But it takes an extra adjustment, a mindshift even, when nursery and school runs, and then commutes to and from work, must suddenly be ridden with no light from the sky. I blink into the blackness. It always takes a few days for my eyes to accept to this utterly predictable yet still constantly surprising shift in seasons. At first the streets seem less knowable. The cars louder and more predatory, their lights shining like violence. And my kids who all summer refused to leave the house without their bikes suddenly take coaxing, especially the youngest who conquered his first pedal bike this summer. It would be so easy to stop now. Take the bikes out of their cosy corner of the living room and lock them in the shed for winter. As a child I rarely rode through the dead of winter, lights were rubbish and expensive then and my school days lasted as long as the cycle of the sun. And ...

Bicycling is an amazing way to get fit and healthy, but you may find yourself getting tired of the same old routes. That’s understandable – anyone who rides every day will likely have found themselves uninspired at some point! But that’s not an excuse to give up! All you need to do is look for exciting, challenging new ways to make cycling even more fun. By doing so, you’ll not only be more enthusiastic towards riding your bike, but you’ll also be even more motivated to take care of your body by cycling as much as possible! Here are twelve easy, accessible ways to make cycling even more fun. 1. Download a cycling app and track your stats. By downloading a cycling app, you’ll be able to keep track of your speeds, distances and more. Not only will you be able to monitor these and the effects they’re having on your progress, but you’ll also be able to have fun challenging yourself to beat your own scores on your bamboo bicycle! 2. Get your friends involved. Everything is mo...

Level 1 At Level 1 new riders learn to control and master their bikes in a space away from traffic such as a playground or closed car park. Trainees will usually be trained in a group of 3-12, though individual training may also be available in your area. At Level 1 you can: prepare yourself and your bike for cycling get on and off your bike without help start off, pedal and stop with control pedal along, use gears and avoid objects look all around and behind, and control the bike share space with pedestrians and other cyclists Level 2 Level 2 takes place on local streets, giving trainees a real cycling experience. Trainees learn how to deal with traffic on short journeys such as cycling to school or the local shops. Trainees are usually trained in small groups – up to 6 trainees per instructor – though individual training may also be available. At Level 2 you can: prepare for on-road cycling start and finish an on-road journey recognise typical hazards let others kno...

If you want to use a high intensity training model then I would recommend the following guidelines: Aim to do three high intensity training sessions per week, ideally with a rest day between each session. High intensity training sessions are defined as intervals efforts at or above threshold intensity.a Each session should last between 45 and 90 minutes. Each high intensity phase should be rotated in blocks of training in order to manage the workload. Begin with two weeks of high intensity training to one week of low/moderate intensity. This can be progressed to three weeks of high intensity with one or two weeks of low to moderate intensity. I still recommend at least one aerobic low/moderate intensity ride during high intensity weeks. Most people will have four or five training days a week, so stick to three high intensity sessions to avoid over-reaching and use your other training days for low to moderate intensity rides in order to recover, enable your muscles to help adapt t...

Not progressing your training As you get closer and closer to the first events of the season, whether it’s a sportive or road race, then your training needs to adapt. If you carry on doing what you have for the last two months then you won’t be stretching yourself in training. As you approach the season your rides need to become more and more specific. For example, if you are a sportive rider targeting a major European event then you should start to incorporate more sweetspot work into your training order to replicate the effort required on climbs. Doing too much, too soon The principles of training are simple: train hard, recover to allow your body to adapt to that training, and then train hard again. The key is to allow your body to recover in between hard blocks of training and then make the next block slightly harder than the one you have just completed in order to encourage consistent and sustainable progression. Not getting enough recovery Without adequate recovery, your...

What can I do to improve my bike handling skills? So you want to improve your bike handling skills? Here are six tips to make you feel more comfortable and controlled when out on the bike. 1. Practice makes perfect Needless to say, one of the best ways to improve bike handling is to actually get out and ride your bike – the more often you do, the more natural it will become. However, if bike handling is a particular issue for you then having a quiet space to practice troublesome skills on your own is a great way to do improve your skill on the bike. 2. Think ahead The key to being able to react to obstacles and hazards in good time is to think – and look – ahead. It’s so easy to ‘chew your stem’ when working hard at the front of a group or grinding up a climb and miss important and potentially dangerous hazards. 3. Watch others They say one of the best ways to learn is by watching others. Not just anyone, however – you need to watch those who are well-versed in goo...

Take it easy The faster and harder you ride in hot weather, the harder on your body it’s going to be. Obviously such riding can’t be avoided in a race but if you’re out in the country on an all-day ride, keep the pace steady and try to keep your energy expenditure low. Take it slow, don’t charge up all the hills. Regular breaks in the shade (or pub/café if you prefer) are a good tip too. Wear lightweight clothing to help keep cool – and don’t go charging up every hill Wear lightweight clothing Wear technical clothing with high sweat wicking properties and which offer plenty of ventilation; mesh panels (don’t forget to apply sunscreen underneath…) full-length zips and the like, so you can get as much cooling air over your body as possible. A wicking base layer will also help remove sweat and keep you drier. Don’t neglect your feet either; thin socks and well vented shoes will keep your toes from getting clammy. Some brands now offer clothing which is super-light (and sometimes wit...

A shop tune-up costs $40 to $60. If you're a do-it-yourselfer, here are five quick safety tests recommended by Calvin Jones, a bike mechanic for more than 30 years and author of The Big Blue Book of Bike Repair (Park Tool Co.). Grab Each Wheel. Pull back and forth to test whether they're loose in the frame. Spin the wheels to check that they're not touching brake pads. Ensure a Secure Seat. Hold the frame with one hand and the saddle with the other, then try to twist the saddle. Tighten, if needed. Look for Rust. A little surface rust is okay, but if the frame has rusted through or if the chain has rusted so much that it's stiff, it may be unsafe. While you're eyeballing the chain, lubricate it with one drop of bicycle-specific chain lube per roller. Check for Tire Cracks. If the tire sidewalls look like fishnet, they're too old and worn to be ridden. Dig Your Thumbnail into the Brake Pads. If the pads are too hard to allow you to press your thumbnail int...

As Ann Barnes casually pedals next to her 7-year-old daughter, Jacquelyn, on the bike trail at White Rock Lake Park in Dallas, birds float above the lake, buoyed on a steady breeze, much like Ann's mood every time she rides. After being off the bike for years, she rediscovered cycling as a way to spend time with her daughter and start exercising again. Their 20-minute rides, which often include a picnic or playground break, rejuvenate the 48-year-old computer software analyst. "Getting out, being active, and breathing the fresh air makes us both feel happy," Ann says. "Riding again has given rise to my spirits, so I'm also working out at the gym at lunch. The bike's more fun, though." Like Ann, you probably have a bike stowed in your garage or basement. Brush off the cobwebs, start riding regularly, and you'll feel an energy boost and shed some pounds. Even if you haven't broken a sweat in years, cycling is an excellent way to ease back into ...

Most of the same reasons why bicyclists will drive towards the center of a lane are good reasons for leaving the bike lane. Even in states with mandatory bike lane use, the law allows cyclists the same exceptions as it does to keeping right in general. Here are just a few reasons: Bike lanes collect the debris and glass that is swept off the road. Sometimes you can see it because it’s big, like tree branches, but sometimes only we can see it. A small shard of glass can cause a flat tire. (How many tires did you change on your way to work today?) Many bike lanes are designed poorly or just plain dangerous. Bike lanes next to parked cars are often entirely within a hazard area we call “the door zone.” A suddenly-opened door can kill a cyclist. When approaching intersections, or in areas with lots of driveways, a bike lane puts us in a conflict zone (shown in the above animation). Bike lanes increase our risk for all of the common crossing and turning crashes. It may not be a bike l...

It is no minimum age limit for the issuing of fines in the traffic regulation by the police. Bicycle riders who break the road rules will be given the same fines as motorists, but will not accumulate demerit points. Offences common to both bicycle riders and motorists include: failing to stop at a red traffic light disobeying a 'no U-turn' sign at an intersection failing to stop at a 'stop' sign at an intersection using a mobile phone exceeding the speed limit in a speed zone by less than 13km/h. Common offences specific to bicycle riders include: carrying more passengers than a bicycle is designed for failing to give way to pedestrians on a footpath or shared path failing to display a light at night or in hazardous weather conditions failing to wear an approved helmet. Motorised bicycles Legal motorised bicycles You can ride a motorised bicycle on all roads and paths, except where bicycles are prohibited. There are two types of legal motorised bicycl...

A bicycle storage area is a section of the road, before an intersection with traffic lights, where you can wait (for the traffic lights to change) in front of the stopped vehicles. A bicycle storage road area will have painted bicycle symbols, be between two parallel stop lines and may be painted green. Bicycle and motorcycle riders are allowed to cross the first stop line to enter the bicycle storage area but must stop at the second stop line at a red traffic light. Motor vehicles, other than motorcycles, must stop at the first stop line. A bicycle rider may choose to enter a bicycle storage area from a bicycle lane. When you enter a bicycle storage area, you must: give way to anyone that is already in the bicycle storage area give way to any vehicle that is entering the area on a green or yellow traffic light.