4ucycling

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 ...

Go somewhere you’ve never been before. Do you ever crave that sense of adventure? Get out your map (or GPS) and pick out somewhere exciting that’s within cycling distance. The only catch is that it must be somewhere you’ve never been before. You’ll see and experience new things – both during your journey and once you’ Take part in a race. It may be you need more of a challenge to shake things up a little, so why not consider a race? You’ll be able to try out a fun route against like-minded individuals as you race from A to B. It doesn’t matter if you win or lose. What is important is that you had fun taking part! Don’t be afraid to go off track. If you’re sticking to the same old routes and roads, that’s probably why you’re finding yourself a little bored with your cycling routine. Don’t be afraid to take a new path, head down an alley, bike over a dusty dirt path or take the long way to your destination. You’ll see new things and learn more about your area, giving you a...

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...

“A rider who has good handling skills will be a safer rider,” says Stu Auckland. “If they’re confident and comfortable in handling their bike, in tune with its handling, braking and accelerating characteristics, they can also then put more energy into their riding.” Auckland says a better bike handler often has more time to make decisions when encountering hazards, because less conscious thought is put into reacting to them on the road – everything becomes more instinctive, with fewer knee-jerk reactions made because the rider is experienced and able to deal with a given situation. This takes on extra importance when riding in a group. “You want your actions to be fast and fluid, not jerky and haphazard, especially if riding with others or within a large group” he says. “Last-minute swerving, heavy braking or constant changes in pace because you’re a ‘jerky’ rider will filter throughout the group meaning those behind will be expelling unnecessary energy slowing and speeding up, pl...

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...

4. Use your gears and switch them before you get on the hill and have all the tension on the chain and cogs: All that popping and grinding and inability to shift gears under load is normal. You wouldn't shift your manual transmission car without putting the clutch in, so why would you shift a bike without letting up on the pedals a bit? And that goes for shifting in and out of the front chain rings as well as changing cogs on the rear cassette. 3. Keep your head up, and relax your elbows, shoulders, and hands slightly: Keeping your head up too high, with all the tension in your hands, neck, arms, and shoulders, will give you some aches and pains that are unnecessary and put you at risk for erratic handling of the bicycle in adverse conditions. Being loose allows your bike to respond just the right amount to stones, gravel, or wind. Looking where you are going is pretty obvious. After all, you wouldn't walk down the street in NYC looking at the sidewalk just in front of your fe...

In light of this upcoming long-weekend ride, I present my top 11 tips for improving your cycling technique: Pedal with flat feet: Some people think of keeping their heels down, and some point their toes towards the sky. A couple of analogies we use are to picture the linkage on an old steam engine and visualize your foot as the linkage come up and staying flat throughout the revolution of the wheels. The other is to picture an equestrian rider, riding a horse with heels down, while toes are in the stirrups. Toes down is a no, no in my book, and you'll see why in the next two tips, as they all go together. Get on the pedals early: This means you start pushing forward on the pedals before they reach the top of the arc or 12 o'clock. With your feet flat to slightly toed up/heeled down you'll be able to increase your power band from two to three hours if you look at the face of a clock. With left foot, start pushing at 10 o'clock instead of one o'clock. With toes down...

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...

The Best Mountain Bikes of 2017 If you’re in the market for a new — or another — mountain bike, we’ve got you covered. From high-end, full-suspension bikes built for racing to the latest affordable 650b Plus rigs, these bikes are the some of the best around. ENTRY LEVEL ($1,500 AND UNDER) 1. NORCO FLUID 2 HT $1,299 Somewhere between a fat bike and a more traditional mountain bike, 650b Plus bikes are perfect for beginners. They’ll roll over just about anything, handle well and are faster than you might think. While it won’t break any speed records, the Fluid 2 HT from Norco is plenty capable of riding just about any trail — from loose technical climbs to rocky descents. The one-by drivetrain also makes shifting simple and regular maintenance as easy as it’s going to get. 2. SURLY KARATE MONKEY 27.5+ $1,399 Known for its affordable and well-built bikes, Surly has a small but loyal following. The solid steel-frame Karate Monkey is a bike that’s been around for a while, and w...

If you don't want to cut out solo riding entirely, joining a cycling club is good way to improve your skills on the bike and take your fitness to the next level. Use this guide to find out how joining a cycling club benefits you as a cyclist and where to find a like-minded cycling group near you. 1. LEARN BETTER BIKE-HANDLING Whether you’re interested in racing or not, improving your bike-handling makes you a safer cyclist on the road. By joining a cycling group and getting involved in weekend club rides, you’ll learn useful skills you might not be exposed to riding solo. Drafting, bike control, hand signals and pacing are just a few of the basics you’ll grow accustomed to when you practice riding in close proximity to others. READ MORE > 10 CYCLING HAND SIGNALS YOU NEED TO KNOW 2. DEVELOP CAMARADERIE If you ride lots of miles alone, motivation can become an issue. Joining a cycling club with other like-minded cyclists helps you mix up your training regimen and have m...

Being a popular sport, cycling  has become a fashion for people in different ages. Cyclists form actual cycling clubs and spend years of their lives working to become great cyclists. It's as serious as online football betting to those who are betting on the outcomes! And with Lance Armstrong managing to win the Tour de France so many times, it brought a little bit of glory the sport for people in the United States. However, it doesn't mean that there aren't teams that seem to take the sport a little less seriously. Over the years there have been some truly hilarious names that cycling teams have given themselves. Pedalphiles : The Pedalphiles are a group of dedicated cyclists that reside in the Klang Valley region of Malaysia. Despite their definitely questionable name, the group holds the record for long distance outstation rides in Malaysia and they attend cycling events all over the world. Suck It Up Buttercup: There is also a group that calls itself "Suck It Up Bu...

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...

If you’re getting a new bike, go to a reputable bike shop, where they can advise on the best type of bike and make sure it’s the right size for you. If you’ve already got a bike, get it checked to make sure it’s in a safe condition. It’s best to get your bike serviced regularly at a cycle shop. Check your bike regularly yourself, especially before taking to the road. Here are four things to do regularly: Check brakes and brake blocks or discs to ensure safe stopping in wet and dry weather Clean and oil moving parts to keep the bike working smoothly Tighten nuts and bolts to prevent any parts working loose Make sure lights are working properly and that reflectors are clean. Replace any batteries that don’t give a bright light.