Are you looking to get fit, but finding local gyms boring? Are you searching for something different? Well, look no further! I too had the same questions a month ago. However, I found the perfect solution: cycling.
In this blog post, I'm gonna give you a head start on your cycling journey. Everything in these blogs is from my own observations, tips I've gotten from other riders, and lessons I've learned from my own mistakes. Think of it as a beginner rider-to-rider chat. I've included answers to questions I get asked a lot and a step-by-step guide for anyone to start cycling. So, make yourself comfortable and take a few minutes to check out the info I've put together for you.
Why Cycling?
The one word answer for this is “fitness”. Physical fitness has always been my passion and has brought about amazing transformations in the past. Recently, however, I had not been as active and I wanted to get back into it badly. When I moved to a new city, I decided to restart my fitness journey and I knew that I didn't want to take the gym route. I wanted something new, challenging, and low-impact.
Low-impact physical activities refer to exercises that put minimal stress on the bones and joints. As I researched different options like swimming, walking, yoga, etc., cycling caught my attention. It offers three benefits to me: fitness, transportation, and recreation. Riding a cycle offers improvements in cardiovascular fitness, muscle strength, and lose-weight.
How did I choose my bicycle?
Since I had owned a bicycle before, I knew the basic three types of bicycles - mountain terrain bikes (also called MTBs, with bigger tires), hybrid bicycles (with smaller tires compared to MTBs), and road bicycles (the type you see in racing, with drop handlebars and narrow tires). I was more interested in the hybrid bicycle, as it can be used on city roads and is lighter than an MTB, making it easier for me to carry it to my residence.
I had used an online platform to purchase my previous bicycle and the customer service experience I received from the sales executive was pretty good. However, when I contacted them again, I became confused with the many brands available in their network and the executive seemed to be pushing for a brand that they represented. During my revised search session on YouTube, I came across people discussing the problems that can arise from buying a bicycle online, such as service and warranty issues, finding the right frame size, and accountability problems. This led me to look for local bike stores (LBS).
I shifted my search on Google towards the best-rated LBS near my residence. I found more than 10 shops and checked their ratings and read through the reviews posted by customers. To my surprise, I found an LBS with a 4.9-star rating from more than 300+ reviews. This piqued my curiosity and I reached out to them. The owner suggested that I come down to their shop rather than talking on the phone. When I went to the shop, I was amazed at the cool looks of the bicycles in person, which gave me a more authentic feeling than online platforms. The owner conversed with me to understand my reasons for wanting to get into cycling, and I mentioned my passion for fitness and my desire to use cycling as a medium for my journey. They explained the different applications of each type of bicycle and asked me to take a test ride on all three types. Since I wanted to do long-distance rides on my bicycle, I was more interested in getting a geared bicycle. And finally I decided to purchase a hybrid bicycle with 21 gears (that is a split of 3 gears in the front and 7 gears at the back).
They explained to me about applications of each type of cycle and asked me to take a test ride on all three types. Long distance rides were something I really wanted to do in my cycle hence I was more interested in getting a geared cycle.
How did I fixed my budget?
The distance from my PG to the office is around 3.5 km one way and it will cost around 50 on Rapido and 80 for an auto rickshaw. By using these means of transportation, I would need to spend approximately 2200 to 3520 INR per month. Adding gym membership to the mix, I would have to bear a minimum expense of 1500 INR per month for fitness. This brings the total monthly expenditure for both fitness and commuting to around 3700 INR.
To finance this, I considered taking a loan from my credit card with an EMI of max 3500 INR for a one-year period. I set a budget of 40,000 INR and researched different cycle models that fall under this budget. After watching reviews on YouTube, I finally decided on the Bergamont Helix 1.5i, a hybrid bicycle.
During this process, I also got to know about experienced and skilled riders in India who are content creators and I started following them for tips and advice on cycling. I went back to the store to purchase the cycle, but I also realized that I needed to budget for accessories like a helmet, front and rear light, and a lock. In total, I spent 35,000 INR on the cycle and another 5,000 INR on accessories.
What are the must-have accessories to purchase along with a bicycle?
The main five critical accessories that are a must-have without any compromise are helmets, front and rear lights, a cycle lock, a bottle tray, and a cycle stand. However, to get a full understanding of the accessories, I have divided them into 4 categories: Safety, Clothing, Essential Accessories, and Nutrition.
Safety:
Helmet: Ensures your safety while riding.
Front lights: Provides visibility to the rider during early morning or late evening rides.
Rear lights: Provides visibility to vehicles coming from behind.
Cycling shades: Protects your eyes from mud, particles from the exhaust of vehicles, and the sun.
Cycle lock: To keep your cycle safe when you are not nearby.
Vaseline with petroleum gel: To apply on your groin area to avoid injury.
Clothing:
Cycling Jersey: Provides more comfortable and aerodynamic advantages while riding.
Gel ded cycling shorts: Helps to lessen the bump pain and improves aerodynamic performance.
Cycling gloves: Protects your palms in case of an accident.
Balaclava masks: Avoid tanning and pollution.
Arm sleeves: Protects from accidents and sunburns.
Essential accessories:
Saddle bags: Stores accessories like mobile, energy bars/ bananas.
Stepinne tubes: Used during puncture scenarios.
Puncture kits: Used during puncture scenarios.
Multi Tool kit: Used during puncture scenarios and for tightening.
Cycle chain cleaner and lube: To clean cycle chains for better performance.
Hand pump: To keep the right air pressure.
Sunscreen: To avoid sunburns during summers.
Windcheater: Protection against cold winds during winters.
Nutrition:
Bananas/ Energy bars.
It is important to note that the prices of these accessories may vary depending on the brand and store.However, 5000 INR is a good budget to be allocated for accessories. It's also important to consider the weather conditions and to do proper maintenance of the accessories to ensure they last longer. For example, I purchased all my accessories from Decathlon.
7 MOST IMPORTANT TIPS FOR BEGINNERS TO IMPROVE YOUR RIDING?
Selecting the right frame size: Based on your height, weight, arm and leg length, have the local store mechanic adjust the saddle height, position of gears, and breaks, etc. on the cycle. This process is called bike fit and is extremely important because when you ride long distances, if the frame size is not proper, the chances of getting injuries are greater.
Cycling groups: Always try to join a cycling group. Group rides are always fun, energetic, and your learning curve becomes very fast with the help of experienced co-riders.
Nutrition: Always eat a banana before the ride and eat protein-rich food after the ride. Also, sip water at regular intervals before you feel thirsty.
Strava: It is a mobile application to track your rides and to stay connected with the fitness community. You can use the free version to track the distance and record it while the paid version has more analytics about your rides.
Maintenance: Make sure to properly maintain your bicycle. This includes regular cleaning, lubricating the chain, and checking the tire pressure. This will help prolong the life of your bicycle and ensure that it runs smoothly.
Start slowly and gradually increase your distance and intensity as you build up your fitness and confidence.
Learn basic bicycle mechanics such as how to change a flat tire, adjust brakes and gears. It will save you from the hassle of going to a bike shop or waiting for a bike mechanic to fix it.
I believe I've covered most of the doubts you may have as a beginner. Stay tuned for more content like this on nutrition and diets, weight loss through cycling, preparing for long rides, and the many benefits of cycling. I'll be sharing the lesser-known aspects of cycling with you.
Please let me know what topics you're most interested in learning about. And if you come across any information that needs corrections, please let me know in the comments.
Let's ride this journey together and make our cycling experience more enjoyable and effective!
Signing out!