Monday, March 8th, 2010
Just about every motorist has had the experience of being stuck in traffic and seeing a group of cyclists whizzing past them on their fancy bikes and the latest in bike accessories and gear. Just about everywhere you go these days there is plenty of evidence of the fact that road cycling in enjoying a real increase in popularity and that more and more people than ever are getting into cycling.
Sometimes when we observe adventure cycling riders sailing along the side of the road it is easy to think that cycling is just a breeze and that it is so simple and easy that just anyone can do it. The truth of the matter is that those who are serious about their recreational cycling have put in a great deal of work in training in order to make it look easy to the casual observer. These avid cyclists are typically dedicated athletes.
Of course, there are all levels of road cycling and people of just about all ages and ability levels can get involved. Those who are new to the sport and who are not as fit can get bikes built for comfort and can stick to cycling routes that are fairly level and not too physically taxing.
At the same time, cycling can be just about as challenging a sport as anything else that you can imaging. Many professional cycling routes can tax even the very best of athletes because of the steep climbs and frequent changes in inclines along the more demanding routes. These routes should only be considered for those who are in top-notch physical condition.
Cycling can be a wonderful way to spend your free time, but it is important to know what your physical limitations are. It is never a good idea to head out on routes that you are not familiar with since you don’t want to find yourself in a situation that is too physically demanding for your well-being and safety. There are many cycling clubs in every state across the country that have routes all mapped out and rated for the fitness and expertise level to help you know what you are getting into before the ride.
It should be obvious that a crucial element to safe bike travel is the quality of your bike and other gear that you use. If you plan to be far from a populated area on your biking adventure, then you must be sure to have emergency gear and supplies to tide you over in the event of a problem.
Always let people know where you are going whenever you head out to do some road cycling. Most people enjoy going on cycling trips with friends and this is also a better way to go in terms of improved safety and security along the way. If you don’t have friends or family who are interested in joining you, then you can join a cycling association and find cyclists you can team up with for your cycling adventures.
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Tags: Ability Levels, adventure cycling, Bike Accessories, bike clothing, bike gear, Bikes, Casual Observer, Cycling Clubs, cycling routes, Cyclists, Expertise Level, Fitness, Free Time, Frequent Changes, Inclines, Mountain Bike, Mountain Biking, People, Physical Limitations, Popularity, Professional Cycling, Road Cycling, Time Cycling, Truth Of The Matter, Wonderful Way
Posted in Cycling, Mountain Biking, bicycling, biking tour, pedalling | Comments Off
Friday, November 27th, 2009
Introduction to cycling
While taken seriously as a form of transportation in many countries, the bicycle is regarded as either a toy or a sporting device in the United States of America. It’s okay for most kids to ride a bicycle, and it is acceptable to use a bike for racing and sometimes fitness. The potential of a bike goes far beyond that because it can also be used as an earth friendly way to go back and forth to work. You can also add a thule bike rack to make it even easier to get your bike delivered to a location where you can ride.
Types Of Bikes To Buy For Communting
You have to be careful when selecting a bicycle for practical use. A lot of the common models have wide wires and rugged frames and are really designed more for a trail in the woods rather than for ridding on the road or sidewalk. So make sure you look for one with narrow tires and a longer wheelbase so that it will be easier to pedal on the street. Some bikes are called touring bikes and these may be the best for using as a vehicle for work.
Use A Bike With Public Transportation
Suppose you live a little far from the office and you just don’t have the time or the physical capability to pedal that far. You should consider riding the local bus for part of the way. Most city bus lines now have bike racks on them where you can load your bike, and ride for a good part of the way. If the bus goes within a couple miles of your residence and a couple miles near your office, you can really make your commute a lot easier.
Accessories For Your Bike
A few accessories will probably help make your bicycle commuting go well. One is extra storage. How are you going to carry your stuff on the bike? There’s a wide variety of options, but the two most common is a backpack that goes on the rider or baskets and bags that mount on the bike itself. Other items you may need include a rear view mirror so you can keep an eye on traffic, a headlight for when the time change makes you ride in the dark, and a turn signal to communicate with motorists, and a bike lock that will secure your bike while not in use.
Your bike is not a automobile, so the terrain is going to be very important for your ride. You will want to avoid heavy car traffic, and hills as much as possible. This means you may take one direction to work and another on your way back home.
Tags: bike, Exercise, Fitness, health, outdoor
Posted in Cycling, Mountain Biking, bicycling, biking tour, pedalling | Comments Off
Monday, November 23rd, 2009
Cycling is one of the most popular sports in the world and it is estimated that there is over 4 billion bikes world wide now. The motivations for cycling vary, from just wanting to get a bit of fresh air, to wanting to dramatically enhance your fitness. The fitness benefits for your muscles varies quite a lot depending on which type of cycling you do. If you cycle very long distances at relatively low intensity, your muscles will become very good at endurance and will build many slow-twitch fibres. Conversely, if you ride at a high intensity over shorter periods, you will develop more fast twitch (powerful) fibres and build muscle size. But which muscles get worked the most when cycling.
Quadriceps (thighs). Without doubt the muscles that produce most of the force when cycling are the quadriceps. These are the muscles that straighten out the leg and produce the down force on the pedals, which in turn rotate the crack. Racing bikes in fact are designed to locate the quads directly over the crack so that maximum efficiency is achieved. When cycling fast, these muscles are contracted and relaxed hundreds of times a minute and so they need to be in good shape.
Gastrocnemius (calf muscles). The muscles of the calf work just as hard as those of the thigh, and relative to their size they produce a lot of power.When the leg is straightened by the quadricep muscles, there is still a percentage of power that can be gained by flexing the calf muscles and pointing the toes downwards. Pinarello make pedals that dynamically pivot to squeeze every last bit of power juice from the calf muscles.
Hamstrings. After the quads have forced the leg down and helped move the bike forwards, the hamstrings work to to pull it back up again and reset the leg ready for another push. This doesn’t require much force on a standard bike as the rotation of the pedals pushes the leg up but when you use cycling shoes that clip to the pedals, a large amount of additional force can be generated by these muscles in the upward movement
Tags: Bikes, Cycling, Fitness, muscles, riding
Posted in Cycling, Mountain Biking, bicycling, biking tour, pedalling | Comments Off
Tuesday, May 27th, 2008
pleaseanswwer asked: I am looking for a way to spend my time that will help keep me as fit as if i were a runner or involved in a school sport. I would like to know if biking can fit these requirements and if so, how much biking needs to be done. Will biking help me run the mile? Will it keep my interest? Any thoughts appreaciated.
I am looking for a way to spend my time that will help keep me as fit as if i were a runner or involved in a school sport. I would like to know if biking can fit these requirements and if so, how much biking needs to be done. Will biking help me run the mile? Will it keep my interest? Any thoughts appreaciated. I am thinking ten miles a day, how much can that compare to running?
I am thinking of serious exercise here.
Dan
Tags: Exercise, Fitness, Running, Thinking Day
Posted in Other - Sports | 4 Comments »