Getting Started in Cycling

Minimal Equipment

Obviously you will need a bicycle. Depending on what type of cycling you are intending to do, will determine what sort of bicycle you will need. There are many types of cycling. Some of the common types are commuting, touring, racing, and mountain biking.

For example, if you are intending to commute to work, you will need a bike suitable for riding along paved roads (usually) and some method of carrying your belongings. If you want to ride on off road trails, obviously you will need a bicycle that is designed for off road riding, and is capable of withstanding the stresses of riding off road. A Mountain Bike usually fits this category.

Whilst there are many different types of categories of bicycles, there are also many types of bicycles within these categories. We will not cover these in this article. So your minimal equipment is a bicycle. As it is required by law in Australia to wear a helmet, you will also require a helmet.

The Bike

Before buying a bike, you will need to have some idea of what sort of riding you are going to do. You may need several bikes. Many people have several bikes, each one being for a different use.

You will need to establish a good relationship with your local bike shop (LBS). They will be the people who sell you the bike, and service the bike for you and help you when you have problems. Make sure you tell them what sort of riding you intend to do, because some bikes may not be designed for the type of riding you intend to do.

They will also be able to advise you what other equipment you will need, or advise you about things that you may want. You will also be able to purchase a helmet from your LBS, and try it on to make sure that it fits.

In the next article we will look at some of the types of bikes that are around, and I have also collected some photographs to illustrate them. You may find that a certain bike may not fit your requirements, or tastes. Most people have any modifications done to a new bike when they purchase it.

This is a good idea, because the LBS may give you a good trade in for the parts off of the new bike because they are new. For example, I do a lot of touring, so I require a dual platform pedal (don't worry if you don't know what one is, we will cover that soon), so I usually get these swapped over on purchase.

You may require different ratio gearing. This is another item that can be swapped over as well. If commuting to work, you may require racks and mudguards. These can be fitted by your LBS when you purchase the bike.

When you visit the LBS to look at a new bike, have a sit on one and ask them if you can take it for a short ride. Just remember, you will be sitting on the bike for quite awhile when riding, so you need it to be comfortable. Most new bikes have a quick release mechanism so the LBS can adjust the seat to your height.

Most new bikes come with just the basic items, such as pedals, handlebars, seat, wheels, a bell and usually gears. If you don?t understand gears, there is a whole article dedicated to explaining why there are so many cogs on a modern bicycle.

You will need to decide if you want mudguards, lights, mirrors, racks (which is for carrying things) and water cages and water bottles fitted. If you will be riding in wet weather, a good set of mudguards is a recommendation.

If riding at night, it is a legal requirement to have lights. There are good lights and there are bad lights, and once again, depending on the type of riding you are doing, will dictate what sort of lights you buy.

I also recommend fitting at least one mirror. This is so you can see behind you when riding. This saves you having to look over your shoulder and possibly becoming unbalanced on the bike.

Having somewhere to put your water bottles is also a good idea. These are held to the frame by water bottle cages (or bidons). Most bicycle frames have mounting points for at least one water cage. Some have three mounting points. Some have mounting points but it is near impossible to get a full size water bottle to fit.

These are the basics to get you going. You may also need to purchase a puncture repair kit, and some spare inner tubes.

The Rest

Once you have your bicycle and helmet, your type of riding will dictate what sort of other equipment is required. Here are a few recommendations. As mentioned above, it may be a good idea to purchase a puncture repair kit and some spare inner tubes and tyre levers.

If you get a puncture whilst riding, it is quicker to change the inner tube, and repair the punctured one when you get home. To carry these on your bike, you could buy a small bag that fits under the seat. It is held there by Velcro straps.

I also highly recommend buying some cycling glasses. These usually come with three sets of lenses that are interchangeable. Having a fly zoom into your mouth while riding is not nearly as bad as having a bee hit your eye whilst riding. I have also found when riding in the rain that the rain tends to blur your vision.

Most cycling glasses have three sets of interchangeable lenses. One set for use as sunglasses, one clear set for night and the rain, and another pair of lenses that are tinted yellow. I find these handy in low light conditions when car headlights can blind you.

If you intend to commute to work on a bicycle, you may need to purchase a rack. This mounts to the rear part of the frame, and allows you to carry things on top of the rack. It will also allow you to attach panniers (side bags or saddle bags) to the rack and carry larger things inside the pannier. This will allow you to keep your things dry when riding in the rain. You could also carry your things in a back pack, but if you sweat a lot, your back will end up being soaked.

Most modern bikes come with a flat pedal designed for riding with normal shoes on. You may decide that you wish to use toe clips, or their modern replacement, which are cleats. If you decide on this, the pedals may need to be changed, and you will need to purchase cleats and cycling shoes. Different shoes require different cleats which require different pedals. Ask your LBS for advice about this.

As mentioned above I use a dual platform pedal. One side of the pedal allows me to ride in a normal shoe, and the other side has a cleat, so I can attach my cycling shoe's cleats or my cycling sandals. Yes there is such a thing as cycling sandals with cleats.

Clothing

You will probably require cycling clothes. As a basic I recommend at least a fluorescent green or brightly colored cycling shirt. These are designed to make you visible when riding. They are also designed to allow sweat to evaporate properly. Others are also designed to provide UV protection in the sun.

I also recommend padded cycling gloves. These are fingerless gloves, with padding designed to reduce vibration from the road. They are also handy if you fall off of the bike. They can save you from severe gravel rash on your hands. Some gloves also come with a towel backing, so you can wipe sweat from your eyes when riding.

You may not imagine yourself riding around in tight lycra cycling shorts. There is no need. You can buy what are called "shy" cycling shorts. These will pass as casual cycling shorts, but have a breathable padded inner, which is designed for cycling.

Why do you need to wear cycling shorts or long cycling pants? Most cycling shorts are padded, and are also designed to relive chafing. The padding provides some protection against numbness from sitting on the seat, and the inside of the shorts are made from a material (used to be chamois) designed to relive chafing.

If you plan on riding in wet weather, you will also need some wet weather gear. Most cycling jackets come with a long tail. This is designed to stop water getting down your back. You can also buy wet weather pants, and shoe covers. For head protection, just put a shower cap under your helmet.

Depending on your climate, you may also need to buy some arm and leg warmers. These are designed to be peeled off with ease, so you can dress in layers and slowly take the layers off as you warm up.

You can ride your bike without a lot of these things. You do not necessarily need all this to go cycling. I just mentioned a few things here, so that if the LBS mentions them when you buy a new bike, you will have some idea of what they are talking about.

No doubt I have forgotten something, but I?m sure someone will let me know.

You still haven't answered the question!

What style of bike do I need for my type of riding? This is not an easy question to answer. For example, if you intend to tour, obviously you need a touring bike, but you can also tour on a mountain bike, or even a hybrid.

Racing will dictate a racing bike. Off road and riding on trails will dictate a mountain bike. First we will look at the comfort factor. You have no doubt seen a racing bike, with its low handlebars, that look like upside down bull's horns. This position is designed for better aerodynamics.

This can be uncomfortable for some people, and would be highly dangerous riding on an off road trail. Mountain bikes have a flat handlebar, and are designed for a more upright riding position. Whilst a racing bike is usually light weight and designed to go fast, mountain bikes are designed for strength and rugged off road riding, so they tend to be a lot heavier.

A hybrid bike is sort of a flat bar road bike. It's lighter than a mountain bike, and designed for riding in a more upright position. It is a cross between a racing bike and a mountain bike. This is a generalization only, and you will find many different types of bikes.

A touring bike is another design again. It usually consists of bits of designs from all sorts of bikes, but is designed for carrying large loads with mounting points for both rear and front racks. A racing bike will not come with mounting points for racks.

So now that I have confused you some more, I will give some RECOMMENDATIONS ONLY here. Speak to your LBS about exactly what sort of bike you need.

• Recreational riding on cycle paths only: hybrid or mountain bike;
• Recreational riding off road: mountain bike;
• Commuting: hybrid, mountain bike, road bike (don't ask), touring bike (very rare), Touring: mountain bike or touring bike;
• Racing: racing bike, and;
• Going to the shop and back: Any, unless you intend to carry things.

Whilst I have not covered everything in this article, it will give you some basic information on getting started and what to expect. The next couple of articles will cover some of the different bikes available, and an article explaining all those gear cogs.