Bike Training Tips

Cycling Safety – By law, you are required to ride your bicycle on the roads (not sidewalks) along side our 3000 lb, four-wheeled friends! In some states, bicycle paths or roadside shoulders will be designated along side the road for specifically for bicycling. However, you will still be on the road traveling with faster moving automobiles. Be smart out there. Avoid cycling during peak traffic hours(morning commutes, lunch hour, five o’clock hour). Find a road or highway that is least traveled upon. If possible, ride with a friend. When riding, take along some money, spare tubes and the necessary items for flatting, even a cell phone. Make sure you have the necessary nutrition before heading out. Always ride with traffic along the right side of the road. If there is a shoulder, ride within the shoulder. Keep your eyes out for gravel and broken glass along the side of the road or shoulder. Check with your local bike shop for any organized group rides in your area or safe bike routes.
Heart Rate Training - As mentioned before, all of your training should be aerobic, concentrating on staying within your aerobic heart rate zone. Always perform a warm-up on your bike rides. Start with an easy 10-15 minute warm-up spinning in a very easy gear, keeping your heart rate very low (below your aerobic heart rate zone). As you approach the end of your warm-up,gradually begin to increase your heart rate by building your effort until your heart rate reaches the lower level of your aerobic training zone. Remember, It may be difficult to cycle in the initial zone you created by the 180-method (the actual zone created by subtracting your age from 180 and then subtracting 10 from that figure). So you will need to experiment to find out what works best for you. Begin by subtracting 5 to 10 beats from your initial aerobic zone and determine how it feels during the ride.
Heart Rate Training and Your Geographical Location - The flatter the terrainon which you ride, the easier it will be to maintain a steady heart rate and to monitor your heart rate. If you live in a hilly or mountainous area, your heart rate will be more erratic during your ride, usually rising on the uphill climbs and dropping during the descents. When riding uphill, shift to an easier gear(so your pedaling becomes easier) and try to maintain a smooth pedal cadence or pedal stroke. Avoid pumping the pedals if possible. Pumping,means the act of you stamping on the pedals during the downward portion of your pedal stroke. The harder you pump, the higher your heart rate will be. It can be difficult to maintain a smooth cadence or pedal stroke when cycling uphill. And at times you may indeed have to pump the pedals, especially in the beginning of your training. But you should at least attempt to keep your heart rate as low as possible during the uphill portion of your rides. And by doing this is, try to remain in the saddle while riding uphill and only climb out as a last resort.


Bicycle Choice – At this point, do not invest in a brand new bicycle. If you already have a road bike, great! Use it! If you have a mountain bike or a hybrid,that is fine too! If you plan on riding amountain/hybrid type of bike and your bike currently has knobby tires, switch the tires out for road tires designed for these types ofbikes. The tires will not be as narrow as a true road tire, but they will be smooth and rounder than a knobby tire. Your local bike shop should be able to help.

• Do not use the recumbent bicycles for training unless it is all there is. Recumbent bikes are bikes that have you seated like a chair and the pedals are out in front of you. They do not simulate the type of cycling you will doing during your outdoor training and your racing. So choose a stationary bike in your gym that resembles a real bicycle.
• Make sure the seat height and handlebar height on the stationary trainer are the same or close to the seat height and handlebar height on your real bicycle.
• Most stationary trainers have preset courses from which to choose. When scrolling through the menu on the stationary trainer, choose a course that with various level changes or hills. Don’t simply ride a flat course for the given period of time.

Cycling Tips
• Learn some basic bicycle maintenance – especially changing your tire and specifically your tire tubes. Practice changing the tubes in your tires at home before heading out for your first long ride. It will only take you once or twice and you will quickly get a feel for doing it. If you need a jump-start, visit your local bike shop. It will take him/her about 10 minutes at the most and you will see first hand how it is done.
• On the trinewbies.com website, you find a complete bicycle maintenance guide titled Bike Maintenance 101 – complete with detailed instructions and photographs. Use it and take care of your bike!
• Don’t forget the rules of the road – ride on the extreme ride side of the road. If there is a designated bike path, stick to it (bike paths are NOT sidewalks!).
• Practice drinking while riding your bike! That’s right. Before you hit the open roads, practice drinking on the bike and this includes reaching for your water bottle, taking a drink and placing the bottle back while looking forward. Do not ever take your eyes off the road when reaching for your bottle. Don’t worry, you get a feel for it. Practice this while on a stationary trainer or while riding in your neighborhood.
• Wear the proper clothing when you are out riding and this includes real cycling shorts!
• Ride defensively. When approaching intersections, keep an eye on any cars that might be pulling out in front of you. Try to make eye contact with the driver(s) at the intersection…sit up in the saddle, hands on the handlebar and breaks and slow down until you are through the intersection. Slowing down will not hurt your training. Slowing down could save your life!
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