New To Cycling
Welcome the sport of cycling!
We have provided a few tips on this page in the hopes that you will not only feel more comfortable about riding, but also learn a little more about your bicycle. For even more information think about attending one of our maintenance clinics held periodically throughout the year where you will learn cool things like how to change your tire and also to meet fellow woman cyclists. If you have more questions please contact us at info@pvbikechicks.org.
Click on the Good Stuff button for helpful How To videos.
Beginner Tips
- Make sure your bike fits. You can go to a bike shop for a professional fitting which will position the handlebars correctly and the saddle right to protect your knees. There is a fee for this, but your body and comfort are worth it!
- To avoid saddle soreness, get the right seat. The hard narrow seats on racing bikes can be particularly uncomfortable for women, who tend to have widely spaced "sit bones."
- Change your hand and body position frequently.
- Don't ride in the racing "drop" position, with your hands on the curved part of the handlebars, for a long time.
- Check your tire pressure before each ride.
- Unless you're an experienced cyclist, don't use those special aerodynamic handlebars.
- After a long uphill, don't coast downhill without pedaling.
- Keep your shoulders and arms relaxed. Don't lock your elbows.
- Wear the right shorts if you cycle a lot.
- Don't wear headphones.
- Ride with traffic, obey all signs, and give right of way to cars.
- Use hand signals to alert drivers to your intentions.
- Try to make eye contact with drivers as you pull into an intersection or make a turn.
- Don't ride side by side with another cyclist unless the road is wide enough and it is safe.
- When cycling in heavy traffic, on a narrow road, or on winding downhill roads, ride in the lane with the cars, not to the side, where you're not as visible.
Click here for more details in the full version pdf file.
Traffic Laws Pertaining to Bicyclists
- You must wear a helmet to ride with the PV Bike Chicks. By law, only if you are under 18. LA DOT Bicycle Laws
- Ride on the right hand side of the road with the flow of traffic.
- Obey all traffic signs and signals.
- No bicycles are allowed on freeways.
- No hitching rides on moving vehicles.
- Form a single line in heavy traffic.
- At least one hand is on the handlebars at all times.
- Bicycles operated at night must be equipped with a lamp in front that produces a white beam of light visible at least 500 feet away. Also, the bike must have a red rear deflector.
Group Riding Techniques and Etiquette
- Be courteous and yield to motorized traffic.
- Form a single line in heavy traffic and when vehicles approach from behind on quieter streets.
- Be smooth and predictable.
- Communicate, verbally and with clear, universal hand signals.
- Be considerate of other riders in the group.
- Let other riders know when you are passing them.
- Watch out for squirrelly riders in the group and increase your following distance.
- Hills:
- The front person should pedal on downhills, or else everyone behind will catch up to them too fast.
- The group may need to slow down after uphills to allow slower riders to catch up.
- Be careful when standing to climb when riding in a group – this can jerk your wheel back into the rider behind you.
Click here for more details in the full version pdf file.
Cycling Shoes
Should I or Shouldn't I?
Compared to typical athletic shoes, cycling shoes are specifically designed with the cyclist in mind, much like a ski boot is designed for the needs of a skier. Cycling shoes have stiffer soles to provide more efficient energy transfer as you pedal away. They protect your feet while riding and support the full length of your foot to reduce cramping and fatigue. The uppers are also relatively rigid for extra support. Cycling shoes also clip to the pedals, which allows you to apply pressure throughout the entire cycling stroke, versus just pushing down. This really comes in handy when climbing hills.
For an article on the importance of regularly checking your cleats click here.
Dressing For Cold Weather
Everyone says it – "Dress In Layers"
- BASE LAYER – to keep your skin dry, something like a dri-fit tank top or t-shirt. This type of material will wick away sweat and other mosture to a fabric layer away from the skin.
- INSULATING LAYER – where the warm air is held
- SHELL – to shut out moisture and wind
You should feel slightly chilled when you start; if you start cold, you'll never warm-up; if you're comfortable you'll overheat and freeze. Things that can help are shoe covers, gloves, tights or leg warmers, jackets and many other cold weather items. A sales associate at most well-known cycling establishments can help you find what you need.
Brake Safely
For a quick stop or downhill stop, press the brakes firmly and evenly with both hands and slide your bottom to the very back of the saddle. This will keep the rear of the bike down so that you don't flip over the handlebars.
On a long downhill, don't stay on your brakes. That may overheat the tire's rim and could cause a blowout. It's safest to "feather brake" – that is, tap the brakes evenly with both hands, applying intermittent pressure.
Hill Climbing Tips
- STAY SEATED AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE
- Although you develop more power while standing (you are taking advantage of most of your body weight pushing down on the pedals), you also use 10 to 12% more energy as your pelvis isn't in contact with the saddle which means more work for your core and back muscles as you pull up on the unweighted pedal. The net effect is more energy used (less efficient) to climb standing versus to climb seated.
- BODY POSITION
- Being bent over in the drops is the most efficient position on level ground, but hills are different as there is much less aerodynamic resistance. You actually get the most power sitting up as high as you can.
- BREATHING
- If you start to breathe irregularly, take a deep breath and hold it for a few pedal strokes. Try synchronizing your breathing with your pedal stroke – start by taking a breath every time one foot (your right one for example) reaches the bottom of a stroke. Then try 1 ½, and finally every two strokes. You will actually deliver more oxygen to your system with a controlled rate than an irregular panting or gasping one.
- GROUP RIDING TECHNIQUES
- One trick for weaker climbers in a group is to move near the front of the group near the start of the climb and allow others to pass as the climb continues. In that way, you will be near the back at the top but won't get dropped and have to fight back to close with the group.
MORE DETAILS
Click here for more details in the full version pdf file.
Lactic Acid
After a long uphill climb, don't coast downhill without pedaling. As you climb up a hill, lactic acid builds up in your muscles and can contribute to muscle soreness. By pedaling lightly but constantly while coasting downhill, even if there's little resistance, you can help remove the lactic acid.
Basic Maintenance
How often should I have my bicyle tuned-up? Do I have to lubricate the chain all the time? How often should I clean the chain and/or bike? These are all good questions and vary depending on how often you ride and where you ride. If you ride along the beach a lot then you will need to clean your chain more often because the sand can wear it down faster.
Click here for a helpful maintenance table.