Found myself giving a bit of advice to new cyclists, so I figured I’d store my thoughts here so I can share it. This is primarily for road cycling, but a lot of it could be applicable more broadly.

These are just semi-organized tips this is not an exhaustive list of everything you should or need to do.

I like riding bikes, I’m not a mechanic, I’m not a pro, and my opinions are subject to change. Anything you read is just my experience and nothing more.

Buying a Bike⌗

  • I would NOT start off with an expensive bike

    1. You may not know how much/how long you will enjoy riding
    2. Your bike handling skills will be at their worst and you’ll be learning no skills (Clip-less pedals), expect to fall once or twice
    3. You will probably make some maintenance mistakes

  • Here’s a few good threads on buying a used bike.

  • If you want to buy a new bike I’d recommend buying a bike with Shimano 105, I’d go around to a few bike shops to test ride some bikes, and I’d run tubed tires

Other Things You’ll Want⌗

  1. Get several good pairs of bibs/jerseys. This will make your rides way more comfortable. You’ll want bibs that have shoulder straps not bibs that are essentially padded shorts. Maybe go try some on before you buy…

  2. Get a small red light to attach to the rear of your bike

  3. Get a good hemet, check out the Virginia Tech Helmet Ratings to find a protective helmet at a good price

  4. You will most likely want clipless pedals and the associated shoes

  5. Get a nice pair of non polarized sun-glasses that offer a good field of vision

  6. You should get a saddle bag to carry things like, an extra tube, a $20 bill, a multi tool, some tire levers, etc…

  7. You will want bottle cages, the Trek Bat Cages are pretty damn good for the $$$. You should also get some bottles for your cages

  8. Get a small hand pump to take with you while you ride, you can put this in one of the pockets of the jersey that you bought (Might as well get a decent floor pump too)

Before you ride⌗

  1. I like Strava or you can download an alternative tracking app. It’s really nice to have the data, it’s great for planning routes, and can be helpful with initial social interactions (Group rides, challenges, etc…). Its also very good for tracking the mileage on your components, how many miles are on my tires, do I need to bleed my breaks, should I check my chain wear… you can come to a much more accurate conclusion with an understanding of the overall mileage on these components and inspecting them.

  2. Check your tire pressure, bring a spare tube, bring tire levers, have a multi-tool, bring food and water

  3. Practice using clipless pedals on a soft surface (Grass) before you hit the pavement

  4. You’ll want a bike fit, at the very least watch a couple videos and play around with your position on the bike a bit. Eventually you will want a bike fit

While Riding⌗

  1. If you are swerving trying to open up some food, find yourself in a lot of traffic, or are checking your phone for x,y,z reason… STOP, there are unavoidable accidents and there are avoidable accidents. Don’t hurt yourself/ your bike, just unclip put your foot down and re-orient yourself or leave the busy road in a safe manner.

  2. Nobody gives a shit about your average speed, don’t take silly risks with some thought of setting your fastest time or keeping your speed high… not worth it

  3. Try and ride as consistently as possible. Don’t spike your power out of every stop/turn, attempt to maintain the same power as much as possible

  4. Let people know you’re going to pass them by telling them you are going to pass them and on which side you are going to pass them

  5. If you find yourself about to hit a patch of sand/gravel on the side of the road do not attempt to turn or suddenly brake, apply a bit of power and ride through it. Do not intentionally take your road bike on a gravel ride it won’t perform well. When turning look out for sand/gravel as it can cause you to slide out

  6. If you’re riding with others, give hand signs regarding road debris/pot holes, let them know when you are slowing, and point to where you want to go or let them know. Don’t half wheel people.

  7. When taking a tight turn raise your inside knee and apply pressure through your outside foot and inside hand. Don’t break in the middle of a tight turn… break before.

  8. Bring food! Eat while you ride especially for long rides > 90 minutes. Bonking is NOT fun and completely avoidable. If its a short ride, and I plan to do some intervals I’m bringing a lot of high carbohydrate snacks. If its a longer ride I’m bringing a mix of high carbohydrate, dried fruit, trail mix, etc…

  9. Take in fluids and do so in a manner that’s conducive to rehydrating yourself. Don’t waste your money, mix sugar, salt and water. Uh oh… turns out sugar isn’t “bad for you” actually no food is necessarily “bad for you” its chronic over-indulgence and under-exercise that’s “bad” for you. I’m getting on my soap box here a little bit because some lady in Sprouts was telling everyone how bad sugar was for them.

  10. Be respectful of vehicles, keep a keen eye on drive ways and entrances/exits. Watch out for newly parked vehicles and cars people are getting in/out of. If you are at an intersection operate under the assumption that you are invisible and you’re essentially playing a game of Frogger. Don’t ride against traffic. If you’re coming up on the right side of someone about to make a right they may not notice you.

  11. Try and ride at times when there are less cars/people. This can depend on your location but early morning rides and weekends are typically better. You can use Strava heat maps to plan your routes and see where others are riding.

I want to get faster⌗

  1. You will want to get a power meter/heart rate monitor. This will make training much easier/reliable

  2. Best weight/speed improvements per dollar: Get in a more aerodynamic position on your bike, better Tires/Rims, better Shoes/Pedals, better Saddle/Seat Post

  3. Check out this channel and look up some of the basic videos on how to get faster. I think this channel probably has just about all the knowledge you need to train optimally baring hiring a good coach but that’s going to cost you $$$

  4. Ride a lot

Basic maintenance⌗

  1. This stuff is pretty good at cleaning your drive train. This stuff is good at lubing your chain (it’s wax based, check out the difference between wax/oil based depending on where you live)

  2. I thoroughly clean my drivetrain every 2 weeks and lube my chain 2x per week but this varies based on how much I’m riding. Thorough cleaning currently involves spraying the drive train with the SILCA Drivetrain cleaner and brushing the metal components to get at any dirt/grime, washing everything away with water. I use a microfiber cloth to dry things off and get in between the cassette and chain rings. Once dry I apply the Rock n Roll Gold and use a microfiber cloth, running my chain through the cloth and cleaning the pulley wheels as well.

  3. I like to clean my bike after I ride with a microfiber cloth and/or with some baby wipes to wipe off dirt and mud.

  4. Track the mileage on your components (I mentioned above that I use strava for this)

  5. Put grease on your things… “Used with any type of ball bearings, threads, or press fit applications found on a bicycle, including headsets, bottom brackets, cranks, pedals, and hubs.”

  6. I love picking up new maintenance things and learning hwo to do them, but when in doubt take it to a shop. If you’re friendly they will most likely let you watch if it’s a small ordeal like swapping out your chain

Other useful things you will eventually want⌗

  1. Heart Rate monitor
  2. Bike computer
  3. A power meter
  4. Tubeless tires
  5. Chain tool
  6. Chain wear checker
  7. A bike stand
  8. Torque wrench
  9. Quicklink Pliers
  10. Valve stem remover
  11. Sealant injector/measure

Other weird road cycling stuff⌗

  1. Put the arms of your sun glasses over your helmet straps
  2. Remove your pie plate/reflectors, better yet if you bought your bike from a bike shop have them do it
  3. Get socks that end just at the base of your calves, try and match the color of your shoes