Beginning to Bike

By Dean Schott

To cycle regularly, a rider needs decent health, a bike and motivation. Of the three, finding and keeping that urge to ride probably poses the single biggest barrier for many potential cyclists.

If you don't have the urge, how do you get it and keep? First, take a quick inventory.

Are you up to the physical challenge of riding a bike? Only you and your physician together can answer that. Ask your physician about your potential for riding and the benefits for lowering your weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and stress while improving your circulation, stamina, muscle tone and general mood.

Next, do you have a bike that you enjoy riding? All it may take is tuning up the old workhorse that you have in the garage, replacing the tires with a smoother rolling tread or buying a more comfortable seat.

If that doesn't get you rolling, visit a local bicycle shop to sample what's on the showroom floor or surf the websites of bicycle manufacturers which have programs to help you find the bike that suits your needs and budget.

The choices in bikes are nearly boundless. Road, mountain, city, hybrid, comfort and touring bikes are available in different sizes, equipment, materials and designs. With the thousands of bikes on sale today and the help of your local bicycle dealer, you're bound to find a bicycle that's right for you. Who knows, that new bike may just be what you need to tap into your latent pride to ride.

You have your bike and your health, now what do you need to get rolling? That Big M for motivation. Find a relative, friend or neighbor who's already riding and ask if you can go along. If you can't do that, be on the look out for cyclists in your neighborhood, watch where they ride and make their acquaintance. Most people like company while riding and are willing to share their joy of cycling and that can help to reinforce your desire to ride.

Find a route through your neighborhood that is fun and safe to ride. Locate bicycle paths and trails in your area and map a safe route to them. Also, join up with a local bicycle club that has regularly scheduled rides for persons. Many clubs offer weekly rides during the season for people with a range of abilities from easy pedalers to high-cadence hammerheads.

Often you don't even have to join the club to ride; just show up at the posted time and place. It's a quick, easy way to ride with others and learn more about all the different aspects of cycling from seasoned riders who usually have no shortage of tips on how to ride better, farther and faster.

Bicycle clubs and charities also sponsor one-day invitational from 10-100 miles rides from early spring to late fall. For a small fee, you can ride with other cyclists, enjoy rest stops with refreshments and have sag vehicles along the route in case your bicycle needs repair or you can't go the distance.

If you're new to cycling or starting to ride again after a long layoff, begin by going short distances at slow speeds. Build up that speed and distance over time, not overnight. The rule of thumb is to increase your distance by no more than 10 percent from one week to another. That way you get adjusted to your bicycle gradually, particularly to your bicycle seat. And be sure to ride you own ride. Go the speed and distance that are right for you, and don't try to stay with cyclists who want to ride faster and farther than you can.

Nothing can put off a new rider faster than a sore bum. Saddle soreness is not uncommon for beginners. But if you begin riding gradually, the once tender skin becomes tougher, and you'll be able to go longer in the saddle. Bicycle shorts are strongly recommended for riders who want to do more than an evening ride around the neighborhood after dinner a couple times a week. The shorts have padding and material that help to prevent chafing by wicking moisture away from the skin. The shorts are also designed so that you do not sit on a seam that can rub against you as you ride and cause soreness.

After those early rides, your muscles may be noticeably sore. The best antidote is to stretch your legs, arms, neck, back and shoulders before and after each ride. Seasoned riders follow this practice to loosen up the muscles before a ride and to prevent them from tightening up during a ride and after.

The key is not to overdo the riding in the beginning. Take a day off from riding at least once a week, particularly after a longer or harder ride. That will give your muscles a chance to recover and become stronger for the next ride. Soon you'll see the benefits of your riding. The more you ride the more you can and the more you benefit.

To help maintain that motivation, keep a log book in which you can record your weight and resting heart rate in the morning. Stay with a regular bicycle regimen and you're bound to see improvements in both areas.

Another way to stay motivated is to put a tiny computer on your bicycle. The computers, costing less than $30 and available at any bicycle shop, measure your current speed, average speed, maximum speed, ride distance, cumulative mileage and time on the bike. With this information, you can easily track your performance and gauge your improvement over time.

If all this is not motivation enough for you, consider that bicycling gets you outdoors and closer to nature, allows you to explore your neighborhood and other environs with a new perspective, meet new people and have new experiences. Who knows, with just a little motivation, cycling could become a joy for the rest of your life.

And don't forget to wear a bicycle helmet before leaving home.

For information on riding safely and bicycling in Illinois , go to the website of the League of Illinois Bicyclists (LIB): www.bikelib.org The LIB is a statewide advocacy voice for all Illinois bicyclists and promotes bicycle access, education and safety.

(Dean Schott lives in Glenview, Illinois, rides regularly on and off road and is a LIB member. If readers have comments or questions about bicycling, they can send them to: schottcycle@aol.com.)

A Microsoft^® Word version of this press release is available.