Col De Tourmalet Ascent in 5 Mins
Where do you want to go and what do you want to do? The art of cycling is not a simple act of making pedals go round and round at different speeds. There are many different types of cycling and all of them have requirements and different equipment is needed.
The basic part is simple, you need a bike. Bikes usually have two wheels when you visualize one. There are trikes that are three wheeled and quads with four that are much more strange contraptions. The bike is usually just one seat although the old tandem is recovering in popularity amongst couples who wish to spend some time at the weekend not looking at each other.
The what do you want to do is also important.In this introduction to the casual cyclist we will concentrate on the two wheeled versions.
If you are looking for a speedster for track cycling, which is becoming more popular again now as more velodromes are built, then there are certain manufacturers that give more confidence in their product. There is no point buying a specialized bike for the mountains and then trying to speed round the embankments of a track in a Madison event.
If you are searching for a road bike most buyers look for the weight as the determining factor as the lighter the bike the easier it is to get up the hills using the gear ratios allowed, the only thought is to actually lose some pounds quickly so as to make it even easier.
If you are looking for or want a mountain bike, then the rigid tubular structure, well sprung suspension and really thick tyres may help you avoid the nastiest falls and the inevitable broken collarbone (Yes I am bitter about it)
The occasional cyclist may well want a hybrid that allows you to cope with the hills and a bit of off road as well as getting up a head of steam on the flat roads on the way to your destination.
Whatever your decision as regards your need for a bike and the type of cycling that you want to do the benefits that you will find for your health and wellbeing are manifold. You should expect to lose weight, get a lower resting heart rate and feel fitter within yourself after the first couple of weeks of saddle soreness as your softer undercarriage gets used to the seat and the bumps. And all of the above types of cycling allow you to get into the open air and enjoy the scenery, just don’t take it too seriously to start because you will get passed at first by 60 year olds with beer bellies. They are freaks of nature and there is no explanation as to why they are so much faster than you.
