| Making every ride a pleasant one is not hard. Here are few bits of gear that make riding more efficient and more comfortable.
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| Bike Fit-Have an experienced riding friend look at your riding position. You should be relaxed and comfortable. You should not be straining to hold yourself up or feel any distinct pressure points on your hands, feet, or rear. Fine tuning your bike fit is a process that takes some time and patience as your flexibility and strength will increase as you ride more.
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| Gloves-Wearing cycling gloves reduces vibration transmitted through the handlebar, prevents sweat from slicking grips and controls and protects your palms from abrasions if you fall. For summer riding, look for a glove that has a vented mesh or Lycra(R) back, and exposed finger tips that allow precise control when braking or shifting. Fall and winter gloves will have full fingers, insulation, some sort of wind blocking layer, and a handy terry cloth patch to wipe your nose.
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Shoes and Pedals-By improving the connection between your foot and the pedal, you can ride longer with more comfort. Cycling shoes have stiff soles that transfer power more effectively to the pedals. If you would like to do some walking, look for a shoe that is semi-flexible and has rubber knobs on the sole. Top models will have a sole that is fully stiff and an upper with several straps or buckles to tailor the fit.
Road Shoes (shown at right) typically have a hard sole, and are fully stiff for pedaling. Most road shoes are pre-drilled for cleats that interface directly with the pedals.
Mountain Shoes have a recessed area for the pedal cleat and will have some flex to the toe.
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| Pedals-The pedals that came with your bike may have been regular platform pedals. By upgrading to a pedal that engages directly to the shoe, you can use more muscle groups to power your way along. Pedals can be split into 2 main categories:
Road Pedals and
Mountain Pedals. Road pedals usually have a larger surface area to prevent pressure points and hot spots. Mountain pedals use a smaller engagement area, so the cleat can be recessed into the bottom of the shoe. This allows easy walking over sections too difficult to ride. When purchasing shoes and pedals, make sure you confirm that the sole of the shoe is compatible with the cleat from the pedal.
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Shorts-Cycling shorts improve comfort by moving with you to prevent chafing. Pads (or chamois) improve comfort even more by providing some shock absorbtion and removing moisture. Shorts are made by sewing panels of stretchable material together. More panels=more conforming to your body. Most road riders prefer Lycra(R) shorts that remove a lot of moisture. For off-road or casual riding there are loose-fit (baggy) shorts that have durable outer short which looks like a regular street short. Under the outer short there is a normal Lycra(r) or mesh short with a pad.
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Jerseys-Not just for style and fashion, cycling jerseys have function built into them. Rear pockets make reaching items like food or other riding essentials easy. Wicking materials remove moisture from your skin, keeping you dry and comfortable. Zippered fronts allow for more venting when the day gets hot. Bright colors are nice for road riding as other road users can see them easily.
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