The Right Stuff

In addition to wearing the right clothes when you ride, you need the right equipment. That includes your bike, as well as accessories for hydration, repairs, and, of course, tracking your progress. As you do longer and longer rides, it’s going to occur to you that you are often 15-20 miles away from your house, sometimes more. You don’t want to get caught without something you need.

The primary piece of equipment is, of course, your bike. You need to make sure you’ve got one you’re comfortable with if you’re going to bike longer distances. There are several things to think about when getting a bike. The first is fit. Most any store that sells bikes is going to have at least one employee who knows the basics of “bike fit.”  In addition to their advice, think about the height of the bike and the handlebars. You should be able to stand comfortably with both feet on the ground while you’re on your bike. If you’re on your toes or both feet don’t reach the ground, it’s too tall. When your butt is in the seat, you should be able to put one foot flat on the ground. Again, if you’re stretching, the bike is too tall. You should be able to hold the handlebars without bending too far over and without extending your arms all the way. If you spend more than hour on your bike, you’ll be glad to have a good fit with your handlebars.

The right gear can make all the difference. Note the helmet and the hydration pack.

 

In addition to the size, you should consider what kind of bike is best for you. Road bikes are lighter and leaner, with thin tires. They are built for speed. You can go very fast on them, but you’ll need to stick to smooth surfaces. Roads and newer paved greenways are great. Unpaved surfaces or older greenway trails – which tend to have more bumps and potholes – can be harder on a road bike. Good road bikes can also cost a pretty penny. Mountain bikes are more rugged. They have wider tires and just feel heavier and more solid. You won’t get as much speed and will work harder to pedal with a mountain bike. They are great for rougher surfaces. I ride a comfort bike, which is a combination of both. It has a wider seat that’s easier on your butt and inner thighs. The handlebars are positioned a little higher so you don’t bend your back or extend your arms as much. In short, the bike is literally built to be more comfortable. If you start biking later in life (like I did), a comfort bike is a great place to start.

You'll need water. A squeeze bottle and a hydration pack
are two of your choices.

No matter what time of year you ride, you’ll need water. And if you’re going to ride any distance, you need to be able to drink without stopping. That gives you three options. The first is a bottle and holder that can attach to your bike. Most of these are made so you can reach down, grab the bottle and squeeze. It shoots a stream of water into your mouth. It’s very convenient, but doesn’t hold much for longer rides. Some people actually have two of them on their bikes. If you don’t have a holder for a bottle, you can use the water bottles that have the D-rings attached and hang it from your handlebars.  This isn’t bad, but it can be hard to remove from your handlebars while you’re riding. I started with one of those, but I recommend getting at least one bottle holder. It’s much easier to handle. The option that’s best for longer rides is a hydration pack. This is a backpack that holds a water bladder with a tube. You simply wear it and position the tube near your mouth and slurp as needed. The bladders hold 2-3 times more water than bottles. There’s also extra room in the backpack for other stuff like snacks, repair gear, wallet, phone, etc. I use a Camelbak hydration pack for longer rides in the summer and an attached bottle for shorter rides.

It only takes one wreak or near-wreck to convince you to wear protective gear like a helmet and perhaps those fingerless gloves. There are different ideas about how much protective gear you should have. I don’t use the gloves or other equipment. I do use a helmet and strongly recommend one.  These are available from most any retailer that sells bikes. You don’t have to spend a lot, either. You can get a good helmet for $20 - $25.

Map My Ride is a great way to track
your speed and distance.

The other piece of equipment you’ll want is some way to track your progress. It’s easy to overestimate how far you go on rides. Plus, as you start riding further, you’re going to want to know how far you’re going as well as your speed. There are many ways to do this. There are devices that you attach to your wheels. There are devices that use gps technology. In my opinion, you’re better off using something you should already have with you: your phone. Side note: having a phone with you is like a security blanket. You may be anywhere from 5-10 miles from home; you just need to have your phone. Even if you can change a flat tire and do other simple maintenance, it’s nice to know you can call for help if you need it.

I use an app called Map My Ride for tracking. It tracks your distance and speed, along with calories burned and other information like elevation changes. There’s a free version and a paid version (which isn’t that expensive and offers a few extra features). I use the free version, which means ads, but they’re not a major inconvenience. I love the live tracking feature and check it frequently during rides. A holder for your phone is nice to keep you from fumbling with it to check your speed while riding. I don’t use one, so I invested in a good strong phone case, just in case.

If you’re a beginner, you don’t need to invest in everything at once. Get a helmet first and some way to drink, and start adding from there. Go ahead and get an app to track your progress. That’s just fun, especially as you ride longer distances.