Top 5 Things All New Cyclists Need To Know!

If you are a beginner or intermediate cyclist you want to check this out. You might be a brand new bike rider with some shiny new wheels or you might be that woman who has been riding for awhile but is still struggling to become a better rider or find some awesome ladies to ride with in order to make it a regular in your M.O.

Recently I was on television talking about my Top 5 Things All New Cyclists Need To Know. I was admittedly a little nervous as this was my second time having camera’s surround me and it was a live show so ya know…NO PRESSURE!!! There is no taking back what you say or retakes. It’s a one shot deal! So to follow up my show, here is your Top 5 Things All New Cyclists Need To Know.
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(1)  Always leave the house with food, water, ID, cell phone, tools and wear proper cycling gear. 

​I like to wear my Road ID bracelet so it has all my pertinent information on there in case something happens. Super important!

I make sure to bring the tools I need to do small repairs in case I get a flat tire or something comes loose.

​And I wear proper cycling attire which includes the following:

• Helmet
• Glasses
• Gloves
• Cycling jersey and shorts (yeah those lovely skin tight ones!)
• Socks (wicking)
• Cycling Shoes
• Any one or more of jacket, arms warmers, long sleeve, knee warmers (if it’s cool) and then you can wear even warmer clothes like full finger gloves, hat under your helmet and thermal type stuff, etc.​

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(2)  Learn basic bike maintenance skills. Things like changing a flat tire, removing your back wheel and washing your bike. A clean bike is a happy bike which means it is less likely to break and it's not a matter IF you will get a flat tire it is WHEN you will get one. Getting someone to teach you basic bike maintenance skills like in my Bike Maintenance Clinic is invaluable.

There is no better way to learn than in a guided hands-on workshop. It gives you the opportunity to work on your own bike and learn how to care for it which in turns leaves you feeling super CONFIDENT which is what we want.
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(3)  Get a bike fit. 

A lot of people miss this step. When you purchase a bike it is well worth budgeting money to get a good bike fit. This will help to alleviate potential pain or even injuries.

​It’s kind of like having your desk, computer and keyboard set up correctly if you work in an office. It’s the same thing with your bike.

Every bike comes built the same way so say I'm a size medium and you are a size medium BUT I may have way longer legs and a shorter torso than you which means we would each need to make adjustments to the bike for it to fit properly.

It took me 2 years before I even knew that this was a ‘thing’! Once I was fit properly, riding my bike was like putting on a glove. Everything fit and felt good AND I had more energy.

If you want to learn more about this then check out my blog post 'Why a bike fit matters and how to get a good one'. ​
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(4)  Take a bike skills clinic. Learning to maneuver and handle your bike is super important. Things like getting comfortable with using your gears, clipping into your pedals, braking, climbing and descending hills confidently, cornering and especially learning to ride in a group! ALL of this is covered in my Learn To Ride Road Clinic. 

It really is best to learn how to ride in a group before you join in on one for the first time. There are unspoken rules and skills to be learned to ensure that when you join in everyone is riding safely. It's why I created my women's cycling group called the Pura Vida Mavericks. 

The Pura Vida Mavericks have all come through one of my skills camps which would be a Learn to Ride Road Clinic which encompasses all of which I have talked about above, my Take It To The Next Level Skills Camp which is for women who are thinking they’d like to learn more advanced skills and ride more frequently and then my Learn to Race Road Clinic where I teach you everything you need to prepare you for your first, second or third race or event. This includes everything from skills to sports nutrition to get you to the finish line!​
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(5)  Have FUN and be easy on yourself!!! It takes time to gain fitness, skills and confidence on the bike. You will become a great rider it’s just a matter of putting in the time.

I remember when I first started riding there were no women to ride with and certainly no skills courses to be taken. I created all of what I teach so that women don’t have to learn the hard way like I did. :) And now I also provide 3 - 5 day Women’s Cycling Adventures for anyone who is looking to travel and see new places by bike with a group of like-minded and supportive women. ​

Riding bikes is such wonderful way to make new friends!

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If you'd like more tips then you will want to head over and join my Pura Vida Mastery Facebook page, if you haven't already done so. 

JOIN HERE

See you on the inside!

P.S. Remember to join my amazing new Facebook Group which is an incredible community for people to meet and support other likeminded people interested in bikes and delicious food. 
​(JOIN HERE)