While riding a bike has always been popular, bicycling has certainly seen an increase in popularity within the past decade. In fact, statistics show that there has been a 46% increase in the number of people that use a bicycle for commuting purposes since 2005. Another set of data collected from 2015 found that nearly $1.2 billion worth of used bikes were sold for that year. Considering the popularity of bikes for commuting purposes, you might have longer distances to commute than others. If this is the case for you, it’s important to learn distance biking safety tips. In this post, you’ll learn six tips to follow before biking for long distances.
- Work Your Way Up to Long Distance Trips
It’s important to make sure that you’re working your way up to long distance trips. After all, you wouldn’t want your first run to be a distance of miles. With that in mind, it’s important that you first see how long you’re able to ride a bicycle. Knowing this information can help give you riding distance goals to work your way up to. - Invest in Quality Riding Equipment
Statistics show that those taking part in outdoor activities spend an estimated $10 billion per year on bicycling equipment. That being said, you won’t have to spend nearly this amount to have a comfortable bicycle. Distance riders can reduce many common causes of biking pain by riding on comfortable equipment. For instance, many riders look for comfort prefer leather bike seats. In addition to looking stylish, a leather bicycle seat will eventually conform to your shape. It’s understandable that black leather bike seats are a classic look. However, there are brown leather bike seats available that look especially sleek. - Check Weather Conditions Before Leaving
Another important step is to make sure you’re aware of the weather conditions where you will be riding. You’re not likely to want to take a brand new bike out on a rainy day. Considering that, try and plan your distance riding practice days where the weather is warm and sunny. - Bring Along Enough Food and Water
While distance riding, it’s important that your body receives enough fuel. Bicycling for long distances can be taxing on the body. Therefore, you’ll want to ensure that you bring an adequate supply of water. A common rule of thumb while bicycling is to drink one bottle per hour that you’re riding. Feel free to bring along a few extra bottles. As for snacks, carbohydrates work well for energy. Think about bringing carbs that are easy to consume including snack bars or trail mixes. - Pace Yourself While Riding
Certain new bicyclists might believe that they’re able to go much farther than they actually can. With that in mind, you never want to pedal as fast as possible during distance trips. The goal of distance trips is being able to utilize proper pacing. If your RPM is too high, you’ll tire yourself out quickly. With that in mind, try to keep your RPM between 90 to 100 while riding for long distances. - Be Prepared for Any Situation
Unfortunately, emergency situations can happen while you’re riding. Whether you’re recovering from a fall or fixing a flat tire, it’s important to be prepared. With that in mind, you’ll want to consider bringing along a first aid kit and materials needed to mend a flat tire. In addition, bring a cell phone in case you need to use it for emergency purposes.
To summarize, there are several important safety tips to follow while distance biking. Whether you prefer carbon fiber or leather bike seats, it’s important that your bicycle is comfortable to ride. Considering that, you’ll find that it’s important to purchase quality equipment for your bicycle. It’s seemingly impossible to even think about biking long distances while riding in pain. On the other hand, choosing comfortable bicycle equipment might help you reach your distance goals faster than normal.