Here are some miscellaneous, useful bike tips that I’ve picked up from various places over the past year:
· When learning to ride in a group, first start by placing a bike length between you and the bike in front. Then, as experience grows, get within a tire length where you’ll get the most benefit from the draft. Whatever you do, don’t overlap someone’s rear wheel – it could cause a crash.
· Don’t downshift too soon on a hill. It’ll steal your momentum, in effect making the climb longer and harder.
· Don’t fight to keep your speed in a headwind – it’s useless. Instead, work on your pedaling form.
· If you routinely train in the range between 65 and 85 percent of your maximum heart rate, you will become fitter.
· Don’t train hard more than twice a week. Too much training will wear you down. If you separate such efforts with at least two days of moderate-gear, high-rpm pedaling that assists recovery, the result should be exactly what you want – greater speed and strength.
· You can use analgesics like Ben-Gay, Icy Hot, Musculor, and Cramergesic to: 1) sooth sore muscles after a hard ride, 2) to warm up your muscles before a ride when it’s not practical to warm up, and 3) on a cold day when you need some extra warmth.
· Cyclists wearing sunscreen have skin temperatures up to 20 percent lower than those without.
· Increase stability during road descents by pedaling instead of coasting.
· Tired in the legs? Spin more. (lower gear/more frequent revolutions) Tired in your lungs? Push harder gears. (higher gear/less frequent revolutions)
· Eat big early. You’ll lose weight easier if you eat a 600-calorie breakfast that will be burned off during the day and will help get you through your ride with plenty of energy than if you wait and eat a whole box of ziti in the evening because you're starving from your ride.
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