Common Beginner Cycling Mistakes To Avoid

Cycling Weekly

We've all been there, we've all made these mistakes when we started cycling - here's our guide to avoiding the common mistakes.

Transcript

00:00Whether you're a cycling newbie or seasoned pro, we all make mistakes and while it's believed that

00:13we learn best on the errors we make, at the time it never quite feels like that. So to save you

00:18the time hassle and embarrassment of making silly cycling mistakes, we've gone to the effort of

00:22making them for you. Here's our top cycling mistakes to avoid. We'll forgive you for this one because it's an

00:33easy and common mistake to make. Positioning your saddle too high or too low could lead to a loss

00:39of power as well as injury. While bike fit is unique to each rider there are some guides to

00:46follow when it comes down to saddle height. As a guide ride along with your heel on the pedal.

00:51When your leg is at the very bottom of the pedal stroke it should be almost fully extended but

00:56not quite. If this doesn't feel quite right feel free to change it slightly until you are comfortable.

01:02Hitting the wall or bonking as it's commonly referred to among cyclists is when the body

01:10quite simply runs out of fuel. In most cases you come to an almost grinding halt and things will

01:15only get worse until you refuel. It's an error everybody has made but it can easily be avoided.

01:20Before each ride make sure you are sufficiently fuelled. In other words have something to eat.

01:25Porridge and bananas or toast with honey are great to help fuel the body over a few hours.

01:30Out on your ride take with you more than enough food. A few gels or bars and a couple of bottles.

01:35Heck even a sandwich will all provide energy and keep your tank topped up. Trust us you'd much

01:41rather have too much food in your jersey pocket than not enough.

01:43Yeah there's no mechanic van coming and for most of us me immortals we've got to be self-sufficient

01:53because not everyone's going to stop and help clearly. So to get yourself up and running back

01:59on the road quickly after a puncture or a double puncture you'll need at least two spare inner

02:04tubes, a mini pump or gas canisters and to make your life easier pack a couple of tyre levers and

02:10a multi-tool into your saddle pack. In colder conditions it's always better to slightly overdress

02:18than underdress and remember you can always take layers off. But even in warmer climes never leave

02:23the house without a rain cape or a gilet because it could really cause your body temperature

02:27to plummet if there's a sudden downpour. And if you're heading out up hilly terrain remember

02:35the higher you go the colder it will become. Wearing a windproof cape will prevent windchill

02:40and keeping body heat. Get into the habit of regularly checking and keeping your bike well maintained.

02:49Not only will this make it perform better but it will be nicer, easier and safer.

02:53to ride too. Pay special attention to the brakes, gears and tyres and make sure that you're

02:58regularly lubing and cleaning your chain to prolong the life of that too. Now if you're

03:03not confident doing all this by yourself at home then most bike shops do offer servicing

03:07now so make sure you're taking it in every now and again.

03:13We've all done it. The adrenaline is coursing throughout our veins and we just can't help

03:17ourselves from firing out the gates. Cycling is a tough sport at the best of times and while

03:22there's nothing wrong in wanting to go faster than ever or beating a PB it's important that

03:26you know your limits and ride within it. Going too hard too soon could ruin your ride not

03:32to mention your morale too.

03:34It's common for those of you who are new to cycling to align your brakes too much. When

03:41needing to slow down it can be tempting to grab the brakes hard but braking must be done

03:45in a controlled manner. Braking extremely hard could lead to a loss of control and stability

03:52and in extreme cases could see you flying directly over the handlebars. Not to mention it doesn't

03:57do any favours to your mates behind. Instead keep your eyes on the road ahead, anticipate

04:02and brake gradually using a combination of front and rear.

04:08Your gears are there for a reason. To allow you to ride comfortably over a range of terrains.

04:13They're there to make your life on the bike easier and more enjoyable. There's no need

04:18to grind a hard gear at 40 rpm. All you're likely to do is injure your knees. Likewise there's

04:23very little point spinning 140 rpm in easy gears all the time. You'll just make yourself

04:29dizzy. Lastly make sure you know which part of the lever moves the gear in the directions

04:33you want. There's nothing worse than grinding up a steep hill only to make matters worse

04:38by shifting into a harder gear. No one likes a visible panty line, not least cyclists. The

04:43chamois in your cycling shorts is designed to be worn directly against your skin and it'll

04:48make things much comfier too.

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