How to be bike confident and comfy

Published by kellypuffer on

At first, a road bike feels a little uncomfortable, with your body position leaning over more and the bike itself feels a little unstable. Your hands feel in an awkward position to have to use the brakes. But it gets easier, and with time everything turns from being uncomfortable to being fun and natural.

So here are a few pointers that we have learned along the way to help stay relaxed, comfortable and confident on the bike from what to wear to how to handle the bike.

Technical Know How To

How to replace a flat tyre

Before heading out, you need to know what level (psi pressure) your tyres should be pumped up to. For all the road bikes we’ve owned, it’s around 90 psi. And a flat tyre experience is going to happen at some point, and won’t it be fun when you can totally embrace this opportunity to show yourself (plus everyone around you!) how capable you are of replacing that inner tube. It’s so incredibly empowering! Unfortunately, a flat tyre will most probably happen when you least need it to, or when you least expect it to, so start from day one knowing how to replace your inner tube so you can only look forward to that day of empowerment when your tyre goes kaput!

How to fix your chain

To this day, we find ourselves stopping to put on the chain because it’s fallen off (yes we probably need to take our bikes for a MOT). Take a look at how to put a chain on without getting it all over you and even on your face!  Save yourself the rollercoaster task of having to remove it from your body and your clothes. 

Wait, you’ve already got oil on your clothes?

Uh oh, ok so you already have stained the clothes?  Worry not!  Try mixing lemon juice (or washing-up liquid) and baking soda onto the stain with a toothbrush. Leave it overnight and pop it in the wash the next day. Then, all you can do is cross your fingers, and as if by magic, you should have oil-free clothes fit to rock and roll again!

Let's talk bike posture & technique

Check your saddle position (or get a bike fit)

Keeping things simple for this post, it’s essential the saddle is at the correct height. This means that when sat on the bike your legs should have a slight bend in the knees when the pedal is at the bottom. Not only will this help prevent pains and strains, but the position will allow you to use all the power in your legs to their full potential. It is however advised that if you’re going to start cycling seriously, it’s worth getting a bike fit at a local bike shop where they can set the bike, the saddle, the pedals and the handlebars all at the correct position. Getting a bike fit BEFORE buying a bike is even better to understand what size bike is perfect for you. It is quite a costly investment (we’re talking around 90 €), but if you consider it’s a lifetime investment (unless you’re still growing) and the benefits you’ll gain, you might not think twice!

Relax your upper body! 

It’s easier said than done but your energy needs to go to your legs, so don’t go wasting any precious energy keeping all tense in the upper body. The arms need to be relaxed and a little bent whilst always looking ahead.

Warm-up and cool down

How? By spinning those legs fast in a low gear. Not only will it avoid any lightheadedness when you jump off the bike, but you’ll find a quicker recovery for muscle repair and recovery.

Think poo on your shoes

Not literally, but that’s some way to think how your feet and legs should be moving during pedaling – as if you have some poo on the bottom of your shoe and you are trying to scrape it off.

If you can’t picture that, one triathlon coach suggested to think that your pedaling is around a clock, and when you arrive 3 o’clock you should start putting power into the pedal all the way until 9 o’clock.

The idea of this is that it’s not simply the downward push that gives you the power on the bike and especially when you have taken that leap with the clipless pedals, you’ll have even more chance to enjoy putting power into that forward motion.

Get down if you’re going downhill

That is the most important time to use the bottom part of the handlebars (the dropbars). They’re not there to just look good! You have much more breaking leverage and control, so it’s so much safer.  When we first got our bikes, we practiced going down to the dropbars whilst cycling on the flat and building up confidence this way. 

Whilst maintaining a relaxed posture in the arms and upper body, when turning a corner, look ahead in the direction you are turning. It really helps to on those sharper corners to turn with confidence.

To feel even more in control, you keep your leg on the outside of the turn pushed down and feel how this helps balance the bike.

With a bit of practice on these downhill tips, we’ve started to love the downhill.

Going Uphill, use those levers

So give yourself that extra power when you stand up on a steep incline, you can use the top of the handlebars to pull up on whilst using a downward push with your feet and feel that power!

Be Comfortable on your bike

Cycle Shorts 

It’s definitely worth investing in a pair of cycle shorts that contain some sort of padding to protect your crotch area. It’s like wearing a huge nappy! Just think how comfortable babies are with nappies on all day.  They will save you from a fair amount of pain during the ride (and after)! It’s obviously not an essential item, however from the experience of having not purchased cycle shorts for almost one year into road cycling, let’s just say waiting so long to buy a pair would never happen again! Cycle shorts will keep the sweat away and if you look after them well, they can last a long time. There will be a post coming about bike shorts soon!

Bike Saddle

There are many different bike saddles to choose from, and many women-specific bike saddles have been made. If your still uncomfortable riding your bike with cycle shorts, it might be time to look at changing your bike saddle and testing a few different ones out.  The biggest challenge is knowing what bike saddle will work for you. Some bike-fit sessions incorporate this into the service if you plan on getting a bike-fit. Otherwise, you usually get some leeway time for the returns policy to be able to try out the saddle properly.   

No Pants

Finally feel free and go pant free! (If you’ve invested in those cycle shorts of course!) Yes we promise, it’s normal for cyclists. Why? Well, talking from our experience, cycling with pants can cause that awkward wedgie which is impossible to remove and super inappropriate once you’ve started pedaling. Plus it can be painful and chaffing can occur where the seams of your underwear start to rub. On the technical side, the cycle shorts are designed not only to provide padding but also to help wick away the sweat for a more comfortable ride. So go on, pull on those nappie cycle shorts and go commando.

Gloves

The gloves are not only there for protection should you fall off.  Here we have another 5 reasons why gloves are our friends!

In winter, they can help protect your hands from the cold and the wind! In summer, gloves will protect your hands from looking older quicker! No, but really, it will help protect your hands from the wind and the sun. Sunburn from cycling is really not a fun experience and nor is it very classy! We don’t recommend you try it. Plus, having sweaty hands gets uncomfortable and the handlebar tape will start to look dirtier much faster than if gloves had been worn. The final point is to eliminate those horrible blisters surfacing up from friction burns. Ew!

At first, a road bike feels a little uncomfortable, with your body position leaning over more and the bike itself feels a little unstable. Your hands feel in an awkward position to have to use the brakes. But it gets easier, and with time everything turns from being uncomfortable to being fun and natural.

So here are a few pointers that we have learned along the way to help stay relaxed, comfortable and confident on the bike from what to wear to how to handle the bike.

Technical Know How To

How to replace a flat tyre

Before heading out, you need to know what level (psi pressure) your tyres should be pumped up to. For all the road bikes we’ve owned, it’s around 90 psi. And a flat tyre experience is going to happen at some point, and won’t it be fun when you can totally embrace this opportunity to show yourself (plus everyone around you!) how capable you are of replacing that inner tube. It’s so incredibly empowering! Unfortunately, a flat tyre will most probably happen when you least need it to, or when you least expect it to, so start from day one knowing how to replace your inner tube so you can only look forward to that day of empowerment when your tyre goes kaput!

How to fix your chain

To this day, we find ourselves stopping to put on the chain because it’s fallen off (yes we probably need to take our bikes for a MOT). Take a look at how to put a chain on without getting it all over you and even on your face!  Save yourself the rollercoaster task of having to remove it from your body and your clothes. 

Wait, you’ve already got oil on your clothes?

Uh oh, ok so you already have stained the clothes?  Worry not!  Try mixing lemon juice (or washing-up liquid) and baking soda onto the stain with a toothbrush. Leave it overnight and pop it in the wash the next day. Then, all you can do is cross your fingers, and as if by magic, you should have oil-free clothes fit to rock and roll again!

Let's talk bike posture & technique

Check your saddle position (or get a bike fit)

Keeping things simple for this post, it’s essential the saddle is at the correct height. This means that when sat on the bike your legs should have a slight bend in the knees when the pedal is at the bottom. Not only will this help prevent pains and strains, but the position will allow you to use all the power in your legs to their full potential. It is however advised that if you’re going to start cycling seriously, it’s worth getting a bike fit at a local bike shop where they can set the bike, the saddle, the pedals and the handlebars all at the correct position. Getting a bike fit BEFORE buying a bike is even better to understand what size bike is perfect for you. It is quite a costly investment (we’re talking around 90 €), but if you consider it’s a lifetime investment (unless you’re still growing) and the benefits you’ll gain, you might not think twice!

Relax your upper body! 

It’s easier said than done but your energy needs to go to your legs, so don’t go wasting any precious energy keeping all tense in the upper body. The arms need to be relaxed and a little bent whilst always looking ahead.

Warm-up and cool down

How? By spinning those legs fast in a low gear. Not only will it avoid any lightheadedness when you jump off the bike, but you’ll find a quicker recovery for muscle repair and recovery.

Think poo on your shoes

Not literally, but that’s some way to think how your feet and legs should be moving during pedaling – as if you have some poo on the bottom of your shoe and you are trying to scrape it off.

If you can’t picture that, one triathlon coach suggested to think that your pedaling is around a clock, and when you arrive 3 o’clock you should start putting power into the pedal all the way until 9 o’clock.

The idea of this is that it’s not simply the downward push that gives you the power on the bike and especially when you have taken that leap with the clipless pedals, you’ll have even more chance to enjoy putting power into that forward motion.

Get down if you’re going downhill

That is the most important time to use the bottom part of the handlebars (the dropbars). They’re not there to just look good! You have much more breaking leverage and control, so it’s so much safer.  When we first got our bikes, we practiced going down to the dropbars whilst cycling on the flat and building up confidence this way. 

Whilst maintaining a relaxed posture in the arms and upper body, when turning a corner, look ahead in the direction you are turning. It really helps to on those sharper corners to turn with confidence.

To feel even more in control, you keep your leg on the outside of the turn pushed down and feel how this helps balance the bike.

With a bit of practice on these downhill tips, we’ve started to love the downhill.

Going Uphill, use those levers

So give yourself that extra power when you stand up on a steep incline, you can use the top of the handlebars to pull up on whilst using a downward push with your feet and feel that power!

Be Comfortable on your bike

Cycle Shorts 

It’s definitely worth investing in a pair of cycle shorts that contain some sort of padding to protect your crotch area. It’s like wearing a huge nappy! Just think how comfortable babies are with nappies on all day.  They will save you from a fair amount of pain during the ride (and after)! It’s obviously not an essential item, however from the experience of having not purchased cycle shorts for almost one year into road cycling, let’s just say waiting so long to buy a pair would never happen again! Cycle shorts will keep the sweat away and if you look after them well, they can last a long time. There will be a post coming about bike shorts soon!

Bike Saddle

There are many different bike saddles to choose from, and many women-specific bike saddles have been made. If your still uncomfortable riding your bike with cycle shorts, it might be time to look at changing your bike saddle and testing a few different ones out.  The biggest challenge is knowing what bike saddle will work for you. Some bike-fit sessions incorporate this into the service if you plan on getting a bike-fit. Otherwise, you usually get some leeway time for the returns policy to be able to try out the saddle properly.   

No Pants

Finally feel free and go pant free! (If you’ve invested in those cycle shorts of course!) Yes we promise, it’s normal for cyclists. Why? Well, talking from our experience, cycling with pants can cause that awkward wedgie which is impossible to remove and super inappropriate once you’ve started pedaling. Plus it can be painful and chaffing can occur where the seams of your underwear start to rub. On the technical side, the cycle shorts are designed not only to provide padding but also to help wick away the sweat for a more comfortable ride. So go on, pull on those nappie cycle shorts and go commando.

Gloves

The gloves are not only there for protection should you fall off.  Here we have another 5 reasons why gloves are our friends!

In winter, they can help protect your hands from the cold and the wind! In summer, gloves will protect your hands from looking older quicker! No, but really, it will help protect your hands from the wind and the sun. Sunburn from cycling is really not a fun experience and nor is it very classy! We don’t recommend you try it. Plus, having sweaty hands gets uncomfortable and the handlebar tape will start to look dirtier much faster than if gloves had been worn. The final point is to eliminate those horrible blisters surfacing up from friction burns. Ew!

Congratulations, you’ve got a road bike, you can fly!

What a feeling it is to jump on a road bike and feel so free. It’s so much different from that of a city bike or MTB. Plus you have the option to start using shoes that clip directly onto the bike pedals (they’re called clipless pedals – don’t ask why!) We both started off getting a good feel for the bike and once we felt comfortable we took the plunge. 

At first, a road bike feels a little uncomfortable, with your body position leaning over more and the bike itself feels a little unstable. Your hands feel in an awkward position to have to use the brakes. But it gets easier, and with time everything turns from being uncomfortable to being fun and natural.

So here are a few pointers that we have learned along the way to help stay relaxed, comfortable and confident on the bike from what to wear to how to handle the bike.

Technical Know How To

How to replace a flat tyre

Before heading out, you need to know what level (psi pressure) your tyres should be pumped up to. For all the road bikes we’ve owned, it’s around 90 psi. And a flat tyre experience is going to happen at some point, and won’t it be fun when you can totally embrace this opportunity to show yourself (plus everyone around you!) how capable you are of replacing that inner tube. It’s so incredibly empowering! Unfortunately, a flat tyre will most probably happen when you least need it to, or when you least expect it to, so start from day one knowing how to replace your inner tube so you can only look forward to that day of empowerment when your tyre goes kaput!

How to fix your chain

To this day, we find ourselves stopping to put on the chain because it’s fallen off (yes we probably need to take our bikes for a MOT). Take a look at how to put a chain on without getting it all over you and even on your face!  Save yourself the rollercoaster task of having to remove it from your body and your clothes. 

Wait, you’ve already got oil on your clothes?

Uh oh, ok so you already have stained the clothes?  Worry not!  Try mixing lemon juice (or washing-up liquid) and baking soda onto the stain with a toothbrush. Leave it overnight and pop it in the wash the next day. Then, all you can do is cross your fingers, and as if by magic, you should have oil-free clothes fit to rock and roll again!

Let's talk bike posture & technique

Check your saddle position (or get a bike fit)

Keeping things simple for this post, it’s essential the saddle is at the correct height. This means that when sat on the bike your legs should have a slight bend in the knees when the pedal is at the bottom. Not only will this help prevent pains and strains, but the position will allow you to use all the power in your legs to their full potential. It is however advised that if you’re going to start cycling seriously, it’s worth getting a bike fit at a local bike shop where they can set the bike, the saddle, the pedals and the handlebars all at the correct position. Getting a bike fit BEFORE buying a bike is even better to understand what size bike is perfect for you. It is quite a costly investment (we’re talking around 90 €), but if you consider it’s a lifetime investment (unless you’re still growing) and the benefits you’ll gain, you might not think twice!

Relax your upper body! 

It’s easier said than done but your energy needs to go to your legs, so don’t go wasting any precious energy keeping all tense in the upper body. The arms need to be relaxed and a little bent whilst always looking ahead.

Warm-up and cool down

How? By spinning those legs fast in a low gear. Not only will it avoid any lightheadedness when you jump off the bike, but you’ll find a quicker recovery for muscle repair and recovery.

Think poo on your shoes

Not literally, but that’s some way to think how your feet and legs should be moving during pedaling – as if you have some poo on the bottom of your shoe and you are trying to scrape it off.

If you can’t picture that, one triathlon coach suggested to think that your pedaling is around a clock, and when you arrive 3 o’clock you should start putting power into the pedal all the way until 9 o’clock.

The idea of this is that it’s not simply the downward push that gives you the power on the bike and especially when you have taken that leap with the clipless pedals, you’ll have even more chance to enjoy putting power into that forward motion.

Get down if you’re going downhill

That is the most important time to use the bottom part of the handlebars (the dropbars). They’re not there to just look good! You have much more breaking leverage and control, so it’s so much safer.  When we first got our bikes, we practiced going down to the dropbars whilst cycling on the flat and building up confidence this way. 

Whilst maintaining a relaxed posture in the arms and upper body, when turning a corner, look ahead in the direction you are turning. It really helps to on those sharper corners to turn with confidence.

To feel even more in control, you keep your leg on the outside of the turn pushed down and feel how this helps balance the bike.

With a bit of practice on these downhill tips, we’ve started to love the downhill.

Going Uphill, use those levers

So give yourself that extra power when you stand up on a steep incline, you can use the top of the handlebars to pull up on whilst using a downward push with your feet and feel that power!

Be Comfortable on your bike

Cycle Shorts 

It’s definitely worth investing in a pair of cycle shorts that contain some sort of padding to protect your crotch area. It’s like wearing a huge nappy! Just think how comfortable babies are with nappies on all day.  They will save you from a fair amount of pain during the ride (and after)! It’s obviously not an essential item, however from the experience of having not purchased cycle shorts for almost one year into road cycling, let’s just say waiting so long to buy a pair would never happen again! Cycle shorts will keep the sweat away and if you look after them well, they can last a long time. There will be a post coming about bike shorts soon!

Bike Saddle

There are many different bike saddles to choose from, and many women-specific bike saddles have been made. If your still uncomfortable riding your bike with cycle shorts, it might be time to look at changing your bike saddle and testing a few different ones out.  The biggest challenge is knowing what bike saddle will work for you. Some bike-fit sessions incorporate this into the service if you plan on getting a bike-fit. Otherwise, you usually get some leeway time for the returns policy to be able to try out the saddle properly.   

No Pants

Finally feel free and go pant free! (If you’ve invested in those cycle shorts of course!) Yes we promise, it’s normal for cyclists. Why? Well, talking from our experience, cycling with pants can cause that awkward wedgie which is impossible to remove and super inappropriate once you’ve started pedaling. Plus it can be painful and chaffing can occur where the seams of your underwear start to rub. On the technical side, the cycle shorts are designed not only to provide padding but also to help wick away the sweat for a more comfortable ride. So go on, pull on those nappie cycle shorts and go commando.

Gloves

The gloves are not only there for protection should you fall off.  Here we have another 5 reasons why gloves are our friends!

In winter, they can help protect your hands from the cold and the wind! In summer, gloves will protect your hands from looking older quicker! No, but really, it will help protect your hands from the wind and the sun. Sunburn from cycling is really not a fun experience and nor is it very classy! We don’t recommend you try it. Plus, having sweaty hands gets uncomfortable and the handlebar tape will start to look dirtier much faster than if gloves had been worn. The final point is to eliminate those horrible blisters surfacing up from friction burns. Ew!

Categories: Bike

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