Riding a road bike is a very exciting and pleasurable thing to do, because it gives you that feeling of freedom, you feel like you have wings and racing the wind. This feeling can’t be compared to anything. In addition to that, bicycling is an amazing exercise that combines in it many benefits such as stretching muscles, losing weight, building a lean and perfectly shaped boyalthough it might be a little bit tiring.
However, cycling can also turn into the most horrible exercise you have ever done in your life. You will get a backache, your feet will ache, every muscle in your body will scream at you for riding because you don’t know how to ride.
Many people think that cycling is about riding a bike and pedaling, whereas cycling is much more then that. If you want to have a smooth and comfortable ride whether you are riding alone or with a group, here are some the techniques that you need to remember:
1. Shake it off
Before riding your bike, shake your body from all the stress in it. The biggest mistake that riders make is stressing, don’t ever think about riding when you are stressed and stiff as a rock. Take some moments to relax and breathe deeply in and out to get out all that stress from your body.
When you decide to ride your bike, relax and loosen up your muscles because driving when you are stressed might cause you some serious injuries.
Whenever you notice that your nick is stiff, shoulders are locked and you hands are clenched tight while cycling, take a moment to relax and breath then resume your ride.
2. Protect your hands from getting numb:
The first thing you need to do when you purchase any type of bikes is purchasing a good quality gloves. Don’t ever ride your bike without putting on gloves to protect them; otherwise you will end up with numb hands for days or even weeks.
To protect your hands from getting numb, remember to always shift your hands while riding from a place to another. If you are not comfortable with riding with one hand on the bar, try to shift your hands from a position to another.
3. Master the art of pedaling:
You will say that pedaling is the easiest part, but the truth is that pedaling is the trickiest part. If you know how to pedal when climbing or ascending a hill, when to speed and when not to, you will have the comfiest ride at all.
In this case you could use a coach to teach you all the basics of pedaling and riding appropriately as well as braking. You might be speeding down a hill and suddenly you have to stop, the only thing that comes to your mind is pulling the brakes hard. In that way, you will end up lying face first on the ground with some serious injuries.
The art of pedaling and climbing is the real factor that will either give you a smooth and comfy ride or the completely the opposite.
4. Save yourself from a numb back
Just like with your hands, if you kept seated in the same position for a long time, you will end up with a numb back followed by a backache; which can be quite uncomfortable. To prevent that from happening, all you need to do is to start shifting on the saddle from a position to another. Start by sitting on the back of the saddle then shift your body to the front after 15 min.
This simple act will save you from the most uncomfortable ride ever and trust me, the last thing you want to do is to have a numb back.
5. Customize your bike to your liking:
There are many amazing bikes with remarkable prices, but that doesn’t mean they will be comfortable.
If you bought a bike but you are not comfortable with driving it because the saddle doesn’t fit you well, the handle bar is not soft and comfortableYou can change all that by simply buying a new saddle and handlebar that will give you a nice and comfortable ride with plenty of pleasure and less of numbness.
The important thing you need to do is to make sure you choose the right product, test it as much as you can to make sure that it will keep you comfortable during your ride and you won’t waste your money on something uncomfortable.
Having a smooth and comfortable ride will ease all your worries if you have any, as it will also make you forget about all the bad stuff in your life. It will actually renew your hope and confident and give you a boost of energy.
