bluefoxicy

CamelBak.

Bungee cord the bento box to the rack.

Clipless pedals.

Of course this was all resolved in about 2 weeks. The best advice I had was read through Sheldon Brown's site, which didn't include the bungee cord + rear rack thing or anything about hydration packs at all. I bought the clipless pedals because they were mentioned there, and I asked a (mountain bike) friend about that and he said ignore the advice away from clipless (I know a few people who have used clipless once or twice, and say they're not great compared to platforms; they're wrong).

Those were my two advantages going in: Sheldon Brown's site and a guy who mountain bikes a lot.

Though I have another piece of obscure advice: CamelBak Elixr. Also see Zym, Nuun, etc. Some of these are not very sweet, unlike sugar-laden Gatorade. That's somewhat of a personal choice; but your calorie bars do have sugar in them if you need it. These not-candy waters are excellent electrolyte sources, just like good old Gatorade; be aware, and think on how much sugar you really want to intake. A LOT of sugar intake isn't necessarily bad if you're crushing your body like crazy.

Also, skip CamelBak Orange Alert and Clif Peanut Toffee Buzz, they contain caffeine specifically for its stimulant effect (meaning in significant levels) and you really don't want that (constricts the blood vessels, raising blood pressure and making your heart overwork).

big chainring 

I wish someone would have told me to lift weights/ do squats. I have been doing a lot of squats with light weights for a year now. You need muscle in your legs before you start racking up miles. When I was a skinny teenager I could spin fast for speed but had no power. Rode today after about a week off the bike(bad weather). During that week i was doing my squats. Felt great on the bike today with plenty of power.

Condorita

So the Giant Cypress hybrid and the Trek Allant commuter aren't "real"?

I wish someone had warned me about cycling snobs.

Captain Blight

I wish someone had told me how much it was going to hurt. And just how much joy it would bring me.

bluefoxicy

Did this.

No. Clif bars. You can get 24 pack boxes for like $22-$26 shipped, just around a dollar a bar; they freaking rock.


No, both feet. I've done the one foot thing, and promptly fell over the other way! If you DO unclip one foot, make it the TRAFFIC side so if you fall over you're falling AWAY from traffic; be ready to catch the curb with your hand so you don't brain your temple (I'm switching to a mountain bike helmet, not an XC).

keiththesnake

I wish somebody would've told me about buying tools and doing my own wrenching right from the start. Saves a lot of money and helps me better understand my bikes. I only discovered this after spending more money than I should have on pretty basic stuff.

DaveInThePacNW

Thanks for this great advice...I've learned a ton.

DaveInThePacNW

How do I go about finding a pro-fit person in the Seattle area? I have a terrible time with my feet falling asleep...thought I had it figured out but not the case. I'm sure it is something to do with how my bike fits as they don't fall asleep on my tandem that I ride with my kid.


Nein. That's precisely the mistake I made. Get the pro-fit done.

$180 was for the full caboodle, including some time on the spin-analyzer, in which I learned that I had a weak spot at the top (11-o-clock to 1-o-clock) portion of my spin, which is very common.
Nate recommended some hip-flexor exercises, and I immediately noticed a benefit. If only I'd known this stuff when I was in my 20's and living in Holland near the Belgian border, and getting my @$$ handed to me on regular basis by the Dutch & Belgians. I got discouraged and eventually quit racing over there.

The other thing I wish someone had told me about back then was YOGA! Absolutely helps in a huge way. If you can't stand the thought of stretching and breathing in a room crowded with sweaty, fit, scantily-clad, young women, check your local library for Yoga DVD's. Absolutely helps.[/QUOTE]

NegativeZero

All i meant was that I didn't buy a Walmart bike this time, but instead got a real bike. Sorry if I hit a nerve.

Thanks, y'all, for continuing to post here and help us newbs.. I surely appreciate it.

Bob Ross

It's not just a form of transportation, it can also be an unending source of fun.

Took me ~39 years of cycling before I figured that one out.

wartburgpanda

Im new too -

1) What is this Camelbak I keep reading about and how does it work?
2) Chamois butter?
3) drop bars?

The Chemist

-That not everybody likes drop bars - I know I sure don't.
-That rain gear is useless in hot, humid summer weather - you get as wet wearing it as not. And I prefer the not, because I don't feel as hot.

Robert Foster

We understand all of the bold underlined parts. (do you have a beard and pony tail?)

RobertL

On the other hand, never race a Clydesdale downhill!

contango 

It's fun freewheeling downhill, especially when I'm the overweight guy on a mountain bike and get to pass thinner guys on more road-going machines.

mechBgon

As an American accustomed to miles/hour as a speed unit: that cyclecomputers display in km/h by default. The first time I rode with my shiny new Cateye Solar, I was very briefly convinced I should go pro (and stop breaking the speed limit all the time).

dpeters11

Camelbak is one brand of hydration pack, basically a backpack with a water reservoir and a tube you keep near your shoulder.
Chamois butter is cream to help prevent chafing from the pad in cycling shorts/bibs.
Drop bars are the traditional road bike bar.

Big_e

This is common sense but don't shave your face before a ride. The salty sweat will sting and irritate any nicks or sore skin and the salty chin strap of the helmet will rub the skin under the chin to a rash. Shave afterwards.
Ernest

Keith99

Now that one I really could have used, but it would have ruined a great story.

I started riding by doing the Ensenada - Rosarito ride, borrowed my brother old bike for that. I then bought my own mountian bike. My very first ride wearing light weight hiking boots (more like high top sneakers with long laces and fancy eyelets) I got my laces caught in the chain. No problem, I just looked down at it and backpedaled until they were free.....

Only to look back up to see a very nice rattlesnake crossing the fireroad 10-15 feet in front of me. Luckily I know snakes and knew the front from the back as soon as I saw it and also know a stretched out snake has no striking distance.

coldfeet

You don't necessarily have to quit riding in Winter. Exactly how much you have to do to keep it up all Winter varies, some people will need different tires, knobbies or studs, some will need a different bike, Pugsley etc. The lucky ones just need to figure out what to wear, but most of us can ride on through.

ap1_alan

Fred's are faster than they look

Arrowana

I really can't think of much. If someone had told me "The bike you want to buy is this" then I wouldn't have had the fun of going through a ton of different bikes trying to find out what I want. The ones that I lost money on, I learned not to make the same mistakes in the future. If I did have to pick something, it would probably be, "At some point you will get a Brooks Saddle. Do not sell it."

Gmajor

- Good quality bike shorts are awesome. Buy them.
- Cyclocross bikes are a hell of a lot of fun. Check 'em out.
- Maintenance is not an option. Do it.
- Clipless pedals and shoes can be the best upgrade ever. Try them.
- Odds are you're gonna crash, but it comes with the turf. Keep riding.
- If it's hot and humid, try a Halo or Headsweatz. Great stuff.
- The initial pain and discomfort goes away. Keep riding.
- Celebrate achieving each personal goal. You earned it.
- Never be afraid to ask for help. We all need it.
- Give the local bikes shops a chance to earn your cash. It's worth it.
- No undies with bike shorts... ever. It will be bad.
- Take pride in yourself and your bike. Clean it.
- Invest in a RoadID or some dog tags. You are loved.
- Invest in a good pump, patch kit, and levers. Flats suck.
- Spring for a good multi-tool. You'll need it.
- Carry a small knife like a Leatherman Squirt. Very handy.
- Your gear will never be good enough for you. Keep riding.
- Your gear isn't good enough according to some people. Keep riding.
- It doesn't get easier, but you will get stronger and faster. Keep riding.
- Every fellow cyclist is your comrade until proven otherwise. Be kind.

- Greg

GriddleCakes

The one thing I wish someone had told me when I started my career as an urban cyclist: slow down on the sidewalk, it's not designed for cycling speeds.

Avoid the sidewalk where you can, find low speed parallel streets and take the lane. If you must ride the sidewalk, respect the pedestrian (to buzz a ped with your bike is no different than to buzz a cyclist with your car), and treat every driveway and cross street as a yield. Doesn't matter if you have the legal right of way, motorists won't see you anyway if you're on the sidewalk or in the crosswalk.

This info would've saved me two front wheels and several scars. If you're the bookish type, I can't recommend Robert Hurst's Art of Cycling highly enough. After +7 years of urban cycling, there wasn't much I could glean from the book, but every word struck true and fit perfectly with my experiences as an urban cyclist. I wish the bike shop that had sold me my first adult bike had included or recommended Hurst's book.

contango 

Time spent on the bike is better than time spent talking about the bike on an internet message board.