Whether you’re focused on performance or pleasure, any cyclist can learn new ways to improve their ride. You may be surprised by how these small things can make a big difference in the enjoyment of your ride.
Shift just before you need to. You want to make your transitions between gears as smooth as possible, so when you’re climbing a hill, don’t wait until you can barely pedal to shift. Instead, shift just before you need to, ideally when your pedals are at the 12 and 6 o’clock position. This will put less pressure on your pedals and make your gears less likely to slip.
Go for lower gears and faster revolutions. Pedaling in a high gear might feel like a good challenge, but spending too much time in a high gear can put too much pressure on your knees and cause injuries. Instead, stick to lower gears that allow you to pedal somewhere in the range of 60 to 80 revolutions per minute, or 80 to 100 rpms if you’re training competitively.
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Check your saddle height. You’d be surprised by just how many people ride with the wrong saddle height. Beginner riders especially may be tempted to adjust their saddle to a height that’s lower than optimal so it’s easier to climb on the bike, but this wastes energy and can be hard on your knees. Adjust your saddle height so your leg is straight at the bottom of the pedal cycle while your pelvis remains horizontal—or come into Hart’s Cyclery and ask one of our pros to help you get the right fit. You can also have a fitting with our computerized robotic assisted bicycle fitting system, GURU Dynamic Fit.
Pedal on the downhill. After a tough hill, you may want nothing more than to stop pedaling and let gravity do the work on the downhill. However, your legs will thank you if you continue pedaling lightly while you coast. Lactic acid builds up in your legs while you’re working hard on the uphill, and you need to keep pedaling on the downhill in order to flush that lactic acid out.
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Change up your body and hand position. Have you ever gotten done with a long ride and found that your back, shoulders, hands, or neck are killing you? If you’re cramping up, it’s most likely a sign that you need to shift your body position more frequently while you’re riding. Make a conscious effort to adjust your body and hand position throughout the ride so you work different muscles and don’t put too much pressure on certain nerves.
If you want to learn about more small things that can make all the difference on your ride, come talk to us at Hart’s Cyclery. We’re a bike shop that emphasizes health and great performance for cyclists of all ability levels, and we’d love to help you improve your rides.
Since 1988, Ross Hart has owned and operated Hart’s Cyclery in Pennington, NJ. The bike store sells and services the finest brands in the world, including Giant and Cannondale. We provide personalized customer service, taking the time to understand your needs, lifestyle, and athletic style. The focus is ensuring you discover the right bike and the right fit – for the best cycling experience possible.
The next time you visit, check out our newest addition: the GURU Dynamic Fit. The computerized robotic assisted system has revolutionized road bike fitting, and we’re the only shop in the area that offers the service.
