So you're ready to start riding seriously for the first time? In this adaptation of a book destined to become a novice's bible, the owner of a renowned bike clinic outlines exactly how to get started—from gear to riding skills to the single most important fix everyone should know.
sitioned for Success
If you're new to a road bike, you may feel on your first rides as if your body is being thrown unnaturally far forward. Because your whole torso is relatively low to the ground, it might I seem as if you could go over the bar at any second. Stay relaxed and practice riding in low-traffic areas, and soon your fight-or-flight reptilian brain will learn that this position is as comfortable and as safe as any other—because it is.
There are three riding positions. The most common is neutral, in which your hands are generally on top of the hoods (which cover the brake levers) so you have access to the brakes and shifters. If the bike fits you properly, you will be able to freely turn your head to look around, not have too much pressure on your hands, and feel comfortable for extended periods of time. Viewed from the side, your torso and arms should almost form a 90-degree angle. Make an effort to keep your shoulders broad and away from your ears and your chest forward.
When you need to lower your torso or center of gravity, the C-shaped lower portion of your handlebar—called the "drops"—is there for you. You'll want your hands in the drops most often when descending, especially down long, steep inclines. Your torso will be bent more forward from the hips and your wrists will be angled so you can readily reach the brake levers, and you'll have more leverage when you use them. When you move to this position for descending, you'll also shift your weight slightly backward in your seat and toward the rear wheel to give you more traction.
As you spend more time in the saddle and find your comfort zones, try standing, a position mostly used when climbing but also to rest your muscles and soft tissues. To stand, start in a neutral position. As you rise up, your weight will naturally shift forward, which may cause your bike to lurch a bit. Keep your arms relaxed so you can easily make this transition without swerving. With your torso bent slightly forward, keep your hips (essentially your center of gravity) still, mostly centered above and just in front of the nose of the saddle.
Next: Steer Clear of Road Trouble. You can also jump to a specific section below:
Positioned for Success – Practice riding in the three basic riding positions
Steer Clear of Road Trouble – Stay upright with this simple advice
Turn the Corner – How to move through turns like a pro
Going Up – Climbing hills is about more than strength.
Quick Change Artist – You can become a skilled flat-repair expert in no time
Know Your Cycling Etiquette – A few basic rules of the road
Pedal Like a Pro – Stay light and spin to flow effortlessly
17 More Fueling, Apparel, and Gear Tips – Nutritional advice, what to wear, and must-have cycling items
eer Clear of Road Trouble
Stay upright with this simple advice
Illustration: Joel Kimmel
Potholes & Debris
Keep your eyes up the road so you can move out of the way of the likes of broken glass and loose gravel. If you can't avoid an obstacle, stand on your pedals and relax your arms and legs. Don't hit the brakes; momentum will help carry you over.
Keep your eyes up the road so you can move out of the way of the likes of broken glass and loose gravel. If you can't avoid an obstacle, stand on your pedals and relax your arms and legs. Don't hit the brakes; momentum will help carry you over.
Rain
Ride a little slower than normal, give yourself longer to slow, and make yourself as visible as possible with bright clothing or lights.
Ride a little slower than normal, give yourself longer to slow, and make yourself as visible as possible with bright clothing or lights.
Railroad Tracks
Always cross the tracks as close to 90 degrees as possible. By making your path perpendicular to the grooves, you're less likely to fall into them. If the tracks are raised or rutted, coast over them without braking.
Always cross the tracks as close to 90 degrees as possible. By making your path perpendicular to the grooves, you're less likely to fall into them. If the tracks are raised or rutted, coast over them without braking.
Other Cyclists
On a shared path, you might be cycling with people who may have no idea how to ride with others. Slow down and ring your bell or call out a warning of "On your left!" before passing on that side.
On a shared path, you might be cycling with people who may have no idea how to ride with others. Slow down and ring your bell or call out a warning of "On your left!" before passing on that side.
Wet Leaves or Metal
Brake and slow down before, for example, rolling over rain-soaked manhole covers. When your tires make contact, coast—don't pedal or brake. Accelerating or hitting the brakes can cause your wheels to slide out.
Brake and slow down before, for example, rolling over rain-soaked manhole covers. When your tires make contact, coast—don't pedal or brake. Accelerating or hitting the brakes can cause your wheels to slide out.
Motor Vehicles
Keep an eye out for cars exiting or entering driveways or other turns. If it looks like a car is slowing but isn't signaling, assume it is going to turn anyway and wait to see what it does before proceeding.
Keep an eye out for cars exiting or entering driveways or other turns. If it looks like a car is slowing but isn't signaling, assume it is going to turn anyway and wait to see what it does before proceeding.
Turn the Corner
Most novices intuitively assume that steering through corners requires turning the handlebar. This is true at very slow speeds, but mostly you guide the bike around curves by leaning the frame and shifting your weight in the direction you're turning.
First, and we can't emphasize this enough, relax. Loose joints allow you to move around on the bike easily and stay off the brakes. Next, look ahead, through, and around the bend. You'll be tempted to look straight into the corner of the turn. If you do, that's where you'll ride—possibly right off the road. It may sound counter-intuitive, but force yourself to look as far down the road as possible by following the pavement markings until they disappear on the horizon. Sometimes this means your head will be turned completely to one side, and it may seem like you're not watching where you're going, but that's precisely what you're doing. When you look far ahead, your bike and body will naturally veer in the correct direction while your peripheral vision picks up any obstacles on the road in front of you. As you coast around the corner, make a wide arc. To do this, you'll use the whole lane, so make sure traffic is clear. As you enter the turn, start with your bike close to the outside of the curve. Riding into it, aim for the inside of the corner (but don't cross into the other lane). As you exit, arc back to the outside.
Position your feet so your inside pedal (the one closest to the apex) is up and your pedal closest to the outside of the road is down. This will naturally angle the bike somewhat, and this temporary shift in your normally upright position might seem a little scary at first, but it takes advantage of the bike's natural gravitational pull. If you try to fight this by keeping your bike upright, you'll lose traction and speed.
On fast corners, try putting your hands in the drops to lower your center of gravity and stabilize yourself. Because the gravitational forces of riding through a curve will cause you to accelerate, always lower your speed before entering the turn. By the time you hit the bend, you should already have slowed down enough that you barely touch the brakes. The thing to avoid: braking hard in the turn. That changes your weight distribution and causes the bike to go from leaning and gripped to the road to upright, difficult to control, and likely to skid out.
Going Up
Climbing hills is about more than strength. Add the right skills and strategy and you'll always reach the top.
 | Prepare Before the road rises, take a swig from your bottle, consciously relax your body, and maybe even slow down. When you start out tense, you'll feel worse on the way up. If it's hot, unzip your jersey a bit. |
 | Downshift Get into an easier gear that lets you turn the pedals quickly without pushing hard. Once the chain is under a lot of tension, it becomes more difficult for it to move between cogs. |
 | Conserve Energy Keep your breathing deep and steady. If it's hard to push down on the pedals, concentrate on pulling up. Resist the urge to gun it early. If you feel good as you approach the top, that's the time to push. |
 | Play Mind Games Climbing is as much mental as it is physical. Experiment with distractions. Focus on a tree or a sign up ahead and watch the distance shrink. Sing. Tell a joke. Smile. Try to forget you're climbing. |
 | Move Around Alternate sitting and standing to use all your muscle groups. If you run through all your gears and can no longer spin easily, move your hands to the hoods and push against them for leverage as you pedal. |
 | Get Excited As you near the top, take a minute to breathe, look around at the scenery, and prepare for your reward--the descent. If you're really spent, put your feet down and take a rest. And, hey, why not Instagram the view? |
It's OK to...
1. Go at your own pace. Other riders may be waiting at the top, but that's not your problem.
2. Get off and walk. Everyone has done it. When remounting, make sure your bike is in an easy gear, check for traffic, then angle your bike across the road.
3. Zig-zag. If the hill is really steep, tack across teh road as much as is safe. You'll slightly level the hill, through you will add distance.
1. Go at your own pace. Other riders may be waiting at the top, but that's not your problem.
2. Get off and walk. Everyone has done it. When remounting, make sure your bike is in an easy gear, check for traffic, then angle your bike across the road.
3. Zig-zag. If the hill is really steep, tack across teh road as much as is safe. You'll slightly level the hill, through you will add distance.
The Stance
Start seated. Keep your back straight and shoulders down so your lungs can expand and take in plenty of oxygen. Relax your arms, with your elbows slightly bent, hands resting comfortably on the bar tops several inches away from the stem. Try to avoid wasting energy with a death grip on the bar. To get more power from your glutes, lower your upper body toward the top tube. If you stand, position your butt over the saddle with your weight centered over the bottom bracket.
Start seated. Keep your back straight and shoulders down so your lungs can expand and take in plenty of oxygen. Relax your arms, with your elbows slightly bent, hands resting comfortably on the bar tops several inches away from the stem. Try to avoid wasting energy with a death grip on the bar. To get more power from your glutes, lower your upper body toward the top tube. If you stand, position your butt over the saddle with your weight centered over the bottom bracket.
Did you know:
Encouraging yourself with a non-first-person pronoun ("You can do it") is more effective than using first person ("I can do it").
(Journal of Personality and Social Psychology)
Encouraging yourself with a non-first-person pronoun ("You can do it") is more effective than using first person ("I can do it").
(Journal of Personality and Social Psychology)
Quick Change Artist
If you do even a moderate amount of riding, you are going to get a flat tire at some point. The good news? You can become a skilled flat-repair expert in no time.
What you'll need:
• a new tube
• 2 tire levers
• a floor pump, hand pump, or CO2 cartridge and inflator
• a new tube
• 2 tire levers
• a floor pump, hand pump, or CO2 cartridge and inflator
 | Remove the Innertube 1. Open the quick-release or unbolt the axle and remove the wheel from the bike. Remove as much air as possible from the tire by compressing the valve stem. | ||||||||||||
 | 2. Working at the area opposite the valve stem, use the rounded end of a tire lever to pop one bead (the hard edge of the tire) off the rim and hook the other end of the lever onto the spoke below. This will keep the bead from jumping back into the rim. Now work the second lever under the bead to the right of the first until there's enough slack to move it freely. | ||||||||||||
 | 3. Slide the second lever around the rim clockwise until one bead is entirely off. Pull the tube out of the tire. | ||||||||||||
 | Find the Puncture 1. To avoid getting another flat quickly, find the cause of this one. Inflate the tube to locate the leak. | ||||||||||||
 | 2. Run your gloved hand or a piece of cloth along the inside of the tire to feel for any debris penetrating the tread. Now check the outside of the tire for objects that haven't worked through the tread yet. Remove all debris. | ||||||||||||
 | Install the New Tube 1. Align the label on your tire with the rim's valve hole (this will make future punctures easier to locate). Inflate your new tube just enough to hold its shape, insert the valve into the rim, and tuck the tube into the tire. | ||||||||||||
 | 2. Beginning at the valve stem, work around the circumference of the tire, using the heels of your hands to push the bead back onto the rim. Make sure the tube isn't getting pinched between the rim and tire as you continue on. | ||||||||||||
 | 3. When you reach the area opposite the valve stem, you may need to put a little muscle into getting that last part over the edge of the rim. Tip: Push the valve stem up into the tire so the bead can pop more easily over the rim wall. | ||||||||||||
 | 4. Reinflate the tube to around 20 psi, then check that the tire is properly seated on both sides of the rim. If it is, fully inflate it to the psi recommended on the tire's sidewall or to your desired pressure. | ||||||||||||
| Illustrations: Joel Kimmel | |||||||||||||
For a step-by-step video on changing a flatKnow Your Cycling Etiquette
A few basic rules of the road
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