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Introduction

Many people around the world will watch Lance Armstrong attempt to win his 7th straight Tour de France this July. He will retire from competitive racing after this year but you can be certain he will continue to ride the rest of his life. Despite his amazing success story, even the great Lance Armstrong had to start somewhere. Granted, he was winning triathlons in high school, but there was still a time when he was a beginner and had to build himself up. This article is a beginner's guide to getting started in the awesome sport of cycling. It's geared for people who really want to get out there and ride, but may not know the first thing about bikes or how to get started. Although I'm not an expert, I have attempted to provide a straightforward approach to buying a bike and offer new riders some tips based on my experience with training, maintenance, and organized rides.

Why Ride?

For starters, you are bound to begin picking up tons of sweet chicks when they find out you are a cyclist. Okay not really, but you can definitely get out and meet a lot of new people. The real reason that I ride is the sense of satisfaction I get from pushing my body and knowing that the lazy people driving by in their SUVs will never understand why I do it (don't SUVs support terrorism anyway?...just kidding).

In addition to road biking, mountain biking is another great sport/recreation in which to become involved. It's also one you can enjoy just as much as road biking. Though this article will focus on road bikes, the same basic approach to buying the bike and training that I will discuss can also be applied and used for mountain bikes.

Buying the Bike: Two Simple Rules

You Get What You Pay For

If you go to Walmart and buy a $50 Huffy and plan on doing a great deal of riding, chances are your bike won't last very long without major repairs. This is true for just about all sporting equipment. The first thing you will notice when you start looking at bikes is the price. This is an expensive sport to get started in but once you have a bike and your gear it actually requires very little to maintain.

There is one mathematical principle that is almost always true with road bikes: the price is inversely proportional to the weight. The frame, where most of the weight is, is essentially what dictates the cost of the bike. You can't get much lighter than 15 lbs (overall bike weight) but I doubt many people want to spend the amount of money it takes to get a bike that light. A good range to start with is somewhere within 18-22 lbs. Any more is generally too heavy for a road bike, and any less is going to cost significantly more, unless you happen to find a really good deal.

Here are a few names in bikes that I trust and would recommend to riders of all skill levels: Trek, Cannondale, Giant, Lemond, Specialized, Klein, Bianchi, and Fuji. There are many more brands out there but these are common ones you will see in bike shops and on the road.

The next step is to assess your financial situation and determine how much you are willing to spend on a bike. My first road bike was an $1800 Lemond. Everyone's situation is different but I didn't mind spending more on a bike than some people might. I had already mountain biked for a couple years so I knew I would be serious about it. If your situation is similar to mine or you know you really want to start cycling, you may want to plan on spending over $1000. If you're going to be doing it simply for recreation, there are plenty of options well under $1000.1 So give the issue some thought before you begin the shopping process. Once you've determined your budget you'll be ready to move on to the next step: locating the bike shops in your town.

Buy a Bike Like You Buy a Car

If this is your first time buying a bike, I recommend the following approach, which can be used at each bike store you visit. Tell the sales guy how much you are willing to spend and ask to see the best bike you can get for that price, which will help him narrow down the selection. Next, have him size you for a bike. Size is very important (get your mind out of the gutter). Don't be afraid to ask tons of questions. Tell him to explain everything about the bike: the brakes, the tires, the derailleur, the frame, etc. Also, ask him to show you a bike that is over your set price but close enough that it won't break the bank. Ask him what the differences are. One definite question I always ask a sales rep is what kind of bike they ride.

Once you are sized for a bike and find a few that fit your price range, take them for a test ride out on the street. Don' t just ride around the parking lot; get out on the road and go for a few blocks. Shift gears, try the brakes, and try standing up and pedaling. Take notice of the weight and the overall " feel" of each bike. Write down the price of the bikes you like for comparison and don't buy one until you've at least been to a couple shops and test ridden multiple bikes at each shop. Compare prices, components, and the support each shop offers. Most shops are very helpful when you bring your bike in for repairs. Minor adjustments are many times free and the repair guys normally let you watch them work and show you how to do it yourself. Talking to bike shop employees is where I learned the most about bicycle maintenance.

One major difference you will notice (and may initially fear) is that your feet will be "clipped in" to the pedals. For cycling, clipless pedals don't really pose a threat like they do in mountain biking. They were called clipless to differentiate them from the original toe clip pedals where your foot slid into a strap or a small basket.2 The name "clipless" stuck despite the fact that your feet are actually clipped to the pedal. You shouldn't have to clip out of the pedals very often while riding on the road unless you come to a stop light, and even then you have plenty of time to get your foot out. Mountain biking is a little different because you could crash at any time and getting out of the pedals quickly can save you a lot of pain (and skin). The clipless pedals are designed to transfer power from your leg to the bike throughout the entire pedaling motion. So, not only are you pushing down on the pedal, you are also pushing forward and pulling up as well. This is most noticeable when riding uphill. A little practice clipping in and out and you should be good to go.

The last important part of your bike I think you need to know about are the drive-train components. Shimano is the most common brand of derailleur, crankset, brakes, etc. A derailleur is that contraption next to the rear wheel that shifts the rear gears. There's also a front derailleur that does the same, moves the chain to different gears. All my bikes have Shimano derailleurs. Shimano makes three levels of components: Dura Ace, Ultegra, and 105. Dura Ace being the best (and most expensive) and going down from there. For someone just starting out, Shimano Ultegra is my recommendation. You can also go with Shimano 105 brakes to help defray a little bit of the overall cost of the bike. The only regret I have about my bike is getting a triple crank instead of a double. That means I have three big gears in the front instead of two. The extra third gear is for climbing. I've done a few 100 milers and never used it once. Unless you plan on doing a lot of serious climbing, I'd go with a double crank. You'll save weight and you probably won't use that gear nearly as much as you think.

Buying Accessories

Now that you have a bike, there are certain essentials that you will need. Although the salesman is just doing his job, he might try to pressure you into buying all sorts of extras and recommend the most expensive brands. Avoid getting caught in the common trap of justifying additional overpriced accessories by comparing their price to the much larger bike purchase. As you start riding, you'll figure out what works and what doesn't and what other cycling gear you need. Take your time and stick to the essentials3:

• Helmet - more air vents help cool your head, but increase the price
• Cycling shorts with a pad inside - the "maxi pad" shorts
• Cycling shoes - clipless pedal type
• Spare tube - get the right size (ask the sales guy if you need to)
• CO2 catridges or tire pump - recommend CO2 cartridges
• At least one water bottle cage and water bottle - sometimes they throw these in for free
• Tire levers - cheap, but you need them to change a tire

Optional items you may want to get right away or wait until you start riding more:

• Gloves - recommend fingerless
• Tire pump - always a good thing to have in your garage when you have to change a tire or add air
• Multi-tool - your bike will require adjustments and tweaking that can only be discovered by getting out there and riding; you'll need the multitool to do them
• Speedometer/Odometer - get one with that has at a minimum: speed, trip distance, overall distance, and time; you'll use these things constantly during rides.
• Degreaser - the chain and gears will get dirty and gunked up from riding; degreaser and an old rag are an easy way to clean them.

Any stigmas (or fears) of spandex you have need to be thrown out the window right now. If you decide to become a cyclist, you'll be wearing it. There's no way around it. You'll have less wind resistance and the spandex wisks away sweat better than cotton. The tight fitting shorts will help prevent chaffing on longer rides as well. If you are riding to the gym or just for fun, then by all means wear whatever clothes you want. But if you are training or doing a long ride you'll want the spandex. Make sure you get the ones with a pad inside (your butt will thank you) and some type of cycling shirt with the pockets on the back, which come in very handy when you ride long distance and need to carry food. You may also want to put your car key, ID, multi-tool, or something else in those pockets. Never pay full price for cycling clothes. Wait for a sale or shop around. Check the internet. There are plenty of ways to avoid throwing your money away on biking clothes. If you want to pay $70 for a cool looking jersey, that's your call but I'd try to find one for around $20 and shorts for no more than $30.

Maintenance

The bike shop should tune your bike up before you take it home. They will make sure the derailleur is functioning properly, tires are inflated to the right pressure, and it's the right fit for your body. What else should you know before you leave the shop?

Have them show you how to change a tire. It's better to ask what you might think is a dumb question in the bike shop than to be stranded 10 miles from your house wishing you had asked. You will get flats, not a lot but it will happen once in a while. It's no problem with a spare, a CO2 cartridge, and a tire lever to fix it. If you don't want to carry that stuff you should at least bring your cell phone with you in case you get a flat.

Other maintenance you can learn as you go. Almost every bike shop I know of has free maintenance classes once or twice a month. These are great ways to learn about your bike and get hands on training. If your bike ever feels like something isn't right, or something is wrong with the derailleur, take it to the bike shop. Tell them the problem and ask them questions. Every repair guy I've ever talked to has been really cool about involving me in what he was doing to fix my bike and helping me learn how to do it myself.

Compared to mountain bikes, road bikes require a lot less maintenance. As long as you keep your gears clean and your chain lubed, you should have very few, if any, major problems. The brake and derailleur cables will stretch over time but that is something you or the bike shop can easily tune up.

Riding and Training

Enough about buying a bike and maintenance; it's time to get out and ride the thing. I don't recommend my approach though, which is riding a 100-miler four days after you buy your bike. Start at your fitness level. Some might be able to start right away doing 20-mile rides and some people might be smoked after five. Riding everday, even if it is a short distance, is a great way to start building up your endurance. Riding to the gym or to work are two possibilities.

Look around your town for nice open stretches of road that not many cars travel on. Service roads that run parallel to highways are usually great places to ride. Try not to start on roads with lots of hills. Build up your legs and get used to the different gears on your bike. Enjoy your new toy and your sweet new gear the first few days.

The next step is developing some sort of training plan that fits your schedule and goals. Consistency is a crucial part of any cycling training program. Try to minimize the days when you don't ride at all. Even if there are one or two days a week when you can only squeeze in 30 minutes, try to ride as much as possible. I found that the following training plan really worked well for me and produced results I was very happy with. I had three core types of rides: hill, medium (20-35 miles) and long distance (40-70 miles). I did my hill workout once a week. It consisted of three big hills, each a couple miles long, that were very close to where I lived. It took 30 to 40 minutes and that was it. I would do the medium rides four or five days a week, trying to change up the route a lot. The long ride I would do on either Saturday or Sunday. In addition to these rides I would ride to where I workout every morning. This was a short, flat ride that took less than 15 minutes each way. It took a little time to build up to these distances and get faster but if you stick to whatever plan you come up with, I guarantee you will see results quick. The first 100-miler I did took me 6 hours. I hadn't trained and didn't know what I was getting into. I did another one two months later and consistent training in preparation for it helped take a full hour off my time. I also discovered drafting on that second century ride. I'll discuss it more in the next section.

Organized Rides and Races

This is the area where I have the least amount of experience in cycling and I encourage readers to add their thoughts and comments. If you are like me, you'll be nervous going to your first organized ride because you don't really know what to expect. Everyone appears to have an expensive bike and seems like they know what they are doing. And, they might. But don't worry about them. I promise you won't come in last. Just get out there and ride. Every ride will have multiple distances you can choose to do when you sign up so you don't have to do a century ride if you aren't ready.

When a ride starts, the first mile or so you'll be weaving your way through slower riders until they start to thin out. Once you feel like you are at a good pace try to slip in with a group of riders who you think you'll be able to keep up with. Sometimes it's a good idea to to ask if they mind you jumping in with their group first. Most people don't have a problem with it. However, I don't recommend sitting at the back of the group the whole time and drafting. Take your turn at the front and keep a solid pace. Once you get tired you can either wave the next guy up or break off, slow down and then jump back in at the end of the line. You'll save amazing amounts of energy when you draft, especially a larger group. If the group is too fast and you cannot keep up, no worries. Let them go and hop in with the next group.

Don't kill yourself in the beginning of the race. Keep a good pace and make sure you take in fluids and some food during the race. Rides always have stops along the route where you can refill your water bottles and get some fruit or cookies.

If you're not interested in ever doing an organized event like that and just want to get out and ride, that's cool too. There are local cycling clubs all over the US for those of you who are really interested in cycling as more than just a Sunday afternoon thing. Check the Internet for organized rides in your area.4 And as they say in the cycling world, "keep the rubber side down."

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