Cycling Basics – Apparel & Equipment

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Cycling Basics: Reviews | Apparel & Equipment | Bike Types | Cycling Books

Before you even go out on your first ride, here are a few must-have items (the essentials) that you need for your own safety. I would recommend borrowing or renting a bike before spending over $500 to buy your first bike at Performance Bike (my local branch have excellent customer service).

The Helmet

The most important gear you need to own. Wearing one is highly recommended whether required by law or not. There are many styles and colors to choose from with prices ranging from $30 to $300. What ever model you choose, the correct fit is crucial. Go with a new model that has a sizing mechanism for quick and easy adjustments. I have older helmets that slide around a lot and invested $50 to purchase a new one – you will thank me for it later!

Taking it one step further, you might want to pick a bright colored one for additional visibility and reflecting sunlight on sunny days.

The Water Bottle

You have to be hydrated in cycling as in running. I started off with the same waist-mounted hydration pack that I use for running but decided that keeping a water bottle on the bike (purchase a bottle cage if your bike does not have one already) is most comfortable. You may be riding a lot longer than you are running so as a basic guideline, drink 20 ounces of water for every hour ridden subject to weather conditions. Most bikes can accommodate two bottle cages so bring extra water even if you don’t need it, just in case.

The Shorts

I started with running shorts with compression liners but quickly realized that for long rides over an hour, you’ll need cycling shorts that can pad your backside and eliminate skin chaffing. Almost all bike shorts have compression thus improving aerodynamic efficiency.

The Tops

I’ve been using my running tops for cycling in the warm weather but will eventually upgrade to real cycling jerseys once I decide what I need for the colder weather. An ideal cycling jersey should fit well, regulates body temperature, and has rear pockets for carrying extra clothes, food, and other essential personal items like cash, keys, and phone.

The Gloves

Although optional and there are cyclists who does not like wearing them, I always wear mine. A typical pair cycling gloves has strategically placed padding to provide shock absorption, alleviate numbness, and prevent calluses and blisters. I used my weight lifting gloves on the first ride but immediately bought a basic pair of cycling gloves after that – I got blisters from the lack of padding.

The Lights

If you are ever riding at night or cloudy days or even in bright sunlight, a cycling light is always helpful to identify yourself to automobiles. Bike lights are a must in commuting for both low-light and night time conditions – you want to be noticed by car drivers.There are basically two types of lights: safety and commuter.

Safety lights are small and compact, has low light output, and run on regular AA or AAA batteries. They are meant to increase visibility but not lighting up your path. They normally attaches to handlebars, helmets, or seat posts and meant to be combined with a tail light.

Commuter lights provide medium light output for lighting your path as well as others to see you. However, they must be combined with a tail light for safe riding.

The Pump

In addition to your regular floor pump at home, you will also need a smaller portable pump or CO2 inflator in case you get a flat while riding. Make sure your pump fits both Presta and Schrader valves (most do).

The Eyewear

The same sunglasses used for running can be used for cycling. In addition to UV protection, your eyewear can also protect your eyes from debris and dust, and keeping contact lens wearers from getting dry eyes. Just make sure the glasses are constructed from polycarbonate impact-resistant materials.

The Repair Kit

Murphy’s Law: Anything that can go wrong will go wrong. It happened to me after a few rides on a cheap bike. You want to ride back to your car instead of walking – trust me. Carry Allen wrenches, screw driver, tire levers, a spare inner tube, a portable pump, and a quick patch kit. You can buy a simple bike repair kit for cheap instead of buying individual pieces separately.

The Cyclo Computer

Also optional as you can start off by using a GPS running watch or smartphone app like Wahoo Fitness to keep track of your ride. A cyclo computer track/capture your  speed, distance, odometer and time. More expensive models can also capture your heart rate, cadence, altitude, GPS location, and power output. We will go into this more as we progress with our cycling.

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