Today, “girls” are tearing it up on a whole new breed of women-specific bikes built to suit their needs. Women’s bikes have smaller frames to match our smaller statures, shorter brake levers for our smaller hands, flared saddles to accommodate our hips, and proportions designed to fit our torsos, arms, and legs so that we can ride faster, longer, and in comfort. Women can choose from road bikes, mountain bikes, touring bikes, or hybrids of different styles. And they still come in pretty colors. So if you haven’t been on a two-wheeler since Santa brought you one for Christmas, now is definitely the time to take one out for a spin. Yes, I’m biased. I race bikes and I love them. But there are reasons for that; I’ve seen more women of all ages empowered by cycling than by almost any other sport. Pedaling down a rural road or through a city park rouses your spirit and awakens your senses. And it’s hard to hate your thighs as you gleefully pull into the driveway after conquering a challenging ride. Cycling is also a community sport, so you’ll make new friends as you get into the best shape of your life. People who ride love to share their favorite routes and regularly plan outings to cool new places to ride. And if you’re single, there are roughly a billion unattached bike-riding men looking for mates. As if that weren’t enough, cycling is as gentle on your body as a sport can be. There’s a saying in sports medicine circles: Even if you can’t run, walk, or hobble, you can ride a bike. Because cycling isn’t a weight-bearing exercise, it’s super easy on your joints—even the achy ones. So it can be a wonderful, pain-free way to get exercise and lose weight. If you’re not sure you’re ready to take the cycling plunge, try a spinning class at your local Y or health club. This indoor-cycling workout is made to mimic outdoor riding. You’ll burn about 500 calories during a 50-minute session. And it can get you in shape and juiced up to go out and try the real thing.[pagebreak]
Getting Started
If you want to start riding, you need a bike. Like many women, you probably have one stashed away in the garage. Dust it off and look it over. Unless it’s a pile of rust, it’s probably ridable. Take it to a bike shop and have the parts replaced that wear out with disuse, like tires, inner tubes, cables, and the chain. For about $50, the in-house mechanic can lube it up and give it a little tender loving care, and you’ll be ready to ride. If you don’t have a bike, don’t worry. For a couple hundred bucks, you can be sitting pretty on a quality bike with sturdy parts and components. Even though you can buy a bike from just about any discount department store, I strongly recommend going to a bike shop instead. The folks there know and love bikes. They’ll measure you so that the bike you buy is sure to fit comfortably. They’ll provide you with a warranty, and will often fix minor problems for free if you bought the bike there.
Bike Types
So you’re not overwhelmed by the selection when you walk in the door, here are the basic bikes you have to choose from. Road Bike Characterized by skinny tires and a drop handlebar (it curves under), road bikes look a lot like the old 10-speeds you may remember, but these bikes have more gears and less weight, and are built for speed. If you aspire to long rides across the countryside and want to ride to your fullest potential, this type of bike is for you. The downside is that they’re not designed to be cushy. Spending long rides bent over an aerodynamic handlebar takes some getting used to. Mountain Bike The fat-tired cousins of the road bike, mountain bikes have a flat handlebar and beefier bodies. They’re designed to cruise over roots and rocks on mountain trails, but they’re also fun to ride on smooth dirt roads or in paved parks. Because they’re so stable, they’re easier to balance on than road bikes. If you plan on riding on dirt or through parks, a mountain bike is a good choice. The downside is that they’re not as fast as road bikes either up- or downhill. Cruiser or Hybrid Whether you call them cruisers, hybrids, or comfort bikes, these steeds all have one thing in common—they’re practical. These are touring-around-town, beach-and-boardwalk-loving bikes that emphasize comfort over speed. If you want a bike to trek to the store and to take with you for tooling around on vacations, cruisers are for you. The downside is that they’re not well suited for either serious road or off-road riding.[pagebreak]
More Biking Gear
Once you have your bike, there are just a few accessories you’ll want for your rides. Here’s what to toss in your shopping cart: Helmet About 85% of head injuries can be eliminated by strapping on a helmet, which makes this accessory a must-have. A quality lid can cost as little as $30 and you can even buy one with a built-in ponytail holder. Shorts Bike shops can sell you padded Lycra shorts designed to keep your butt and other sensitive areas comfortable while spending long afternoons on a bike saddle. A good pair doesn’t have to be expensive—about $35 or so—and they’ll enhance your enjoyment of the ride. You can also buy padded brief underwear for about $20 at a bike shop. I like these because you can slip them on under any of your favorite shorts. Gloves While cycling gloves are not an outright necessity, they’re a definite nicety, especially if you plan to ride for more than an hour. They’re padded to make a nice buffer for your hands when you’re on bumpy roads, and are available for about $15. Repair Kit A minipump, some extra tire tubes, and a patch kit are a wise woman’s accessories. Chances are you won’t need them very often, but you’ll be glad you have them if you do need them. Ask the folks at the bike shop how to use them if you’re unsure. Bottle and Bag You’ll want a water bottle to keep yourself hydrated and a little saddle bag (a bag that attaches to the back of your seat) to stash snacks, your repair kit, and emergency money for long rides.[pagebreak]
Tips and Techniques
If cycling becomes your sport, aim to ride about 4 days a week. Beginners should start out with 30-minute jaunts on flat terrain for the first 3 to 4 weeks. More experienced riders can add hills to their rides and can also include some long rides on the weekends. Make everyday rides more spirited by racing to street signs. Keep it fun. There’s a saying that once you learn, you never forget how to ride a bike, and that’s true. The motion and balance come back to you in a snap. But why stop there? Here are a few pointers that will make you stronger and more sure in the saddle: Get in Gear Gears are wonderful inventions. They allow you to ride up hills without getting off and pushing, and to pedal fast on flat terrain. But learning proper shifting takes practice. A good rule of thumb is to be in a gear that allows you to pedal fairly quickly and easily so that your leg muscles don’t wear out too soon. When you’re riding on flat terrain, use the higher (larger) gears. As the terrain inclines, shift into lower (smaller) gears so you can keep pedaling at a steady cadence. Practice Pedaling Many new bikes come with toe straps that hold your foot to the pedal. Some women are leery of being strapped to their bikes, but you’ll love how easy the straps make pedaling once you get used to them. With them, you can produce pedaling power on the downstroke, when you push on the pedal, as well as on the upstroke, when your foot is circling back around. Good pedaling is an art among cyclists. Ultimately, you want to push and pull equally with both feet so that the pedals keep rotating in smooth, efficient circles. Recruit New Muscles Long rides, especially hilly ones, can be fatiguing. One way to make them less so is to shift your weight on your bike to use “fresh” muscles when you need them. On little hills, shift your weight back to use your butt muscles. Shift forward slightly on the flats to maximize the use of your quads. Stand on steep hills to stretch out your legs and use your quads, hamstrings, and glutes at a different angle. Go Out with a Group When I first started riding, I was terribly intimidated about riding with other people. Now, I wouldn’t have it any other way. Most bike shops organize rides or have information about organized rides, which are often to coffee shops on weekend mornings. No matter what your ability, you’ll meet other riders just like you. When you ride and chat with others, the miles whoosh by faster, and you ultimately motivate each other to become fitter, faster riders.
