Time to get pedalling

Have you been watching this year’s Tour de France? Got that Va-Va-Froome feeling?

Get cycling with us and improve your general health and wellbeing. Need further motivation? Here’s our top tips on taking up cycling…

Set up your bike correctly:

Set up is everything! We recommend you visit a specialist bike shop where you can have your saddle, stem and handlebar positions adjusted so that your bike is effectively tailored to your body.

Lighten the load on your cycle:

The easy way to carry any sort of load on a bike is … on the bike, rather than on you! A small rucksack is fine if you’re carrying something extremely light, but otherwise it would be wise to invest in some panniers, a handlebar bag or seat-pack. 

Correct cycling kit makes a difference:

A small investment in a few items of specialist bike kit will be extremely useful for you to get the most out of your training. We recommend that you purchase the following items:

• Bike helmet - essential
• Cycling shorts
• Basic bike tools
• Cycling sunglasses
• Bike toe-clips or spuds

Avoid the energy zap:

Running low on energy will prevent your cycling enjoyment. On the bike, carbohydrate drinks will keep you well fuelled or you could try taking a couple of energy bars which are easy to eat in the saddle, even a small bag of sweets can help

Other cycling options:

Sometimes the weather is poor, or it's dark, or perhaps you just don't fancy an outdoor bike session. However, there is no need to let your training slip because there are several alternatives available as follows:

• Indoor Cycling or a gym bike
  A great substitute, fun and can offer good variety, even if you just use a stationary gym bike you can still give yourself a good workout. Most of our bikes have pre-set programmes to simulate hill climbing or interval training and are a good alternative if you can't get out on the road.

• Cycle trainers
  An ingenious device that attaches to the back wheel of your own bike and enables you to train at home. Your bike is supported in a stand and the trainer has a variable resistance. These are usually called Turbo trainers, they are not as reliable as the real thing and you’ll probably get more out of an Indoor Cycling class at one of our Places.

With any kind of sport outside there are always associated risks, but these can be minimized by following our cycling safety points

Cycling safely

• PLEASE Wear a helmet
• Be seen and heard
• Check your bike
• Be alert and plan your route
• Always follow the Highway Code
• Don’t wear headphones when you cycle on the road

Good luck, keep yourself motivated, make cycling a habit & enjoy having fun pedalling this summer!

For further information on getting into cycling at our Place find your nearest site or click here, give us your details and we will get in touch with you.

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