ITravelNomad

I am a road bike and mountain bike rider since the age of 4 and get a lot of energy while being outdoors. When I am out on the trail, the possibilities are endless. Safety and protection are paramount when riding for longer. Here are some top tips for getting ready for longer bike rides.

You visit a lot of places, meet people, get a feel of the local culture and food.

For me preparation is a great deal before you head out and as an amateur rider it is highly recommended.

First things first, it is safety, prevention and protection I need to have in mind for myself and also for the bike.

1. Start your shopping list for buying a helmet same time with the bike. The helmet is useful to protect you from tree branches or hitting your head on a hard surface(better safe than sorry). Some helmets will even come with fancy flashing lights in order to be as visible as possible on the road.

2. A backpack will help you store all the non essential items not to be used during pedaling, but you will be able to use them on breaks. Store some light snack in the form of energy bars, or anything that can withstand a hot day and some smashing from other objects in the backpack.

3. Reflective protective clothing is good during the day, but mandatory during the night. Check if your bike backpack comes with some rain cover with reflective paint. Not everyone has perfect vision at all times to see, in pitch dark, a moving and blunt colored object on the road – get a high visibility jacket if your backpack does not come with this extra.

4. Front and back lights should be used also during the day for better visibility in traffic. At night you will find they are very useful in the dark patches of the city due to broken street lights or for the more obvious reason of making you more visible for the other traffic like: pedestrians and cars.

5. For daylight, sunglasses(eye protection) with at least some UV protection lenses are recommended. Polarization lenses are the next level. The glasses are there to keep any debris or insects from getting in your eyes while pedaling. In case of a sunny day I would rub some sun cream on the visible skin(remember to rub your backhead).

6. For the bike, you will have to take with you on longer rides, an air pressure pump, spare rubber, tyre change levers. This is because the bicycles are more prone to getting flat tyres because, by design, the bike tyres have a lower resistance for punctures than other tyres because they need to provide safety when riding, but also save weight and not make the bike unrideable. This kit is enough when you have quick release systems for the breaks and wheels. This is the safest way to do a tyre change without having second doubts about repairing the rubber and using it again. Repairs should only be used temporarily and changed when you get the chance.

7. If you don’t have quick release, then you should take the necessary tools with you. Of course, this is necessary when doing a lot of kilometers farther away from home.

Imagine if you get a flat tyre and you are 4 kilometers away. By bike, you will reach your destination in 20 minutes, but it will be at least 1 hour on foot.

Let’s make a more practical exercise to get some reference of why you should consider having a spare. Considering average speed of around 20km for 1h of riding on a bike, then the perspective of walking for 4 hours to make the 20km distance on foot will maybe make you change your mind.

8. Tyre change should be pretty easy and painless. To make sure it is like this, i case you intend to change your own tyre on the roadside. You should first test the tyre change at home, in the comfort of your home in order to get experienced with the task at hand.

9. The most elegant way to fix a tyre on the side of the road is by using a special tyre repair spray which prevents flats from happening. This method will increase the weight of your tyres but you will gradually get used to it. Another type of spray exists that does exactly the same job, but you only have to use it after you get a flat tyre. Both types of spray do the same job elegantly filling any tyre holes you might have in the rubber. This way you get back in the saddle after a few minutes without having to get your hands dirty. Please remember this is a temporary solution which will not hold ground in case you get larger cuts in the tyre.

I Wish you will have no need to change the rubbers. For me, years go by and i never have to change the rubber. I wish you the best of luck!

Safe riding!