When Katie was a little girl, she loved riding her bike. It gave her freedom and independence as she rode the streets of her neighborhood with abandon. She even took up bike racing for a while until it got too expensive to race competitively and all the kids had their driver’s licenses by then. When she came back to biking as an adult, though, there were some things that were very different than when she was young. What did change? And what didn’t? Read on to find out!
Why Learn To Ride A Bike As An Adult
You might be wondering that you might have become too old to learn biking but nothing can be farther from the truth. Some people might think that riding a bike is something only children should do.
Riding a bike can be very beneficial for your health. You can burn plenty of calories and it’s also great exercise that will improve the overall strength in your legs, glutes, hips and back.
A study by Stanford University found that when compared to other aerobic exercises like running or jogging on treadmills, cycling is much easier on the joints which make it more enjoyable for older people who are looking to maintain their mobility as they get older instead of making things worse with too much pressure from impactful movements. Cycling also relies more heavily on upper body strength than lower body so even though biking may not sound fun at first glance, you might want to give it another shot!
Riding a bike for fun as an adult, though, has some major benefits:
- Learning to ride a bike and enjoy the outdoors can inspire adults with depression or anxiety
- It’s good exercise if you’re serious about biking regularly- it burns calories.
- Bike riding takes the pressure off joints. Riding a bike for recreation doesn’t usually have the same impact on your knees, hips, and feet and back as jogging or running. It’s not too strenuous to ride up hills either.
- Biking is also great exercise if you’re trying to rehabilitate an injury because it lets you move in more circular motions than other sports like running do.
As long as there’s enough light out (so that cars can see bicyclists), biking at night can be lots of fun! One word of caution though: watch out for potholes- especially after rainfall when they might get bigger and form miniature speed bumps on streets…
Bike Types And How They Work
Adult bikes are available in different shapes and sizes.
Mountain Bike
These are best for people who enjoy outdoor activities like Downhill Mountain biking, cross country riding and trail touring.
Road Bike
Road bikes are designed to be ridden on highways or paved roads. They’re meant to handle long distances with speed and efficiency while providing extra comfort with wide tires that reduce vibrations. Touring bikes are a type of road bike because they can carry lots of gear for longer trips too- but have more upright handles which make them easier to control during descents.
Bikes come in different frames; the frame is what will determine whether a bike’s geometry works well for you or not…
The most common size is 23 inches (that’s measured from the ground up). Women usually prefer smaller sizes than this and the reason is pretty simple: Women are shorter than men.
Painful to ride – It’s not easy for most adults who have never ridden a bike before, and it can be challenging even if you used to bike as a kid because your body changes over time.
A common issue is that people find the seat too hard or uncomfortable- and this might make them want to get off their bikes quickly which defeats the whole point of riding in the first place! Sometimes they also notice that biking makes their joints hurt more (especially wrists).
Or maybe they’re having problems with balance so every turn feels like an ordeal… Either way, cycling will feel painful at first. That said, once you’ve built up some strength and endurance through regular exercise, biking will feel like fun.
Tips For Buying A Bike
Here are some amazing tips to buy an adult bikes:
- Make sure to get the bike size that fits you best. You’ll want your knee to be a couple inches from the ground when sitting on it. If it’s too big or small for you then that will make riding more difficult no matter what other features are.
- Take some time looking at different styles of bikes so you can find one with brakes in an ergonomic position, one with gears easy enough to adjust without tools, as well as tires wide enough for stability.
- Don’t forget about comfort! The handlebars should not have any sharp edges where they touch your hands (just like how chair legs shouldn’t). There is also usually a cushion underneath where the seat rests against your body.
What To Wear While Riding A Bike
You might be wondering that you can ride a bike in your pajamas but this is not the truth. You need to put on your bike helmet, have the right shoes and clothes.
- Wear a comfortable outfit that is easy to move around in for bike riding. You can wear jeans or sweatpants and then put on some bike shorts underneath your pants so they don’t get too sweaty from being friction against each other all day while you are riding.
- If it’s hot outside, wear light layers with breathable fabrics like cotton instead of thicker materials made out of polyester since this will trap more heat. Make sure whatever shirt you’re wearing has long sleeves because there will be times where you need to take off your arm guards (or jersey) when pedaling at high speeds during freestyle biking events!
- When picking shoes for cycling make sure that the shoes fit snugly and provide good arch support. You want your feet to be supported in the shoe so that you can push off of them with a lot of force when necessary during competitions like BMX biking or Freestyle bike riding.
- Finally, take care not to wear anything too expensive if it’s possible for sweat, dirt, rainwater etc. to soak through it while cycling. This will mean having to spend money on replacing clothes more often than usual!
Safety Tips For Biking In Traffic Or On Busy Streets
Here are some adult bike safety tips to keep in mind when biking on busy streets or through traffic:
- Wear a bike helmet. This is the most important rule for bike safety and it should be followed at all times – even during short, local rides! The helmet will protect your head if you fall off of the bike while riding. Be sure to choose one that fits snugly (no gaps between the head and helmet) so that there’s no room for movement inside which might lead to injury from rotation of an outstretched arm or leg trying to catch oneself.
- Make yourself visible by wearing bright clothing (preferably neon colors), wear reflective materials like vests, use flashing lights on your bike for better visibility at night time, and make lots of noise as this will make people aware of your presence.
- Be visible to drivers by staying on the bike lane and observing traffic lights.
Stay safe!
In summary, it is important for adult bicyclists to be aware of their surroundings when riding a bike so that they can stay safe throughout the process. The most important rule to keep in mind while biking as an adult is wearing a helmet which will protect your head if you fall off of the bike while riding. This sounds like common sense but many people forget or choose not wear one because they feel more comfortable with it off or are being too lazy putting it back on after removing it briefly (i.e., taking a sip from water bottle). However, these small moments could lead up to something large.
Taking Care Of Bike
Here are some steps to take care of your bike.
- Clean your bike thoroughly after each ride. This includes wiping off dirt and debris from the frame as well as the wheels, tires, chain etc… Make sure to clean up any excess oil or grease on gears with a rag.
- Apply some sort of protective coating over exposed metal parts like chains (this is especially important for bikes that have been ridden in wet conditions). When applying this coating make sure you cover all surfaces including places where two metals meet such as between spokes and next to brakes/derailleurs.
- After cleaning out your drivetrain apply lubricant to moving components of it such as derailleur cables, brake levers, crank arms etc… Lubricants will keep these parts working smoothly.