Bicycling Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 05-14-2024

Riding a bike is one of the greatest things on earth, offering low-impact recreation, affordable transportation, and life-changing freedom for folks around the world. It’s also a heckuva lot of fun! Before you can feel confident knowing where to begin there is a lot to know before buying a bicycle, and lots to know about fixing and maintaining one, too!

Cheat Sheet / Updated 04-25-2022

Before you hit the road on your bike, put together an emergency tool kit for unexpected repairs and give your bike a pre-ride maintenance inspection. Stay alert while riding your bike and practice some basic road safety rules to stay safe and enjoy your ride.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Tour rules and regulations are detailed in race Articles. Listed in the Technical Guide, they range from participation to disqualification, medical care to prize money. Rules are written and detailed in French and English. Because French is the universal language in cycling (Lance Armstrong, for example, is fluent), French interpretation of rules prevails in instances in which a language barrier may cloud a definition. Helmets: Mandatory, dude! To reduce or eliminate deaths from crashes, every rider in the Tour must now wear a helmet for the entire duration of every stage of the race, including time trials. Oh, no, we're wearing the same outfit Every rider must wear his team's official outfit — shorts, jersey, socks and shoes, gloves, and helmet. Unless a rider withdraws prior to the event, each of the 21 participating teams has nine riders, attired identically, at the start of the race. Several exceptions exist, however. Leaders in overall standings and best climber (polka dot), sprinter (green), and young rider (white) competitions wear their respective colored jersey. Each of the sub-competition jerseys includes the appropriate team advertising banners. In individual time trials, competition leaders are provided with appropriately colored skinsuits instead of jerseys and shorts. If a rider leads more than one race competition, he wears the jersey in accordance to priority of importance: yellow jersey, green jersey, polka-dot jersey, and white jersey. The runners-up or next highest-place riders in the competitions wear leaders' jerseys in the remaining categories. The reigning world road race titlist wears a white jersey with horizontal adjoining blue, red, black, yellow, and green bands during the Tour. The rainbow jersey also includes the rider's team sponsors' logos. Reigning national road titlists also wear their national champion jerseys with the same allowance for team names and advertising banners. Riders can wear additional clothes over or under their jerseys, including rain gear, tights or leg warmers, or other overgarments. And they can wear additional clothing at the start or during a stage. A rider seeking additional attire during a stage drops back to receive items from a team vehicle or from motorcycle drivers designated by race organizers. Riding by numbers Tour riders are identified by race numbers. The defending race champion wears No. 1, and his teammates follow in order through No. 9. Every rider considered as his team's overall title contender wears the lowest number on his team. He's listed first on all official rider lists; from there, there's an alphabetical order to the numbers. Every rider must have an official double-sided number plate on each side of his bike frame and in a designated position. Riders must also wear two numbers, one over each hip. During individual time trial stages, cyclists' two small hip numbers are replaced by a larger single number affixed on their lower back. Race organizers provide number plates and race numbers, and they must be worn without alterations. Sign on the line, or you don't pass start Prior to every Tour stage, riders must sign in on a pre-race staging area. The procedure is required in part as tradition, in part to appease spectators gathered near the starting line, awaiting the arrival of their favorite riders minutes before a stage start. During road stages, riders and team managers must arrive at the signature registration area at least ten minutes prior to a start. Riders who don't sign in are fined 100 Swiss Francs, or about $85. If a rider is prevented from signing in because of traffic congestion or another unavoidable circumstance, a fine is not levied. After the entire field registers, the race manager begins a stage in one of three ways; A standing start begins at the riders' sign-in or signature area. A deferred standing start occurs if a stage begins some distance from the sign-in area because of area restrictions. A rolling start or flying start occurs when a stage begins when the cyclists casually pedal from the sign-in area, and then begin at the stage where the course is designated as Kilometer 0 (Mile 0). Feed zone and feeding rules During the Tour, riders must continuously replenish foods and liquids. Before, during, and after stages, cyclists' eating and drinking habits are reminiscent of scenes of stokers shoveling coal into steam engines — they eat and drink that much. Riders' nutritional needs are the responsibility of individual teams, with some exception. During every Tour road stage, there's a designated area on the course called the feed zone or feeding station. Team representatives carrying musettes, or feeding bags with sandwiches, fruit, and energy bars. They hand off supplies to riders as they advance through the feed zone. It's cycling's version of take-out food. New water bottles are also distributed to riders in the feed zone, but musettes and water bottles must be those supplied by Tour sponsors or otherwise Tour approved. Outside the feed zone, riders in a breakaway can also receive supplies from their team managers' vehicles or a Tour-supplied motorcycle. Musettes and water bottles can be used in these feeding options, but these resupply situations and the designated feed zone must follow Tour-established regulations. Team cars: Position and passing The group of vehicles that travels with the riders in every Tour stage is known as the caravan. Television, radio, and newspaper journalists; race officials; police escorts; and publicity vehicles all follow Tour regulations. Caravan vehicles are identified with various colored stickers placed across front windshields. Priority is given to vehicles based on race responsibility, number of occupants in the vehicle, and how the vehicle is equipped. The same rules apply for team vehicles, but team cars also have a complicated and vast additional list of rules. Team cars carry riders' spare bikes, wheels, water, food, and medical supplies. During the race, the primary team vehicle must be driven by the directeur sportif on the right-hand side of the road and in the order designated at the stage start. Each teams' additional team car is positioned in a second group of vehicles. Teams' second vehicles are positioned identically as the first group, but the second group of team vehicles must be separated from the first group by at least 200 meters (1/8 mile). Every team vehicle must be equipped with a radio tuned to the Tour's frequency. Every team's place in the caravan is confirmed prior to every stage, and every team's radio must broadcast Tour radio throughout stages. Team vehicles must ask permission or must receive a request from race officials to overtake a race management vehicle. Teams must attend to their riders under Tour and Union Cycliste Internationale rules. Fines are levied for infractions according to the sanctions list in race regulations. In addition to race penalties, vehicle infractions are subject to French legal action. Staying within the time limit Tour organizers have a pretty good idea how long every stage will take. They've toured the routes numerous times while planning the route during the preceding year. And after more than 90 race editions, race organizers know within a certain time frame how long individual mountain ascents and descents, long and flat sections, and wind-swept open roads will likely take. Most stages are geared toward finishing during the nationally televised broadcast in France, between 5 and 6 p.m. Every city of every stage is designated on the itinerary according to its kilometer distance into the stage. Stage starting times are listed, as well as the time the peloton is expected to arrive. National and regional French newspapers print the itinerary, so that cities' spectators know when the Tour is likely to come to their town. Tour stage time estimates are surprisingly accurate, but exceptions occur. On some occasions, riders race particularly fast and arrive in cities and finish sooner than expected. Stage finish times can be underestimated by a few minutes or by more than a half-hour for several reasons — a severe crash, extreme weather, or particularly unmotivated riders. Beyond city-by-city estimated arrival times, each stage itinerary includes a topographic stage profile. It details all categorized climbs (length and gradient), stage sprints, and feed zones. An alternative course route from the stage start to finish of every stage is also provided. Race organizers diligently estimate stage times, but circumstances can force cancellation of a stage or stages. In special circumstances, including an accident or natural disaster, race officials may: Change a course route Temporarily halt a stage Consider that the stage has not been held and cancel the results Cancel part of the stage, nullify intermediate stage results, and restart a stage where an incident occurred Restart a stage but keep time gaps recorded to the point where the stage was stopped Drug testing at every stage Every rider in the Tour is tested for banned substances prior to the race. Various cyclists are tested after every stage, according to a selection process determined before the race. Under current rules, at least 180 urine drug tests are given, including daily drug tests for the race leader and stage winner and six to eight cyclists selected at random throughout the field. Tour drug tests are administered in accordance with the rules of the Union Cycliste Internationale and the French Federation of Cycling or Federation Françoise de Cyclisme. TheTour conducts banned substance testing under secure and strictly monitored conditions. A specially equipped caravan is established near the finish line of every stage to transport drug samples to a private location following the race. Drug test samples are then transported by private plane for analysis, and results are quickly reported to Tour officials.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Despite its century steeped in tradition, one great appeal of the Tour de France is its flexibility. Organizers arrange the course as they choose, but always with a plan to include a balance of most of the different types of races or all of them. And each year, organizers spice up the course with something new, like successive mountaintop finishes or unique starting cities, like the 1998 start in Dublin, Ireland. Tour organizers mix and match different types of races into the Tour: A Prologue (time trial): In most recent years, the Tour has started with a short individual race called a Prologue. Winners of the brief event (it's always shorter than eight kilometers) claim race leadership for the first official opening stage the following day. Flat and rolling stages: Flat and rolling stages across the French countryside often comprise the first week. Mountain stages: Strenuous mountain stages high into the sometimes snow-capped peaks of the Alps and Pyrenees are held in the second week and into the third week. Individual time trials: Individual time trials, in which cyclists pedal solo and are timed against the clock, are interspersed strategically throughout the race. Team time trials: Team time trials — that is, each team riding together individually against the clock — aren't held every year, but are added some years for variety. Each is explained in more detail in the following sections. Prologues and high speeds As a ceremonial pre-race, Prologues provide a quick, exciting Tour start. Individual time trials less than 8 kilometers (5 miles) in length, Prologues comprise a few minutes of individual, high-speed pedaling for every cyclist in the field. The race's winner wears the leader's yellow jersey for the first official stage held the following day. Prologues aren't held every year, but when contested, the short distance gives fans immediate knowledge of just how fast cyclists can pedal. Prologues also provide the first look at the condition or lack of condition of overall title favorites, and showcase the most technological advances in bikes, wheels, helmets, clothing, and so on. In the 2004 Tour, young Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara surprised the favorites, including Lance Armstrong. Riding for the Italian team Fassa Bortolo, Cancellara claimed the Prologue in 6 minutes and 51 seconds — an average speed of 53.560 kilometers per hour (33.22 mph). As an omen for what was pending in the rest of the race, Cancellara's effort was the third-fastest Prologue in race history and 2 seconds faster than the effort of runner-up Armstrong. Flat and rolling stages For the first week of the race, the course usually offers long, flat stretches that are gobbled up by the peloton. Stages may include some brief, low-graded climbs, but in general, teams try to get their sprinters in position for furiously quick dashes to finish lines. Despite the less technical nature of the Tour's early stages, the week can be dangerous. Riders are nervous when the Tour begins, and it's not uncommon for the entire peloton (pack of riders) to ride en masse into finishing towns. Race organizers utilize as much of the finishing cities' geography as possible to appeal to crowds and to capitalize on sponsorship opportunities. As such, narrow, tight turns are common in the waning miles of flat stages, and one false move in the group when it's moving at high speed can result in disastrous crashes. The first week of racing in the Tour can also provide some of the most scenic and panoramic views of the race. Because early stages encompass long stretches of flat terrain, France's vast vineyards and miles of sunflowers are often omnipresent. It's these scenarios — large groups of cyclists moving across the country together with postcard perfect backdrops — that provide travel brochure images for Tour organizers. Making the grade: Mountain stages Mountains, with their snow-capped peaks, thin air, winding and steep climbs, and harrowing and narrow descents, define the Tour de France. Some Tour routes in mountains are as famous as the race itself. And it's the strength and talent of some cyclists to get to the top of mountains swiftly that separates them from the rest of the field. Like all the stages, mountain stages included in the Tour change each year, depending upon how race organizers coordinate the route. The course logically encompasses departure and arrival cities and at least a few of the numerous famous peaks of the French Alps and Pyrenees. Mountain stages include climbs categorized by number, ranging from 4 (easiest) to 1 (hardest). The most difficult climbs are so steep, they're beyond categorizing, or hors categorie. Categorizing climbs is objective and subjective. The length of the climb, the difference in altitude from the bottom to the top, its average grade and steepest grade, and where the climb is positioned in the stage are all important factors. The elevation of the climb's summit and the width and condition of the road are also contributing factors. Certain general guidelines dictate how climbs are categorized, but race directors in different races rate climbs differently. Even year to year in the Tour de France, discrepancies occur. In general terms, Category 4 climbs are short and easy. Category 3 climbs last approximately 5 kilometers (3.1 miles), have an average grade of 5 percent, and ascend 150 meters (500 feet). Category 2 climbs are the same length or longer at an 8 percent grade and ascend 500 meters (1,600 feet). Category 1 climbs last 20 kilometers (12.4 miles) with an average 6 percent grade and ascend 1,500 meters. Beyond category climbs include an altitude difference of at least 1,000 meters (3,280 feet) from start to finish and have an average grade of at least 7 percent. A 1 percent grade means a road ascends 1 meter (3.28 feet) for every 100 meters (328 feet) it advances. Individual time trials More than any other Tour de France race, time trials allow the most riders to showcase their strengths. Cyclists compete individually and against only one competitor — the timing clock. Unlike road racing's team strategy, drafting (riding close behind another rider so as to cut down on the effects of wind) and the flow of the peloton, success in an individual time trial is entirely a solo accomplishment. Every split seconds counts. Riders' aerodynamics matched with their physical skills add up to a simple equation. The fastest man on a bike on any given day wins. Course distances and routes vary greatly, but time trial routes are generally around 50 kilometers (31.2 miles) and encompass hilly, flat, undulating, and curved road sections. Riders negotiate the course as fast as possible while keeping an appropriate pace and utilizing superior bike-handling skills. A successful time trialist is not unlike an endurance runner or an ultradistance swimmer. In some ways, time trials are cyclists' marathons. Start a time trial too fast and there's little hope for maintaining a proper steady pace for the duration of the stage. Start too slow in a time trial and a rider may never find the proper rhythm. Unlike endurance sports where certain athletes' body types are conducive to success, great individual time trial riders come in all shapes and sizes. Race organizers can adjust starting time gaps between riders, but most time trials begin with riders leaving a starting ramp 2 minutes apart. Cyclists compete in the reverse order of their position in the General Classification (the current standings). If a faster rider is about to overtake a slower rider, he must pass while leaving at least a 2-meter distance to prevent drafting, which is illegal only at this point in the race. A passed slower rider then must ride at least 25 meters behind to prevent him from getting the drafting benefits of a slipstream from the leading rider. A team vehicle carrying spare bikes and wheels must follow every rider in an individual time trial. The vehicle must remain about 10 meters behind the rider, and it can't pull even with its riders at anytime during the stage. Any information exchange between a cyclist and his team vehicle must occur from behind and at least from a 10-meter distance. A vehicle can be positioned between two riders if there's at least 50 meters between riders. Team time trials Team time trials seem like oxymorons. Individual time trials test riders' solo strengths; Team time trials bring team strategy back into the race equation. Often cited as the most photogenic cycling discipline, each team's riders ride together, beginning 5 minutes apart. They pedal in a tightly packed, single- or double-file procession. Cyclists rotate in and out of the front of the group to take advantage of opportunities to draft. Each rider alternately blocks the wind for teammates and then returns into the team formation to conserve energy. A rider may take a turn at the front of his group for 20 seconds and then fall back into the mix of his teammates. Like fast-moving, human-powered, aerodynamic trains, teams advance around corners, over railroad tracks and undulations, and through roadside villages. Visually, the swift packs moving in unison provide excitement for spectators and delightful opportunities for race photographers' keen eyes. Despite their intriguing nature, team time trials present unique difficulties. If a rider just slightly falls out of rotation, he can initiate a sudden and disastrous crash involving his entire team. If a rider can't keep the same pace as his teammates, he quickly falls off the back of the team and diminishes his team's collective strength. While important, team time trials are not often held during the long racing season. Teams rarely have opportunities to practice, but done properly, a team time trial takes precise cooperation and coordination among team members. Teams must find an ideal pace despite riders' varying skills. When a team in a team time trial accomplishes its goal, synergy is defined. Teams must start a team time trial with all their riders. Teams use different strategies. Some squads hope to finish with all riders together and rotate positions until every rider is close to the finish. Other teams have designated strong riders stay at the front for longer durations, only to purposely fall off pace near the conclusion. All teams must finish with at least five riders to get an official time. The time of the fifth rider crossing the line determines the team's finishing time.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Condensed to its basic premise, the Tour de France is a simple athletic contest: The cyclist who completes a strenuous and often perilous course of more than 2,000 miles in the lowest total time wins. Yet, the event is so much more. Steeped in history, tradition, and racing lore, the Tour defines endurance and global sportsmanship. Unlike professional sports played in stadiums and arenas filled with fans who've paid for tickets, the Tour stands alone in the sports world. Its arena extends past countries' borders, and for fans, it's the best bargain in sports, because it's free. For riders, it's a job with an equally simple equation. While progressing along the course like chess pieces on wheels, riders face the limits of endurance. They battle inclement weather and attempt to outwit and outrace each other while using the same strategy — conserve energy as much as possible for the times when it's needed most. Working together Riders participating in the Tour compete at the top of the sport. The Tour is the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup, World Series, Winston Cup, and NBA Championship of bicycle racing. Functioning as a team sport, the race features teams of nine cyclists selected from a larger group of teammates. Reaping the benefits of synergy, teams work as units, and each rider has varying responsibilities. As riders make their way around France and into neighboring countries, teams that use sound racing strategies tend to have the most success — for the group and for the team captain. Winning individually Individuals win stages and one rider claims the overall title. Winning a Tour de France stage is the career highlight for many cyclists. Every day, one rider is victorious, and he climbs onto the finish podium after a stage win and hears fans' cheers and receives various accolades. But a rider's individual triumph, at least to some degree, is the result of selfless teammates. It's rare for a cyclist to win a stage without acknowledging teammates who've put him in a position to ride to a triumph. Understanding those colored jerseys Riders on each team are required to wear the same color jersey. Each team's jersey features logos of sponsors who pay the riders' salaries. The result is a kaleidoscope of moving billboards on wheels. Some teams' uniforms feature subtle colors; other teams opt for brighter colors. Some teams' uniforms look surprisingly similar, further adding to the blur of the often fast-moving peloton (the main pack of riders). A few riders wear special jerseys. Throughout the race, the reigning World Champion wears his team colors, but on a special jersey with horizontal stripes. National current road champions wear team jerseys featuring their country's colors. Four other cyclists also wear different colored jerseys each day. The yellow jersey represents the race leader. The green jersey represents the race's best sprinter. The polka dot jersey designates the race's finest climber. The white jersey designates the highest-ranked rider in the overall competition age 25 or younger. In most instances, cyclists wearing specialty jerseys like to wear them as long as they can during the race. But the colored jerseys of the Tour change often, and the anticipation of those costume changes each day helps make the Tour a race of many races.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Before you hit the road on your bike, assemble an emergency tool kit so you’re prepared in case of a breakdown. Take the weight and size of bike tools into consideration when you’re loading up your tool kit, you don’t want tools that will weigh you down or not fit into the tool pouch. Include the following tools in your emergency tool kit. (After you have some biking experience, you may decide to change or add to it.) Small frame-mounted tire pump: A flat is going to strike eventually so unless you want to walk home, take along a pump. Tire-patch kit: When you have a flat, you’ll need a patch kit to repair it. Spare inner tube: A spare tube is important to have on hand when you blow a tube and a patch kit won’t do the trick. Tire levers: For most bikes, tire levers are necessary to remove and install a tire. Allen wrenches: Use these for adjusting parts of your bike. Screwdrivers: Both types — Phillips and flathead — are required for adjusting derailleurs and other parts. Spoke wrench: Make sure you have one that fits the spoke nipples on your bike. Pliers: If you have to work on cables, you’ll need pliers. Rag: A rag will help keep your hands clean. Small light: A light is important to have in case you get caught out at night. On extended trips (more than a few hours at a time or for multi-day trips), bring all the preceding items, plus the following: Spare tire: If you tear up a tire, you’ll be glad you had a foldable spare tire on hand. Extra tubes: If you blow out both tubes on a ride, you need two spares — one isn’t always enough. Chain tool: A longer trip increases the chances of having issues with your chain, and you’ll need a chain tool to take apart the chain and reconnect it. Chain links and rivets: Because there’s always the chance of breaking a chain, it’s good to have replacement links handy for reconnecting the chain. Spare spokes: Have a couple extra spokes available. Make sure you have the right size for each wheel. Spare cables: Extra cables for the brakes and the derailleurs are useful for longer trips when a weighted-down bike puts extra strain on the cables. Lubrication: As you ride on extended trips, parts will need to be lubricated. Keep a small plastic bottle of lube that you can apply to your chain, pivot points, and cable. Duct tape: This all-purpose tool can get help you solve many problems, at least long enough to hold something together until you get to the next town.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Before you head out for your next ride, take a few minutes to do a quick bike inspection. Giving your bike the once-over can increase the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of your next ride. Follow these steps as part of your pre-ride preparation: Open and close the quick-release levers on your wheels to confirm that they’re tight. Move each wheel side to side to check for looseness. Give each wheel a spin to see that it doesn’t wobble and that the rim doesn’t contact the brake pads at any point. Check the air pressure of your tires with a pressure gauge and compare it with the recommended pressure listed on the sidewall. Under-inflated tires will drastically increase the rolling resistance, increasing the amount of energy needed to pedal the bicycle. If you’ve inflated them properly, they’ll do a better job of absorbing any impact and protecting the wheel from damage. Visually inspect the tires, looking for any cracks, cuts, or tears. Give the brake levers a strong squeeze to ensure that the brakes firmly grip the wheels. You shouldn’t have to pull the levers more than halfway to the handlebars. Confirm that the brakes grip the rim and that they have sufficient rubber. Straddle the front wheel, pinching it between your thighs, grip the handlebars, and try to twist them side to side. Try the same procedure but, this time, straddling the frame and squeezing the brakes; try to rock the bicycle back and forth. Grab a crank arm in each hand and try to shake them for looseness. If there is some play in the bottom bracket, it should be overhauled. If it’s very loose, it could be dangerous to ride. Confirm that the pedals spin freely but that you can’t pull them away from the cranks. Set your saddle to a height where you can just barely place your toes and the balls of your feet on the ground when you sit on the saddle. Another indication of proper position is if your leg is bent at a slight angle when your foot is on the pedal at its lowest position. If you can lock out your knee, the seat is too high. If your saddle is set too high or too low, you’ll lose efficiency as you pedal and may even cause strain or injury to your body. Set your stem and handlebars so that they leave your back at a 45-degree angle. Even though you’ll be a little less aerodynamic, the fact that the weight of your upper body will be distributed between your torso and your arms will make you ride much more comfortable. Note: Some traditional riders take the old-school approach of positioning the handlebars by having the ends run parallel to the top tube in the frame, but this isn’t a comfortable position for any period of time. Improve your visibility. There’s nothing more important than being safe while you ride and improving your visibility can go a long way toward that goal. Wear brightly colored clothing. Make sure that your wheels and pedals have reflectors, and wear reflective arm and leg bands. Keep a bright white front light and a flashing LED rear light for when you’re caught out at dusk or for night riding. Stock emergency gear. You should always be prepared for the worst — whether it’s an accident, getting lost, a storm, or fatigue. If you keep some essentials stowed away in your jacket, in a pannier bag, or elsewhere, you’ll be ready for when the worst strikes. Take a cellphone, identification (like a driver’s license), money, energy bars, a rain jacket, and sunglasses.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Taking care of your bike is only one aspect of staying safe while riding. Take these steps to reduce strain on your body, protect your bike, and improve safety while your ride: Pay attention to the road in front of you. Your goal is to avoid obstacles like rocks, potholes, and other hazards, which, if you hit them, could result in a bent rim or other incident. Instead of jumping or riding across a curb (which could damage your rim or, at worst, cause you to crash), dismount and walk your bike. Shift into your lowest gear before you reach the steepest section of a climb. Trying to shift when you’re barely moving puts a lot of strain on the chain and derailleurs, and if the chain springs off the largest cog into the spokes the damage will be even greater. Plus, you may not be able to shift in time, causing you to come to a stop. If you have to go over a bump, raise yourself off the saddle and use your arms and legs as shock absorbers as if you were a horse jockey, to lessen the impact of the blow.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Quite possibly, a million good reasons to ride a bicycle exist, and you will likely share many of them in this article's comments. But to keep this article from getting too long, here are the current ten best reasons to bike. Keep fit Being fit means having a healthy, strong heart and being able to exert muscles for an extended period. It means having some strength in muscles but, depending on what exercise you do, it doesn't necessarily mean strength in all of them. To have a healthy, strong heart, you have to get it working and then let it rest. Working at half your heart's capability is good, but exercising it at 70 to 80 per cent of your is when you start making a real difference. Cycling is one of the best kinds of exercise for keeping fit. It always raises your heart rate, and you can vary how much your heart works simply by how fast you go or the kind of cycling you do. After you've been riding for a while, you find you can do certain things more easily — maybe ride over a hill or chase after someone on a road bike. You're less out of breath and don't feel so exhausted after such activities. This change comes about because your heart becomes stronger, delivering more oxygen-filled blood with each beat (or pump), and your muscles have grown, too, and can now do more work. Gaining this extra strength and experiencing less suffering with exertion is all a part of fitness. When you become fit, you can produce sudden bursts of energy — perhaps running for a bus or fleeing from a rhinoceros — without any bad effects. So, the more you ride your bike, the fitter you get and the less likely you are to be caught by mad rhinos. Being fit gives you feelings of both mental and physical confidence: it makes you feel good. When you get fit, you can feel proud of the efforts you've made and the level of fitness you've achieved, you feel more in control and your body is able to relax more when you're resting. You keep feeling better all the time — and all you have to do to get this feeling is ride your bicycle. Have fun Everyone needs to have fun, but having fun isn't just about idle merriment. The more fun you have when you do something, the better you're likely to do it. If you don't have fun, you become alienated. If you don't have fun at work, you won't do your job as well. Fun is one of the most important aspects of your life. It turns ordinary activities into things you can enjoy. Fun is pleasure with excitement. And one thing anyone who rides a bike will tell you is that cycling is fun. Cyclists start riding a bike and enjoy it — it amuses somehow and continues to do so always. So enjoy the pleasure of cycling. Make friends Cycling is not like driving. Riding a bicycle is a happy pursuit. It puts you in a good frame of mind, open to ideas and ready to meet people. When you ride on your own, perhaps humming a happy tune, and you find yourself rolling along next to some other contented pedaller going your way, if you don't speak first, that other cyclist is bound to speak to you. Like hikers meeting on a country path, the natural human response is to greet another person and pass the time of day. Most cyclists do it, and saying 'Hello' is not just a cute, rustic thing — you know you've got something in common with this other person so you're already off to a good start. If you don't happen to make friends when out riding, joining a cycling group will certainly expand your social sphere. Once again, you've all got a shared passion, but with a specialised cycling group, this passion becomes more than just riding bikes. If you join a group that does some particular kind of riding, you start off with even more in common. It may be riding along country trails, riding fast on roads or hurtling through narrow gaps between trees, but you all love it — and what better way to bond? See the world Travel around the planet at high speed and you tick off an awful lot of places — but ride a bicycle and you see and experience far more. When you practise a bit and build up your fitness, you can cover long distances on a bicycle. All you need to see the world is the right bike, a map and time. Bicycles can go practically anywhere. They aren't terribly good in deep water, but bikes can take on just about any kind of land. And as you ride along, you see all the little details that make up a real world. You see how people live and work. You see what plants are growing, and your quiet progress may enable you to slowly creep up on timid animals and shy birds. Travel to the great cities of the world and you see bicycles everywhere. And as you pedal past them all, you'll know that when you went out to see the world, you really did — because you saw it on a bicycle. Save money The price of fuel is going up and up. During the recent global financial crisis, oil prices reached record highs. And the government is slowly but surely increasing duty on fuel to encourage the use of more efficient vehicles (and to raise lots of tax). Unpredictable — and not so unpredictable — events can have a terrible effect on your personal finances if you rely too much on fuel. Saving money now by using your bicycle instead of your car whenever you can is a great idea. If you start to replace several car trips a week with bike rides, it won't be long before your fuel bills are down £20 or more. And if you've got a reasonable distance to get to work, you'll see even greater savings when you start your bicycle commuting. And you save elsewhere, too: If your household has two cars and you get rid of one of them — because you're using bikes more — you save all the registration and insurance on the second car. If you don't own a car and are used to relying on public transport instead, you can still save substantial amounts of money (and cut down on frustration caused by cancellations and delays) by swapping your ticket for a bicycle. If you spend half an hour to an hour on your bike getting to work every day, you don't need to be a regular at the gym anymore. You get plenty of exercise and become very fit just riding your bicycle and you can ditch the gym membership. Unless you're very disciplined (unlike most people), when you go to the supermarket to buy 2 specific things, you probably come out with 20. But if you ride your bike to the supermarket and all you take is a small backpack or pannier, the amount you can carry is very limited and your overspend will be less. So when you go to the bike shop to buy your new two-wheeled transport, think about the money you're going to save straightaway. Very quickly, your savings will add up to the price of a good bike, so that's what you should get — treat yourself to whichever one you like. Become an environmental crusader Car travel accounts for nearly 60 per cent of all the greenhouse gas emissions in the UK produced by transport, a figure that could easily be reduced. A whopping 70 per cent of all the journeys people make are under five miles (eight kilometres), and well over half these journeys are made by car. Almost all of them could be replaced by a bike ride that would take 20 minutes or less. Cars produce more carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulphur oxides and hydrocarbons than any other source in our cities. A recent study suggests that air pollution from traffic causes 5,000 premature deaths each year in the UK, with many more cases of unnecessary and unpleasant diseases. That makes traffic pollution more than twice as deadly as traffic accidents. People in built-up areas bear the brunt of this. Air pollution also has a huge effect on plant life everywhere. Pollution damages the cell structure of leaves, restricts photosynthesis (where plants use the power of light to help them 'breathe') and harms crops. The immediate production of toxic gases is only the start. The pollution and use of non-renewable resources in the production of motor vehicles is colossal when compared with what it takes to make a bicycle: The stuff it takes to produce one car can turn out 70 to 100 bikes. No one knows when cheap oil is going to run out. It could be in your lifetime. If not, oil is even more likely to run out in the lifetime of your children. When it does, there's going to be big trouble, but you're far better off if you start preparing now for not having easy access to petrol. Learn to travel under your own steam to help our society change for the better and lessen the harm being done by the massive and wasteful use of non-renewable fuels. Keep a car off the roads One Less Car. If ever you see a sticker with this slogan on a bike, don't assume the rider is a bicycle fanatic with a loathing for motor vehicles. Of course, one or two people like that might exist, but One Less Car is a very positive expression of concern for our social, economic and physical environment. The earlier 'Save money' section covers the financial benefits to you personally of having one less car. But more than just individual wallets and purses benefit from such a decision. The cost of road infrastructure has escalated enormously over the last decades. Governments regularly deliver road cost estimates that come in at billions of pounds. To keep motor vehicles moving that little bit faster, decisions are being made on your behalf to direct massive amounts of the public budget into the hands of developers and road builders. The best way to get the message over to the powers that be that having ever bigger roads and junctions isn't a natural and improving progression is to show everyone that you think riding a bike is better. One Less Car. Car parks often fill up. Drivers queue at entrances until someone leaves, and parking can be a terribly slow process — another instance when anyone riding a bike has done all present a good turn, shortening the waiting time for everybody simply by being One Less Car. Get places more quickly On a clear road, a car can usually go at higher speeds than a bicycle, but it only takes a junction or two and light traffic congestion for bikes to start getting ahead. Cars may go faster, but they often don't get there quicker. Cyclists can make their way to the front at red lights, and when motor traffic seizes up, bikes keep going. The team from the BBC's Top Gear hosted a race across London a few years ago with a car driver, someone on a bus, a cyclist and even someone on a boat. The cyclist won hands down. In Australia, a newspaper did a similar test in Sydney with people also on different modes of transport. The woman on the train did quite well, but the cyclist again won easily. When motor traffic becomes concentrated, it slows right down. And then when motorists reach their destinations, they face the big problem of parking. Bikes just keep on going, and finding somewhere to leave them when you reach your destination is rarely a problem. The idea of the car as the perfect individual transportation is flawed because of what always happens when lots of them are present. In fact, there's nothing like the freedom — or the speed — of the freedom machine. Park with ease People who drive to work or the shops often complain about the difficulty of finding somewhere to leave their cars all day. One of the wonderful things about travelling by bicycle is the very direct way you arrive — if you're going somewhere, that's where you go. You don't have to divert at the last minute and burrow your way into one of the ugliest of human environments — a car park. And you very rarely have to pay for your spot. Many planners make a point of making bike parking facilities clearly visible from the building entrance, but if no one has taken the trouble to provide suitable racks, you can always find a bench, lamppost or fence to tether your bike to. Be cool Madonna does it with her bodyguard. Surprisingly, Johnny Depp does it in quite an old-fashioned way. Angelina Jolie does it with pouting lips. Bob Dylan still does it, even though he's getting quite old. These guys are pretty cool anyway, but they're even cooler when they get on their bicycles and pedal. They've all been hooked by the allure of cycle-chic. When you ride your bicycle, it doesn't matter whether you're going faster or slower than anyone else. It doesn't even matter what you're wearing. Riding a bike just has something that sets you apart, above and beyond. It gives you a style that's hard to define, and it inspires admiration and respect. It's the 'awesome' factor, and it lies in your lap when you slip into the saddle.