As Spring arrives and the weather begins to get nice, many people are dusting off the activities they packed away for the winter. Many people will get their hiking gear out of storage, their rollerblades out from the back of the closet, and their bicycle out of the shed in anticipation.
Personally, I’m a big biker through the Spring, Summer, and Fall, so I’m especially eager to get my bike in working condition and on the trails. There’s nothing better than that first ride of the season, with the wind in your face and the sun in your eyes.
I like to get everything ready for the warm weather and (more importantly) the biking season before it arrives. Here are some ways you can prepare yourself for the biking season:
(1) Prepare Your Bike
After a winter in storage, my bike always needs a little tune-up. So, I get it out of the shed and do a few things to it to make sure it is running smoothly:
- Clean the entire bike, including seat and frame.
- Clean the bike’s chain and check for wear. If needed, think about replacing it.
- Clean the rear wheel’s cassette (the sprocket on the back wheel).
- Make sure the brakes are centered.
- Make sure the tires are in good shape and replace them if needed.
After you give everything a good look, you should practice changing the gears and using the brakes. If there’s a problem, it would be better to find it now so you can get it fixed before you want to get it on the road.
(2) Get In Shape
If you’ve let yourself go this winter, it’s probably a good idea to get yourself in shape. The biking season is so short that I decided a long time ago to not spend half of it getting in shape. Now, I work hard while the cold weather is here to keep my body in as good of shape as I can.
If you are an avid biker (like me), then you should buy yourself a great indoor bike to keep your legs moving and your body in working shape. This indoor bike has been a big help to me and has been worth every cent I spent on it.
(3) Find a Good Backpack
It took me way too long to figure out how important a good backpack is for all of my biking adventures. I’ve used a Molle backpack for many years now and can rely on it to fit everything I need for a day trip without being uncomfortable and heavy.
I’ve begun packing a change of clothes, rain gear, some snacks, and more in my Molle backpack before I leave the house. As my trips get longer and I become more committed to my biking adventures, it has truly been a lifesaver for me.
(4) Research GPS Cycling Computers
A new piece of technology in the biking world is the GPS Cycling Computer. These devices can connect to your handlebars and be really helpful for your long biking trips.
A good GPS Cycling Computer can track the distance you have traveled, your speeds, the elevation you have reached, your heart rate levels, and much, much more.
As technology advances, these GPS computers become more useful and valuable to bikers, and it can be a lot of fun to study the numbers when you are done.
Be prepared for the first biking adventure
Don’t catch yourself snoozing when that first day of biking weather arrives. Make sure you are ready to go and have all of your ducks in a row.
If you are like me, you want to take advantage of every minute you have on your bike, so get out there and have some fun!
