Belle Talk

Cycling is not weight bearing – which means that amongst a host of other equally important benefits – it doesn’t put a lot of strain on our joints and is a good choice if we want to get fit and lose weight.
However, do too much of anything too quickly and we can wind up feeling fatigued, getting injured, or simply sick of it.
Build up our cycling volume gradually, creating or following a training plan if we’ve got goals we want to work towards. Make sure you get adequate recovery, and look at the big picture – focusing on gradual improvement in pursuit of a happier, fitter, healthier that we are in the long term.

If we’ve come from another sport – like running or swimming – the idea of eating as we go may seem a little alien. But cyclists sometimes head out for multiple hour rides.
If we’re riding for more than 90 minutes, take a snack such as a cereal bar, and aim to eat something every hour. Cyclists usually carry water in a bottle mounted on the frame. Extracting the bottle to drink as you pedal takes practice, but it’s worth it.

Bike shops are allowed to stay open at this time, as they provide a service to those using cycling as exercise, or key workers such as doctors and nurses getting to work. Many will be operating differently – it may not be possible to browse bikes in store, but we can pick up the phone, take advice and still make a purchase.

Cycling can, at first, appear to be a rather expensive hobby. And it can become so, but it doesn’t need to be. We don’t need to splash out on a wardrobe that would suit a cast member of the Power Rangers movie to be comfortable.

We remember our first puncture keenly. We are on the road between Hollingbury and Ditchling Beacon and we had on our person a small backpack containing a crumpled bag of trail mix, a hoodie and a bottle of water. Even if we have had a tube, pump and tyre levers, We wouldn’t have had a clue what to do with them.

Many pro cyclists who have been riding for decades are still tweaking their bike fit – when it comes to performance, for some riders bike fit is a never ending process of adjustment based on individual factors and goals. We know the reach is right when the front wheel of the hub disappears from view under the handlebars when we are riding on the tops.

So we won’t get the benefit of local knowledge around the lanes, in person. However, most cycling clubs have active WhatsApp chats and other online methods of communication, and they’ll still welcome new members into the fold.

we remember when our first puncture keenly. There was on the road between Hollingbury and Ditchling Beacon and we had on that person a small backpack containing a crumpled bag of trail mix, a hoodie and a bottle of water.

Many pro cyclists who have been riding for decades are still tweaking their bike fit – when it comes to performance, for some riders bike fit is a never ending process of adjustment based on individual factors and goals.

Our local bike shop will be able to make sure the bike fits us, help us to get set up on it, probably offer a free six month service, and be there to help us out when we’ve got questions.