Buzz
If you've been crushing your indoor cycling workouts, you may be wondering if you can handle the challenges of outdoor cycling as well. Or, you might be feeling a little anxious. Here's everything you need to know to take your cycling fitness outdoors.
Put on a Helmet
Safety should always come first. When cycling outdoors, there are numerous ways to lose balance or even collide with others. While some argue that casual bikers don’t always need helmets, serious cyclists wouldn’t go without one. If you ever take a fall, having a helmet on could make all the difference. Ensure it fits securely and adjust the straps so it covers your forehead properly.
Choose a Safe Starting Point
If it's been a while since you last rode, pick a quiet parking lot or a peaceful bike path for your first ride. Trying to balance bike handling, getting a solid workout, and dodging traffic can be overwhelming. When you feel ready to ride further, plan your route ahead of time so you can avoid obstacles like endless traffic lights.
Master Gear Shifting
Inside the cycling studio, you simply reach for that knob whenever your instructor gives the cue, or even when it suits you. If your instructor announces a hill, no one will notice if you keep the resistance at a manageable level instead.
However, outdoors, it’s a different game. You can shift gears, but hills won’t magically become easy. (And if you try to avoid them, you might end up facing another one instead.) So, it's worth investing time in learning how to shift gears properly.
Typically, you'll aim to maintain a steady cadence (the speed at which your feet turn) and adjust the gears accordingly. On flat terrain, each pedal stroke provides a strong push to propel you forward. But when faced with a hill, you'll shift to a higher gear so that each push moves you only a small distance. This allows you to climb hills slowly, without exhausting yourself too quickly.
And there's no shame in walking. If you live in a hilly area, there will come a time when you'll need to get off your bike and walk it up a hill. You're still getting a workout; you're simply choosing the most efficient method to navigate this section of terrain. Once you reach the top, just hop back on and continue your ride.
