For example, if you notice that your chain is a little rusty, and that it could use some oil, do not wait! Treat your bike as you would want to be treated! I have had so many more quarrels with my bike that could have been avoided had I just treated the early warning signs rather than waiting until everything went wrong.

One huge problem of mine is that the quick release portion of the back wheel comes loose easily. Well, either it loosens up while I am riding, or someone is trying to steal that back wheel when I leave it outside in Boston. To be quite honest, I have a feeling that someone is trying to steal the wheel. They usually do not get very far, because they realize what a pain it is to get the wheel off of the gears and such; however, someone did get as far as to cut off my brakes. I have no idea why you would ever do that! What do you gain from doing that? Furthermore, there was no need to even cut off the brake in order to get to the wheel. In any matter, finding my bike in a position that is unsafe to ride, is a huge signal to me that I should fix my bike. The best solution would be to get a fixed set-up in place rather than the quick-release wheel.

Having a broken bike will impact your exercising. For example, without brakes, I hesitate to go at fast speeds. There is no way I can get a workout in without having brakes on my bike. Even having a flat wheel will decrease the efficiency of your workout. It is important to take care of your bike, otherwise you will find yourself in a position where you will have to walk the bike back home.

Take care of your bike so that you can take care of your fitness levels!

Alright, so first of all, I have a few suggestions to prompt you to start thinking about biking. How do you get to work? Would it be less than a 40 minute bike ride away? How long do you spend in traffic just idling and wishing people would move? How much do you spend on gas? These are all things that you may want to think about. The more you think about it, the more viable riding a bike may start to sound to you. Biking can provide you with a daily exercise routine, it can save you on costs such as gas, it help you relieve some stress, and it sure beats paying for parking.

You don’t need an expensive bike to do the trick. In fact, any bike will work. Just make sure that it has brakes, okay? Once you start getting into biking, that is when you want to start looking into fancier gear; however, for now, don’t worry about the extras, and just start with something simple. Trust me, a bike does not have to be expensive for it to be a good one. Many people even opt for a single speed bike for ease of maintenance. These come in handy in the city, because you will not usually find yourself switching into the heavier gears if you are always stopping for stop lights.

Use your bike to get daily tasks done. True, it may take a little bit longer to get to where you want to go, but it could even save you money in terms of parking and traffic lights. Don’t forget, you’ll be getting your exercise in at the same time. I know it’s hard to fit everything into a day, but sometimes you can do a two for one if you bike to do your errands.

Getting into biking is simple; don’t make excuses for procrastinating about doing it.

There are many different types of locks available, but not all are as good as you need them to be. It really depends on where you are going to be using your bike. If you are going to get a lock, I would highly suggest getting a Kryptonite brand lock. Masterlock and other brands are okay, but I have yet to find a Kryptonite locked bike, that was properly locked, stolen.

I live on Northeastern University’s campus, and it is completely open. Anyone can walk around freely. We are also in the Roxbury area, so it can get dangerous at night. According to the Northeastern University Police Department, they too have never had a stolen bike report that dealt with a bike that was properly locked with a Kryptonite lock.

If you register your bike properly with Kryptonite, you can get a lot of perks out of the whole deal. For instance, you can obtain replacement keys for a minimal fee, and if you have a code on your lock, they will give you your code for free! Also, if your bike is stolen, they will not only give you a new lock, but they will also replace your bike.

Kryptonite puts out a lot of different types of locks. They have U-locks, chains, modules, and more. Depending on where you will put your bike, the type of security that you are looking for changes. You could get a minimal security lock, or you could go as high as a New York lock .

As you may have assumed, it is better to be safe than sorry. If you have to put in an extra ten dollars to get the better lock, do it! Kryptonite makes a really good lock, I have had mine for the last 5 years, and it’s still holding up strong. There are some slash marks in it from people who have tried to steal my bike, but I have yet to have a bike stolen from me.

If you’re a sprinter, the saddle is probably the lowest priority on the list, because you do not spend too much time in your seat in general. For the rest of us, your bike seat is a very important component.

Most bikes are sold with bike saddles designed for the average man. Let’s be honest here, how many of us are the size of an average man? I do not really even have to mention this, but the bone positioning of a man’s sit bone in comparison to a woman’s is a whole lot different; however, if you ask, you can probably get the bike shop to trade the seat for a women’s at no extra cost. If they don’t do that, then that shop is lacking some professionalism and customer service.

If you do not have the time or money to get a new seat right away, the least amount of effort that you can put into making the best of your bike seat is to have the correct positioning. A seat is supposed to be designed to put the pressure in all the “right” places on your sit bones. The last thing that you want is for a seat to be digging into your soft tissues or spreading its pressures across your all the points of contact. You may like gel seats, or seats that distribute the pressure to your whole bottom. While it is usually okay for shorter rides, these types of seats aren’t actually going to make you feel better in the long run. This is because your tissues contain nerves, blood vessels, and more.

A lot of people aim their seats downwards to provide more comfort, but by doing so, you tend to slip off. Also, the height is very important. Sit on your bike, and start to peddle backwards. Your leg should be fully extended, but not so much so that you could overextend or shoot through your knee. You also should not wobble at all, or move around from one side of the saddle to the other.

1. A bike is good for your heart. This form of exercise uses your largest muscle group, the legs, which naturally leads to a raised heart rate and a healthy heart. Studies have shown that those who ride bikes regularly improve their cardiovascular fitness by 3-7%. A British Medical Association study confirmed that riding a bike just 20 miles per week helps reduce coronary heart disease risk by a whopping 50%.

2. Biking burns calories without much effort. A leisurely ride at under ten miles per hour will burn 250-500 calories, depending on your weight. That’s comparable to low-impact aerobics, water aerobics, and weight-lifting. If you want to burn more calories, just step it up, riding faster and taking advantage of hills in your neighborhood.

3. Bicycling is a simple way to build stamina for exercise beginners and anyone who lacks motivation. If you are just using a treadmill at home or at the gym, you can easily quit anytime you begin to feel tired and your motivation wanes. With biking, things are different. If you’re biking across town and get worn out half way through your planned route, you’re still stuck riding back to your starting point, whether you like it or not. This might not be enjoyable, but it will guarantee that you get a full workout.

4. Cycling is gentle on the body. Biking regularly gradually builds the muscles of your legs without posing risks of strain or over-exercise. It’s also low-impact, so your joints are much less likely to be damaged than with other cardio workouts like running.

5. Riding a bike saves money. With gas prices continually on the rise, anything you can do to reduce your automobile usage is helpful. A bike can improve your health significantly while simultaneously getting you from point A to B without costing you a dime. There are no energy costs other than what you need to eat, nor do you need to buy expensive insurance or pay registration, taxes, or parking fees to use your bike as transportation. Even more, if you’re commuting in an area with heavy traffic, a bike may get you where you need to go faster than a car.

This is the first year in many that the Dutch stand a chance in the Tour de France. You would think that a land where there are more bikes than people, there would be an abundance of riders in the Tour de France, but this isn’t so.  No one really knows why this is. Perhaps it is due to the lack of mountains.

They actually have a serious contender this year – 25-year-old Robert Gesink, Rabobank team captain, who was overall sixth in last year’s race. Out of the 12 Dutch riders, 5 are on the Rabobank team. That would be great if he could place. The last time a Dutchman wore the yellow jersey was back in 1989; the last Dutch win of a single stage was in 2005, and the last overall winner was in 1980. Gesink suffered a crash last Wednesday, and his lower back injuries continue to hold him back from giving his best performance. At this point, Frank and Andy Schleck of Team Leopard-Trek, seem to be holding down the fort for the Dutch at spots 4 and 5 with Gesink at 15.

That would be a shame — seeing all of your training get “thrown” away due to a crash.

We can learn a lesson from Gesink – although cycling may not yield guaranteed victories, it can get us into great shape!

To train for the Tour de France takes years at first, but once you get going, you can keep your condition up high enough that the true training doesn’t need to start until several months before the race; however, even if you are not planning on racing this 3,600+ kilometers race, you can still use the same training techniques that the Tour de France riders use to get into cycling shape.

First things first. Purchase a heart rate monitor. Workout levels aren’t one size fits all; they are determined by your heart rate. For example, if your goal is to lose weight, you should know that body fat is burned more efficiently when you’re exercising at 65-80% of your maximum heart rate.

Intervals and tempo workouts are going to be key. Peddling at one constant speed really isn’t going to get you somewhere, and you probably won’t get better. By doing short sprints or pushing your body to that 90% rate, you’ll be training your body to do more and more.

If your goal is to get a great aerobic workout, pedalling at lower rpms in a high gear will give your heart and lungs a great workout. If you’re going for Lance legs, then high rpms are going to be your workout.

Though the summer months can be a little too hot to mountain bike in comfortably, it still remains a great time to hop on a bike and embark on an adventure. You’ll probably be in the woods anyhow, so at least you will have the comfort of the shade and it will be a little cooler than just going on an open road bike ride.

There are a few things you should remember to bring along when you go on your trip. First and foremost, do not forget a helmet. Helmets are the most important accessory when you are bike riding, especially when you are speeding through all of those trees. Another form of protection is gloves. If you crash, your hands are probably going to be the first thing to come down on the ground. The other thing is that you’ll probably have a hard grip on your handlebars if you are a beginner– so that will help from rubbing your hands raw.

The next thing to think about is your clothing. Biking shorts can prevent you from chafing, and they are more comfortable to ride in than normal shorts. Shoes are also a must. Choose your shoes depending on your pedal. Check out this article for a reference to “clipless pedals”. Wearing comfortable shoes and shoes that fit you feet are completely necessary for a comfortable bike ride. Try to buy shoes with a stiffer sole. Some sort of eye protection is also recommended. Whether it’s for the sun or against the branches that may come out of nowhere, your eyesight is important.

You should also always have something to hydrate yourself with and a snack to give you some energy along the way. Drink water before, after, and at the end of your bike ride. You may want to think about getting a Camelback or something that will allow you to drink as you go. It’s easy to forget to drink, and it’s easy to become dehydrated without realizing it, so make sure you keep up with it along the way.

Last, but not least, definitely bring along a repair kit. Imagine getting halfway up a mountain and realizing that you have a flat tire. Do you quit and go down? Or do you ditch the bike and finish by foot? Always have a patch kit for fixing flats, an extra tube in case your tube is un-repairable, tire levers, and a mini-pump.

Although cycling is a sport of vast benefits, very few people take advantage of it. The popularity of cycling is marginal, especially in the United States. Even though American cyclists like Lance Armstrong and Floyd Landis have made it big in the biggest cycling events in the world, cycling isn’t a sport that’s discussed around the water cooler on a Monday morning. I mean, if the world’s most popular sport, soccer, couldn’t make it big here, cycling stands little chance of becoming popular.

Even though cycling isn’t as popular as it should be, this sport can be an inexpensive tool for the fitness conscious to help keep their bodies fit. In addition, the sport can minimize stress.

The sport of cycling offers numerous benefits. First, it can give the body a fast and energetic workout. There is a definite shaping, toning, and firming of the thighs, the calf muscles, and the pelvis region. Some studies suggest that cycling is one of the few exercises that can help reduce cellulite from the thigh area. Additionally, there is relatively less stress on the knees and ankles while cycling as compared to other activities, like running and aerobic exercises. Also, cycling reduces the chances of heart diseases, and it also increases the body’s protection against various forms of diabetes and high blood pressure.

Plus, cycling improves circulation. This is because it facilitates blood circulation throughout the body, which carries oxygen-rich blood to all the muscles. The heavy breathing experienced after a few minutes of cycling increases the intake of oxygen, making it an effective aerobic exercise. Cycling can also be used as a stress-buster activity. A long, leisurely cycle ride along the coast can definitely help reduce stress levels.

Thus, while cycling is often overlooked, consider trying this sport for the fitness benefits it offers.

There are many ways to avoid losing what you have worked for while you are on vacation. Many vacations include physical activities such as swimming, hiking, or walking. If you can take a run along the beach, do so; maybe even try to run barefoot to enjoy a more challenging workout. You can also take a bike ride. Touring somewhere by bike is a great way to see your surroundings while getting exercise. If you spend a whole day biking, I think you’d be surprised to see how much energy that will take out of you.

If your vacation puts you in a situation where you will not be doing any physical activities, there is still hope for you. There are plenty of quick workouts that don’t require a lot of space or a gym. If you can bring a resistance band along, that would certainly help, but using your own body weight for a week or two can definitely keep your body in line so  you can jump right back into things when you get back.

You don’t necessarily need a total body workout while you are away; targeting major muscle groups will do the trick, too. Some examples are the body plank, squats, lunges, triceps dips on a chair, side plank ab twists, and various other abdominal workouts. Try some variations of the exercises as well to make them harder on yourself. The key is to go slow and feel your muscles working.

Working out a little bit on your vacation will keep you “in shape” enough so that you can avoid being disappointed in yourself the next time you get back into your typical routine.

Today I had the opportunity to bike over 20 miles on Connecticut’s Air Line Rail Trail. The Air Line Rail Trail is a scenic and peaceful 50 mile stretch across eastern Connecticut, through the towns of East Hampton, Colchester, Thompson, and more. This ex-railroad track trail is absolutely fantastic. There are 1000s of these types of trails across the United States, and if you live near one, you really should head out to try it. They provide a sense of solitude and beauty for walkers, runners, rollerbladers, bikes, dogs (on leashes), and more.

However, many people do not enjoy biking because they complain about the discomfort a bike seat brings.  Many people cannot last past a certain amount of time because of a bike seat, while others pay a lot of money for an expensive comfortable seat. Today I had the opportunity to test out a MoonSaddle. While at first it did not seem too comfortable, I realized that after a certain amount of time I was really enjoying this seat.

Tested on many police officer bike forces and more, the MoonSaddle has been proven to be a great seat for those on long bike rides. The design specifically incorporates the body to become an anatomy-friendly saddle. It is also lightweight and is designed to use the natural support system of the skeleton. It claims to be the most comfortable bike seat ever built and is waterproof and scuff resistant.

Men will benefit the most from the MoonSaddle. When you look at a picture of one of these saddles I think the reason for this will become apparent to you. However, it is still beneficial to women and children as well. Another cool thing about it is that it is a one size fits all saddle. With this saddle,your “sit bones” are being supported– not your buttocks.

If you are looking to get into biking again, here is a comfy way back!