10 Things Every Cyclist Should Know

Here are the top ten things every biker needs for an "easy ride":

1. Know your A,B,C's!  before your ride:  that's "A" check air in the tire, "B" check brakes, and "C" check the chain to be clear of debris and working properly.
2. Wear your helmet. 75% of all bike fatalities resulted from head injuries. Prices range from mid $20's to $80 for a safety certified helmet.
3. Ankles tight prevent fright.  If you are going to wear long pants when riding, make sure you have a close fitting pants.  Getting your pants leg caught in the chain may take you down to the pavement.
4. Shade your eyes.  Although the song I wear my sunglasses at night had nothing to the do with riding bikes, wear protective eyewear is a good habit for all types of riding.
5. Better mechanics with stable feet.  Toe clips and toe cages aren't just for the competitive cyclist.  They actually help you to utiilize the weaker hamstring muscles during your ride which makes for more efficiency and better joint mechanics.  This may help prevent knee injury or pain.
6. Glove up.  Wearing cycling gloves feels good on your hands but more importantly make take some of the stress off your neck but alleviating a full flexed wrist while you ride.  For longer rides, you may want to invest in riding bars to ease the strain on your head and neck.
7. Hydrate.  Although you may not feel the sweat of a ride, you still need to replace moisture in your system even after as little as a 20 minute bike ride. Carry water with you by adding a water bottle rack to your bike.
8. Pull it in.  While riding upright or leaning forward, be conscious of those abs and draw them into the spine.  Try for an extended spine and relaxed neck while you ride.
9. Flat feet. Try wearing a stiffer soled shoe when you ride or technical riding shoes.  Keeping the foot flat helps work the entire lower leg muscles and prevent shin splints.
10. Bike the Drive. Biking Lake Shore Drive is a summertime must!  It only happens once a year and happens on May 29th this year.  It's one of my favortie kick off summertime events in Chicago.