Cycling Quick Tips
Here is a collection of tips that we found very useful. First off, sizing up for road bikes doesn’t have to be difficult. The general rule of thumb is to take your pant inseam length, change the inches to centimeters by multiplying 2.54, and then multiply the number by 0.7. Then you need to round off to the nearest centimeter.
Another good tip is to lube your chain every 300 miles. If you do, you will never get any gunky build up and you’ll never have to clean the chain. There is no perfect lube, but Prolink has been known to be really good. When you’re applying the lube to the chain, be sure to first wipe the chain down with a clean rag. Drip on the lube while turning the chain. Be sure to aim the lube between the side plates. Be sure to run through every gear, front and back multiple times. Then wipe the chain down one last time. Be sure to let the bike sit overnight. Some people go as far as marking the chain so they know where to begin and end.
If you’re on a tour and your shoes get wet, a tip to drying them overnight is put use the fan from the refrigerator. The fan at the bottom of the fridge will work just fine. The air that blows out is warm and it won’t hurt the shoes. Also a way to dry riding clothes faster is to use inflatable plastic clothes hangers. They separate layers of laundry. If you hang your shorts on the one by putting the ends of the hanger under the waistband, then your shorts are held open, which will help in drying your shorts faster.
For raw skin between the legs during multi day riding, nothing helps more than Destin cream. It’s a bit messy, but doesn’t sweat away and also helps with the pain. You can find it at just about any drugstore.
One last bit of advice is to carry a whistle with you. If dogs, coyotes, or anything else comes to bother you, it’s best to have a whistle to blow at them. This usually does the trick.