SMART Cycling - BIKES & Gear

Grab some popcorn and watch a video

These Smart Cycling videos will help you understand how to ride safely, improve comfort, find the right bike and gear, and your rights as a bicyclist.

Additional videos can be found from the The League of American Bicyclists: https://bikeleague.org/ridesmart/ridesmartvideos/. Puedes encontrar estos videos en español en YouTube.

 
 
 

How to choose a bike

Answering these few questions will help you discover what type of bike is best for you:

•Why am I buying a bike?
•How fit am I?
•Where will I ride?
•What kind of terrain will I be riding?
•Will I be carrying anything?
•How much do I want to spend?

Types of bikes:
Road: Dropped handlebars and skinny tires, for racing or touring
Mountain: Flat handlebars with a wide range of gears, large tires and suspension for unpaved terrain
Hybrid/Comfort: Provides an upright position for a more relaxed ride
Recumbent: Have a reclined position and come in a wide variety of styles

 
 

fitting & Adjusting

Steps to Fitting a Bike Frame:

• Straddle the bike and stand in front of the seat
• Lift the front and rear wheels off of the ground until it touches you
• If it is a road bike, there should be 1-2 inches between the tires and the ground
• For a mountain or hybrid bike, there should be 3-4 inches

Another way to test the fit of a frame: When you’re sitting on the bike and one pedal is pushed all the way down, there should be a slight bend in your knee.

When adjusting the position of your handlebars, stems and brake levers, the only rule is that they should be comfortable for you!

 
 
 
 

Fitting a Helmet

Wearing a bike helmet improperly is the same as not wearing a bike helmet at all.

• Place it on your head without fastening the straps
• There should be a two-fingers width between your eyebrows and helmet
• There should be little movement when you shake your head from side to side
• You will want to start out with the smallest size– you may have to try on different sizes and brands of helmets until you find one that fits

Adjusting Your Helmet:

• The side straps should come to a point just below your ears forming a “Y” shape
• When your mouth is closed, there should be about half an inch between the chin strap and your chin

 
 

what To wear?

There is no need to go out and buy special cycling gear – you can ride in your everyday clothes.

Riding in the cold: Wearing layers is the best way to control your body temperature. Gloves and ear warmers are particularly helpful when trying to stay warm.

Riding in the dark or rain: Wear bright clothing as you should make special efforts to see and be seen. Hi-Vis yellow and green are best colors for visibility — you will want to steer clear of dark colors.

If your chain does not have a guard on it, you can keep the chain away from your pants by rolling up your pant leg.

If you are interested in gaining hands-on experience from a League Cycling Instructor or taking an in-person Smart Cycling class, please use our Connect Locally resource.