Cool Biking Zone

The Amazing Health Benefits of Walking for Exercise

Walking for exercise is a purposeful, brisk walk specifically designed for the purpose of improving health. It is one of the best and cheapest forms of exercise. If you want to improve your general health and keep fit, or if you want to reduce your weight, walking is a good place to start.

Walking keeps you fit and helps you take off extra weight and keep it off. It’s cheap, it’s simple and almost anybody can do it. Walking has a multitude of health benefits for everyone. Here are some of its many benefits:

- Helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke

- Lowers high blood pressure

- Helps reduce weight and body fat

- Helps reduce risk of some cancers

- Reduces anxiety and depression and improves your mood and mental well-being

- Helps control joint swelling and pain from arthritis

- Gives you more energy

- Helps you sleep better

- Helps you look better

- Improves bone density and helps reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis

- Helps those people who are recovering from a period of ill-health

Walking for exercise does not need to be strenuous to produce results. Even walking for 30 minutes a day has been reported to produce measurable benefits, even among those who are least active.

If you want to feel great, have more energy and improve your overall health, take a walk. Walking is one of the best forms of exercise and you can do it almost anywhere, anytime, and for free.

Along with its benefits to the heart, walking improves circulation, helps breathing, combats depression, bolsters the immune system, helps prevent osteoporosis, helps control weight and helps prevent and control diabetes. It’s a gentle exercise and it’s suitable if you are recovering from heart trouble, a stroke or other illness. It helps the total circulation of blood throughout the body, and thus has a direct effect on your overall feeling of health.

Remember, if you have a medical condition, are overweight, over 40 years of age or haven’t exercised regularly for a long time, check with your doctor before you start any type of exercise program.

–About–

Copyright © 2005. Chileshe Mwape writes for the JustFootball Website at: http://www.justfootball.org.uk/which features football related articles, news and other resources.

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Add comment December 30th, 2006

Nutrition Bars may Come in Handy when you Travel.

You might not have time to look for where to eat breakfast.

You might be on a flight where no food is served. 

You could even be stuck in the secure gating area of an airport having to wait more than an hour for your flight which has been delayed and where even a cup of Yoplait Yogurt will set you back $1.78 plus tax. (something you are accustomed to pay $0.65 at your supermarket).  You could get hungry at an unexpected place and time.

It is not at all inconvenient to carry with you on your carry on baggage or tote bag a few of those so-called health bars or high protein “candy bars” available at Whole Foods, GNC, or even at your local supermarket.

These can often be lifesavers should you find yourself hungry in unfamiliar surroundings with no access to food. They are rich due to their enriched protein content and are usually satisfying substitutes for breakfast or lunch. It would also be good to carry a couple of small apples for dessert and if traveling in places like Mexico, carry some bottled water.

–About–

Francis Ardi is the developer of travelclickmap.com, an, interactive web page map application for point and click flight reservations across North America, including Alaska, Canada, Hawaii and the Caribbean. Visit http://www.travelclickmap.com

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Cycling And Impotence

‘There are two kinds of cyclists: those who are impotent and those who will be’

That claim was made by Dr Irwin Goldstein, a Boston University Medical School urologist, who recently released data from two unpublished studies linking cycling to impotence, more or less echos the words of Hippocrates. Goldstein warns that anyone who rides a bike is susceptible to sexual and urinary tract dysfunction as well as unrecognized blunt trauma. In an interview with the
Seattle Times, he said, "Bicycle riders violate safe perineal health. I have documented bicycle-riding impotence in young teens who perform daredevil tricks, commuters, weekend riders, stationary bikers, avid road racers, and mountain bikers." Goldstein attributes these injuries not only to continuous riding stress on the penal area ut also to falling into a bike seat or bar.
The idea that riding too long in a saddle may cause sexual dysfunction isn’t new. But there are only a few medically documented accounts of impotence due to cycling (or horse back riding). Yet, an increasing number of physicians believe the problem is more prevalent and serious than reported.

Saddle Design:
Aside from relatively rare cases of falling injuries, cycling impotence appears to be caused by the compression of two nerves between the saddle and the pubic bone. These nerves lead
to the penis and are responsible for regulating the penal blood flow that allows for an erection.

Signs and Symptoms:
· numbness in any part of the penis
· impotence after a ride
· tingling in the perineum or penis
· decreased urinary flow
· feeling of tightness at tip of the penis

Cyclists attempt to minimize this compression by lowering or raising the seat, by adjusting its tilt to shift more weight rearward to the buttocks, by using a soft (jelled) seat, by wearing peddling shorts, by occasionally standing while riding, or by all of the above. These adjustments can provide some help. But they don’t solve the problem.

What Prevention is there?
1.to stay off the bike until the symptoms go away or select another activity.
2.When riding for long periods of time take frequent breaks. Get up and out of the saddle often.
3. change your body position frequently during a ride
4. If you’re crossing railway tracks or rough surfaced roads, never remain seated while riding.
5.use Specially designed saddles. Female cyclists have been using them for many years with great success.

Recommended Saddle Manufacturers:
· Selle Italia
· Selle San Marco
· Specialized
· Fi‘zi:k

6.other number of treatment options are
a. Drug therapy: Impotence medications like Generic Viagra,Generic Cialis, and Levitra® can help for temporary cycling impotence.
b. Vacuum Pumps
c. Impotence Injections
d. Penile Implants

–About–
robert stalling is a webmaster of mynetpharma.com an online pharmacy for generic drugs.
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Stay in Shape - Cycling Workouts For the Winter Months

It’s that time of year. The time when you decide it’s fine to ride in 12 degree weather. The time when your food and water freezes, your hands and feet go numb, and your bike gets covered in water and road salt…

It’s the time of year when you decide that you were a freakin idiot for going outside!

That “time of year” for me was yesterday. My first ride outside in sub 25 degree weather. It’s the same every year. Through spring, summer, and fall you tend to forget just how bad it is… and you think you’re tough enough to handle it. Well… you’re not!

Just one ride brings back the painful experiences of just one year ago. The warming of frostbitten hands and feet - what a way to end a ride! It’s enough to make me want to stay out in the cold!

I even bought a trainer this year. And I wore it out after a month. So, inevitably, I rode outside in frigid temperatures. Now I’m getting ready to buy some rollers. Then I’ll stay inside like a sane person!

Perhaps I’ll even pick up some workout videos. I have a CTS mountain biking video, the Spinervals might be ok, but I’m more interested in the Cyclo-core workouts. [See resource box below.] There’s a little bit of everything - riding, light lifting, etc. - and best of all: just 30-60 minutes each!

You get to stay inside, avoid trainer boredom, and you don’t even have to go to the gym! Definitely too good to pass up!

Even if you don’t want to buy anything, check out the site for a free special report: “Five Secrets to Double Your Off-Season Fitness”

Moral of the story: This is the off-season. Don’t ride outside if it’s below 25 degrees. And feel free to use this as an excuse to spend the winter in California!

–About–

Levi Bloom is the owner of Bloom Bike Shop and the webmaster of http://bloombikeshop.comIf you’re interested in CycloCore workouts, check out http://bloombikeshop.com/cyclocore

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Cycling Your Way To Fitness

By: C.J.Gustafson

Stationary Bikes - Still A Top Choice For Overall Fitness

In all the craze over new fangled fitness equipment, the exercise bike often gets overlooked. Stationary bikes have been around for many years, which can lead some people to think they are outdated or not as effective as newer types of equipment. But for many people, exercise bikes provide a fun, consistent, reasonable means of exercising, improving cardio functions, and losing weight.

Stationary exercise bikes provide all the benefits of riding a bicycle. They provide good cardio workouts, have much less impact on knees, hips and other joints than walking or running, and can be used at any time it’s convenient. Most stationary bikes have manual or computerized controls to allow you to adjust resistance and speed. Many also come with heart monitors and cardio workouts already programmed in. There is a huge selection of price and style, and stationary bikes tend to be the most affordable cardio exercise machine.

Plus, with a stationary bike, you don’t have to worry about traffic, dogs, or bad weather. You can exercise in the convenience of your own home and even watch television or read a book while you bike. Try doing that on the bike path at the park!

Types of Stationary Bikes

Standard, upright stationary bikes come in single or dual action models. Dual action bikes have handles or levers to work the upper body and have been shown to provide more effective cardio workouts, burn more calories, and also improve overall body tone more efficiently than single action bikes. Dual action bikes work well for those with hip or leg injuries who need to exercise but also need to go easy on their legs. The dual action allows the arms to work harder to operate the machine, thus requiring less work from the legs.

A recumbent bicycle, sometimes called a bent, is a type of stationary bike that is more laid back literally. It places the body in a semi or fully reclining position, taking pressure off the back area. Some people feel the position is difficult to adapt to at first, but many who choose recumbent bikes say they are very easy and comfortable to ride. They usually come with a larger seat, which often means you will stay on the machine longer or not have discomfort later.

Because of the reclining position, a recumbent bike works the abdominal muscles more and also creates more hamstring action. The lower center of gravity makes for better balance as well. Doctors feel they are better for those with back problems or with cerebral palsy and related diseases. The recumbent bikes also bring your feet more closely in line with your heart, keeping blood pressure low and providing for a safer overall workout.

Popular Models & Prices

Most stationary bikes come with ways to assess your speed and distance. Economy models have a tachometer/odometer combination and a design that utilizes a flywheel to provide resistance. These models are not programmable and provide the least effective workout, but are at under $200 can be an inexpensive way for a beginner or someone on a tight budget to get some exercise. They can be purchased at many department stores.

Standard models usually come with more features such as a programmable consul that calculates heart rate or allows you to pick a heart rate and then adjust the resistance accordingly. These bikes may use flywheels, fan blades, or magnetic resistance, depending on the quality. Magnetic resistance is usually the best method as it operates more smoothly and is quieter. These models can range from $200 up to $1500 and provide the broadest range of selection for the average person. Some popular models include Tunturi F520 (recumbent), Vision Fitness R2000, and several models from Schwinn, the popular bike manufacturer.

More expensive stationary bikes often use magnetic resistance and typically need to be plugged in to an outlet. They come with all the bells and whistles, including extended warranties, more varied programming features, and comfort options such as built in fans. They typically cost over $1500. Lifecycle 5500HR and 5500RHR (recumbent) are popular choices among those who are serious about their workout or have a healthy budget.

Other popular manufacturers of exercise bikes include Nordic Track, Reebok, Weslo, Keys, Fitness Quest, and Edge.

Compared To Other Equipment

All types of stationary bikes provide a low impact workout that many feel is an advantage over treadmill exercise. The force on the knees, ankles, feet and other body parts that occurs with walking or running can cause swelling or discomfort in the joints. It can irritate old injuries or sometimes even produce new problems. A stationary bike provides non-weight bearing exercise that reduces impact on these areas.

In the health and fitness industries, and among customers, there is an extensive debate over which machines burn more calories and give a better cardio workout. There is evidence on both sides of the issue, but many people agree that a stationary bike should have dual action to optimize weight loss and heart health. The pumping of the arms has a significant impact of the effectiveness of any workout, and a treadmill is less effective as well if you hold onto the hand supports rather than letting your arms swing or pumping them in rhythm to your motion.

Elliptical trainers are another exercise option that provides a low impact workout, but many feel they do not provide the same cardio benefits. Rowing machines are boring, more difficult to use, and can be hard on the back. Other equipment has disadvantages as well, making stationary bikes a good choice for overall effectiveness and satisfaction. Consumer buying shows that exercise bikes continue to rank as a top choice for exercise and fitness training.

In the ever expanding world of health and fitness equipment, there have been some true advances as well as a bunch of gimmicks. A stationary bike is an old standard that has been a proven exercise tool for years, and that continues to improve and adapt through new technology. The overall effectiveness, ease of use and variety of designs and prices makes a stationary exercise bike an excellent choice for beginners and advanced enthusiasts alike.

–About–

C.J. Gustafson is a successful writer for http://www.best-home-gyms.com your complete shopping guide for home gym equipment, exercise bikes, treadmills, elliptical machines, weight lifting equipment and more. Copyright 2005 Best-Home-Gyms.com
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Here’s why you should ride a bicycle!

Here’s why you should ride a bicycle!

The world is an open road when you’re riding a bicycle! Bicycle riding

for recreation is becoming more popular than ever. More main roads are being designed with bicycle lanes, and bicycle trails can be found in all parts of the country. Many bicycle trails are formed along old railroad tracks, which are fairly level and placed at a distance from

automobile traffic, and stretch on for miles. This makes them perfect for both the beginners and the experienced bicycle riders.

Bicycles themselves have evolved greatly over the years, becoming ever better than they were before. The first bicycle came into being back in 1817, a simple version with two wooden wheels and propelled by pushing the ground with one’s feet. The bicycle has taken on many shapes over the years. It was in the 1890’s that wooden or steel tires were finally replaced by pneumatic ones, and bicycling became widespread as a form of transportation. Bicycles were affordable to the general public, and what began as a fad became a reasonable means of getting to where one

needed to go.

Today’s bicycles are a credit to years of improvements, being made of stronger, more durable materials, yet incredibly light weight, and with complex features to give increased speed and ease. Bicycles are

specialized for long distances, racing, city traffic or climbing mountain trails. Bicycle enthusiasts still keep coming up with a better bicycle. The patent office receives hundreds of patents a year for innovations to make a better bicycle !

–About–

http://www.a1-bicycle-4u.info/bicycle.html

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A Bicycle Trip Down The River

My river-rafting adventure started on a bicycle. The small daypack I wore carried a hatchet, a saw, some scraps of rope, food, water, a garbage bag bivy sack, a hat, and odds and ends. It weighed less than fifteen pounds total.

It was late May, so Id stay warm in my homemade bivy, without a sleeping bag. I might wear my hat, and pile up some leaves to sleep on. If the mosquitos were bad, I’d use my headnet, which, I had learned, would also trap warm air around my head, keeping me warmer. I had matches and a lighter, in case I needed a fire in an emergency.

Thirty miles of pedaling had brought me from my home in Traverse City, Michigan, down the backroads to the Baxter Bridge, on the Manistee River. It was almost 10 a.m. I pushed the bicycle into the woods, and rolled it along, lifting it over logs, until I was a mile upstream. Looking around at the trees, I knew this was the place to start the river rafting part of the trip.

Sometimes Adventure Involves A Lot Of Work

The first tree was the biggest, and I almost couldn’t drag the ten-foot sections to the river after cutting them. They were perfect, however. Dead, dry-rotted Poplar was always good, because it was like styrofoam inside. It cut easy, and floated well. White Cedar was the best quality, but it was more difficult to find, and to cut.

When I had hauled enough logs to the river, I got into the water and pulled the first two pieces in after me. I tied them together, then tied two long thin poles to them perpendicularly near either end. The other logs were guided, one by one, under these two rails, and tied in place.

By early afternoon I was finished. With the last piece of rope, I tied the raft to shore. I cut a good rafting pole to guide me. I was ready.

Tom Sawyer Day

My first river rafting adventure had involved four of us. I advertised it to my friends as an adventure-disaster, sure to get them wet and cold. Three took the bait. Apart from snacks and water, we took only a hatchet, a small saw, and whatever scraps of rope we could find. It all fit into a small backpack.

We parked near the river and hiked a trail upstream until we were a few miles from the car. The plan was to build a raft, using only dead trees and our scraps of rope. We would then get on it and go rafting back to the car.

It was dubbed “Tom Sawyer Day,” and became a much anticipated event among an ever-changing group of participants. Since it was, in equal parts, fun and dangerous, we didn’t usually bring beer. Even sober, it was enough of a challenge to keep a thousand-pound pile of logs, with four people on it, from going where it wanted to go. Where it wanted to go inevitably involved pain and cold water, but with each trip I managed to learn a little. Sometimes we even stayed dry.

Sometimes Adventure Involves Math

The first trip, Roland and I were cutting and hauling logs to the river, while Cathy and Leslie cooked hotdogs over a fire. We began to do geometry on a piece of birchbark, trying to figure out how many logs were needed, allowing for the dishonesty of the women’s stated weights.

“Cedar weighs 37 pounds per cubic foot,” I told Roland, “leaving a lifting capacity of about 27 pounds, given that water is 64 pounds per cubic foot.” The girls were laughing at me. “The volume of a cylindrical object is pi times the radius squared, times the length, right?”

Roland agreed. We counted out the logs and began to build the raft. When finished, we had a floating pile of old rotten logs and two frightened women.

Sometimes Adventure Involves Getting Wet

Leslie and Cathy sat on a stump in the middle of the raft. Roland and I stood with our poles, ready to fend off the banks of the river and the overhanging trees. We did this successfully for at least fifteen minutes.

Then, when a low, horizontal tree refused to move, Roland pushed us all off in order to regain his balance. We quickly gave up trying to find the bottom of the river, and swam after the raft. Sputtering and cursing at Roland, the three of us climbed back on.

This first rafting trip was in late April, when the water is still like ice. The sun warmed us, but our feet were almost always in the water. It was bad enough that the raft didn’t float very high off the water, but then it began to change shape before our eyes and under our feet.

“It’s a square. No wait! It’s a parallelagram… Now it’s a square again.” The girls decided that there was too much geometry in river rafting, so a few minutes later we let the raft drift close to the shore, where they stepped off into the shallow water.

The water, however, wasn’t shallow. Once the girls had resurfaced, and climbed up the sandy bank of the river, we waved goodbye. The trail took them to and from the river on their way to the car.

The next time we saw them, Leslie was hiking in her wet bra and panties. This part of the adventure story was crucial to recruiting other young males in the future. The trail went into the forest again, and the girls didn’t see us for thirty minutes.

Sometimes Adventure Involves Running

Actually, they saw the raft first, floating quietly down the river by itself. Soon they saw Roland and I, running along the opposite side, trying to catch up. This was because of a tree that stuck out from the bank, low to the water.

We were unable to avoid it, despite our excellent rafting skills, but we thought we could jump over it as the raft passed underneath. It seemed like a reasonable plan at the time. It didn’t seem so reasonable when Roland was pushing my face into the sicks in the tree while climbing over me to get to shore.

The raft went on, not noticing our absence. We ran through swamp and woods, pretending this was part of the plan when the girls saw us. The raft came near the riverbank just as we caught up to it. We leapt for it, and we were back in control. More or less.

“How do we get off?” Roland asked, when we were near the car. We decided that we just had to get close to shore and jump. It seemed like a good idea. Roland was still hanging over the river from a tree when I started up the big hill to the car. Tom Sawyer Days went a little smoother after this first one.

Sometimes Adventure Involves Being Pointed At

After pedaling thirty miles and hauling logs for hours, I was tired, but satisfied. It was the best raft yet, and I was soon rafting down the river, under Baxter Bridge, and into the National Forest. I noticed immediately that these rafts float better with only one person on them.

There was just one small group of houses to pass before a long uninhabited stretch. My bicycle stood proudly in the center of the raft, tied in place, with the backpack on the handlebars.

The first guy to see me yelled hello, and pointed me out to his wife.

The second didn’t know what to say. The Manistee is not a well-traveled river, especially not by bicyclists. A few minutes later I was past the houses. Around the next bend, a whitetail deer saw me and backed off through the cattails.

I floated for hours. Apparently my previous river rafting experience was paying off, because I managed to miss the trees, rocks, riverbanks, and to stay dry. I was even able to sit down and soak up the sun for a minute or two at a time. The latter was always interrupted, of course, by the necessity to jump up and use the pole to avoid something.

In the evening, I stopped, disassembled the raft, and began pushing my bicycle through the woods. A mile later I found a trail, and started pedalling. A mile after that I met two guys on a two-track, with there truck. The ice-cold beer they gave me made them instant friends, so I told them that, no, I wasn’t out bicycling. I was river rafting. Then they weren’t sure they wanted a new friend, so I traveled on.

Sixty miles of bicycling, miles of pushing the bike through the woods, three hours of log-hauling, and five hours of rafting, all in one day, seemed like a worthy goal, so I decided to just head for home. And the mosquitos were worse than I had anticipated.

Sometime after dark I rolled into the driveway, dropped the bike, and stumbled into the house. I took a shower and answered the phone. It was time to go dancing.

–About–

Steve Gillman has been hiking, biking, floating and adventuring in general for decades. For more of his stories and outdoor advice, you can visit http://www.TheMountainHikingSite.com
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The history of bicycle rims

The first bicycle wheels were from a horse drawn cart, made of wood with a metal band round the bicycle rim, very hard and very uncomfortable to ride. Then a man called Dunlop (Scottish) invented the pneumatic tire, this along with Macadam (another Scot) inventing the tar road surface made cycling a lot more comfortable.

The bicycle rim, like the bicycle frame hasn’t changed much in design, its still round and always will be. From the first wooden rims the next were made of steel, then alloy and now if you can afford it, carbon. Of all bicycle parts the bicycle rim can make a big difference to how your bike handles. First the weight of your rim affects your sprinting and climbing as the weight will low you down, for a long, flat effort the weight isn’t so important as when you get the wheels rolling the weight can help to keep them going. The shape of the rim can be important also, a flat rim is best for climbing as aerodynamics are not so important on a hill, a deep section, aero, rim will help you cut through the air, but in a cross wind could cause you handling problems.

Bicycle Rims Materials

The different materials used for rims are very important also, steel is heavy and if damaged can be difficult to pull back into shape, but because its so strong it is quite difficult to bend in the first place and steel is cheaper than all the other materials. Alloy is probably the most popular rim, it can be made in any shape and profile, flat or aero, but not too deep as it would then weigh too much, most deep section rims are of a alloy braking section nearest the tire which is then mounted to a carbon deep section for lightness and aerodynamics and a very beautiful looking bicycle rim. As with most things if money is no problem you can go for the best, this would be an all carbon rim, strong and very light, but there are a few problems with these rims, first they don’t brake so well in wet conditions and you must use special brake blocks for carbon and they can be expensive, also the rim has to be perfectly round and not have any bulges in the rim wall as this will make braking quite erratic, carbon is a difficult material to work with and must be well looked after.

Types Of Rim To Consider

There are also two types of rim to consider and this depends on which kind of tire you want to use, first there are tubular tires these are glued on to the bicycle rim, cost more and are difficult to repair after a puncture, but for racing they feel and ride wonderfully. Clincher tires have improved a lot recently and are nearly as good as tubulars for performance and are easily repairable and more reasonably priced. Most manufacturers make all styles in both systems.

So which should I buy? Not an easy answer, as there is so much to choose from, years ago you went to your local bike shop, picked out which hubs, spokes and rims you wanted and he would build your wheels, but now most rim makers also manufacture there own wheel sets, Mavic, Shimano and Campagnolo are probably the best known, check out there web-sites for all there new goodies, there are other brands and if you go to your local cycle shop or look in the bike magazines you’ll find them. There is a lot to choose form, but they are all round.

–About–

Andrew Caxton contributes adding articles regularly to http://www.bike-cycling-reviews.comA free online magazine that carries reviews on bike components, clothing as well as comparisons on heart rate monitors. Further info on bicycle wheels and bicycle rims.

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Searching for the most up-to-date assistance in relation to bicycles.

Often when you are looking for excellent information about bicycles, it will be tricky extricating the best information from poorly sourced bicycles submissions or guidance so it’s prudent to know how to moderate the information you are presented with.

eBay: Cycling Equipment

Online marketplace for buying and selling cycling equipment.

What follows next are a few tips that we believe you should consider using when you’re searching for information about bicycles. You need to realize the advice we present is only pertinent to internet based information concerning bicycles. We are unable to offer any advice or guidance if you are receiving information offline.

Looking for bicycle?

Find bicycle and more at Lycos Search. No clutter, just answers. Lycos - Go Get It!

A great hint to follow when you’re presented with help and advice regarding a bicycles web site is to ascertain who owns the site. This may divulge who is behind the site bicycles integrity The quickest way to work out who owns the bicycles site is to find the ‘about’ page.

All respectable sites giving you information on bicycles, will almost certainly provide an ‘about’ or ‘contact’ page which will record the site owner’s contact details. The details should make known some specifications about the website owner’s expertise. This means you can conduct an appraisal about the site owner’s knowledge and skill, to advise people on the subject of bicycles.

–About–

Tom Brown is the webmaster for http://www.hession-campbell.info

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The Lure of a Bicycle Tour

The lure of a bicycle tour may be in its recreational value, but the health and fitness aspects have made them more popular today than ever before. There are bicycle tours available all across the country. Biking enthusiasts need not look very far to find a bicycle tour to their liking.

Going on an organized bicycle tour offers many advantages over biking alone, one advantage being having a mapped route, especially if you are going into unfamiliar territory. Also, bicycling can just be more fun in a group.

Going on a bicycle tour can be a major excursion, and you’ll want to gowell prepared. Whether or not you’re new to bicycle tours, it is a goodidea to brush up on the basic necessities. First, be sure your bicycle is in good repair. Bicycle tours range from a couple hours to a couplemonths, but either way, it’s best to check for mechanical problems well ahead of time. Even so, take along a tire repair kit, along with a tire pump and needed tools.

Of course, a bike helmet is a must. Outer clothing should be waterproof, and clothing in general should be chosen with layering in mind. What you bring with you is very dependanton the actual bicycle tour you intend to take. You’ll always need waterbottles and nutritional snacks, first aid kits, sunglasses, and, of course, a good bike lock.

–About–

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