Cycling tips

The Sportful Women’s Total Comfort Bib Shorts offer exactly what their name promises, and not at the expense of performance either. Instead Sportful have perfectly combined comfort and performance to maximise the benefits of both. Sportful kit has always fit me well, so much so in fact that they have become somewhat of a go-to brand when it comes to new purchases. Thankfully, and going by the name, just as you might expect, the Sportful Women’s Total Comfort Bib Shorts are no exception. Typically ‘snug’ on the first wear (to the point of rethinking the size guide) the first wash provides enough give to take the bibs to their actual size, and thankfully no more. Even with plenty of washing thereafter, and trust me, I pretty much live in these shorts these days, so by plenty, I mean plenty, I haven’t had any problem with the material becoming slack or baggy over time. They fit just as they did for that second outing – no doubt a reason why I opt for them time and time again. The lay flat...

Disc brakes weigh more - When road cyclists are often doing everything they can to make their bike as light as possible for speed reasons, the addition of discs brakes will add weight to a bike. Disc brakes, especially hydraulic disc brake systems, are generally heavier than rim brakes. Cost more - Disc brakes are a costlier option both from the point of view of initial purchase and maintenance. Although disc brake pads will generally last longer than rim pads they are costlier to replace and can be as much as three times the cost of equivalent rim pads. Difficulty of maintenance - Hydraulic disc brakes shouldn’t need much in the way of day to day maintenance because they are sealed, but when something goes go wrong this can be more difficult to rectify. Occasionally disc brakes may need ‘bleeding’ if there is an air bubble trapped in the system, which isn’t a straightforward task as say adjusting a caliper rim brake. Not transferable - You couldn’t just transfer disc brakes onto your ...

Both types of disc brake have pistons which push brake pads onto a rotor. The difference is how the force applied on the brake levers is transferred to the brake rotor. Mechanical disc brakes function in a similar way to rim brakes in that they use a steel cable to move the pistons. Hydraulic disc brakes, on the other hand, use a fluid filled system so that when the braking lever is depressed, a plunger pushes fluid into the caliper and the brake pads are pushed onto the rotor to slow or stop the bike . The following pros and cons of disc brakes apply generally to both types whether they be mechanical or hydraulic: Pros of disc brakes Better braking power - Disc brakes generate far more braking power than standard rim brakes. For the rider this means having to apply far less pressure on the brake levers, reducing muscle tiredness, especially on long descents where you are constantly having to check your speed. Consistent braking - Depressing the lever of a rim brake is not always going...

 1、Not Fuelling For A Ride Correctly For runners the commonly used phrase ‘hitting the wall’ refers to the point when the body runs out of fuel/energy and grinds to a halt. Cyclists generally refer to this occurrence as the ‘bonk’ and it is something that will have happened to most riders at some point, even the pros. When heading out on a ride, take a bit more food than you actually need and perhaps two bottles, especially if riding in more remote areas where there’s little chance of finding somewhere to get supplies. Plan ahead as having some food/drink in reserve is better than running the risk of bonking. 2、Braking In Corners This is very common cycling error, especially amongst new cyclists. The safest, most efficient technique is to brake before the corner, not actually braking as you are on the corner, as doing this with your bike banked over at an angle can result in the bike locking up and you losing control and crashing. 3、No Spares Or Tools When heading off on a ride you...

 Saddle Height Aside from soft tyres, saddle height is one of one main reasons you may be inefficient as a rider, as a saddle placed too high or too low means that the power from the legs won’t be delivered properly. As a guide for getting your saddle height right, do the following: Ride along with your heel on the pedal. When your leg is at the very bottom of the pedal stroke your leg should be almost straight, but not quite. Set your saddle at this height. Then when riding with your foot in the ‘normal’ position (ball of big toe over centre of the pedal axle) you should achieve an efficient pedalling action, at an ideal height. Don’t be afraid though to adjust a little higher or lower from this point, just to fine tune things if needed. You should still be able to touch the ground with your toes either side of the bike whilst sat in the saddle.

 Disadvantages of having a winter bike 1、Initial Cost Okay, so there's some cost involved of buying a winter bike, and while you don't want to buy too low specification a bike because it will affect your enjoyment of the ride, there’s still no need to go overboard and buy something on par with your good and likely very expensive bike. The second hand market could be a way to minimise your costs. 2、Time And Inconvenience Even if you are planning on using your existing bike there are still other costs involved. Mudguards, sturdy wheels and wider tyres all come at a cost, notably the time it would take you to swap parts on and off dependent on the weather. Remember not all bikes are able to accommodate mudguards, as there’s not enough clearance for them. 3、Storage Issues Having more than one bike isn’t always the easiest if you are limited for space. You could consider one of the ingenious space saving storage solutions, including ones that allow you to mount your bike on a wall o...