Essential Skills Road Bikers Need to Master

Whether you are a newbie to road biking or you go out on a semi-regular basis, there are a few skills that you need to master to ensure that you have an enjoyable and safe ride each and every time. So, whether you are looking for some detailed guidance or just one or two refresher tips, here are five essential skills for road bikers.

Braking

Learning how to stop safely is one of the skills that will keep you most protected when you are out on the open road. On each side of your handlebars, you have a front and a rear brake. If you use the front brake too suddenly, this can cause you to fly over the handlebars. Conversely, a heavy reliance on the rear brake makes it more likely that you will lose control of the back of your bike. This is why even braking is your best course of action. In situations when you may need the brakes, keep your fingers hovered over and ready to squeeze.

Balance

Choosing the right bike can help with the balance. So, if you want to buy mens road bikes online, check out Cycle Solutions. To improve your general balancing skills, you should look out where you are headed on the road rather than focusing on the ground too much or the obstacles ahead of you. This can help to prevent you from wobbling too much. Taking on a few cone drills can help to improve both your steering and balance.

Shifting Gears

The art of shifting gears is one that not everybody is sure about. If you are making a big gear shift, you need to switch between the front chainrings. For smaller shifts, you have the mechanism on the right of your handlebars. When you are approaching a change in terrain such as a hill, make sure that you switch to the right gear in plenty of time. When you are already climbing, it will be harder to switch gears and access the one that you want.

Pedaling

You may think that pedaling is as easy a skill as you can learn, but it is different on a road bike. You need to learn how to pedal in smooth circles, which means pushing down and pulling up on the clipless pedals at the same time. You will find that you are using a lot more of your leg muscles in this way, which helps to boost your efficiency as a cyclist.

Descending

It takes a bit of time before you get entirely comfortable going downhill. All of the previous techniques discussed above will be put to the test. Maintain your weight over the saddle and control the speed by giving yourself easy access to the brakes. Look ahead in the road for any obstacles, and steer with your hips as much as possible rather than turning the handlebars. Try taking on smaller hills first before building up to the steeper descents.