Cycling Tips

Long-distance bike rides are a great way to train your body to cover longer distances in a shorter time. They help improve your everyday pace and give you a full-body workout, especially if you’re preparing for cycling tournaments.

Biking 60 miles depends on a couple of factors, like your age, training, pace, type of bike, and the road. It may take you somewhere around 5+ hours to cover 60 miles if you’re a beginner. On the other hand, if you’ve trained to cover long distances, 60 miles is just a matter of 3 or fewer hours.

Distance riding is a tedious yet fun outdoor activity. It is recommended that you give yourself sufficient hours to cover your target miles, take adequate breaks, drink enough water while riding, and eat well before you set out on your ride.

This article will give you a good understanding of the time required to cover 60 miles on a bike in a day. Let’s get into the details!

How Much Time Does It Take to Bike 60 Miles?

The answer to this question depends on several factors. Your average speed plays an essential role in determining the time it takes for you to cover 60 miles. Other contributing factors are your strength, experience, bike type, road type, and age.

Some cyclists riding at a pace of 10 mph will cover 60 miles in around 6 hours. A speed of 15 mph will take about 4 hours, and 20 mph will take 3 hours. It varies among cyclists because of the several variations in age, fitness, and experience.

Someone around the age of 25 can probably cover 60 miles sooner and faster than someone 45 years old. The opposite can also hold true, and that depends entirely on the kind of experience a cyclist has with riding long-distance.

Cycling in groups usually takes long hours to cover the distances as it necessitates frequent stops or breaks to grab something to eat or drink. On the other hand, riding solo will give you a steady and faster pace to cover the distance sooner.

Maintaining a steady pace might be challenging if you are pushing too hard. An important thing to keep in mind while riding long distances is that your speed needs to be progressively steady. It is not recommended to cycle 25 miles in an hour and drop to 15 miles in the next.

What Difficulties are Experienced During a Long Bike Ride?

Whether you’re a daily commuter, an amateur cyclist, or a trained cyclist, everyone faces biking challenges. Trained cyclists have faced these challenges more frequently and know how to overcome them.

For someone relatively new to cycling, it can feel daunting to … Read More

Gravity mountain biking is one hell of an adventure. It is indeed risky, usually performed only by above-average professional mountain bikers. Hence, after considering all the risks involved, it is impossible to get a suitable safe, and excellent experience without a good gravity mountain bike.

Who makes these bikes? Well, many well-known brands manufacture quality gravity mountain bikes like Guerilla Gravity, Gravity, Ritchey, Trek, Giant, etc. However, if you want to know particularly about the bikes sold under the brand name – Gravity, that would be bikes sold by the online retailer Bikes Direct.

In this article, you will get to know what gravity mountain biking is, more about the Gravity bikes and who makes them, and other necessary detail. So, get ready for the ride!

What is Gravity Mountain Biking?

Gravity mountain biking, also known as gravity-assisted mountain biking, is a fast-paced mountain riding segment that takes place in the off-season on steep hilly terrain or on ski slopes. The rider would start at a high height and use gravity to propel themselves downhill in this type of biking.

Gravity mountain riding provides a high-speed sensation that is the main reason behind the craze. However, high speed along with safety can only be obtained by judicious use of potential energy.

The mountain bikes used for this sport are tough and have full suspension.

As a result, if you despise pedalling uphill but enjoy gliding downhill via thrilling turns, gravity-assisted mountain biking is for you. However, you must note that this mountain riding is not for the people who don’t have a strong heart; you must love adventure and should be a risk-taker.

All About Gravity Bikes

Gravity mountain biking is becoming a popular and loved sport. It is the most fun type of mountain biking, but it is also the least good for your health. As a result, having the ideal equipment—the best gravity mountain bike available—is critical.

However, it is not possible to buy the best bike without having a background check of the brand. That is why we have listed down some necessary details of the best brand out there- Gravity Bikes, along with its exquisite bike.

Who Makes Gravity Bikes?

It is probably one of the most asked questions about Gravity bikes. People are curious to know who owns the brand because there isn’t a good site that can tell you more about the company. Let’s put an end to all your doubts here – Gravity is an in-house brand of Bikes Direct.

Gravity is merely a name registered by the owner of Bikes Direct, an online bike retailer. Like Motobecane, Dawes, and others, it’s one of many lines launched by this site. To understand … Read More

If functionality and high-performance are an absolute must for you, your bike should run on the tires that provide the same. However, you can’t get them without taking into deep consideration the actual wheels of your commute companion.

As a bike rider, you must have wondered whether to install a clincher folding or a wire beads tire. The answer depends on your preference for durability and the purpose behind your bike rides. Your clincher folding tires have a slight edge over the wire bead ones in terms of weight and durability.

You can’t base your entire decision on the heaviness and lasting aspect of your bike essentials, can you?

Comparison Between Folding Clincher and Wire Bead Tires

Even though clincher makes for the most used and commonly available tire, the choice for the beaded variety isn’t easy. However, with a glance at the best features combined, you can take your pick within a few seconds.

Tire Characteristics	Folding Clincher	Wire Bead
Material	Light Synthetic Kevlar Fiber	Heavy Stainless Steel
Weight	Low	High
Durability	Shorter Life	Long-Lasting
Flexibility	Highly Flexible	Fixed Structure
Price	Expensive	Cheap

The final decision to make the call depends on the type of bike rider you are.

If you’re a long-distance commuter on a bike, you’d prefer the quick-to-replace and lightweight folding beads clincher. However, for the leisurely rider in you, the long-lasting and sturdy wire beads top the charts.

Note: Be ready to shed a little extra money if you’re going with folding beads clincher! The suppleness exhausts the tire material even with short usage.

Why Should You Prefer a Folding Clincher Tire?

Clincher folding tires are unique bike wheel frames for your bicycle needs. The flexible material frames ensure that you get a smooth ride even when flats impede your speed.

Features of Folding Clincher Tire

• Material: Made from a solid yet flexible strand called Kevlar, the clincher clings onto the curved bike bead. Additionally, you get softer rubber material to go with you on long terrains and bumpy rides.
• Flexibility:  The elasticity is the most remarkable aspect of the tire variety. In fact, it’s so light and supple that you can easily carry it as a spare unit on your bike adventures.
• Thread Per Inch (TPI): The premium, high-performing tires carry a TPI of 60, which the experts recommend. The perfectly wound nylon threads give your folding clincher a higher preference in the flexibility ranks.
• Weight: Synthetic wires and soft components give ample space for the folding clincher to cling on to your hearts for extended journeys. Besides, the light mass enables the cyclists easy maneuverability and enhanced comfort.

Why Prefer a Wire Bead Tire?

As you can make it … Read More

An adventure trip is on your plan, and you wish to hit the roads with a sturdy bike. Although, the bike model you intend to purchase may not be available in the local bike store. Thus, you turn to online stores and wonder, is Bikes Direct Legit?

Yes, Bikes Direct is a legit online bike store. The 2021 Customer Choice Winner ranks it third among top online bike stores. In addition, 538 buyers have given an overall 4.3-star rating for the website. Thus, you can shop worry-free on Bikes Direct.

The online bike store has many steal-deals and varied kinds of bikes. Read on to get a better understanding of the website.

Is Bikes Direct Legit?

Yes, Bikes Direct is a legitimate website for shopping bikes online. Buyers choose this online store to buy bicycles at economical prices. Moreover, you will find their service-friendly with quick and seamless deliveries.

If you wish to buy from Bikes Direct, you need to thoroughly research the kind of bike you want to prevent returning it.

The online bike store has a 4.3 stars rating from 538 customer reviews. Most of the feedback relates to general satisfaction from the purchase. Amongst the online bike stores, Bikes Direct ranks third. The top-notch performance is possible due to their helpful customer service, the perfect condition of bikes, and free shipping.

Take a look at the ratings for each service.

• Service: 4.3-star rating
• Value: 4.7-star rating
• Shipping: 4.6-star rating
• Returns: 4.0-star rating
• Quality: 4.4-star rating

Bikes Direct sells bikes great for all kinds of terrain, such as roads, beaches, and even snow. In addition, the brand is the 2021 Customer Choice Winner. Rest assured! You can seamlessly buy a suitable bike from Bikes Direct with cutting-edge service and an array of bikes to choose from.

Advantages of Purchasing a Bike from Bikes Direct

You might be searching for a particular type of mountain bike. Although, all of your local bike stores suggest that the bike is out-of-stock.

You will never find yourself disappointed! Bikes Direct may have the bicycle you are looking for, and in addition, the bike may cost you lesser than most retailers.

Check out the pointers below to understand why Bikes Direct is an ideal choice.

Save Money

You must have noticed that products purchased online are, in most cases, cheaper than in stores. Buying a bike from Bikes Direct has the same benefit for you, that is, you can find economical options on the site.

While your local bike seller may add many incidental costs to the bike’s price, Bikes Direct only charges you for the bike.

Bikes Direct also has promotional calendars, including discounts and holiday promotions. … Read More

Any regular bike rider would be concerned about the firmness of their bike tires. All bike tires come with a fixed PSI, and it is generally believed that lesser air pumped in bike tires makes up for a more comfortable ride. 

So, how firm should bike tires be then? The correct answer to this question would be to keep the bike’s tires pressurized within the amounts that come suggested on the side of all tires. For a road bike, it usually ranges between 80-130 PSI. 

Overinflating or underinflating the tires is likely to cause severe problems for the rider. That being said, the pressure of the bike’s tires should be reduced on terrains and increased if you weigh high. 

Why is Tire Pressure Important?

As previously mentioned, under or overinflating the tires can cause problems for the rider. Have you ever imagined the types of issues that are likely?

Well, to start with, it would hamper the bike’s performance without the correct tire pressure for any bike, whether hybrid, stationary, or any other type of bike. 

The pressure of the bike’s tires can be affected in two ways. It can affect the grip of the tire and the rolling resistance. These impacts on the bike will adversely affect the speed you try to achieve. 

You should know that the less the firmness of the bike’s tires, the more surface the tires will be able to contact. That affects the grip and rolling resistance of the bike. 

If you want to have the best riding experience, it is highly recommended to fix the firmness of your bike tires at a pressure not too high or too low. 

The pressure of tires is measured in Pound for Square Inch (PSI). A low PSI allows you to control your bike better. However, it is highly recommended not to keep the pressure too low. And therefore, the overall ride can be expected to be comfortable. 

While you try attaining the correct pressure, remember that maneuvering can be tricky. That might require you more air to enhance the softer tires. You can use an air pump to get the extra air. 

Increasing the tire pressure will likely enable you to a higher speed while riding the bike. However, depending on a lower PSI won’t be as comfortable.

Besides, tubeless tires enable you with the benefit of not losing any performance perks with a lower pressure than with more air pressure and higher PSI. It is because of the absence of an inner tube in tubeless tires. It minimizes the risks of punctures.

How to Figure Out the “Correct” Tire Pressure for Your Bike

The rule of thumb is always to ride less than what is … Read More

Did you know that biking can be an actual workout you do regularly? Not only is it fun leisure activity or a good medium of commute, but it can serve the purpose of offering your body the right amounts of physical exercise it requires.

According to the American Heart Association, the recommended time for moderate exercises for the human body is 30 minutes, at least 5 minutes per day. That being said, a 30-minute session on your bike covering up to 6-7 miles would be the perfect workout regularly. 

Riding a bike can cater to several human body requirements, such as losing fat, gaining a fit body with moderate physical exercise, losing weight, etc.

This blog talks about the kind of bikes that may hamper the distance to ride on a bike for a workout and the various factors one should consider. 

Are you ready? Let’s dive in!

What Kind of Bike? 

According to Harvard Health, stationary bikes can pose as excellent cardio machines like those in the gym. Riding these bikes helps you burn up to 800-900 calories per hour. However, your weight does play an essential role in this category. 

Mountain biking and BMX biking are similar at the calorie-burning rate, which is impressive. All you need to do is hop onto that bike and keep moving and moving. 

Regardless of the bike you select, it is essential to be critical of the seat. That is because you’d be sitting on it for an extended period. Usually, stationary bikes come with wide and padded seats. The recumbent stationary bikes are relatively more comfortable. Some of them even come with back support. 

But you’d be glad to know that you can purchase a padded seat for road bikes. Also, specially padded bike shorts would make a great complement for an upright bike. 

Factors to Consider

Although riding your bike does a great workout, you can only achieve that by catering to certain factors. Here are the most crucial ones. 

Your Goal

If your goal is moderate fitness, you need not ride your bike for long miles every day. But if you are a cyclist on training for a triathlon, you have to push yourself harder. Furthermore, people looking to lose weight have to ride their bikes for longer distances to burn specific amounts of calories. 

The rule of thumb followed by cyclists aiming for fitness is to ride for short distances regularly. As mentioned previously, 30 minutes of bike riding every day is ideal for adults and 60 minutes for children. 

Cyclists ride 10-12 miles an hour on average. To start with, you can begin cycling five miles per day if you are not combining your workout with … Read More

Cycling is a versatile activity, from keeping your carbon footprint on the lower end to ensuring excellent fitness. You don’t really have to be from Copenhagen, the cyclist’s city, to know about its lasting benefits. However, it’s obvious to find oneself scared at the thought of an accident while road cycling.

To answer the question, road cycling is safe. The fear of traffic and high inclined slopes might create chaos in your head about the risk in road cycling. You should find peace in that cycling on roads is not a dangerous activity if you’re careful.

In fact, you’re more likely to build your health better than sustain an injury with road cycling. Don’t trust the words, but take a look at the stats. The World Health Organisation supports 150 minutes of cycling for an average to keep a person in the best shape.

However, much like any commutation activity on the road, cycling requires you to take a few precautions for your safety and protection. Once you have considered the cautions, cycling would not be a steep affair for you!

What Would You Consider as Road Cycling?

Cycling enables you to take part in adventurous and exciting activities like off-trail tours, beach rides, and wilderness visits. However, these activities are far from road cycling as they already involve the risk factor with the exciting activities.

Paved surface streets and dedicated tracks are the guidelines for a road cyclist. You can choose to go touring and race as a pedal enthusiast. However, long extended bike rides and recreational exercises take the front seat as its definition for road cycling. 

Whether for exercising, messengering, or errand running, you’re a verified road cyclist if you spend hours on flat road rides! That’s why you must carry a few tips up your sleeve to keep the protection meter running!

Before You Hop on Your Bike

Now that your confusion is out of the picture, you must be brimming with excitement to ride your bike. Wait Up!

You still need to do a pre-ride check and ensure that:

• Your ride clothes are apt for the weather to keep you cool or warm as per the need.
• You need a well-fitted, reflective patched, strong helmet to minimize the harm in case of impact.
• You bring superior quality waterproof jackets and goggles to keep you dry and efficient even during rough weather.
• You wear overshoes and gloves to keep away the splashes and slippages during your ride.

How Can You Maximize Your Safety with Road Cycling?

If your days look like they need an extension on top of 24 hours, cycling is the multi-tool you need. From improving your mental health to helping you multitask … Read More

Despite what the naysayers say, it’s never too late to start anything, even learning how to ride a bike. Did you know that adults aged 69 have learned how to ride a bike for decades under ‘Pedal Ready‘?

Pedal Ready is a Greater Wellington Regional Council regional program in Wellington, New Zealand, to teach adults and kids cycling. Irrespective of region and location, cycling “remains one of the best in terms of safely maintaining social distancing.”

There’s no specific answer as to how long does it takes to learn to ride a bike. It might take a day or even a few hours for you to learn cycling. While for others, it might take weeks or even months to learn how to ride a bike.

However, no matter what, learning how to ride a bike entails numerous benefits.

It keeps you fit, helps you explore your local area, and makes the most out of your time outdoors. Besides these, cycling is also an excellent mode for transport, cost-effective and eco-friendly.

Below is a step-by-step guide on riding a bike if you don’t have a Pedal Ready program in your region.

How Can You Learn to Ride a Bike

Learning requires persistence, and learning to ride a bike as an adult is no different than as a kid. It takes the same courage to push out nerves and the fear of falling and hurting yourself.

All you need to do is practice with your bike in an open space. But even then, it seems complicated then you can follow the given steps to learn how to ride a bike.

Throw the Training Wheels

You must ensure that you have gotten rid of the training wheels before learning cycling. After getting rid of the training wheels, try to set your bike for yourself.

Lower the saddle or higher as per your convenience. However, make sure that your feet can rest on the ground when you mount on the saddle. See if you can comfortably reach the brakes and handlebar while adjusting the seat.

Practicing is the Key

Once you have set your bike, try mounting on and off the bike. Get comfortable with it so that your body gets accustomed to the vehicle.

However, when you try practicing mounting on and off your bike, make sure you apply brakes. Applying brakes will prevent the bike from wobbling and any possible injury you might incur during the process.

The Brakes

Understanding the working of the brake system in your bike is very important. Braking slightly pushes the rider while starting to cycle and prevents your bike from wobbling.

You can try practicing by walking alongside your bike and applying … Read More

Biking is an excellent cardio workout that can work wonders for your fitness quotient. It is an easy exercise that requires you to sit on your cycle, step on the pedal, and get started. Indeed, this activity sounds achievable and seven miles should be doable.

But the real question is, how long does it take to bike seven miles? Beginners can cover this distance in about 30 to 45 minutes, at a comfortable speed of 10mph. On the other hand, professional bikers can finish the same lapse in half the time.

While speed is an essential aspect of the exercise, there are other factors that you must take into account. Think of the terrain you are riding on and your fitness level that will help you finish the ride quickly.

If the duration of your ride varies, it’s because there are other factors you are missing out on. So, let’s quickly jump into the various factors that can decide your time on the cycle.

6 Factors That Determine How Long Your 7 Mile Ride Takes

The 45-minute duration is a general estimate of how long it would take to complete your seven miles milestones. However, other essential factors will decide your biking speed and, consequently, the duration of your ride.

1. Your Fitness Level

Whether you follow an active or passive lifestyle will decide how long it will take you to cross the seven-mile mark.

Do not worry if you do not see yourself as an active person. You will still be able to complete your cycling goals without much struggle. However, give yourself some time to get familiar with this new routine before clocking your rides.

Regular cyclists will be able to cover this distance much quicker as they are used to biking mechanics. Meanwhile, seven miles is an easy commute for professionals. They will finish the rounds without as much as breaking a sweat. 

2. The Terrain You Are Pedalling On

It’s also important to consider the terrain you are riding on. If you are biking on a flat route, you will likely have lesser disturbances in your pathway. So, you can expect to have a happy, regular bike ride.

However, if you are traveling in a slippery, bumpy, or gravel-filled area, you will need to be more careful. Extra care while riding means spare time. So, you will be slowed down by rough terrain.

Additionally, note if you are riding uphill or downhill. Thanks to gravity, you do not have to exert a lot of pressure when pedaling down the hill. But alternatively, you must push hard to reach up a mountain. Subsequently, it’ll take more time to ride a bike uphill than downhill.

3. The Type

… Read More

The sight of several bikers competing with one another on the beautiful scenic routes has become familiar. You just can’t take your eyes off the lean and fit professional cyclists.

Call it leisure, sports, or a clean transportation mode, cycling or biking, is growing in prominence. Along with the different forms of biking, a cycling marathon called ‘road bicycle cycling,’ and ‘century’ is becoming a new sports attraction.

The number of active cyclists in the US hovers around the 50 million mark. These numbers depict how people are shifting towards this environment-friendly activity. Cycling, also known popularly as biking, has become a sporting attraction. The sports events associated with this activity stand in the top ten of favorite Olympic events for US respondents.

So, if you are one such biking enthusiast, it is benign to explore cycling events. Who knows? You might gather the motivation to enter the next road bicycle cycling event!

A Quick Peek Into Cycle Sports

You might be familiar with the scene of lean participants cycling their way on the beautiful European outskirts. Before we get deeper into the different cycling marathons, check this out.

This competitive sport not only delights spectators but also satisfies athletes. Cycle sports are majorly segregated in the following events.

• Road bicycle cycling
• Track cycling
• Cycle speedway
• BMX
• Cyclo-cross
• Mountain bike racing
• Ultra-distance cycling

The UNI (Union Cycliste Internationale) governs these competitive cycle sports events.

Different Types of Cycling Marathons

Bike marathon races are further differentiated based on specific factors. Here are some well-known biking marathon events.

Stage Races

You might have heard the famous name — ‘Tour de France.’ This cycle race is the prime example of stage races.

These races last over multiple days and have many mass-start stages. For instance, the Tour de France lasts for 23 days covering over 2,000 miles.

Road Races

These marathon cycling events span between 30 to 60 miles for amateurs. However, expert bikers cover a distance of 150 miles in a day.

Traditional road racing is organized on paved roads. Interestingly, these races exist in two formats — time trials and mass-start events.

Gravel Grinder Races

As the name suggests, these races have a mixture of paved and gravel routes. So, the road’s surface is crucial in adding extra competition to the event.

In this competition, you can witness various bikes like mountain bikes, cross bikes, road bikes, and gravel bikes. These races are exciting due to the added challenge.

Century

If you ride 100 miles on a bike, it is called a ‘century.’ This training can prove beneficial for endurance events.

Riding through paved and gravel roads can significantly impact a biker’s stamina. In addition, this ride helps … Read More