When you decide to start riding a road bike, you can dive into the unknown world of road cycling. Road cyclists use new words, words you may have never heard before. They give you advice, and sometimes it's good, sometimes it's not. We'll give you some tips and ideas to make your cycling life easy and enjoyable.

Buy a bike that fits you

A bike that doesn't fit you is neither a "bargain" nor a "good deal." A bike that doesn't fit you can undermine your cycling goals and prolong meaningless cycling. Choose a bike that fits you and is easy to ride.

Have Fun!

Instead of setting goals on Strava right away and stressing yourself out, you'll naturally achieve your goals if you enjoy riding. Go out and explore new places! The more you enjoy cycling, the more interesting it will become!

Join a Team!

You don't necessarily have to join a race team. Look for other road cyclists on Facebook or other social media! Ride with them and enjoy the ride. You can also learn manners and rules.

Live in the moment you are in

Visit a road you've never ridden before and try to follow it. If you find a cool cafe, stop by. If you feel like sprinting, go for it. Enjoy the ride to the fullest and live for the moment.

 Saddle Height?

Many people struggle to find the right saddle height for themselves. Many people forget about it over time. One easy way to set your seat height is the Greg LeMond method. The Greg LeMond method requires you to use 88.3% of your leg length to set your saddle in the correct position. An easy way to do this is to measure from your inseam to the floor and multiply it by 0.883.

 This method is not as accurate as what professionals use, but it will give you an approximate height. Also, what you want to do here is listen to your body. If you feel even a little pain in the front of your knee, your saddle may be too low. If you feel pain in the back of your knee, your saddle may be too high. It's also worth knowing about other problems. If any part of your body hurts, we recommend consulting a doctor.

How to use gears

It may take a little time to get used to using gears. Many people probably want to change gears more often than they think they do. Listen to your body again. If your pedaling is slow and you're tired (e.g., climbing a hill), you'll switch to a lighter gear. Conversely, if your legs aren't tired and you can ride comfortably, you'll use a heavier gear. If you want to get used to shifting, I recommend going for a ride and trying out the rear gears, putting them in the outer ring and then the inner ring to see what happens. First, make sure you have more than one gear and are using the front ring. Don't be afraid to experiment and observe what happens. Do you drop a gear in a strong headwind or keep it? Experiment a lot and see what works for you. Everything is different, and what works for someone else might not work for you.

 Maintenance

Many people who are new to cycling probably browse articles about maintenance and home mechanics. They miss a lot. There's no shame in using a local bike shop. That's because you don't have the time, tools, or knowledge. If you don't want to know, you don't have to know. And if other cyclists resent you for it, that's their problem, not yours. In fact, there are only two things you really need to learn! They are how to remove a tire and how to change a tube. With tubeless tires becoming so popular, that's becoming an option.