Cycling for Kids

Cycling

Many people enjoy cycling as a hobby. Cycling is an activity that can be enjoyed both by kids and people of all ages and because of that it is one of the most popular forms of exercise in the world.

It is a sport that utilizes the whole body; when you are cycling every one of your muscles is doing something. Your leg muscles are pumping furiously to keep you going at a very fast speed and your arms and body are swaying along with them in an effort to give you the most aerodynamic push possible. Even your back muscles are being stretched out in a static stretch by the way that you angle yourself on the bicycle. In one word this hobby is one of a kind that make your body do all the exercise to stay fit.

Techniques

Techniques for cycling vary greatly depending on the type of cycling involved.

Sprint cycling is a lot like sprint running and a lot of the muscles activities are involved. For this one needs to have strong leg and thigh muscles to give a large amount of pressure on the bicycle pedals to get them going at a very fast rate.

For distance cycling, Power is not as important and neither is technique, the most important quality for a distance cyclist to possess however endurance is and for this reason many top class distance cyclists spend multiple hours each day doing endurance leg exercises.

Equipment

Cycling, more than many other sports, is equipment-centric. You don’t need a host of fancy gear to get started but, there is a minimum amount of gear needed for your health and welfare:

Helmet - Don’t ever ride without one whether it is local law or not. Wearing a helmet can save your life, or at least make the difference between a bad headache and a severe head injury. Make sure the helmet fits well.

Water bottle - Get one with a cage that attaches to your bike. Regular bottles don’t fit in this cage, btw. An alternative is a hydration backpack. You really only need hydration tools once you start cycling beyond an hour, but it’s good to have one just in case. Even if you don’t require the water for consumption, you may get a bad scrape on your knee and the water will come in handy for washing off the road wear.

Pump - A portable pump that you attach to the bike is necessary in case you get a flat or a slow leak. You don’t want to be walking your bike back home. A floor pump is good to have at home, too, for easier pumping, but isn’t absolutely necessary.

Repair kit - A simple repair kit would include a patch kit, a spare inner tube, 2 tire levers, a multi-tool for bikes, all in a small bag that attaches to the bike.

Gloves - I have a pair of these, and you could consider them essential. They absorb shock from the handles (cycling gloves are padded), but more importantly, if you crash, your palms are protected.

Glasses - To some, these are a must. They block bugs and other debris from hitting you in the eyes. Shoes/pedals - The most efficient way of peddling is if you are using your up-stroke as well, not just your down-stroke (pulling the pedals up and pushing them down). To do this, of course, you either need cage pedals to put your shoes in, or the kind of pedals that lock into your cycling shoes. You’d also need special shoes for that, of course.

Lights - These are a must if you ride after dark or if you unintentionally get delayed and are out after dark.

Racks - Important if you want to transport anything on your bike. There are lots of racks and cycling bags that work well for touring or commuting.

Reflectors: Make sure you have reflectors in both side of your pedals, in the read wheel cover, and any where you please. They will warn other vehicles a split second ahead, which matters a lot in roads

Choose cycle with gears, as they help you to drag on in uphills, control your bike better in downhills and helps you to drag home, when you are tired

Safety

Always be safe on the road. Do not be daring, do not insist on the right of way, do not break traffic, and always be as visible as possible. If you know the most common causes of accidents, you can be alert to them: Opening car doors, sideswiped by a car and intersections (yield to the crazy auto drivers and wear bright clothes for greater visibility).

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