Seat height
When first stepping on your bike make sure your seat is the correct height as if your seat is too low it co
uld be causing you to under-extend during your pedal stroke. When you first start cycling you might find it comfortable and be more confident if your feet can reach the ground. But having the wrong saddle height could put you at risk of injury. This goes onto tip number two,but if you can’t go for a fit in a bike shop, then look at sitting on your saddle with the pedal at the bottom of the stroke. Rest your heal on the bike and ensure you have a straight leg (without your knee locked out). Try this first and then when you can, get a professional bike fit.
Get a bike fit
When looking for or after buying your first bike a bike fit is important. If you are riding and it’s painful, you’re not going to spend much time in the saddle. For the perfect fit, two elements are key: seat height and reach. You can contact your local Liv Store for help. When you shop for a bike, make sure to take it for a test ride to see that the size is correct for you.
Keep your bike maintained
Keep your new bike in tip-top condition. You can do this by oiling your chain, this will prolong the life of your bike and components. Keeping the correct air in your tyres will make your rides easier, to do this look over your tyre to find the PSI range - don’t hesitate to ask your local bike shop for help on what products to use on your bike and how to use it. A clean bike is a fast bike.
Carry a puncture kit
Don’t call a friend when your tyre goes flat. Carry a puncture kit on every ride,a spare tyre, a patch kit, tyre levers, and a mini-pump should get you back on the road at a minimum. It’s best to learn how to chain your tyre by asking the shop you bought the bike from or watch a tutorial online. But practice does make perfect. If you do have tubeless tyres, then there are patches and different ways you can fix these. So, contact your local Liv dealer for help.
Refuel
If you’re only riding for an hour, you should always have water, but you don’t need to eat anything on the bike. If you’re planning to ride for more than two hours, look at taking some food along. Forgetting to refuel can mean you’re more likely to ‘bonk’ and find it very hard to continue. So, on longer rides try to consume up to 60-90g of carbohydrates every 1 hour.
Hope this helps
Megan McDonald
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