We’ve had a look into the most frequently Googled questions regarding bikes and we’re brining you the answers. Still have any questions left unanswered? Then check out the end of this document for how you can submit a question for our upcoming Q&A.

1. How to ride a bike

It is more common than some may think, for adults to grow up without learning to ride a bike but it is no more difficult to learn now than as a child. We’ve put an overview below with tips to get you riding, but we would recommend seeking a friend or family member that can go and test them out with you.

Start by making sure your bike is set up properly and suitable for your body type. It may be worth checking out our previous blog post about servicing your bike here.

Familiarize yourself with the bike. Check out the gears, the brakes, the pedals etc and find yourself a flat piece of land with plenty of space.

You now need to get used to balancing on your bike. Perhaps consider wearing protective gear like knee pads and elbow pads – just in case. And of course, always wear your helmet. Jump on your bike and treat it like a balance bike. Ignore the pedals and practice using your feet on the ground to move. This will help you find your balance.

Get ready to go by bringing one pedal to the top, place your foot on this and as you push off use this to gain momentum. Add your second foot to the other pedal and keep the rotations going. You’ll need to be brave, the less wobbly you are, the easier it will be. This is where a friend or family can come in handy, have them hold and run along with the bike until your up to speed and then let go, the extra speed will stabilise you and you’ll find balancing more easy. It’s much harder to balance when you’re slower, so although it may seem strange, the faster you go the safer and more stable you’ll be! 

2. What size bike should I get?

Bike size can be very different depending on your height and the bike you’re looking for. Making sure your bike is the right fit for you is necessary to ensure an enjoyable and smooth ride. The best way to do this and what we’d always recommend first is going in to store. We all have slightly different measurements, whether its longer legs or longer arms and all of these will factor into which size bike suits you the best. As a rule of thumb, if you can stand over the top tube of the bike on your tip toes then you’ve got the right size. Too big a gap or too little and you need to size up or down.

If you can’t get to your local store, luckily each product page on our website allows you to decide which riding position and sizing is right for you personally. Each page lists the bike size recommended for your height. If you click on any product page and scroll down to the bottom you will see a table based on your height in both inches and centimetres. Example below;

3. How do I use the bike gears?

Gears are there to help us maintain a comfortable riding experience and pedalling difficulty regardless of the incline. So for example, if you are riding on a flat surface and then start to go uphill and you stay in the same gear it will become harder to pedal due to the increase in incline. However, if you shift the gears down, it will make the pedalling easier with less resistance, meaning although slower, you can still pedal! 

The number of gears your bike has just adds to the number of speed/difficulty options that your bike has. Once you spend time getting to know your bike you’ll begin to start remembering what sort of gear you need depending on the road ahead.

Singlespeed bikes only have one gear, these are optimum for people living in more flat areas as they are low maintenance bikes. As a beginner, we would suggest choosing a bike with a minimum of 7 speeds, this way you’ll be able to adjust the bike depending on your abilities.

4. What should I pack for my bike ride?

A complete list of all the things you may need for your bike ride, so next time you’re heading out you won’t need to plan and prepare again – just grab and go! Don’t forget to screenshot for future reference.

• Water
• Plasters/Small First Aid Kit
• Puncture Repair Kit
• Pump
• Helmet
• Bike Lock
• Sun Protection
• Snacks
• Mobile Phone
• Lights (plus extra batteries)
• Waterproofs (especially for our UK readers)
• Map/GPS

5. How do I service my bike?

It is always important to give your bike a check over before heading out on the roads. A regular bike service is a good idea if you haven’t used your bike for a while or if you’re planning to head out on a long distance cycle.

It is possible to do a bike service from home if you know what to do and look out for. If you’re confident enough to do this at home, we’ve put together a guide for doing your own service. Check it out here.

Would you like to submit a question for our future Q&A’s? Send us over an email and we’ll make sure it is included.

beth@reidbikes.com