Happy Trails! Tips for Long Rides

Though not all will agree with this, I believe that in order to honestly say that you are able to cycle a given distance, it has to mean that you are able to do it successfully. In other words, if you managed to complete a long ride, but could not walk the next day as a result, that does not count as "success"!

I consider my first half-century (50 mile) ride to have happened this summer - despite having once cycled that distance in Austria some time ago.  That earlier trip was a disaster, and I wish somebody had warned me against it. Emboldened by having gone on a handful of short rides, one day I just kept going and going - and didn't stop despite feeling discomfort and pain. Riding a rental bike with a plush vinyl saddle and sub-optimal geometry, I pushed myself well past my limits, ignoring my body's warning signs. And after the ride was over, I could not cycle for over two weeks.

That incident served as a painful lesson: Being able to handle long rides was not about exceeding my abilities. It was about staying within my abilities - while working to gradually expand them. When I finally did my first "real" 50 mile ride this summer, I was ready for it and it felt fantastic. Only then did I feel that I could truly say "Now I can cycle a half century". 

Having received emails asking for advice on taking long rides, I offer some tips based on personal experience. Think of these as food for thought!

1. Build up to it.  Even if you think you can do it, don't start with a long ride. Start with short rides and gradually increase the distance. Ideally, a ride should still leave you able to cycle the next day.

2. Make sure your bicycle is comfortable. The only way to do this is to get to know your bicycle, which, once again, can only happen over time and over gradually increased distances. The way a bicycle feels on short rides is not an indicator of how it will feel on a long ride. It also takes time to break in a saddle and to "dial in" your optimal sitting position on a new bicycle.  

3. Make informed and practical clothing choices. The very same pants that feel great on a 10 mile ride, can make your crotch bleed by mile 50 - as the seams begin to chafe against the delicate skin in that part of the body.  By increasing distance gradually, you will be able to spot problematic tendencies before they turn into actual problems and cause damage. 

4. Consider terrain. A hilly ride is far more difficult than the same distance covered on flat terrain.  You may be perfectly capable of completing a 50 mile ride in Kansas, yet find it impossible in Vermont. 

5. Shift gears. The longer and hillier the ride, the more you should be switching gears. Make it a point to switch to a lower gear when going uphill, even if it feels like you do not "need" to. Otherwise, you will waste your energy on tackling hills and will not have enough left to endure the ride. As a rule of thumb, it is good to aim for pedaling at the same rate throughout your ride. If you find your legs moving slower, because it is difficult to turn the pedals, that is a sign that you need to switch to a lower gear.

6. Expect to make adjustments to your bike, and possibly replacements. If something does not work for you, admit it and do something about it. This may include replacing components such as your saddle, handlebars, grips, gear shifters, etc. - or even your bicycle itself. Sometimes we read great reviews of things, and yet these things turn out not to be right for us. Get something that works for you. 

7. Eat and drink.  Cycling can suppress your appetite and trick you into thinking that you are not hungry... until you crash and find yourself completely unable to continue. This weird phenomenon can really sneak up on you. If you are going on a long ride, make it a point to snack when you take water breaks. Some people like energy bars and energy drinks, while others believe them to be unhealthy. I prefer trail mix or chocolate to energy bars. And adding some lemon juice and (a pinch of) salt to your water bottle makes for an effective, all-natural electrolyte replacement drink.

8. Most importantly, listen to your body and go at your own pace. Have realistic expectations and be patient. So you envisioned yourself crossing the Alps this summer, yet you can't manage more than 20 miles on your local rail-trail? So what! Enjoy those 20 miles and keep doing them over and over. One day you will surprise yourself.

Autumn is the best season of the year for cycling. Happy trails!

Bicycling in Bucharest: Here's How!

I am happy to report that since my previous post about Bucharest, I have actually cycled here - twice! The catalyst was a visit to the Herăstrău Park - a sprawling green space with lakes and alleys and rose gardens and too many other nice things to list.

Herăstrău Park and its surrounding neighborhoods seem to be the place to be for those who want to ride a bike in Bucharest. To a large extent, the culprit of the cycling frenzy is the Green Revolution bike-share, which is free and easy to use.

"I ♥ Velo"

In a prominent spot in the park, there is a bicycle lot and a staffed booth. You come up to the booth, fill out a very short form, leave an ID (my US driver's license was fine), and get a free bike for 2 hours. If you are gone for more than two hours, you get charged a small fee. That is all. The people in the booth are very friendly and speak English. I was on a bike within 3 minutes of stumbling upon the booth.

What I now understand about bike share in Bucharest, is that it is "de-centralised". That is, there are different companies that offer bike share in various parts of town, under different conditions. What I like about the Green Revolution programme, is that it (1) is approachable and easy to use, and (2) is run by people who clearly care about bicycles. And it seems that I am not the only one who feels this way; they are enormously popular with locals.

It was interesting to observe the attitudes towards cycling among those who use the bikes. On the one hand, it is definitely perceived as a leisure activity: the bikes are taken out for fun, not for transportation.

But on the other hand, they are not perceived as a form of sport: 90%+ of the people cycling are wearing their everyday clothing. It is a form of outdoor entertainment, like strolling and eating ice-cream, but not an athletic activity.

There are bike paths throughout the park grounds, and they continue outside the park, connecting to the paths in the city center. However, locals tend to interpret the paths creatively. Directional arrows are ignored, cyclists make sudden stops and u-turns, and non-cyclists can often be found on the paths. As long as you go slowly, that's all fine, but speeding up is pretty much out of the question.

As for the Green Revolution bike itself: It is a modern, welded U-frame is a dark silver colour. Single speed, cruiser handlebars, easily adjustable saddle, coaster brake, front brake, fenders, cardboard dressguards, wire front basket.

The basket is narrow, but deep - just big enough to fit my laptop bag if I squish it in sideways.

The ride quality is sufficient for slow rides in a mostly hill-free and car-free environment, but I don't think these bikes were meant to withstand much beyond that. Of course I was so happy to be riding a bike again, that it hardly mattered.

Taking a much-needed break from work, I cycled aimlessly around the park grounds, delighting in things like these ridiculously beautiful benches and trash receptacles.

Another gorgeous bench design.

There are boat rides and outdoor cafes, sculpture parks and fountains, playgrounds and pony rides, and even peacocks. This park is truly amazing.

There were many others on bikes around, but one particularly lovely cyclist stood out and I could not help but approach her for a picture.

Her name is Ana, and it turns out she was test-riding a special edition Electra Amsterdam from the Ciclissimo bicycle shop nearby. That is the owner of the shop with her, George Pop, who is riding a Strida.

We had a brief conversation about the bike situation in Bucharest. Ana and George think that it is improving - with more interest in cycling and a growing popularity of classic bicycles. The Ciclissimo shop carries Pashley and Brompton, among others. I wonder whether these will start appearing on the streets soon.

In the meantime, it is nice to see that at least in some contexts people in Bucharest are clearly enjoying cycling as a simple and casual activity.

It is time for me to leave now and I want to sincerely thank all the locals who contacted me after my previous post. It was so wonderful to hear from you, and I regret that the nature of my trip did not allow me to organise any meet-ups. Please keep in touch; one never knows when fate might bring me to Bucharest again. And if you are a lone cyclist here who is looking for advice and resources, please visit: bikeblogbucuresti.blogspot.com, velobello.wordpress.com, www.portocalamecanica.ro, and simplybike.wordpress.com - I am sure they'd love to hear from you!