When a virus shut down the world, many people pulled on their padded pants and sought freedom on wheels. From shredding mountain trails to cruising country roads, pandemic pedalers rediscovered the joy of cycling.
Taylor Schmeck, co-owner of Senoia Bicycle has seen everyone from kids to grandparents join the bicycle boom. “When group sports were cut out and the gyms closed, bikes became a way to get families outside spending time together,” she said. But increased demand has caused shortages. Jeanette Smith of Atlanta Trek in Peachtree City said, “High-end road bikes and mountain bikes have been hard to get and sell out quickly.”
Ready to join the biking trend? With quality bikes ranging from the $400s to more than $9,000, it’s important to choose the right size and type of bike. Many bike shops offer rentals that let cyclists try before they buy. Smith said novices should consider where they will be riding, fitness level, and what they expect to do—touring, mountain biking, or road riding in groups.
Know Your Bike Type
E-bikes: Motors offer assistance to get up hills or when you’re tired.
Gravel Bikes: A comfortable ride on multiple terrains including gravel roads.
Road Bikes: Designed for speed on paved surfaces.
Mountain Bikes: Features include wider tires for better traction on rough terrain.
Hybrid Bikes: Combine characteristics of specialty bikes to handle a variety of riding conditions.
The Right Stuff
A helmet is a no-brainer. And it’s a necessity to see and be seen with front and tail lights.
Every rider needs a way to hydrate either with water bottle cages and bottles, or a hydration backpack.
Keep it rolling with a flat kit. Other general maintenance items include a bike pump, chain lube, Allen wrenches and cleaning supplies.
For serious cyclists padded shorts, cycling jerseys, clipless pedals and shoes, computers and GPS units become necessities.
Cycle Safely
“Cyclists are required to follow the same traffic rules as cars,” Smith said. “It is courteous for cyclists to fall in a single file line when on the road when a car is behind, but cyclists are not required to do so. The law states that cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast and that vehicles must give 3 feet of space while passing a cyclist. It is a mutual respect situation … anything we can do to promote goodwill and respect one another’s rights is a good thing.”
Schmeck feels that bike education is important for riders and non-riders. “Remember that cyclist on the road is someone else’s mother, father, sister, brother, child,” she said.
Learn the Lingo
MTB: Mountain Bike
Shredding: ride a trail skillfully, or very fast, have fun.
Send It: ride a trail aggressively, go for it.
Dropped: can't keep up with a group of riders.
Sweep: staying at the back of a group bicycle ride, to make sure no one is left behind.
Kit: cycling attire.
Pull Through: moving to the front of a paceline to take a turn blocking the wind.
Peloton: main group of riders in a road ride or race.
Bridge the Gap: advancing from a group of riders to another group farther ahead.
Wheel Sucker: rider who doesn’t take a pull at the front, blocking the wind from the pack.
Pedal the Paths
Mountain Biking: Cochran Mill Park, Chattahoochee Hills; Browns Mill Battlefield, Newnan; The Ridge, Fayetteville.
Gravel: Haralson; Dirty Sheets, Chattahoochee Hills.
Road: South Fayette County toward Brooks; Senoia and southward toward Haralson, Gay, Concord, and Moreland.
Hybrid: Peachtree City Cart Paths