Road Biking Essentials
The unfettered feeling of freedom. The slight sound of your wheels rolling underneath with no resistance.
Road biking & what you need to know!
Whether you're riding on the highway or cruising city pathways, there are a few road biking essentials that will make your road ride experience easier and more fun. Crushing KOM's or just pedaling for pleasure, or even perhaps both! Don't let anything stand in your way by being prepared for the accidental flat tire and wearing the right road biking equipment!
Here are the must-haves for a great time, from your experts at Bow Cycle!
HELMETS & EYEWEAR CYCLING SHOES, CLEATS & PEDALS ROAD CYCLING APPAREL TOOLS & OTHER ACCESSORIES
Helmets & Eyewear
Helmets and eyewear provide the much needed protection and safety you need on the road.
Helmets
Helmets provide the much needed protection and safety you need in the case of a fall or crash. No matter how careful you are or how skilled of a rider you are, accidents happen and when they do, you'll be happy that you wore a helmet to protect your precious cargo.
Bike helmets have different technologies to create light weight, well ventilated, and enhanced safety features such as MIPS and ANGI to keep you safe and comfortable.
Eyewear
Clear vision is essential when navigating the road and pathways. Sunglasses provide protection for your eyes from any dust or debris that you might cross paths with.
Cycling sunglasses are ventilated to prevent fog and designed to accommodate wearing a helmet. Not only does bike eyewear protect your eyes from debris, they also can help with visibility on sunny and low light days. They come with a variety of lens options for the different riding conditions you might meet.
Cycling Shoes, Cleats & Pedals
If you haven't already converted to clipless pedals, we urge you to consider!
Cycling Shoes
Improved power transfer, less fatigue, and more control are all benefits you'll get with a clipless pedal and shoe set up. Cycling shoes have a stiff sole to help with energy transfer and use materials that help dampen vibrations to assist with negating fatigue. Leaving you more energized to keep riding longer!
Cycling Cleats and Pedals
Cleats work by interacting with a spring mechanism built into the pedal. With the cleat affixed to the bottom of your shoe, when you push the cleat onto the pedal, the mechanism clamps onto the cleat and holds it - and therefore your shoe - in place.
Road Cycling Apparel
Cycling apparel and accessories purpose built for shielding you from the elements and keep you comfortable and dry.
Looking good and feeling comfortable means you go faster!
Whether you're looking for a transitional piece you can bike and look casual in or if you're looking for a technical piece to shield you from the elements, Bow Cycle has you covered!
We stock everything from insulated and waterproof jackets to merino wool shirts and tech tees covering every need you might have for Alberta weather and its unpredictability. . Proper apparel can really make or break your riding experience. Fabrics that wick moisture away, put padding where it's needed, and are purposefully designed with the riding position in mind will help improve your cycling experience.
Tools & Other Accessories
Anything can happen when you're out for a ride, having basics on hand to patch up any minor repair needed can keep the fun rolling!
Pumps & C02 Inflators
Road bike tires are typically high pressure and to be able to inflate to the proper PSI, a floor pump is essential to have at home to check before you ride and a CO2 cartridge and hand pump can be useful for on ride flat repairs.
Floor pumps have a gauge to indicate your tires PSI level. You can find the recommended PSI on the side wall of your tire. Keeping your tires within the proper range is important to avoid pinch flats. It's recommended to check your PSI before every ride and top up with air as needed.
For on the road repairs, getting your tire pressure to where it needs to be can feel impossible with just a hand pump. Carrying a CO2 inflator and a couple of cartridges will really assist with inflating your tires to where they need to be when fixing a flat on a ride.
Tools & Spare Tubes
Carrying a spare tube during your commute is absolutely essential! Flats happen, and when they do you'll be happy you came prepared for the job with a spare tube.
Your tire tube size can be found on the side wall of your tire. It's also important to take note of the type of valve stem your bike has. A schrader valve will look familiar, like the valve stem on your vehicle. A presta valve is a long skinny valve stem with a little nut on the end of it.
Bowfit
Along with you purchase of a road bike from Bow Cycle is a complimentary fit. Why use it? Comfort means so much more no matter what you are looking to get out of a road bike. Comfort, speed, control all come from being properly fit. Already own a road bike? A fit could be your final touch to the perfect ride!