There are few feelings that top getting out on my bike super early for a long ride, the sound of my bike coupled with the tranquil nature of those early morning hours makes for the perfect start to my day. Although preparing to be out on your bike for hours is not just a matter of breaking out the bike and rolling, it takes some preparation. These essentials will help keep your mind at ease and allow you to enjoy your time out on your bike.
1. Run a full safety check on your bike.
Your bike is made up of many components and remembering to check all of them can be daunting, so just remember ABC.
A. A stands for Air, make sure your tires are properly inflated. If you check on the sidewall of your tire, there should be a recommended tire pressure. Also make sure there are no cracks on your tires that could cause you to lose air during your ride. You’ll also want to make sure you have a flat kit with you in the off chance you do encounter a flat on the road. A flat kit includes: two inner tubes, tire levers, a minipump or CO2 cannisters, and a small multitool,
B. B stands for Brakes. Really simple, squeeze your front and rear brakes and make sure they are engaging properly, not something you want to find out on your ride.
C. C stands for Chain. Look over your chain and make sure everything is in order. Also, the night before your long ride, make sure your chain is lubricated. Having a properly lubricated chain does a plethora of things including easier shifting, your parts will last longer, and a smoother ride to name a few.
2. Nutrition/Hydration check:
An absolute must have on your long ride is a nutrition and hydration plan to get you through the miles you will be covering. This means making sure you have enough bottle cages on your bike, having enough food and knowing where you can store it, knowing beforehand how many electrolytes you’ll need for the distance you’re covering and have those ready. An alternative to carrying everything is to know some pit stops along the way that are easy for you to get in, fill up your water bottles, and get out. Gas stations are my go-to.
General guidelines for nutrition on the bike should be to aim for 100-250 calories/hour on the bike (through food, gels, liquid hydration, etc.). If you have little idea of how much liquid to consume on the bike, my general guideline is around 24 ounces every hour you are riding. Remember that at Playtri, we offer an array of tests that can help you dial in what your exact needs are on the bike and with the help of a coach can help you devise the perfect strategy for hitting that nutrition and hydration plan!
3. Charge your electronics:
There is no worse feeling than getting 30 minutes into a long ride and noticing your computer is dying. Charge your electronics the night before and thank me later.
4. Phone, ID, Cash check:
Non-negotiable, these 3 things you must have as they are there in case of emergencies. Long rides can be very unpredictable, but these 3 items can solve almost any emergency you come across during your ride.
I’m going to list now some items that I deem essential that don’t warrant much explanation:
· Sunglasses
· Sunscreen
· Helmet
· Bike Shoes
· Tail/Head light
· Chamois Cream
· HR Monitor
· Bike Computer
As someone who constantly feels like they are forgetting something, having a list like this helps ease that feeling for myself knowing I have checked off all my essentials for my long ride. And remember, you can get all your cycling essentials at www.playtristore.com.
Coach Mark Kwiatkowski is a Level 2 Playtri Coach. He is a distance runner of 12 years and is enthusiastic about all things triathlon and getting people involved and excited about the sport and achieving their goals.