10 Tips I Wish I Knew as a Beginner Cyclist 

Never corner over a wet metal surface. If you are cornering and are going to roll over a manhole cover or metal cap in the road, straighten up, so you don't wash out. Also, never cross railroad/ trolley tracks or metal expansion joints at an oblique angle. If you have no other choice, bunny hop or lift each wheel over the track if you cannot roll over them at something closer to 90 degrees.

I left a like but there is no way I'm going to shave my legs

BE PREDCTABLE! This goes for any road users, car, bike, walking, running. I am sure that the majority of near misses and incidents on the road are due to people not looking, suddenly turning, or just ignoring street signs/intersections. Especially when riding as a group, just follow the road rules, its not a race, wait at that red light, giveway at the giveway sign. When riding solo I don't care if you normally go through reds or whatever, but when in a group, show some respect and give an earful to someone that doesn't follow the rules. Not because drivers will look down on riders, but because it isn't fun to be calling an ambulance when looking at someone on the road with there arm pointing the wrong way out its socket. Ultimately, if everyone follows the rules, there would be no incidents. But thats not how the world works, therefore as riders, we must ultimately be as safe as possible and look after ourselves as we are really just meat bags on thin carbon rods playing around in areas with 1500kg metal boxes travelling at speed.

Looking for a cycling club with people my age, but they are dead now. I am 80 and still cycle 20 Km a day in under a hour. On a Amazon $ 400 gravel bike and it is just a good as any $ 1000 bike. They are over priced and the Tourney components work just as good. Have a nice ride.

Tip, when traveling through construction be extremely cautious and take the whole lane. If you try to stay to the side of the lane, people will try to pass you, you are pushed off the road or you are riding the roughest part of the road. Also slow down! You have to prepared for debris, pot holes, cracks that are parallel to travel.

Tip 1: before you go out, do a quick checkup of your stuff. Feel the tyres pressure, fill your bidon, put something to eat in you rbackpocket for when you bonk. Check, helmet, glasses, keys to your home, phone to call in emergency. And finally, just before you leave - check your brakes and feel if your bike is OK in the first hundred metres. Make it a small ritual and it will save you from alot of trouble Tip 2: Make sure you have a saddle bag, even if they laugh at you for having one. Put a small toolset, inner tyre, co2 pump, a gel and 50$ in it so you can make simple repairs and can always take a taxi home when you crash or your bike is damaged beyond roadside repair

Been riding for nearly 65 years, started racing at 15, a good track racer with many successes. Never had a coach (back then it wasn't like it is today unfortunately) but learnt from watching others which is not always the best way. Done other sports but always came back to bike training and a lot of gym work. Held a Masters racing licence until earlier this year when Osteoarthritis in one knee hit me. but i'm improving and back on the rollers right now. Not been out on the road for 10 months and that is hard from a high fitness level even for a 76 year old. Whatever sport you do and you want to be good at it, it won't be easy. Learn to suffer, know your limits, be determined, take advice from knowledgeable people, have a development plan. Remember your body improves when you are resting/recovering from training, so eat well and sleep well and learn the difference between a hard ride and a recovery ride. As we say in rain sodden Northern Europe "I ain't done yet". Good work Cam, I enjoy the read. JohnB in UK

I literally did a spit take with my beer when I heard your wife in the opening comments. Lmao. You both had me in stitches.

Finally, a female cyclist discussing the soreness down there lol . I watch a lot of fixed gear channels and no one talks about the soreness we experience when you're a beginner cyclist.

1st tip: Establish a relationship with a good-quality bike shop. Results: Where did all of my money go and how did I end up with 6 bicycles. Don't worry mate, you dont need a reliable car ;)

I first started riding in my late 30s and I wish I had seen this video then! I never had my bike fitted and my buddy who got me into it turned out to be Mr Competitive Speed Racer. I was uncomfortable in every way and within six months, was dreading "having to go ride" and eventually just quit. I'm 55 now and giving it another go and watching your videos has me 100% more confident than before. Thank you!

The biggest thing for me when I first started cycling was investing in a good saddle. I suffered penile numbness all the time when on longer rides. There are arteries down there that if not using the correct saddle, or seated correctly will cause compression and loss of blood flow. Nothing worse than pressing your groin area and realizing you can't feel your member at all.

After riding for over 50 years it still blows my mind that people still insist on wear dark clothes while riding on the road. Also being a truck driver drives it home even more when you see how hard it is to see someone one a bike with dark tops on.

Learning clipless on a mountain bike adds an extra element of panic to get out in time to stop a fall! Serious motivation.

Great content as always! Tip: - Don't be pressured into buying expensive bike setup. Focus on your fitness then go out and drop all the guys who make you feel like crap on your "cheap / average" setup 😉

Shaving legs? Never have and never will. The reason your legs may be 'bloody' is that you cut them whilst shaving them 🤔 A little humor from this rider from Colorado, USA! Love your content Cam. Keep it coming across the Pacific and the Western States, across 2 mountain ranges to the middle of my country...

On the subject of clipins, don't be afraid to go outside the box. I currently use Shimano XTR pedals and gravel shoes on my Avanti Corsa DR, I have road pedals for tri racing also but have never really needed them in general cycling. Clipping in and out with the MTB/gravel shoes is a lot easier and I can walk normally in them also in a pinch.

Started in May of 2020. Always learning and listening to more experienced cyclists on everything from equipment to etiquette. As usual well done mate

After landing on the hood of a car, with black shorts and a blue jersey on in broad daylight, I switched to a neon yellow jersey. My bike is black so not much I can do about that, but I did get highly reflective side wall tires. I also got lights for both the front and back of my bicycle. They still try and run me over but it has dropped in about 1/2 from that. There are some people that just don't pay attention so for gods sake, ride defensively and have fun. :)

Some advice I can give to anyone learning how to clip in and out: find out what fighting stance, skate/surf/snow board riding stance comes natural to you. If you are occidental/regular stance that means you lead with your left foot forward and the left should stay clipped in when you come to a stop on the bike, clipping out your right to touch the ground. If you are southpaw/goofy footed you lead with the right and are more likely going to be comfortable clipping out with your left foot first, like I do. If you told me I can only clip out with the right foot first, my brain would melt and I would probably fall over.

#8: that's honestly the best part about owning a fixie, you learn to NEVER stop pedaling. Even when you're tired and you feel terrible, you absolutely cannot stop pedaling. I think every cyclist should own a fixed gear bike, if not just to have a grocery-getter but at least just for training and always pedaling.

To all those that follow the channel, I am still seeking a group-set for the SEKA/Vortex build, but please know that it is a priority! Really keen to get that thing built up ASAP for many reasons. I also haven't been able to pinpoint a good day for the Caden, Winspace, iCan wheels test. These videos are front of mind though! In the interim, I thought we'd mix things up with something a little different. Cheers, Cam

Solid list. Last point is prob a highlight in my experience. If you’re predictable, others have time to prepare. Keeps everyone upright. 👌🏿

1. Pull through a paceline, no matter what. Don't leave gaps and don't pull off early. 2. Hold your line. 3. Never stop pedaling, avoid coasting as much as possible in a group. 4. as you learn more, be welcoming to new cyclists. we want to grow this sport 5. embrace the process: it's going to take time to get fit but the rewards will be there. 6. racing is one of the best ways to get fit. Racing cuts through the bullshit and clarifies what's what. 7. with the exception of complete "drain the tank" days, try to leave something on the table for the next workout. 8. recovery rides have a purpose, embrace recovery. 9. don't take abuse, but take considered advice from other riders you respect with grace. Be humble and listen, there are almost always very good reasons behind the best practices of riding on the road that might not be clear from the outset. 10. quality clothing and good shoes are the first places to invest good money, not on upgraded wheels/components.

Love this vid. A mix of hilarious sh*t and sage advice!! LOL - gymnastic reach-arounds in car parks, Terrance, HTFU for lady bits. Great points as per usual. Here's some from me. 1. Don't wear underwear. 2. Suncream on ALL exposed bits. 3. Learn how to fix a puncture. 4. Take a phone. 5. Check your bike over. 6. Check the weather. 7. Take suitable clothing. 8. Take some food/cash. 9. Don't underestimate bends. 10. Don't overestimate your skills. And plan your recovery. BTW, regarding the leg shaving debate - I shave my whole body, slather on chamois cream and then slip into a gimp suit... I find it's the best way to recover ;)

7am here in 🇮🇪 and your wife’s comments fairly woke me up 😂 then your Chamois cream one made me LOL so much I NEARLY woke the house up!! But in general love your tips!! Missing bunch rides since covid must get back to a club ride!!!

Came up on my feed and so glad it did. I've been riding now for 2 years and riding roughly nearly everyday around 15-20 miles but still Learning. Your refreshing humour but still good points has gained you a new subscribers! Going to check out your other videos now 👍

When learning on clipless,- make sure you understand that the tension on the pedal is adjustable. I was “taught” by someone who didn’t know this and my first few rides I nearly broke my ankle trying to disengage my shoe from the pedal. (And fell a few times as well) A fellow rider finally took pity on me and adjusted the pedal tension and it was of course game changing!

I would say that cycling is a life changing experience. I'm 61 and my rides are 90-100 klms. Feels great!! Living on the outskirts of Madrid, Spain, beautiful riding out here! But I've always been a lone wolf on my rides. But would not mind at all to have a riding partner though. Maybe some day I can find one. Great video!! Boy, I didn't know that the girls personal parts could suffer when they are beginners. Makes sense though. But once you get rid of the saddle sores at first, then it's heaven after that... But most importantly, i would say personal higiene is super important, and fresh clean riding clothing is extremely important!! Never ever use the last rides sweaty gear!!! Yukkkk!!

Group riding can be so much more enjoyable when every member knows their hand signals (especially signalling obstacles for the riders behind you) and calls out when vehicles approach, from the front or the back. And positioning yourself according to wind direction. And maintaining a constant speed. And... And... :-)

Great tips cam :) the clipping in and out practice especially. I remember falling over at some traffic lights in front of a busy cafe :( I’ve never gotten up,so quick in my life, of course with a round of applause from the latte drinkers lol

I got back into cycling MAR 2020. dropped 18/19kg (40lbs) in a year. sadly it’s almost as hard to find a “trustworthy” bike shop these days without taking the time and possibly driving miles to do research and take a look as it is to find a decently priced bike. luckily I like doing things myself so I’ve learned to be able to do anything on my bike...even repainted it since I hated the dual color 😂

#6: hi-viz clothing is a last line of defence. If the driver doesn’t want want to see you, they won’t see you 😱 Daytime running lights are the way forward 💡💡💡

Really enjoyed this. After a few years now I still have clipping in moments typically at junctions when you’re caught in that thought between being able to go or having to wait….!

Definitely agree about the bike shop, I paid about 10% more than I would have online for the bike but I got great advice and they have already saved me double that within 3 weeks by fixing my pedal thread screw up.

be visible & wear your helmet properly - YES! As a commuter e-bike person, I have an orange helmet and wear a hi-vis yellow jacket - sun protection factor of the long sleeves is nice too as NZ sun is brutal - great tips!

Totally agree with all your tips. I would like to add one more - use a rear-view mirror. I don't know why these are so unpopular. I would not drive a car without one, why ride a bike without one? Third-eye are my favorite, just $15. It makes it so much more comfortable to ride being able to easily see who is on your wheel and what is coming up from behind.

Wearing sunglasses over straps have never worked for me .. I wear the prescription inserts in behind the shade lenses and it forces the nose bridge of glasses out quite far , meaning they slip down and fall off easy if bent over .. The extra security of fitting them in behind the strap is only way for me …

I toppled over my first big clipped-in ride, in the starting wave of the NY 5 Boro Tour, with 30k of my closest friends. It was a big stop-start-stop as we got moving and I thought we were going and then we weren't. Advice to practice somewhere quiet is good!

We are looking at coming over to Aus from South Africa. I’ve gotten into cycling and my hubby is a big cyclist. We are extremely excited about being able to cycle in a place where it’s much safer, less potholes and I can go out on my own and not need to stay in my area that is safe-ish. These tips are great

Funny how you can forget what its like to be new to road cycling. I started late with chamois cream, now it’s a must have on long ride. Not sure about the leg shaving 🤔 The weather also has a lot to do with it… great videos Cam 👍

The LBS relationship is a good point. I have one where I live, plus a well known volume retailer of bikes and car accessories. The LBS has been there for years and is very well patronised. A little too much, actually. Every time I've gone in, I have to wade through the lycra warriors swapping war stories ; the place is their local hang out. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but people with kids who just want to start them cycling tend to go to the big box retailer because the atmos in the LBS intimidates them. That's a shame and its not uncommon. I don't know how we can get around that.

Best thing for clipless pedals. Loosen off the tension spring all the way until you’re familiar with the pedals

100% being predictable is the most important thing as it falls under the umbrella of safety which is ultimately the goal to enjoy riding safely. Whether that’s holding your line, not drinking when you’re on the front of the bunch and signalling hazards

Never used chamois creme. Never needed it. Even doing rides like 'Around the Bay in a day about ten times, I have never finished a ride and thought 'If only I'd lubed up'

I learned how to clip in and out holding onto a fence and repeating for ten minutes. Never had problems .

Thanks Cam for pulling us noobs aside with these tips! Will pass on to my mates as well!

This is gold! Love your work, so helpful for everyone

My tip, being vocal, but also polite while passing. Barking "ON YOUR LEFT!!!!!" as you pass hurts the confidence of newer riders, or scares them so they swerve as you try to pass. A polite and firm, "Hey man passing on your left." is sufficient for safe and easy passing. Also if you are on an electric bike and passing real cyclists up a hill you should be as polite as possible.

Great tips as usual. Predictability is SO important. All the respect you may gain in a group for being strong and fast is lost the minute you swerve around like an idiot.

Good Job mate. There are two basic rules that I've learned as well: 1. Make it fun; the more fun I'm having results in my desire to repeat and stay healthy. 2. Be heard, carry a bike bell and announce your presence before you surprise pedestrians or other bikers when approaching them in their blind spot. I absolutely hate other riders who come up silently then announce themselves loudly "ON YOUR LEFT". I'd like to spit in their eye.

Another shoe tip - try mtn bike cleats first, then progress to road cleats. My partner switched to mtn bike cleats, fitted on Cyclocross carbon soled shoes, she's never going back! Super easy to get in and out, double sided entry and multi angle release, she's never fallen since and can comfortably walk around with minimal performance loss.

Thanks for this video, much of the things you brought up we learn and take for granted as we go. Nice and concise and will not only recommend it to all nubies but relearn it to improve and cement my own base knowledge. Good job👍

If you like wearing dark kits like me make sure you bring a reflective belt or vest cuz you might be going home later than expected, cuz back signal light wont cut it.

I love tip 9! I did this, and it worked out very well. Thank you for het info, and the humor!

I only started riding at 61 and I understand the value of group rides, but I find the concept of fitting into some fixed schedule difficult, given all the work and family commitments. Also I want to enjoy riding in good weather only, not at 37 degrees or in the rain, which does happen in Perth a lot. Also they seem to have so many strict requirements, like colors, lights etc. I tend to ride on bike paths where these issues are less important.

Be predictable on the road is a fantastic piece of advice. Is running that red light really worth it? Hey, if you stop at the stop sign you can get more effort into your ride from all the accelerations :)

What helped me when i started clipless is to predict what you are gonna do on the first rides when stoping and just stop at random objects on safe paths. Like when you ride on an empty road and you see a sign or a tree just say to yourself "I need to stop there, I am gonna put my foot there". You naturally unclip and you just get used to it

Very important video Cam this one is a keeper for newcomers and a reminder for some veterans. Cheers and good rides!

Hey cam...have u done a video on the dynamics of the pedaling movement...u mention in this video without much detail...it sounds be great to learn how it should/could feel...I may be way off but my experience has been an up stroke through the upward third of the rotation...I have also been mindful of how the up force and down force are in proportion to eachother...e.g. the downward push tends to stabalize my torso by pushing back on my seat and up to reduce the weight supported on my seat ( and causes less saddle soreness), where the up stroke pulls me forward and puts added weight on the seat. I have been working on a good balance that can be sustained over longer rides. Anyhow, flying blind really and I do know how I can rationalize all kinds of wonky ideas 😎

Great tips and loving the channel! I always tell newbies to practice riding on grass in a park first time clipped in ( it hurts a lot less😆) On their first few road rides I keep it simple and follow behind them saying things like “ get ready to unclip” and “unclip now, get ready to stop” to get the muscle memory happening it makes for a better first time experience.

Thanks for the pointers!

In 17 countries and Morocco, that scene in the parking lot would get you arrested… 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤜🏽🤛🏽🍻

As an LBS, this was spot on (apart from the shaving malarkey obviously). I would add, don't go full banzai on the bike as a beginner. Expensive bikes are easier to break and more expensive to fix, conversely the low budget stuff that has got an internet listing longer than this post is also one to avoid. You then get usually 2 easy and big paying upgrades to treat yourself with. A nice set of tubeless wheels and tyres and, if it comes with square taper, upgrade to a hollowtech crank. Oh and I have had to fix a few bikes that "my mate at the club" messed up.... caveat emptor...

Awesome video! I’ll share this to my club. Thank you 🙏

Thanks for this, watching all the way in Kenya, yesterday went for a very long ride, wish I saw this before but now I have I will be a better rider

I wouldn't have the discipline to follow all your cleat training advice, but I did hold off on cleats for a while. Riding with others was a both a source of advice and caution, and a catalyst to get cleats. I unclip on either side and have never forgotten to do so. Whilst a gust of wind can complicate the situation, what has brought me down is front wheel slippage when slowing to a stop or doing a slow speed turn around, and a loose cleat, which wouldn't come unclipped as expected. I've never been injured in a clipstack, but heard of ladies fracturing wrists / arms - think women should be aware their risk might be higher due to lower bone density. Shave my legs? I'm not that desperate! 😀

Cliping and uncliping is like most important thing to learn and practice. Had few incidents when learning that and 3 crashes at home drive🤦 when trying unclip ( once wind was just too strong and it flipped me over🤦) Best advice I got from friend is that when climbing on hill, look down and keep pedaling. It helps a lot. At first I was allways looking where is top of the hill and suffering from begining, but now I try to go slow and just look down. Also music helps. I just put my phone in back pocket and play some music, no headphones… so I can still hear what is going on around me.

Thank you for this video. This was a nice refresher after being away fromm my bike for a while.

Thanks for the informative video. It was fun to watch and extremely helpful!!

You had some great tips there. The sore flaps and reach around were gold. No benefit in shaving the legs though.

Clipping in and out is big question for me. I feel very confident in it after 2 years of practicing in the city cycle 40-60km per day, but once i take 178km a day on freeways, and at the end i still can peddaling easily but just no power to clip out.🤣 So I switched back to flat pedals. 🤷🏻‍♂️😁

No even sure I return constantly to your channel for bike tips anymore. It’s just so dam funny. Chapeaux!

for training in un-clipping I went to a nearby park (was into the stadium were I was working) found a lonely site with grass, ride into the grass and complete stop, then unclip the correct foot in the side where the bike falls

I've been riding for over 50 years!!!! OMG I'm old, but I'd like to pass on one...actually two old school tips for setting up your bike for the very first time without help. #1 Seat Height: Put your kit on, shoes included. Seat squarely on the seat. Get the bike moving (nice if a slight down hill) now take BOTH FEET OFF THE PEDALS and let your toes barely touch the ground. This is an excellent beginning point for seat height. #2 Seat Set back (fore and aft) A) Now, off the bike and standing along side, simply take your elbow, place it on the tip of the seat and extend your fingers to the stem bolts. The fingers should touch that spot. OR B) get on the bike, roll around a bit, grab the drops, look through the handlebars and you should NOT see the front axel in front or behind your line of sight. OK like I said this is for 'a good place to start.!" don't get all excited. And WIFE!!!! Vagina Flaps... what the hell... They are called labia (major and minor) and yes there are things you can do. #1!!!!! make sure your have a well fitting pair of shorts!!! OMG As a woman track and road cyclist I prefer bibs but that is totally personal. (always keep those flappy parts tight and snug) #2. Cream! Get some! Borrow Cam's... I carry extra on rides in Contact Lens Snap Cases!

Really nice tips. And maybe don't join other riders without asking them first... a few years back when I started riding I got a panick attack because our lane was so narrow and i'm a bit claustrophobic, so first i slowed down a bit then had to stop on the side of the road because i was in full panic mode. Little did i know that an other rider used me as a windshield for the last 100 or so meters without me noticing him and when i stopped he almost collided with me. So yeah, be predactible, when possible but also don't stick to someone else's rear wheel without asking, it's just inpolite and dangerous.

Great tips for the beginners… sharing with my Michigan Gravel Grinders cycling group. Very entertaining. Thank you!

Great vid Cam. Keep the good stuff rolling.

The HR tip is really useful. I haven't trained for around a year and a half. And I had never used an HR monitor in the past. Now I got one, and I decided to go back to cycling. Turns out my normal workouts are 1h of 180+HR :D Now I'm slowly trying to build up my aerobic system, and I feel very good after a workout. And I used to by dizzy after every single one.

The group ride etiquette will be good to watch. Want to know the rule on forcing non-club riders of the road or assuming that once a rider is out of peripheral vision they must be 2 metres behind so it's okay to pull in and slow down

I like the way the wind feels in my leg hairs

Thanks for the tips dude! Beginner cyclist here as well from 2019.

Good vid although, I'm guilty of wearing my cycling glasses inside my straps! The reason being, I wear prescription lenses clipped behind whatever other lenses I have on and they are bloody expensive if my glasses fall off and they scatter all over the place!

Another great vid Cam. You mentioned that your local area has a criterion track. Do you know how your local club (s) went about getting that track built? It may be another great video story line for you to present to your subscribers... Look forward to your reply :)

Don't half wheel was one of the first tips I got and tell everyone starting out .... great content !

Cam. Gold. The reach around and vag management. It is bad enough having to do that at the end of trip facilities. Can’t imagine doing it in the car park. There again how many dudes in your local area on the sunny coast just drop the shorts and put on boardies to go for a surf.

I think I'll never shave my bloody legs other than for (triathlon) racing, but you get a full thumbs up for this kind introduction into your final tip. 😀

I would love to know why you feel we MUST shave our legs. The aero gains seem pretty minimally important if you're not a racer, but I've heard it makes managing injuries easier. It just seems like a lot of work with very little good reason other than aesthetics (which is also up for debate). But I loved the rest of the video! Great tips!

Great job highlighting how cycling is a community activity.

Thanks buddy for the heads up.

Great advice for the most part, and great video. One thing I would mention is the 'be seen' mantra is great, but in reality it's rubbish because there is nothing we can do to truly be seen by absent minded drivers. The much better strategy is expect each car to be a threat until you can eliminate them as a threat. After they are past, etc. Unfortunately the hard data shows that hi vis doesn't work. Group riding works, staying away from cars works.

Tip one, splits the show in two parts 😉!

This was great practical advice and as a beginning cyclist, I very much appreciated it.

Clip trick. Start out with them loose. Like really loose. So you don’t have to really make an effort to unclip. When you get used to it tighten them up.

Great video but as a slow audax rider its a hard no on the shaving. Lol

Good to hear its not just blokes that have problems sitting on a bike seat, some women have more flap than a blacksmiths apron.

Thanks for the Tips mate, hope you and your family are well.

Great video. Thanks for sharing!

Finding the right group to ride with is key. I have never, and I mean never, found a group of guys who could ride at a recovery pace for an entire ride. Testosterone gets in the way and the next thing you know you're riding too hard. That's why I only do the local group ride once a week and base train by myself the rest of the time. I follow the polarized training method, so at least 80% of my riding is done in zone 1 (of a three zone model). That way when the hammerfest starts on the group ride, it's precisely what I'm looking for and I enjoy it.

For everyone, there’s gonna be 3 clip-stacks. Guaranteed. One most likely at the cafe after a long ride. Then never again after that. :)