How to Buy Bike Fitness Equipment

The experience of biking can be enhanced with the right bike fitness equipment. Inexperienced bicyclists quickly realize that hopping on a bike without proper equipment is insufficient for burning calories and toning muscles. You need to know your physical dimensions, skill level and equipment budget before you head out to buy bike fitness accessories.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Bike helmet
• Padded shorts
• Riding gloves
• Goggles
• Biking shoes

1. Try on a variety of bicycle helmets to find the right fit for your head. The helmet is the essential piece of bike fitness equipment and needs to fit snugly from ear to ear for maximum protection.

2. Ask a fitness sales representative for the use of a display bike to help you find the right courier bag for your needs. Most cyclists opt for a sling-style bag that can hold a few small items to cut down on wind resistance during their trip.

3. Hunt down biking jerseys to help you deal with perspiration and precipitation during a biking trip. You should buy a colorful jersey with synthetic materials that wick away moisture to stay visible and cool.

4. Shop for bike shorts with a padded bottom as you buy bike fitness equipment. You should find shorts that fit tightly against your legs and cushion your body from an unforgiving bike seat.

5. Substitute a pair of specialty biking shoes with new athletic shoes to cut down on the costs of bike fitness equipment. The shoes you wear while biking need to have stiff soles and sufficient tread to lock your feet onto the pedals.

6. Tie a bandanna around your forehead to prevent sweat and debris from entering your eyes. You should find a bandanna that fits comfortably on your head with your helmet strapped at the appropriate tightness.

7. Locate sports goggles to protect your eyes from rocks, bugs and other debris while biking. An ideal set of biking goggles will feature UV protection and shade for your eyes for daytime trips.

8. Shield your hands from wear and tear with cycling gloves. Bike shops will carry gloves with thick padding on the palms and fingers to help cyclists fix tires and hold handle bars for hours on end.

9. Test out different leg warmers, long-sleeved shirts and other layering items for riding in rain, cold and wind. A set of leg warmers and a thin shirt underneath your jersey should suffice in fall, spring or summer riding.

Tips & Warnings

• Search through piles of used and discontinued fitness equipment to aid in your biking experience. Secondhand stores with a sporting goods department are great places to find a used biking helmet. There are outlet stores throughout the United States offering deep discounts on goggles, gloves and shorts.

Who Can Help Sponsored

• Tired of Being Tired? Fight Fatigue and Try FRS for FREE!