Things You'll Need:
- Bicycle
- Reflective clothing
- Bell
- Helmet
- Bike reflectors
- Water
- Snacks
- Bike rack
- Bike repair kit
- Tire pump
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Step 1
Decide what kind of trail you want to ride. Do you want to go on a trail that is paved, semi-paved or unpaved? Do you want something easy and relatively flat, or do you want a challenging ride with a lot of steep hills?
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Step 2
See what your city has to offer. More and more cities have paved urban trails which allow you to enjoy riding without having to take a car trip to get there. Municipal, state and national parks also often have bike-only or mixed use trails.
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Step 3
Make sure that you have the right gear. A road bike is good for paved trails, and a hybrid bike will work for both paved and semi-paved trails. If you want to do serious off-roading, however, you will need a mountain bike.
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Step 4
Learn the rules of the trail you are going to be riding. Mixed use trails often have cyclists, hikers and horseback-riders. As a bicyclist, you are expected to yield to everyone else. Your trail may also have a speed limit, designated hours of use or other rules.
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Step 5
Take a friend along. Trails can have wild animals, unexpected rocks and sticks, difficult corners and many other hazards. It is crucial to have someone else there in case you get hurt or damage your bike.
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Step 6
Learn basic bike repair. Changing a tire, adjusting your breaks and other basic bike repairs are easy to learn and important to know.
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Step 7
Bring food and water. Energy bars, trail mix and fruit are good snacks to keep you going when the riding gets tough. You can also pack a sandwich for lunch. Most importantly, take plenty of water. If you have to, you can ride all day without eating. Without water, however, you won't get very far.
