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Ride Directory (Bestrides.org)

How to Buy a Bike
How Uncomfortable Is Cycling?
Types of Bikes
Frame Material
Places to Buy a Bike
Choosing a Bike Shop
Questions to Ask the Salesman
Choosing the Bike
Bikes Are Frames with Components on Them
Complete Bike or Build-Up?
How Much Should You Spend?
Why Do Bikes Cost So Much?
Finding Your Size
How to Demo a Bike
Buy Two Bikes
Swapping Out Components

Components
Wheels
Skewers and Thru-Axles
Wheel Bags
Tires
Tubes
Saddles
Pedals and Cleats
Drivetrains
Cassettes
Chain rings
Crankarms
Chains
Shifting Systems
Derailleurs
Jockey wheels
Shifters
Shifter cables
Brakes
Seat Posts
Handlebars
Handlebar Tape
Stems

Accessories
Computers
“Garmins”
Smartphones
Heart Rate Monitors
Power Meters
Hydration Systems
Water Bottles
Water Bottle Cages
Hydration Packs
Fenders
Lights
Mirrors
Road ID
Quick-Release Seat Post Clamp

Cycling Clothing
Dress the Part
Six Places to Shop for Clothing
Cycling Jerseys
Shorts and Bibs
Bike Helmets
Cycling Gloves
Bike Shoes
Socks
Cycling Glasses
Layering
Vests and Windbreakers
Jackets
Base layers
Leggings
Arm warmers
Compression Garments
Storing layers
Headgear
Cycling Raingear
Cold-Weather Cycling Clothing
Laundering Bike Clothing

Your First Ride
How Uncomfortable Is Cycling?
Be Mindful
Know what to call yourself
Join the club of cyclists
Join an actual club
Start your ride log
Make a pre-ride checklist
Start a maintenance log
Do a Basic Bike Fit
Inflate your tires
Adjust your helmet
How to Sit on a Bike
When do you use the drops?
Using clipless pedals
Starting
Stopping
Braking
Shifting
Opt for Spinning
Avoid cross-chaining
Turning

Advanced Skills
How to Pedal
Steer by leaning the bike
Ride in a straight line
Pick a line
Keep your balance
Master the track stand
Learn to ride over obstacles
Learn to ride one- and no-handed
Eat on the bike
Drink water
Clean your tires as you roll
Breathe correctly
Don’t ride on the road shoulder
Interact with the cars
Practice cyclist-to-cyclist etiquette
Do some mountain biking
Know how fast fast is
Get aero
Learn the four essential on-the-road repairs
Get a pro bike fit

On-the-Road Repairs
Fixing Flats
Adjusting Your Rear Derailleur
Replacing a Dropped Chain
Fixing a Broken Chain
Fixing a Jammed Cleat or Pedal
Cleaning Your Tires
Finding the Squeak
Cleaning Brake Pads

In the Garage
Tools
Washing Your Bike
Inflating Tires
Fixing Flats
Lubing the Drivetrain
Servicing Chainrings and Cassettes
Replacing a Chain
Servicing Tires and Tubes
Servicing the Rear Derailleur
Servicing Skewers and Thru-Axles
Servicing Pedals and Cleats
Servicing Cables
Replacing Bar Tape
Servicing Brakes
Rim brakes
Disc brakes
Servicing Seat Posts
Servicing Saddles
Servicing Shifters
Trueing your wheels
Servicing the Headset
Servicing Wheel Hubs
Servicing Bottom Brackets
Servicing Stems
Retorquing Bolts

Lightening the Bike
The Weight-Losing Attitude
How Much Does Light Cost?
Start by Buying a Light Bike
Beware of Claimed Weight
Weight Loss Piece by Piece
Frames
Wheels
Tires
Tubes
Saddles
Gruppos
Brakes
Pedals
Bars
Stems
Seat posts
Chains
Skewers
Bolts and Head Tube Spacers
Paint
Seat pack
Inflators vs. Mini-Pumps
Water Bottle Cages
Water Bottles
Multi-Tools
Food
Clothing
Weight Weenie Companies

Climbing
Prepping your bike and your body
Prepping your mind
Climbing Technique
Make sure your technique doesn’t desert you
Tighten your shoe straps
Spin
Pace yourself
Ride as fast as you can
Breathe deeply and exhale forcefully
Recover by spinning, not by stopping
Keep changing things up
Try different gears
Ride on the smoothest part of the road
Ride the outside of the corners
Keep your tires in contact with the ground
When to Stand
Standing Technique

Descending
Prepping the Head and the Bike
Prep your clothing
Descend in the drops
Brake early and in spurts, but not in corners
Don’t ride lightly pressing your brake levers
Take it easy on unknown descents
Trust your tires
Move back on the saddle
Move to the center of the lane
Weight is your friend
Pedal downhill
Level your pedals when coasting
Pick a line
Stretch your hands
Beware the shimmy
Prepare for oncoming cars
Back off in rain, gravel, and wind
Lower your saddle (maybe)
The Art of Cornering

Riding in Special Conditions
Riding in Gravel (or Mud or Snow or Sand)
Riding in the Rain
Riding in the Cold
Riding in Wind
Riding in Heat
Riding at Elevation
Riding in Traffic
Riding in a High-Crime Area
Riding in a Paceline
Riding After 60

Nutrition for Cyclists
Eating Well
Losing Weight
Fueling on the Bike
Supplementation

Training
Why train?
How much time does training take?
Train alone
Train on predictable terrain
Warm up before doing work
Train with a purpose
Training Methods
Train two separate systems, and train them separately
You only get stronger at what you train at
Vary your training
Train by isolation
Build training around intervals
Ignore mileage and time when you train
Train your weaknesses
Train by recovering
Most recovery therapies don’t work
Fuel during and after your workout
Training indoors
Get motivated by Strava segments
Ignore training zones and thresholds
Cross train, but not to help your riding
Quit if your body says quit
Find time for fun rides
A basic training plan

Physical Therapy, Injury, and Illness
Stretching
Massage
Heating Pads and Balms
Acupressure, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic
Sports Clubs and Gyms
Warming Up and Cooling Down
Saddle sores
Knee pain
Sore or numb hands
Sore neck
Sore lower back
Sore feet, Numb Feet, or Hot Foot (Tingling, Burning)
Cramps and side aches
Riding Injured
Riding Sick
Long-Term Prevention
Preventing Skin Cancer
Preventing Osteoporosis

Finding a Ride
What Doesn’t Work
Internet data dumps
Best Rides lists
Guidebooks
Race routes and tour routes
What Works
Ask the local bike shop or rider
Consult discriminating websites
Consult the rare good guidebook
Look at a paper map
Use the Internet tools that help
Find the local cycling map
Find the guy who knows
Ask anyone on a bike
Ride the best part of the route
How Hard Is the Ride?

Cycling Vacations
Car-Based Trips
Day-Ride Trips
Bike racks
Travel clothing
How to do laundry on the road
Eating on the Road
SAG’ed Loops
Car-Free Bike Trips
Brian Loops
Bikepacking
Touring
Organized Group Rides
Bike Trips Outside the US
Professional Guided Tours
Bicycle Adventure Club
Riding from a Base
Dedicated Cycling Resorts
Renting a Car
The Credit-Card Loop
Flying, renting, and shipping with Your Bike
Things to Know About Europe

Your First Century
A Century or a Gran Fondo?
Get Fit
Don’t Rest Beforehand
Ride for the Communal Experience
Pick an Easy Century
Know the Course
Sign Up Early
Sign In
Be Responsible for Your Own Navigation
Start Early
Ride at a Moderate Pace
Ignore Time and Distance
Expect a Low Average Speed
Dress as Lightly as You Can Stand
Don’t Depend on the Foot Stop Food
Connect with the Other Riders
Consider Packing a Stimulant
Ride the Next Day

How to Watch a Bike Race
Racing Formats
How to Attend a Stage Race
Watching a Bike Race on TV
Converting Kilometers to Miles
Kinds of “Victory”
The GC/The Leader’s Jersey
Stage wins
The Sprinter’s Jersey/Points Jersey
The Climber’s Jersey
The Best Young Rider Jersey
Most Aggressive Rider Award
The Team Classification
Types of Stages
How to Win a Stage
How to Win a Sprint Stage
How to Win a Mountain Stage
How to Win a Time Trial
How to Win an Uncategorized Stage
How to Win the GC
How Hard Are They Working?
Time bonuses
Time limits
Race Rituals
One-Day Races

What I Ride

Resources
Books
Magazines
Websites
Blogs
Ride Guides
Forums
Movies

A Cyclist’s Dictionary