Get on the saddle! Planning the perfect bike ride

The arrival of warm weather (yay!) means that thousands of people are donning lycra, pumping up their tyres and heading off on their bikes. Here at B&M, we love a good bike ride - they’re great for keeping fit and spending quality outdoor time with the family.

We have some tried and tested road bike riding tips, as well as some of the most useful and inexpensive biking equipment so that you can stay safe whilst you’re peddling away.

Pre-plan your route

It may be tempting to just cycle off and go where the wind takes you, but this could result in time being wasted, and you could find yourself in some dangerous situations. If you or your biking partner/s are inexperienced, it’s advisable to plan a route that has special bike lanes and less cars on the road.

B&M Top Tip: In our experience we’ve found that rush hour plus dual-carriageways often equals a rookie cyclist nightmare. Stick to set cycle routes for your first few rides, and give yourself the opportunity to build up your confidence before taking the plunge to main roads.

Be savvy with your storage!

When biking, your legs and arms are going to be occupied, so you need to find a place to store essentials like your phone and water bottle. Many people choose to shove everything into a rucksack, but we find it much more effective to invest in an bottle cage and armband phone holder.

Using specialist bike accessories like these means you won’t have to deal with the stress of lugging a backpack around. It also means that your water is easy to reach too, so you can have a quick sip for a few seconds and get back on the saddle, so as not to lose momentum!

Get snapping

Well, we’re not advising you to be snap happy whilst you’re actually cycling, but if you pass some gorgeous scenery or wildlife on your bike ride, it’s great to have a camera handy to immortalise those moments.

We know, we know, you have a camera on your phone - but do you fancy taking it out and snapping a photo if it’s raining? Didn’t think so! That’s where this Intempo action camera really comes into its own. It’s waterproof, and supports up to 32g of photos with a memory card - so you can build up a hefty collection of memories from your bike rides and nature treks.

Expect the unexpected!

This one’s especially true if you’re planning a longer bike ride, but we advise to always plan for the unexpected. So even if it’s forecast sunshine, pack some waterproofs - you don’t want to be caught in a random downpour miles from home!

B&M Top Tip: it’s also advisable to take with you a puncture repair kit - just in case!

Stay safe!

To ensure you’re staying safe on the roads, this bike set is great! It features a bike computer so you can measure your average speed and trip distance. It’s also got an LED front light and rear light so you can cycle safely in the evenings.

Do you have any road bike riding tips? Share them with the rest of the B&M community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.