Great Tips for Improved Cycling Performance

Below you will find lots of helpful advice on how to enjoy your cycle and get your bike to work for you:

Bike Gears

Most new cyclists keen to get fit think they are getting a better workout if every pedal stoke is a strain and the quads are burning. Although there's a place for low-cadence workouts, during a normal ride, aim for a smooth spin at between 85-100 rpm (pedal revolutions per minute) which is much more efficient -- and easier on the legs, especially the knees.

Handlebar grip

Always keeps a good grip on the bikes handlebars using the thumbs. Don’t rest hands on top of the bars.

A rear mud guard is a good idea during winter

• Keeps your back dry and warm by wearing correct bicycle clothing (even if it does not rain during the cycle a wet road could have your back wet and cold in a few minutes).

Your fellow cyclist will appreciate your mudguard as it reduces the amount of water and grit thrown into the face of the cyclist behind.

Food and Nutrition

Eat a healthy breakfast 30/40 minutes before the start of your cycle
• Porridge and a slice of toast are a good option.
• Light cereals such as cornflakes may not provide the slow release energy you will need for a cycle lasting a few hours.
Carry additional food
• Some bananas and sports nutrition such as energy bars (Powerbar Energy Bar ) are ideal.
• Take two water bottles. Add fruit juice to improve the taste or use a sports drink like PowerGel from Powerbar if going on a longer cycle. Try to drink/eat small amounts often.
• If you are nervous eating while on the move, wait until you are at the back of the group to eat.

Alert Calls

knowing to alert the cycling group or partner to hazards on the road and traffic approaching is very important. The cyclists at the front of the group should clearly and loudly announce hazards on the road ahead. These are announced early so the group is aware of potential dangers and can smoothly and safely take evasive action. Cyclists at the front of the group call the hazard and people behind repeat the call so the message gets passed through the group.

Example of calls
• “Hole on left” = Pothole on the left hand side.
• “Stones on the right” = Stones on the right hand side.
• “Gravel in middle” = Loose gravel in the middle of the groups path.

Moving cars approaching the group
If a car is approaching from behind (or a car following the group is beginning to overtake the group) “Car up” is called. The last person in the group should be aware of traffic following/approaching the group from behind.
If a car is approaching the group from in front: “Car down” is called.

Puncture
The person who gets the puncture should call “puncture”. This alerts the group that someone has a puncture so the group can stop.
The call also alerts people who are cycling behind the person that has suffered the puncture that there is someone in the group who may need to stop immediately and that they need to be alert.

Cycle two by two / don’t overlap the rear wheel of the cyclist in front.

Cyclist in front cannot see the position of cyclist following behind.  If your front wheel overlaps the rear wheel of the person in front, any movement left or right could result in wheels touching and a loss of balance and a large number or people could be involved in a crash.

Never pass another cyclist on the inside (left), always pass on the outside (right).

Avoid freewheeling when at the front of the group

• It usually requires more effort to cycle at the front of the group.
• If a cyclist at the front of the group freewheels the following cyclists could easily run into the back of the cyclist at the front, causing an accident. Always keep pedalling when at the front of the group.

Enjoy your Cycle

Last but most importantly, build up the distance of your cycles gradually. If you are comfortable with 20 miles try 25 then 30 miles and so on in small increments.

Join a bike club where possible and ask the group leader (or another club member) for advice if your have any questions. Cycling club members are always delighted to advise new members

UK Shop for Bicycle Accessories

Whether to shop online or retail for bicycle accessories and where to get the best prices for the big name brands is a constant topic of conversation amongst the cycling community. Depending on the level of experience buying bicycle accessories means different things to different cyclists. Some cyclists buy bike accessories that lend themselves to commuting such as racks and baskets to carry goods and other items while the more advanced cyclist tends to buy accessories to give them an sporting edge be that clothing or parts.
Whether looking to buy a cycling helmet or cycling clothing and everything in between the two wheels go into making cycling accessories a multi-million dollar market, in fact US cyclists spend over fifteen million dollars a month on bicycle accessories. The bicycle market is wheeling along at speed as more and more people see the health and fitness benefits of regular cycle exercise. Over 1% of the USA commuter population cycle to work (Alliance for Biking & Walking).
Buying bicycle parts and most cycling accessories are now purchased online as this offers the convenience and the discounts on offer to a cyclist (as an online bicycle shop can stock 1000’s more lines than a shop) over the traditional bike shop although these still have an important role to play in bicycle retailing.  The growth of cycling from kids to adults as a sport and as a hobby has led to a greater demand in the range of bicycle accessories available to a cyclist. The broader range of cycling related products such as sports nutrition, monitors and training items has meant that the purchase of cycle accessories online continues to grow with specific focus on cycling accessories for leisure and sport pursuit.
Like every consumer group, cyclists want quality and choice without any huge price tags, due to the continued growth in cycling as a hobby or sport the  bicycle part suppliers have moved their business online offering discounted prices on items like bike parts, cycle clothing, cycling accessories, sports nutrition and bike components. Research shows that cyclists can now save up to 60% shopping online for bikes and accessories against high street shops

The sports manufacturers have been quick to see the market opportunity in providing a far greater the range of choices not just in bike parts but also in  cycling accessories. Now cyclists can search and buy online for complete bikes to bicycle parts, cycling clothing  or even the fast growing category of sports nutrition developed specifically for the cycling community. This supply and demand for cycling related retailing means that purchasing bicycle accessories online including bike parts can be found for 20-30% below the traditional bicycle shop retailers.
Supplying bicycle parts and accessories are just two of the critical product lines stocked by any good bicycle store to improve the cycling experience with a choice of price points to suit any budget. The list of bicycle accessories  available online would fill a stadium, so to simplify the shopping for bike parts or any cycling accessory, online bicycle retailers like Alimay Sports highlights useful bike products that a cyclist may need to have either to upgrade a bike or make those cycling repairs. So when shopping for bicycle accessories, shop around as most  good bicycle parts and cycling accessories suppliers offers fast, free delivery backed up by discount  prices.

Cycling Clothing For The Brave

Cyclists wears specialist cycling clothing and regardless of being male or female, nobody wears those body hugging skin tight cycling clothing better than a cyclist. Now for some cycling clothing for the brave men (and maybe a few women) cyclist, ITS SEE THROUGH, mesh effect cycling clothing that requires a whole new level of confident cyclist. Maybe its a passing fad but louder, brighter, lighter cyclewear seems to be in vogue.
The cyclist in us lives for the sunny days where they really feel like the cyclist they train to be. Cycling in on a bright day, legs are getting tanned, and every drink gulped from the bottle is making the cyclist more and more the pro they feel they are. Every cyclists deserves this feeling.
So on those hot days, make the most of cycling, and find the tightest, most see through, meshiest jersey (bonus points for skinsuit) you can find, and wear it with pride (ladies, please be careful). We’re already paving the way for people to understand you, thanks to the Alimay Sports blog series of manly cycling things so you don’t have to bear the brunt of the judgement.

Remember there is no shame in the cycling clothing any cyclist wears, it serves a purpose way beyond anyone who doesn’t cycle just can’t understand. So when you put in the hours of suffering, pain, and heavy breathing – now you know why, so you can look great on these hot summer days.

If you haven’t got enough cycling clothing, then be sure to check out our online bike shop today

UK Bicycle Discount Store

Alimay Sports is a UK bicycle discount store online where cycling accessories and bike parts are shipped directly to cycling customers every day. Stocking a huge selection of branded cycling gear for the cyclist looking for serious savings on everything bicycle

An online discount bicycle store stocks nearly everything for cycling enjoyment and safety whether it is something as basic as a bicycle pump to cycling clothing or tyre replacement. Also Alimay Sports stocks a range of bicycle components and bike parts from all the top brands at discounted pricing to ensure cycling enjoyment whether on the road or trail. Price, quality and service counts when it comes to purchasing bike parts and cycling accessories. The occasional cyclists will happily get by with very little equipment, while the frequent or sports cyclists needs more specialized cycling gear in more quantities. Regardless as to the type of cyclist or level of experience their needs are served well at the Alimay Sports UK cycling discount store, who believe in a healthy and safe bicycle approach. Customers choose Alimay Sports as their cycling supplier of choice for discounted branded cycling gear together with a range of cycling accessories, bike parts and components.

On the Alimay Sports website a visitor can search and purchase bike parts and cycling accessories. The cyclist can also search and purchase online anything and everything for cycling comfort, from bicycle parts, cycling clothing  to sports nutrition. Also discount cycling stores online offer prices on cycling accessories for 20-30% below a bricks and mortar bicycle retailer.
The mission at Alimay Sports is to improve the whole cycling experience without breaking the bank. The list of bicycle accessories and to make cycling more enjoyable or competitive is a long one. Start with a shopping list making cycling safety the top priorities to purchase, then sports nutrition and clothing with nice to have accessories coming last. Remember to focus on useful bike products that a cyclist really needs to making cycling safe and to carry out those cycling repairs. Alimay Sports offers discounted quality cycling accessories and bike parts with fast, free delivery backed up by excellent customer service.

Cycling accessories UK

Cycling accessories in the UK are increasingly purchased online due to the money saving deals offered by the online bicycle stores. As cycling grows in popularity across the UK and the demographics of cyclists taking up cycling as a hobby or as a sport, we are seeing the purchase of cycle accessories online continuing to grow with specific interest on cycling for leisure, travel and health. Recent UK market research shows the british cycling community increasingly prefer to purchase their bike parts and bicycle accessories via the web. This growth in cycling has seen the expansion of online bicycle stores across the web who offer discounted, pricing on cycle parts, bicycle clothing, cycling accessories, sports nutrition and bike components from all the major brands, where the cyclist can now save up to 60% against high street shops

Shopping online means more than just bike parts and cycling accessories, a cyclist can search online for a large selection of complete bikes, bicycle parts, cycling clothing  plus sports nutrition aimed specially at cyclists. The cycle forums are full of posts saying that purchasing bicycle accessories online, including bike parts, wheels, pedals, seats, and more usually cost 20-30% below the traditional bicycle shop prices.
Cycling accessories and bike parts are just two of the critical product lines to enhance the overall cyclist experience no matter what level they are at. The list of cycling accessories could fill 50 pages of links, to shorten this we have included useful bike products for you and something that at some stage you will want to browse to either upgrade your bike or make some cycling repairs. Cycling accessories and bicycle accessories is filled with products from brands such as SRAM, Clarks, Avid, Truvativ, Look, Rock Shox, Zipp, and Quarq. So if you are a keen cyclist and want to save some money on you’re cycling accessories, why not start shopping online today.

The Importance of Cycling Clothing

Cyclists face the same problem every year, how do I get out of bed and onto my bike when it's freezing outside and it's so warm and cozy in my bed.

There is the saying that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad cycling clothing. So if we get the right cycling clothing then we have nothing to worry about.
Of course, having the right bike parts and cycling accessories is important too so that you don't end up slipping and crashing your bike because of a wet and greasy road.

Of course, summer cycling clothing is just as important but seeing as we're now starting to hit some really cold weather in the UK, it seems more important to discuss winter cycling clothing.

As soon as the temperature gets into single digits in celsius, then it's definitely time to put on a pair of cycling overshoes, leg warmers at the least, a base layer, a cycling jersey, possibly a long sleeve cycling jersey and then a light jacket over that.
If you can get a cycling jacket that is breathable and waterproof then you're onto a good thing because you are covered for all conditions and you shouldn't get too warm while cycling.

When the weather for cycling starts to get really cold, especially hovering in and around zero, there is a big decision to be made by cyclists. Do you go out cycling while there's a possibility of frost and ice, or do you stay in and get on your turbo trainer?

If you're part of the cycling mindset that wants to train on the road, no matter the weather, then it's important that before you get on your bicycle that you leave as little skin open to the cold as you cycle into some freezing winds.
This means that in addition to the cycling clothing needed for cycling in single digits, you will need to get a good pair of full finger cycling gloves, a pair of heavy cycling overshoes, a good pair of bicycle tights, and even a light hat that you can wear under your bicycle helmet without sacrificing safety.
And even though it might be the depths of winter, a pair of cycling sunglasses is important to protect your eyes from insects and dirt.

Cycling Safety is still important and we will post a blog discussing the best bicycle parts and cycling accessories for that too.