My Entry-Level Cycling Practice

Categories: Life 2023-10-06

🤔 I bought a Dahon P8 and really love it. I want to organize a best practice guide for beginner cyclists, hoping to provide some reference for those who want to start cycling. Haha, if you want to copy my homework, feel free to do so.

🤣 Cycling has many benefits. I feel the most obvious one is that my sleep has become super good, it’s even mystical. I cycle about 12km to and from work every day, and I basically fall asleep within 5 minutes of putting down my phone at noon and night. And I sleep soundly throughout. Another benefit of cycling compared to other sports is that you can enjoy it while exercising. There’s the wind, and Hangzhou has a lot of green plants, the fragrant osmanthus on the road, shaded areas, and various roadside flowers. Cycling is very comfortable.

🚴 Regarding bicycle selection, generally you can choose between folding bikes and road bikes. Since I’m a daily rider and have a big demand for being able to fold it and put it in the trunk, so I can drive to a place, take out the bike and ride directly, or even if it rains or I get tired while riding, I can just call a taxi and go home. So I chose a folding bike. Good folding bikes are made by Brompton and Dahon. The former costs tens of thousands, and although they look great, I thought it was unnecessary. Dahon bikes are of good quality and reasonably priced. I also saw the “Dahon P8 Classic” in a store. The matte black is very beautiful, and it holds its value well and is durable. So I didn’t hesitate to buy it for around 3500. Of course, if you prioritize aesthetics, you can also try the Dahon D7 olive green retro version, which is really good-looking.

💼 Regarding bicycle accessories, I first recommend the “Rockbros Bicycle Tail Bag” in the second picture. It’s so, so practical and fits the Dahon perfectly. I bought two other bicycle bags before, but I returned them after struggling. This bag is super convenient for carrying water, phone, headphones, etc., when going out. And it only costs 55. Moreover, for perfectionists, it’s very comfortable because it’s out of sight when placed at the back. I once bought a water bottle cage and installed it on the handlebar, but due to low frequency of use and affecting the aesthetics, I removed it after 2 days. So if you don’t often go on long rides and need to drink water on the road, I don’t recommend installing it.

🔔 The first step in cycling is to buy a “helmet and cycling glasses”. The former is a must for safety, and the latter is because it’s really dazzling when the sun is out if you don’t wear glasses. My considerations are that it must be durable first, and then aesthetically pleasing. I don’t consider ugly ones. Finally, I bought them at Decathlon offline. I chose a dark blue camouflage helmet, which is very light, comfortable, and breathable, especially for summer cycling, it’s not hot at all, and it costs about 250. For cycling glasses, considering the texture, I chose their cycling anti-fog high-contrast sunglasses, which cost about 130 and are also very durable.

😊 There are a few small things. When buying a bike, everyone might first think of buying a lock, and so did I. But I later found that it’s used very infrequently and it’s not convenient to put it on the bike. Experienced cyclists usually say “buying a lock is the first step to losing your bike.” In the end, I basically don’t carry a lock. However, to prevent loss, and since the P8’s bell is not very loud, I thought about whether I could replace the bell. When I was searching, I found a magical item called an “AirTag bell,” which means an AirTag can be hidden inside this bell, and it’s also a bell. This design is really clever. Then I ordered an AirTag, which solved the worries of locking the bike and the bell. After the bell arrived, it was much easier to press than the original one, and the sound was loud, which pleased me greatly. The bell was also from Rockbros, and it cost less than 30 yuan. Then, if you want to be safer when cycling at night, you need to buy a “front and rear light.” If you usually ride on wide and bright roads, you don’t necessarily need to buy them. Mine is a set from Decathlon. It’s waterproof, has a long-lasting battery, and is durable and simple-looking, but it’s a bit expensive at around 200 yuan.

🤣 One minor drawback of the Dahon bike, which isn’t really a flaw but might feel uncomfortable for beginners, is that the seat is a bit hard. Of course, professional cyclists wear cycling shorts, but for an amateur like me, I don’t feel it’s necessary. So I need to find a “soft cushion” to wrap it. I bought mine offline and don’t remember the brand, but it fits this bike very well. You can search for soft seat cushions for the same bike.

🍎 Regarding tracking software, I usually use Keep, which can be easily combined with a smartwatch to tell me how long I’ve been cycling and can also record routes, which is quite convenient. Of course, Apple Fitness is also convenient and easy to use. Just use the one you’re used to. I’ve cycled 430km so far, and the experience is pretty good.