1. You need a good bike.
Not a Huffy from Targets, but a name brand such as Giant, Trek, Specialized, or Cannondale, bought from a regular bike shop. These bikes will have good quality components and won't leave you with a blown bottom bracket in the middle of Scott County KS. Also the weight, comfort, and peddling ease of the slightly higher priced bikes will make the ride more enjoyable.
More importantly, the people at the bike shop will have a bike that is the right size for you, and will set it up and fit it properly to you. This is very important because if the bike isn't adjusted properly you will notice your knees, or other parts of your body hurting during long rides. The process for setting up a bike to fit you can take several hours if done properly. They will take several of your measurements and adjust the bike accordingly, then, you will test ride the bike and they will make more adjustments as needed.
How much should you spend? A good quality bike will start around $300.00.
2. Get a good quality cyclo-computer.
This will tell you your speed and how many miles you have gone, as well as elapsed time and avg. speed. When riding leave it set for distance and speed, NOT Avg. speed. Many people get hung up on their average speed and tend to not enjoy the ride if they are going too slow. On a long tour, "WHO CARES!" what our average speed is. We are out to have fun, not set a speed record.
3. Comfortable riding clothes.
No, you don't have to wear spandex unless you want to. (I would recommend it though). Wear comfortable shorts and I would definitely wear a biking jersey. Jerseys will wick moisture away from you to keep you cool and comfortable (and they make a nice fashion statement :>). I have come across a number of people lately though who say they over heat wearing Jerseys, and prefer to only wear tee shirts. I would still go with a Jersey if it were me, what I do when I get hot is just pour a little water on my head, chest, and back, and this will usually take care of any heat problem.
On a 50 mile ride, padded bike shorts can make for a more pleasant day riding then you would have with just regular shorts. They give support to muscles and other areas that need it. Make sure you get a pair that work well with you though. Wear them for a hundred miles or so to see how they feel and break in before you go on the big ride. I have several pairs that work well for short distances, but cause sores if I go farther than 50 miles in them. Also (this is important) don't wear underwear under your bike shorts. Bike Shorts are designed to work against your skin and underwear being in that mix will cause all sorts of problems. :>)
Add a good pair of riding gloves to your wardrobe (gel filled preferably), a good helmet, and a good pair of sunglasses and you are ready to go.
4. Tires
Tires are often over looked as an important part of your biking equipment. If you ride a mountain bike, and most of your riding is done on asphalt, look at getting slicks or near slick tires. You would be amazed at the amount of effort it takes to push a big set of Knobbys down the road. Slicks will help you go farther faster, and you won't be nearly as worn out at the end.
Also, as a friend of mine named Joey pointed out, air pressure is Very important when riding. When on the road use maximum air pressure in your tires. This will cut down on the amount of rolling resistance you must overcome, and will make your day more enjoyable.
Flats are a problem where ever you go. Lots of people like to use Slime in their tires, this will prevent most flats but I find it to be very messy if you change tires a lot for different riding needs. I prefer to use liners like Mr. Tuffy, or buy tires that have a built in Kevlar liner in them. I have only had one flat using liners, and that was a side puncture. The Kevlar lined tires will give you a better ride than tires with Mr. Tuffy in them, but you can move the Mr. Tuffys to any tire you choose.
To get a set of tires with the belt in them you will usually have to order them, and there isn't a large selection to chose from currently. I prefer the Vittoria "Tecno Twin Tread" tires and that is what I run on my road bike. They have excellent flat protection built in, and a very comfortable ride. I usually ride them for about 2000 to 2500 miles and then change them out for new ones.
5. SUNSCREEN.....
Wear lots of SPF 30 or 50 anytime you are going to be on your bike longer than and hour in the summer. I usually start my long rides around seven in the morning and I will stop early and apply my sunscreen. When riding on the pavement Mr. Sun will find any place you forgot to put the sunscreen and turn it bright red from the reflection off the asphalt.
While on Cycle Montana many people forgot to put on their sunscreen because it was so nice and cool, but paid for it the next 2 days by being extremely burned. I even missed a few spots where my shorts came up higher than my tan line, and it gave me a tender reminder to be more careful in the future. I also burned my ears and nose which was very unusual for me, but I was in the saddle for up to 8 hours each day and Mr. Sun had his way with me.
6. Delicate Matters
On a more delicate matter I would recommend that you always carry some Toilet Tissue with you in your bullet pack. When cycling we are always out in the country far from any facilities, and when nature calls it is much nicer to have some soft tissue to take care of business with than a, corn cob, pine cone, tree branch, bunny rabbit, ect.
Enough said?
On a related matter lets discuss saddle sores and delicate rashes for a moment. The only thing that needs to be said is, A&D ointment. Carry it with you and use lots. If a certain rash gets out of control and toilet paper feels like sand paper, get some Tucks medicated pads or Wet Ones to use instead. It will definitely improve your attitude. :>)
7. What to carry with you when you ride?
You should have a small seat pack to carry stuff in and I would recommend the following list of things to have on the bike with you each and every time you ride:
- Sunscreen
- Tire repair kit with patches and tire levers (Know how to use these items)
- A spare tube (Place it in a baggy with a little flour in it so it won't stick to the tire)
- A small tool kit (Small Crescent Wrench, full set of Allen wrenches, a flat and Phillips screw driver)
- An old white cotton sock (I know "Are you kidding" No I 'm not. It will make a nice grease rag to wipe your hands on if you throw your chain and have to put it back on. I also saw a young lady use it to stop the bleeding of a severally injured rider after he took a bad fall.)
- A frame pump or some means to inflate a flat tire.
- Spare Money (For sodas and snacks or, emergency phone calls. I just throw all of my change in when I buy things. That way if I forget to take money with me I always have some.)
- Some form of secondary ID ( Always carry ID on you, but a backup is always a good idea. I wear a set of dog tags plus my Drivers License. This lesson was learned the hard way when a older friend of mine had a heart attack while running and had No ID on him. It took 12 hours before authorities could notify his family.)
- A bike mirror of some kind. (You need to be able to see traffic coming up behind you, just in case)
8. Where do I get more information on biking?
Well, here is one place, but I would recommend picking up a copy of Bicycling magazine once in a while or visit their web site. They have articles every month that are worth reading on riding tips, gear, nutrition, and general bike stuff.
I would also recommend joining a bike club. This is an excellent way to meet new people, find out where the good riding spots are in your area, and just have a good time. Don't think that clubs are just for racers, most of the membership will be riders just like you out to have fun. You will find riders with all skill levels and a group that will ride the same way you want to. Club rides are a blast, and a great way to gain experience. Check out the clubs on my links page, or visit the one I am proud of, The Oz Club Don't know where to find a bike club in your area? Just go to your nearest bike shop and ask, I bet they will even have an application under the counter.
9. Most of all, Have FUN!!!!!!!