Riding a bike is one of the greatest things on earth, offering low-impact recreation, affordable transportation, and life-changing freedom for folks around the world. It’s also a heckuva lot of fun!Before you can feel confident knowing where to begin there is a lot to know before buying a bicycle, and lots to know about fixing and maintaining one, too!

Before you hit the road on your bike, put together an emergency tool kit for unexpected repairs and give your bike a pre-ride maintenance inspection. Stay alert while riding your bike and practice some basic road safety rules to stay safe and enjoy your ride.Bike tools to take when you rideBefore you hit the road on your bike, assemble an emergency tool kit so you’re prepared in case of a breakdown.

Quite possibly, a million good reasons to ride a bicycle exist, and you will likely share many of them in this article's comments. But to keep this article from getting too long, here are the current ten best reasons to bike. Keep fit Being fit means having a healthy, strong heart and being able to exert muscles for an extended period.

Tour rules and regulations are detailed in race Articles. Listed in the Technical Guide, they range from participation to disqualification, medical care to prize money. Rules are written and detailed in French and English. Because French is the universal language in cycling (Lance Armstrong, for example, is fluent), French interpretation of rules prevails in instances in which a language barrier may cloud a definition.

Despite its century steeped in tradition, one great appeal of the Tour de France is its flexibility. Organizers arrange the course as they choose, but always with a plan to include a balance of most of the different types of races or all of them. And each year, organizers spice up the course with something new, like successive mountaintop finishes or unique starting cities, like the 1998 start in Dublin, Ireland.

Condensed to its basic premise, the Tour de France is a simple athletic contest: The cyclist who completes a strenuous and often perilous course of more than 2,000 miles in the lowest total time wins. Yet, the event is so much more. Steeped in history, tradition, and racing lore, the Tour defines endurance and global sportsmanship.

Before you hit the road on your bike, assemble an emergency tool kit so you’re prepared in case of a breakdown. Take the weight and size of bike tools into consideration when you’re loading up your tool kit, you don’t want tools that will weigh you down or not fit into the tool pouch. Include the following tools in your emergency tool kit.

Before you head out for your next ride, take a few minutes to do a quick bike inspection. Giving your bike the once-over can increase the safety, comfort, and enjoyment of your next ride. Follow these steps as part of your pre-ride preparation: Open and close the quick-release levers on your wheels to confirm that they’re tight.