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Lost A. us who first
•leaeowl to, rim 'as a kid,
Dever thought about
hicyc" as -
a fitness ac-
°',,:1-
c-
r 1' ltivtty..Bicycling then was
. y fyl feat least a good
Ix) get .axoorid•
Many adults today are now
looking for a non -injurious
means of exercising- their
overfed and underexercised
persons. Bicycling is an
excellent means of
developing fitness. It can
also be an excellent form of
therapy for injuries suffered
in other, less gentle forms of
physical activity. Here are
some guidelines as
developed by the experts ink
cycling in Ontario, The
Ontario Cycling Association.
If you haven't ridden
regularly fpr a while, begin
with one -half-hour rides
every other day or three
times a week. Your new
cycling muscles ( not to
mention your posterior) will
appreciate the 48 hour
recovery period. As your
body becomes more ac-
customed to the exercise you
can begin to increase both
time and distance.
Don't equate pushing hard
eathe pedals in top gear with
a .goo(l. workout. Instead
learn to pedal quickly in a
lower gear at about 10 9 95
revolutions of each pedal per
minute. The higher cadence
avoids the possibility of knee
injury through over exertion.
To derive the maximum
benefit from your exercise it
is desirable to maintain a
constant pace, with as few
stops as possible. in
congested urban conditions
this is difficult. Try to select
a circuit on paved rural side
roads or lightly travelled
residental streets. Distance
canrange from 3 km to. 40.
km, depending on how much
you enjoy the changing
scenery.
Bicycling is a sport for all
seasons. Although winter
may deter all but the hardy
enthusiast, spring and fall
bicycling is often more
comfortable than in the
extreme heat of summer.
Special clothing is not
essential. For fall and spring
gloves, toque, pants, a turtle
neck and a tracksuit top
would be suitable for most
conditions, while a wind -
POW in the
bike Weald be. a goad in-
surance
n-siwaac a against a COW map -
For gunmen shorts and
tee -.shit are the order of the
day,. tasgtr With a track
suit top carried on the bike
for cool spells. Sleeveless
- tops and topless riding are to
be avoided as the hack and
shoulders burn im-
perceptibly and very quickly
tea bike.
Stiff , soled sneakers or
shies should be worn when
bicycling, never sandals.
Custom bicycling clothing,
available in most bike stores
will add convenience,
comfort, style and colour to -
your ride. Long and short
sleeved jerseys with con-
veniently located pockets
are cut long in the back so
they will not ride up your
back as you lean over the
handle bars. Shorts made in
black to disguise inevitable
smears and stains, have a
special chamois lined seat
designed to provide more
comfort on long rides than
regular underwear.
Special bicycling shoes are
also available. They are cut
narrow to fit narrow pedals
Windsurfing has captured the adventuresome spirit of many young people at Bayfield.
Even watching this sport from the shoreline is fun. (Shelley McPhee photo)
and often . , !Vonlitalion
holes p' ndu mthe leathern
a,boonon a hot day, though
lees desirable in spring and
Although the chances of
suffering head injuries in a
bicycling accident are not
high, injuries suffered can be
serious if you are unlucky
enough to land on your head
t'or this reason really
riders choose to wear
protective head gear. A
variety of helmets are now
available in the marketplace
in the $30 - $Oil range. When
selecting protective
headgear make sure that you
look at bicycling helmets.
Hockey or football helmets
are not only unsuitable
protection, against impact,
but their visors and
faceguards increase the
chances of having an ace
c ide nt by virtue of their
tendency to limit the
wearer's field of vision.
While cycling on a hot
summer day, you can easily
lose, through perspiration,
as much as two quarts of
water per hour and not even
feel thirsty until several
quarts later. Drink before
you begin to feel thirsty.
Fruit drinks or electrolyte
replacement beverages such
as 3atorade or E.R.G. are
preferred over full strength
fruit juices, carbonated soft
drink or drinks containing
caffeine or alcohol.
As your cycle riding
distance increases beyond 40
km, you may begin to feel
hungry. You don't need extra
protein whose energy sap-'
ping absorption will tax your
digestive syr. Yoh) do
need extra carbohydtaties in
the form of , potatoes,
rice p
adding,feeshaand dried
fruits, and otherenergy-rich
snacks.
Try to avoid candies and
sugary foods as they force
the pancreas to secrete in-
sulin to balance the blood
sugar level. When the
pancreas ovemecretes (as it
occasionally will) you will
experience a horrible
tiredness that cyclists call
"the beak" and physicians
call "hypoglycemia".
In general, a balanced diet
will supply you with
adequate amounts of salt but
in order to replace
potassium, eat bananas
regularly. Above all on a
long ride, remember to eat
before you get hungry.
Apart from items which
can be carried in your jacket
or jersey pockets it is
preferable to carry on the
bike any other items you
wish to bring with you. For
this purpose bags which
strap on your handlebars or
seat, or panniers which strap
on your rear carriers, are
readily- available in most
bike stores.
If your travels take you
more than eight km from
home you would be well
advised to take a pump, tire
irons, a patching kit, and a
crescent wrench along with
you in case of a flat or
mechanical problems. A
waterproof cape or rainsuit
would also be useful if you
expect wet conditions.
A word of wanting for
those who have never ridden
141•
on wet roads without feridere
-ddon't Wesson don't mind°
getting very wet. You will be
soaked not only by what is
conning down from above
and from traffic passing by,
but you will also get
showered by the muck
thrown up by yourown
wheels. If you plan to ride in
the rain get a good pair of
fenders.
Keep a written record of
your progress. A calendar
with a block for each day will
do for recording kiloometrage
or time and will allow,; on to
calculate the weeks'
if you're the r who
needs outside en-
couragement, cycle with a
Mend, a group or a club, or
participate In the
Mile Achiever Program (0,
MAP). C -MAP provides a
bar graph calendar, keeps
track of your progress and
provides achievement
awards at the end of the
season , for different
categories of distances.
Club cycling can offer
comradeship, friendly
competition and technical
advice. In a cycling club you
will be introduced to touring
routes and riding techniques
that would otherwise have
remained unknown to you,
and you will learn the
benefits of safety in num-
bers. There are bicycle clubs
all over Ontario.
To find out about dubs in
your area, and other cycling
information, contact the
Ontario Cycling Association,
1220 Sheppard Avenue East,
Willowdale, Ontario M2K
2X1, (416) 4954141.
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•