7 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Cycling!

We’ve been lucky enough to ride our bike around the world at some of the sport’s biggest races. It’s been one heck of a journey but if you go all the way back to the start, there are a few things we’d definitely wish to tell ourselves…in this video, we list a few of those words of wisdom!

Useful Links:

0:00 - Intro
0:33 - Descending is Fun!
1:17 - Bonking Is Not Fun!
2:07 - How To Fix A Puncture
2:38 - Drafting Skills
3:06 - Riding At Night
3:42 - Gravel Is Great
4:42 - Racing is not essential

Watch more on GCN...

🎵 Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound 🎵
Deepwaters - dreem
Future Daze - Major Tweaks
About to Head Out - Dylan Sitts

#gcn #cycling #roadbike

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[gcn]

What is the one thing you wish you had known before you started cycling? Let us know 👇

[prestachuck]

When I started cycling, I wish I could have understood just how short life is, that age would inevitably slow me down by a tremendous amount one day, and that those forty plus years would pass in the blink of an eye.

[cvrowe]

My only true bonk came after I led a club ride that started and finished about ten miles from the edge of my town. I rode out and led the ride, and was escorting the woman who was the last rider back in. I could feel my energy diminishing and was trying to figure out how to ask the woman--whom I had never met--if she'd give me a lift back into town. But right before we got to her car, she said, "I can't believe you rode out here and led the ride and now you're riding back! You're so strong!" What else could I do? I said, "Shucks, it's nothing." Cut to over an hour later and I'm standing at the counter of a Wendy's on the outer ring road with a baked potato in each hand, frightening the other diners with the sounds I was making.

[andreweeley]

Wish I'd known it takes 4hrs to get ready for a 1hr ride! 😂

[kevin._.farren]

Some classics: don’t wear underwear with bibs, don’t tuck your jersey into your shorts, chamois cream for long rides, unclip a bit early before stopping if new to clipless, don’t be afraid to join a group ride, and have fun above everything else.

[crbondur]

Knowing how to fix a puncture is VERY important. I remember riding with some friends and coming on a gent with a flat. He had the gear to fix it, but he didn't know how to do it. So, with one of our group taking the lead, we had an impromptu class on fixing a flat right there on the road side. :)

[noragee]

What I wish I'd known before is that cycling is actually fun and if not, it's probably just because of the wrong bike you ride. I started loving it in 2021 when I experienced the right bikes for me (first a mountain bike, than a gravel and now also a road bike). Before that time I was not the biggest fan of cycling. I felt too slow, bike was too heavy, it was exhausting and I hated every ascent. Now I'm sitting here, planning tours for spring/summer and can't wait to ride outside again.

[marcusantonyledulx]

I met an 80 year old who toured all of Australia's Desert Trails. Jim's ability & role modelling has kept me riding 22000 km per year at age 65. Age may be slower but endurance riding improves

[Kim_Miller]

It's hard to think of stuff before I started cycling which was about age 4 back in the early 1950s. I was youngest of three brothers across 7 years. When it was time for the eldest to get a larger bike we all moved up one. We cycled everywhere in our small country town in the middle of NSW, Australia which was mostly gravel streets and cathead thorns. I learnt early to fix punctures, which then was with a hot vulcanising patch with a metal tray that was clamped onto the tube and set alight to fuse it together. We had to learn that you don't fix a flat when the side of the road is all dry grass.

[elp]

As a long time mtn biker I never imagined how much joy I was missing not road riding! 7 years into RR and it’s added so much to my overall skills!!!

[saddleweary]

How quick youth leaves you behind. One day I woke up and it was gone. I would've rode harder if I'd known

[scottsmith]

I wish I had a better concept of the maintenance side. The minutes per mile of maintenance time required, the tools, the little workshop space, the stuff that wears out.

[CastleKnight]

I always carry a spare inner tube. It’s much easier and faster to change and when I get home I repair the punctured inner tube.

[mileslong]

Funny story about riding at night: a factory rat buddy and I rode for 6 days around the state of Michigan. Century rides every day but one. Last day, we were so close to home we decided to continue riding into the night. My buddy took the lead, since he had a “dynamo light” (remember those?). I get a flat. No flashlight. Buddy spins his front wheel, so I can see what I’m doing as I repair the flat. This was back in the early 70s, our first attempt at touring. A lot of fun, but a lot we had to learn,

[cmarnold]

After 15 years as a mountain biker, I wish I had known how awesome fun and fast road cycling was. Just started in the last six months with my first road bike and now have fully turned to the dark side, come summer the legs are going to get shaved

[GCNTraining]

If any new cyclists are looking for some great workouts, we are over here 🙌... Also, FIRST!

[geoffreyhoney]

Another awesome video Manon and Conor! Love the thread of pur FUN throughout! Great points! Agree with descending and gravel particularly. To those I would add that I wish I knew that for most purposes, flats are as good as 'clipless '! (Great gcn video confirming what I learned from hard experience! Or also that you can use a mountain bike shoe without the cleat for foot support on a flat pedal with good pegs and get best of all worlds! Great content gcn! Keep it coming please.

[lightningll]

Always looked after my fuel even back in the late 70's when I started racing so I never felt what bonking is like, but I have seen the effects of it with other riders. And as far as flats grab a new wheel and let the mechanic glue on a new tub. As far as going down hill just get in the Tim Tuck AKA super tuck and hit 74 MPH.

[scottmandel]

Nothing like bonking about 30 miles from home :) - kind of amazed how eventually you can ride your way out of it though with a little food & drink

[justsomedude]

I had such a bonk once where I forgot to put some electrolytes in my bottles and the temps were super high and very humid. I was so cramped up, I could barely pedal. I started for the call of shame, but I said no, I am going to make it home. I ended up adding additional miles to eliminate taking roads where I would go have inclines. Even the smallest bump was causing me issues. I've never done that again.