Sheldon Brown, (1944 - 2008) world renown for generously giving his expert cycling knowledge and guidance to cyclists everywhere (sheldonbrown.com) has passed on into the great cycling land in the sky. His may have left us physically but his memory will live on.

I would like to offer my personal condolences to his family, friends and all of my fellow cyclists who have been touched by Sheldon. Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Sheldon I felt that I knew something of the man from reading his articles and admiring his photography, and I have relied on Sheldon’s cycling wisdom and experience for nearly a decade and I will genuinely miss his gift of sharing his passion for cycling, his keen sense of humor and his interesting wit.

May you rest in peace and enjoy the great gig in the sky!

Gary

(See part one for the start of this article)

Let’s talk about gear

1. Bike _{($350 - $500 for a starter bike)}
I highly recommend staying with a quality name brand for your first bike, Trek, Specialized and Cannondale make very nice entry level bikes in the $350.00 to $500.00 range and they hold their value well if you take care of the bike.

But what type of bike should I get? If you find yourself asking this question it means you probably haven’t discovered what style of riding you prefer just yet and that’s ok. Let’s briefly cover the various types of standard bicycles and their uses, you should be able to determine the best type of bike based on your preferences:

Comfort: Comfort bikes built for exactly what you would expect from the name, comfort. They feature an upright riding position, fat low pressure tires, great stability, a cushy seat (usually) and a smooth ride. Some even have suspension. These bikes are cruiser’s; slow, stable and comfortable.

Mountain: Mountain bikes are considerably more rugged than the other types of bikes, they are built to hop over logs, fjord streams and hold up under steep drops and jarring terrain. They feature an upright riding position, great stability, knobby low-medium pressure tires, a standard seat and a hard ride (unless they are equipped with suspension.) This style of bike is great for off road use but riding this type of bike on a trails means the knobby tires will generate considerable friction and will slow you down about 2 mph (about 20%) on average.

Road: Road bikes are like the Ferrari’s of the cycling world, the are fast and sleek! They feature a tucked riding position (a bent over and more aerodynamic style of riding,) thin high pressure road tires, agility at the expense of stability, a hard racing style seat and varying degrees of ride hardness. This style of bike is perfect for people who ride on paved surfaces and who want to push themselves beyond average exertion levels or get move faster. Road bikes are suitable for most types of riding but are down right dangerous on gravel and other “loose fill” off road surfaces. Road bikes are also less rugged and can be damaged more easily by rough terrain or jarring pot holes.

Touring: The SVU of the bicycle world - Touring bikes are a special style of bicycle that feature the ruggedness of a mountain bike with the sleekness and performance of a road bike. A tucked riding position, longer wheelbase (to improve stability and create room for panniers,) medium width high pressure tires, a touring seat, medium hard ride, rugged brakes and gear shifters for extended use and special additions such as rack braze-ons for mounting touring racks and extra water bottles are standard on a touring bike. Touring bikes make excellent road and hard surfaced trail bikes but they are designed for a special purpose, unless you plan on extended touring your money is better spent on a more general purpose bike.

I still don’t know which one I should pick!
If this is the case then common knowledge suggests that you should buy a mountain bike, I would like to depart from common wisdom just a bit and add a caveat to that recommendation. If you know you will only ever ride on trails and you are only interested in comfort riding then you should probably purchase a comfort bike. Otherwise a mountain bike should work just fine. You can always swap the knobby tires on a mountain bike for trail tires, I did this on my first medium distance touring bike and it worked well.

2. Helmet _{($40 - $80.00)}
Selecting a helmet is a straight forward process, first off make sure that the helmet is approved for safety by the CPSC (it will have a little sticker on the inside.) Next you should make sure it fits snugly but not to tight, lastly you should chose a color that can be seen by cars at a distance… and if you must chose the day-glo pink helmet with flames so be it.

3. Mirror _{($20-$40.00 helmet or handlebar mount)}
Personally I prefer a handlebar mount mirror though I know others who swear by their helmet mount mirrors. The big advantage to a helmet mirror is that you can turn your head and control where you can see behind you, the downside is that they are very easy to lose because they stick out of your helmet and are easily bumped and knocked loose. A handlebar mounted mirror stays attached and is akin to a mirror on your car, it also has a larger viewing surface. This also means you can’t lay your bike down on the mirror side however.

4. 2 Water bottles _{($10 - $15.00, a good bottle costs about $6.00, see below…)}
But isn’t this really a no brainer Gary? Well, yes and no, do you want to put ice in your bottle? do you want a thermal bottle that keeps your Gatorade cold longer or your cocoa hot longer? I like big mouthed, insulated water bottles because I ride in all kinds of weather and like to add ice cubes. Polar water bottles are the best I’ve found so far…

5. Cycling Gloves _($30.00)
After you’ve been riding for a while you’ll inevitably take on that first 20 mile ride, if you make the mistake of not wearing gloves your palms will soon teach you that “Thou shalt wear gloves” when cycling. They also provide a lot of protection should you take a tumble and they also keep the sun off in the summer and the cold out in the cooler months. If you ride heavy on your hands and you find your fingers getting numb you might try using gel lined gloves, they add a little more shock absorption and work for a lot of people.

6. Cycle Computer _{($30 - $75.00)}
We all want to know how fast we are going right? And we probably would like to know how far we went as well… Cycle computers have came a long way in the last 20 years, they can now tell you things such as: max speed, average speed, pedaling cadence; trip time etc… This is where your tech geekiness gets to shine… You know the old saying, he who has the most toys wins! (Well, some people say that!) (See image of the Mirror above, you can spot my cycle computer near the stem of the handlebars)

7. Frame Pump _($35.00)
8. Patch kit _($5.00)
9. Under seat bag _{($25.00 for holding tools and spare tubes)}
10. 2 quality Spare tubes _{($10.00 2x$5.00)}

I grouped these 4 items together because in my mind they form the basis of a necessary tool and repair set for any serious cyclist. If you spend enough time cycling you will get a flat tire and screws and bolts will come loose. Better to be able to fix them on the fly than to have to push your bike 10 or more miles! Again, choose quality every time and verify that the pump can generate the pressure needed for you tires and that it is the right type (road vs. mountain, high pressure vs. low,) cheap discount store pumps have been known to fall a part on the first use, 15 miles into a 30 mile loop is no time to find out that you bought junk. You can take my advice on this one or learn the hard way…

11. Cycling Shorts _{($50 -$100.00)}
You may immediately think, No Way! You will NEVER catch me in those things! I said that too… in fact almost everyone who wears bicycle shorts today once said those words… this is a place wear swallowing your foolish pride and acting in a pragmatic manner really pay off. If you get a sore tush when you ride, then cycling shorts will help you more than any other item you can buy, including saddles! If you give them a try I can almost promise you will never ride without them again… The choice is yours…

12. Cycling Jersey _{($50 - $100.00)}
Ok, so this one is easier to swallow right? But why spend $50 or more when you can just wear a tee shirt? A Cycling jersey is a piece of technical clothing, it will wick your sweat away from your body, dry very quickly, protect you from sun burn, cool you in the heat, warm you in the winter and the zippers and rear pockets are just plain convenient. Again, you just need to give these a try, there is a very good reason serious cyclists wear cycling shorts and jerseys… and yes, we know that they sometimes look goofy as heck, but personal taste can never be accounted for. You don’t have to look like a goof unless you really want to

13. Multi-tool _($50.00)
Park, Pedros and Alien make excellent cycling multi tools, Allen wrench’s are essential and screw drivers can come in handy as well when your bike breaks down.

14. Cycling Glasses _{($40.00 - $150.00)}
Someday I will write an entire article on the virtue of cycling glasses, but for now I’ll just say that a decent pair of cycling specific glasses can make your time on the bike more comfortable and safer. Aside of keeping dust, dirt, bugs and other potentially dangerous flying debris out of your eyes, cycling glasses are specifically made to deflect wind away from your eyes (your eyes will dry out amazingly fast on a bike)  and will have soft nose-bridge and temple pieces. Polarized lens are an excellent investment if you can afford them and amber tinted lens will really bring out the details in terrain. Many cycling glasses also feature an exchangeable lens system and usually have 3 sets of lens; clear(for dark and low light riding,) amber (for high contrast vision) and dark (for those really sunny days.)

14) Gore-tex Windbreaker _($100.00)
For most people this item may seem a little overkill but again it can make the difference between a great ride and a ruined ride. If it rains or if the temperature suddenly drops and you have one of these babies along no problem! I have found that my Gortex jacket can moderate temperatures over an amazing range… While cycling in 65F weather one day a sudden rain shower hit, the rain felt ice cold and I began shivering immediately, within minutes of donning my Gortex jacket I was once again perfectly comfortable and able to continue my ride in comfort. Likewise for those cold windy days when the wind blows right through you. Adding that simple thin Gortex layer can make a huge difference.

15. Cycling Shoes & pedals _{($165.00 - $500.00)}
I saved this one for last, personally I can’t imagine riding without my Sidi Dominator shoes. If you are truly serious about cycling then a good pair of cycling shoes and matching pedals can make your life more comfortable. Basically cycling shoes have a rigid sole that allows you to transfer more power to each pedal stroke, while also allowing you to pull up on each stroke with the non pushing foot, theoretically this makes you more efficient however the jury is still out on the science of it all. After several years of riding with cycling shoes I can say with confidence that they make a considerable difference. There is also another big advantage, cycling shoes generally fit much better than street shoes, they have to fit better to prevent blisters… but be aware, you need to select cycling shoes with care, they should be slightly over sized when your feet are cool and while you are wearing a quality cycling or sport sock (your feet will swell on the bike) and they should have at least 2 adjustment points over the bridge of your foot, three is better…

In conclusion
I know I covered these items quickly and briefly in this article but it is an easy matter to find a wealth of specific information on each of the above mentioned items by simply searching on the item in Google, Yahoo or MSN search. If you have any questions of if you’d like me to cover an item in more detail just drop me a line and let me know…

Happy Trails!

Gary
www.rollingroads.com

How Much?
First off a reasonable question, How much will this cost me? The answer is that it depends, it depends on your tastes, your budget and your level of riding. For a recreational rider who goes on a 10 mile ride 3 times per week the following items are sufficient and appropiate:

1. Bike ($350 - $500 for a starter bike)
2. Helmet ($40 - $80.00)
3. Frame Pump ($35.00)
4. Patch kit ($5.00)
5. 2 quality Spare tubes ($10.00 2x$5.00)
6. Cycling Gloves ($20.00)
7. 2 Water bottles ($10 - $15.00, a good bottle costs about $6.00, see below…)
8. Glasses (Use what you have to get started)

_{*Prices stated are for reasonable middle of the road items, you would be much better off buying quality items from a bike shop as opposed to cheaper items from a department store. Department store items are less expensive but also of a notoriously poor quality.}

So for a beginning recreational cyclist the cost of entry into the sport of cycling will be between $470.00 and $665.00 You can of course start out with just a bike, a pair of gardening gloves, an old football helmet, a tee short and and a pair of Levis (I’ve also seen John Deere caps, Dickeys and street shoes, it was quite a site!) but then you will look like a complete dweeb, if it floats your boat more power to you but my guess is you’ll be a minority of 1.

In all seriousness, you can start out with just a bike, a pair of shorts, a tee shirt and a bottle of water from your local gas station, and that isn’t a bad idea if you may only ride 3 times a year (or if you just aren’t sure if you’ll like this cycling stuff.) But I strongly recommend that you at least beg, borrow or buy a helmet, even at slow speeds head trauma can cause life changing and even fatal injuries.

I’ve been riding a while, now what?
Ok, so you’ve been riding for a little while and you really enjoy being on your bike, you’ve seen the other cyclists on the trail or road and have discovered that they come in all sizes and shapes. You’ve also noticed that there is a wide variety of color schemes and flashy clothing to choose from, but where do you start?

The following provides a list of items that you should definitely consider purchasing, we will then dig in a bit more and discuss each items… I have ranked the list in the order of items I deem as most essential, this is also the order that I would purchase the items in if I couldn’t afford to buy them all at once.

For recreational, fitness and enthusiast riders who ride; more than 5 miles or 1 hour per ride and 3 or more times per week:

1. Bike ($350 - $500 for a starter bike)
2. Helmet ($40 - $80.00)
3. Mirror ($20-$40.00 helmet or handlebar mount)
4. 2 Water bottles ($10 - $15.00, a good bottle costs about $6.00, see below…)
5. Cycling Gloves ($30.00)
6. Cycle Computer ($30 - $75.00)
7. Frame Pump ($35.00)
8. Patch kit ($5.00)
9. Under seat bag ($25.00 for holding tools and spare tubes)
10. 2 quality Spare tubes ($10.00 2x$5.00)
11. Cycling Shorts ($50 -$100.00)
12. Cycling Jersey ($50 - $100.00)
13. Multi-tool ($50.00)
14. Cycling Glasses ($40.00 - $150.00)
15. Gore-tex Windbreaker ($100.00)
16) Cycling Shoes & pedals ($165.00 - $500.00)

_{*Prices stated are for reasonable middle of the road items, most of these items will only be available through a bike shop or mail order catalog. Purchase the best quality you can afford.}

In Part II we’ll talk about Gear

Go to Part II

_{Side Note: Joe Kurmaskie AKA The Metal Cowboy is Gary’s business partner in Rolling Roads, the founder of Camp Creative and a best selling author of adventure cycling books. Gary is also Joe’s webmaster and will be updating metalcowboy.com while they are on the road.}

They will be riding across Canada from West to East starting in British Columbia and eventually finding their way to Nova Scotia sometime in September. They originally started out of a 3 seat tandem bicycle pulling a trial-a-bike with a trailer attached behind that! However they soon decided that they needed to downsize the 3 seat tandem for safety reasons.

Have a look at the monstrosity they will be pedaling Across Canada!
_{Click on a picture for a larger image}

Original Triple Tandem with Trail-a-bike and trailer

Downsized Tandem with Trail-a-bike and Trailer.

Beth’s New Wheels! (Note the panniers)

To read more about this epic adventure I recommend that you check out the following links.

• Metal Cowboy Website
• Metal Cowboy Mayhem _{(Metal Cowboy Blog)}
• Metal Cowboy Image Gallery
• Bicycling Magazine
• KGW TV Feature Story video (Portland, OR)

I wish the whole Metal Cowboy Clan a safe and happy adventure!

Gary

Ok, you may be wondering what this has to do with bicycle touring and what I mean is this, and think very hard about this question; What is the longest period of time that you have ever went without going indoors? And I mean without going in doors at all, not to get a candy bar at a gas station, not to use a restroom, not going indoors for any reason. 

My longest time period without going indoors is 6 1/2 days, it happened when Dad and I took our first Boundary Waters Wilderness Canoe trip in 2004, we paddled off early on a Monday morning and were in the woods and completely out of doors, without electricity or running water until the following Sunday afternoon. 

When I thought about it a bit more I couldn't come up with any other times in my life where I had spent more than 2 or 3 days out of doors, the only other time I spent that much time out of doors was during a stint in the active Army, we bivouacked for a week, but even then we made it indoors to the commissary a couple of times for snacks and a shower. Beyond that there were few exceptions where I didn't get inside at least once every 2 days or so.

By the standards of the Canoe Trip I mentioned above my 5 week cycling adventure will be tame in the out-of-doors aspect. I'll probably be indoors a couple of times a day, to eat lunch or buy a Gatorade. The surprising thing to me is how even those few minutes indoors tint our experience of the outdoors, those few simple minutes at the camp shower house or that hour spent in some remote diner give us a sense of safety and comfort that simply doesn't exist in the remote wilderness.

If you ever get the chance to escape the indoors for an extended period of time I recommend you take it, on the one hand it makes us appreciate what we have and on the other it makes us realize that we way over complicate our lives with possessions and toys, there is a certain joy and contentment in simplicity, one you'll never experience if you don't spend some extended time genuinely out-of-doors.

Next Stop North Dakota!

Gary 

www.rollingroads.com 

Walden - Henry David Thoreau
Called the grandfather of transcendentalism, Thoreau built a cabin in the Walden woods of Concord, MA where he lived alone for 2 years in the mid 1800’s. His goal was to discover just how little one really needed to survive and be happy. You might say he wanted to disspell the idea of “keeping up with the Jones.” It’s a grand adventure and also a lesson in life, if you are even a little concerned that the world we live in may be spiraling down an ever worsening path you may find some solace in Thoreau’s words, I did.

Roughing It - Mark Twain
Another wonderful story of adventure, in this autobiographical work you will meet the real Samuel Clemons, you probably never knew old Mark was such a cool guy!

A Walk Across America - Peter Jenkins*
In the early 70’s Peter and his dog Cooper started a walk across America, his goal was to rediscover America. Saddened by the war in Vietnam and the protests that went with it he set out to discover the “good” in America and he found way more than he ever hoped for. (This book created the notion to take a personal grand adventure!)

Metal Cowboy - Joe Kurmaskie
When I read this book everything clicked into place in my head, it gave me the mechanism to complete my own grand adventure, my own Walk Across America and my own Walden! I owe you one Joe! Here is a snippet from the first chapter of Metal Cowboy where you will learn how he got his nickname! (You can read the whole chapter here)

“Metal Cowboy”
“Tales from the Road Less Pedaled”

Chapter 1
Oh, to Be Young and Go Very, Very Fast

The Handsomest Man in Cuba - Lynette Chiang
Lynette is friend of mine, she has been all over the world on her Bike Friday (she works for them as a customer evangelist!) and has a million stories! This, her first book, is about a bicycle tour she did of Cuba. I very much enjoyed reading about her journey and she is a great writer, I had a hard time putting the book down but even more than the stories (which are sometimes funny, sometimes deep, sometimes scary and sometimes blunt) I was impressed with her openness, Lynette isn’t afraid to share her inner feelings. It was also interesting to get a glimpse of bicycle travel from a womans perspective, as a stocky guy I never really worry about danger on the road but imagine what it must be like for a 4′11″, sub 100lb gal riding around Cuba with every penny she has in her panniers! This is one brave gal! (She was also voted “Rugged Individualist” by Forbes Magazine in 2005)

True North - George Erickson
Exploring the Great Canadian Wilderness by Bush Plane, George is an adventurer of the highest order and a wonderful writer! He’s also a great guy! If you have ever dreamed of being a float plane pilot then read this book! It’s been months since I have read this book and still think back to it at least once a week. If you have ever dreamed of exploring Northern Canada and Alaska, then read this book!

Other Titles
Below I will just list titles without a narrative explanation, but take my word for it, all of these books provide wonderful adventures!

Momentum is your Friend - Joe Kurmaskie
Riding Between The Lines - Joe Kurmaskie
Into the Wild - John Krakauer*
A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf- John Muir*
The Yosemite - John Muir*
Wild America - Peterson & Fisher*
Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage* - Alfred Lansing
As Told at The Explorers Club* - George Plimpton, Et Al

Books by Peter Jenkins - Amazon Search Page*
The Walk West - Peter Jenkins
Along the edge of America - Peter Jenkins

* Click on this links to purchase these books from Amazon
Autographed editions of Joe Kurmaskie and Lynette Chiang’s books are available at www.metalcowboy.com

I’ll add more to this at a later date, and feel free to make your own suggestions!

Enjoy,

Gary

There are more times than I can count or remember where I have seen people out riding who were obviously cycling neophytes. You see them coming from a mile away, you notice them because their knees are pumping wildly up and down and usually their shoulders rock back and forth. Once you get close to these folks they invariably have a look of disdain and discomfort on their faces, and viola, their saddle is inches too low! To an experienced cyclist this is a sure mark of a cycling newbie, the only thing that screams Newbie more is the dreaded Rookie Mark (AKA Chainring Tattoo.)

It’s a fact that bicycle saddle height can quite literally mean the difference between a life time of comfortable and pleasant riding and a short lived love affair with your bicycle.

But let’s first discuss the difference between a bicycle seat and a bicycle saddle. Some folks (myself included) call a road, mountain or comfort bicycle seat a “saddle,” this is because when riding these types of bikes much of your weight is supported by your hands and legs as well as your posterior on the saddle, hence you are straddling the bicycle much like you would straddle a horse. On a recumbent bicycle things are situated just a little differently, you are literally in a “seated” position and all of your weight is supported by your posterior on the seat. This article will discuss saddle adjustment for road and comfort bicycles that use saddles only.

If you think back to when you were a little kid you probably adjusted your saddle height so that both feet could be placed flat on the ground. The idea obviously being that when we stop we can put a foot down and not have to get off the seat, or perhaps we did this because we believed that we might be able to prevent a crash.

I am here to tell you that there are only three good reasons to adjust a bicycle saddle like this;

1) Bikes for small children - this method is very helpful for very small children just learning to ride because the child can easily put their feet down to prevent a fall.

2) Mountain Bikes - on a mountain bike there are times when it is safer to have lower saddle height for safety and agility reasons. We won’t be discussing mountain bike saddles in this article.

3) Banana seat bicycles - this bicycle type is strictly a “don’t I look cool” bike and is in no way an efficient choice for anyone seriously considering riding over 2 or 3 miles (I’ll explain why in just a minute.)

Those of us who have been cycling for a while and who take it fairly seriously learn from friends and other riders that we should adjust our saddles so that, when seated on the bike in a normal riding position each leg is almost straight when the pedal is at the bottom of it’s rotation arc.

The reason for this is two fold and is based on scientific studies completed on elite level athletes and recreational riders alike:

1) Extending the leg to near it’s full extension length generates much more power to the pedals and is the most efficient way for a human leg to pedal. The largest muscles of the legs and gluteus are doing most of the work. (think pushing down and pulling up, the motion is also akin to walking.)

2) Much less stress is placed on the knees. (when peddling with a low saddle height you are peddling via the knees and are performing a scissor action, the knees are delivering most of the power and taking most of the stress)

Ok, so lets go back to our childhood when we had the seats adjusted way down low, you’ll remember that while pedaling your knees would rise up to near handle bar level or higher and if you pedaled up a hill it really hurt! You might have even hit your chin with you knees a few times! The idea of riding 5 miles brought fear to many of us, but some of us did ride those distances in this poor position, and we paid dearly for days with aching legs! Without knowing it we were killing our knees and making our muscles fight each other… Cycling any distance like this simply isn’t enjoyable!

But there is a better way! 

So without further ado, here is a step by step method to adjust your saddle height for maximum comfort and maximum peddling efficiency:

1) Dress in your usual cycling clothes and put on your usual cycling shoes.

2) Mount the bike and get into a comfortable riding position, you can position your bike in a doorway or near a wall and use one hand to hold yourself upright, or better yet have a friend hold the big upright by the handle bars, they should also observe as you peddle and look for the rocking motion mentioned in step 7.

3) If you normally wear a cycling jersey place a handful of loose change in your jersey cycling pockets.

4) If you use clipless pedals, click into your pedals, otherwise place the balls of your feet over the pedal axles.

5) Rotate the right pedal until it is at the bottom of it rotational stroke.

6) When adjusted properly your knee should be bent at an angle of approximately 20 degrees. Once you have this set proceed to step 7   

7) Pedal backwards at a moderately slow pace (about 30-40 rpms,) your hips should not rock and your leg should be nearly straight when the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke. If you are wearing a jersey and have placed the coins in the pockets as described in step 3 you will hear the change gangling if your hips are rocking while pedaling, this means your saddle is to High.

Go for a ride of several miles, your legs will need time to adjust to this new position but you should notice a difference (it will be MUCH easier to pedal) immediately.

Over the course of several days make small adjustments to your saddle height to find the most comfortable height for your style of riding. Make adjustments in ¼” increments and always allow several miles or even better several days of riding between adjustments, your legs need time to be acclimated to each new position.

Notes:
1) As your riding level advances you may find that raising your saddle a bit more will give you added efficiency. My thoughts on this are that as your legs get into better condition your legs are able to extend more efficiently and thus you gain a fraction of an inch in usable leg length, however, you must be very careful, if your knees begin to hurt chances are you have raised your saddle to high.

2) Saddle Tilt Angle – Women are usually more comfortable when their saddles are adjusted so that the nose of the saddle and the rear of the saddle are level or slightly nose down, generally no one likes a saddle where the nose slopes down noticeably since you will continually feel like you are sliding down off the saddle. Men on the other hand often prefer to have the nose slightly higher than the rear of the saddle. (Google “bicycle saddle angle” for more info)

So take what have learned, adjust that saddle and take a ride! Your legs and posterior will thank you and you will no longer look like a newb!

Until next time, enjoy your bike and spread the word!
Gary

I can't count the number of times that people have replied in astonishment when I tell them that I used to live in Nebraska and that in my opinion, on a per capita basis the cycling comes close to many Western cities in America.

And many people aren't aware of this fact but there are a lot of great cycling opportunities in Eastern Nebraska. For instance, in the greater Omaha area there are over 60 miles of bike lane and more than 180 miles of off road bicycle trails (almost all are paved,) and this number grows yearly. And with only a few exceptions the surface streets are very ridable, there is a large cycling population in Omaha so people are fairly used to sharing the road with an occasional cyclist.

But lets face it, the word cycling generally doesn't come to mind when people hear the name Omaha or Nebraska (Omaha Beef, The Corn Huskers, Ameritrade and Con Agra spring to mind) but that’s probably because they have never visited this oasis in the middle of an otherwise lightly populated farming and grassy plains region. It truly is a hidden gem, the people are friendly, the steaks are delicious ("The Drover" is my favorite steak house bar none, try the Whiskey Filet! many others seem to prefer the "Omaha Prime") and the Omaha cycling community is alive and well and growing constantly.

First however, be ready for the wind, they don't have the mountains or forests of the western U.S. but they make up for this shortcoming in wind. Most riding in the area is over flat to gently rolling terrain with an occasional monster hill thrown in for good measure but the wind is a constant companion.

Summer winds along city trails average about 10mph and are predominantly from the south (varying from southwest to southeast quite regularly.)
Note: I’m providing this information based on several years of personal record keeping, local weather information may contradict this data but you can trust my numbers, weather stations aren’t generally out in the open as are the trails. When riding on the rail trails mentioned below you will be sheltered from the wind much of the time, but not all.

Rail Trail Paradise
The area also has several notable Rail Trails, I'll mention a few of the more popular ones here:

Wabash Trace (length: 62 miles)
Across the river (approximately 5 miles SE from downtown Omaha) to the south east lies the northern trail head of the Wabash Trace rail trail. A 62 mile long scenic stretch running from Council Bluffs, IA south to Coin, IA. There are several old railroad bridges and quaint parks (perfect for an afternoon picnic) along the trail and small towns about every 10 or so miles, many of which offer food and beverages.

Be sure to stop in Malvern (about 22 miles from the Council Bluffs trail head) to relax in the shade of the quaint gazebo in the town park (adjacent to the trail.) If you’re hungry or just want a tasty ice cream treat, Pats (directly across the street from the park) is a favorite stop among local trail riders. Don’t forget to fill up on great tasting, ice cold water which is available from the hand spigot in the park.

In the summer the northern most section of trail is home to the Thursday night Taco Ride, anyone who shows up at the Council Bluffs trail head (normally between 5:00pm and 6:00pm) can ride with the group to the town tavern (they call it a steak house) in Mineola, IA (the Tavern is about 2 blocks west of the trail head.) The feel of this ride sometimes approaches that of a mini RAGBRAI, it may not be suitable as a family ride but couples and singles will have a ball.

Steamboat Trace (Length: 21 miles)
A scenic river valley trail located approximately 45 miles south of Omaha, the surface is made of hardened limestone screenings and is mostly flat, in some areas the riding will be through open wetlands or prairies and in other parts the trail hugs very scenic river bluffs. Middle sections of the trail can be rather rough and even dangerous at times due to washouts from flooding, check before you ride to make sure the trail is passable in the sections you plan to visit. When the trail is in good shape this is a very scenic and pleasant ride!

MoPac Trail (Length: 25 Miles)
Yet another gem of a rail trail within an hours drive of Omaha, running from Lincoln, NE to Wabash, NE the 25-mile crushed limestone trail passes through areas featuring a blend of prairie, woodland and agricultural scenery along a former Missouri Pacific Railroad corridor.

Cowboy Trail (Length: 161 miles currently complete, 321 miles when finished)
Located about 100 miles Northwest of Omaha, the Cowboy Trail will be the longest Rail Trail in the United States when it's finished and will stretch 321 miles across Nebraska. The trail will pass over 221 bridges and through 29 communities spaced 10 to 15 miles apart. Currently over 161 miles of trail are now open, including a continuous 143-mile stretch from Norfolk to Ainsworth. An additional 30 miles will be added connecting Valentine to Norfolk in 2007.

High points along the trail include its numerous long bridges offering spectacular views. East of Valentine you will find a quarter mile long, 148’ tall former railroad bridge that spans the Niobrara River. At Long Pine a bridge 595 feet long and 145 feet high spans Long Pine Creek.

Local Bike Shops:
The Bike Rack - 2 Locations, 1 in NW Omaha and Blues Bike Rack in Lincoln
This is a full service bike shop and the largest in Omaha, they carry all of the big brands. I have personally bought several bikes from these guys and they have been great to deal with. Their site has a lot of useful local information as well. (This bike shop is ideal for family, recreational, racing and touring cyclists)

Olympia Cycles -  2 Locations, 1 in Millard and one in North Omaha - 402-554-1940
These guys are the old timers in town and the place where serious touring cyclists and Bianchi fanatics go. Ed is a great guy, when all seems lost he can usually help you out.
(This bike shop is ideal for old schoolers, touring cyclists and Bianchi fanatics.)

High Gear - Located in LaVista, they are a relatively new shop and the only full service shop serving the south and southwest suburbs of Omaha (and the best trails are in this area in my opinion) Visit their online blog for specials and local information. These guys sell camping and backpacking gear as well and are great guys. (This shop is ideal for Mountain Bikers and the racing crowd.)

All of the above shops can more than satisfy your needs but I included demographic info as an aide to those new to the area. 

So if you're looking for a relaxing and laid back place to ride, or just something a little different, you can't go wrong visiting this region. After your ride visit the Old Market in downtown Omaha for great food, cold lubrication and lively entertainment.

Enjoy the ride!

Gary
www.rollingroads.com

The Wrong Way to get back into cycling
You drive down to the local bicycle path to avoid road traffic (this was a good move!)

1. You hop on the bike, “Wow, the seat is a lot harder than I remember but this is gonna be cool!”
2. You forgot to put on a helmet (Even the most macho men realize a helmet is a smart idea, we’ll explain why in a later installment)
3. You set off down the path, you’re just a little wobbly but it feels pretty good.
4. You start thinking about the days of your youth, when you’d go ripping around the neighborhood at light speed… So you kick up the speed!
5. You reach a small downhill section of the trail and you kick up the speed a little more, now you’re going 15mph and you’ve already went ¼ of a mile! Gee this is fun
6. The trail flattens out again, Ugh Oh! Why are my legs burning? Why am I breathing so hard? Your grip on the handle bars becomes tight and you angrily pump harder thinking somehow this will help, your bottom begins to chafe from thrashing around on the seat while pumping harder to “go fast.”
7. At the ½ mile mark you step off the bike panting, your legs are burning violently, you sheepishly alternate between walking and slowly riding your bike back to the trail head. We call this bonking in the cycling world, in other sports it’s called “hitting the wall,” but basically this is just your muscles telling you that they have had enough and you went too hard too fast.

I’ve seen this very behavior a hundred times, but don’t feel bad, this happens to the best of us (yours truly included!) But ask yourself a serious question, when the above ride is over will you be in any hurry to do it again? No! You’ll probably be thinking “Man did I get old!” or “Wow I am out of shape” and your legs will hurt for days! The fact however is that neither age nor the state of your health had anything to do with why you bonked, you bonked because your leg muscles were not ready for the exertion you submitted them to.

The psychology of the above "melt down" goes something like this: Bicycling is something most of us did as a child, therefore cycling is child’s play, it should be easy. Then once you get on the bike and the "feel" of the bike starts to come back you get a little cocky and remember how cool it was to go fast so up goes the speed… Within minutes you have over exerted yourself and you bonk!

What actually happened is that your legs were made to move in a way that they haven’t moved in several years, they aren’t used to that movement or the pressures that are generated by pumping the pedals. To think of it in another way, the leg movements in cycling are a little like walking up and down stairs, you push down hard them lift up gently… And we all know how taxing walking up and down a flight of stairs for any length of time can be!

The burning you are feeling after this failed attempt at getting back into cycling is caused by lactic acid, your body sends lactic acid into the muscles as a way of saying “Slow down buddy or your going to break something!” (this is only one simplified reason, there are many.) We are now ready to talk about the right way to get back into cycling.

The Right Way

1. You drive down to the local bicycle path to avoid road traffic (this is still a good move!)
2. You put on your helmet and mount your bike, the seat is still a lot harder than you remember but no worries, it’s still gonna be cool!”
3. You set off down the path, your just a little wobbly but it feels pretty good.
4. Because you read this post you understand that your inclination will be to speed up but instead you hold off and keep your speed at a tame 7-8mph
5. You reach a small downhill section of the trail, but now you resist the urge to pick up speed, you simply glide down the hill and enjoy the scenery. Yes, this is fun!
6. Before you know it you are at the 2 mile mark and it’s time to turn around, you may be tempted to go further but I caution you against doing so. (Start out slow and build up gradually. I suggest adding no more than 1 mile per ride or 5 miles to a ride in any given week, trust your instinct on this and you should be Ok.)
7. At the half way point you get off the bike and stretch just a bit, again admiring your surroundings.
8. You gingerly ride back to the trail head at an easy 7-8 miles per hour, you really want to go faster and maybe even farther but you know better!
9. Your ride is over and guess what? Your legs don’t hurt, your bottom doesn’t hurt and you’re feeling pretty good about this cycling stuff.

What happened during this ride is that we understood the science behind using muscles in a way that they are not accustomed to being used. We held back and gently let our muscles, hands and bottom get used to the motion and exertions of cycling.

Time for a true story
I really wanted to get my then 66 year old father interested in cycling but he hadn’t been on a bike for more than 5 minutes since he was 16 years old. So using the principles from above I took dad on a ride, letting him know before hand that he would instinctively try to ride to fast but I would guide him during the ride to ensure that the pace wasn’t overly fast.

When we first got on the bike I let dad go at his own pace, he immediately sped up to around 12 mph and I asked “how does it feel?” he said “It feels great! This is easy!” but after just a few seconds he started to breathe harder, that is when I said “Ok Pop, time to slow it down a bit.” We reduced our speed to 8mph and through a lot of coaching on my part (Slow down, slow down slow down) I managed to keep the speed right around 8mph.

I let Dad decide how far we would go, at about 2 miles out I asked him how his hands, legs and bottom were feeling, everything was fine and he genuinely wanted to keep going… We continued on until we reached the four mile mark at which point I decided that, if we go anything further the sore bottom syndrome may kick in.

At the end of the ride Dad rode 8 miles without stopping (he simply didn’t feel like stopping) his legs, hands and bottom never got sore and he also enjoyed the ride. I checked with him the next day and still no soreness.

I repeated the same process as above and within 2 months Dad worked up to riding 20 miles without soreness or pain. A few months later Dad joined my son and I on a Bicycle vacation to the Mickelson Trail in the Black Hills, he didn’t ride everyday of our vacation but he had no problem with riding 20 or more miles on the crushed limestone trail.

Lastly, you may not want to tackle 8 miles your first time out, in fact I suggest that you keep it to only 1 or 2 miles unless you have an experienced riding (that understands the human instinct to go fast) partner who has the ability to slow the ride down as you re-adjust to cycling. (It is even harder for an experienced rider to go slow, so choose someone with a LOT of patience!)

The morale of the story is; cycling is enjoyable but like any other physical exercise you have to work you way into it, you have to start slowly and build up stamina and muscle memory. If you follow my advise you will be riding more frequently and farther sooner than you ever thought possible.

So get out and ride!

Gary
www.rollingroads.com