Road riding
Best for: Recreational riders,
commuters, fi tness riders and
speed demons.
The wheel deal: There’s been
a massive growth in the popularity
of road cycling over recent years- and considering it o ers up a
sense of speed unlike any other
type of cycling, it’s no surprise. It
can also be pretty easy to integrate
this style of cycling into everyday
life – hitting the road can involve
anything from a gentle ride from
A to B to joining a big event or race.
Once you’ve built up that
confi dence, try signing up for
a sportive – a mass-participation
timed event over a set course and
distance – to boost your motivation.
You can fi nd distances from around
40km to 100km, with events often
taking place alongside stunning
scenery. You’ll usually ride solo
(even if you’re technically part of
a team), although some charity
events allow a relay format for team
riders. If you’re up for an extra
challenge, time trials are a race
against the clock on a set course,
criterium racing is fast and furious
on a town-centre closed-road
circuit, and then there are longer
stage races, such as the Santos
Women’s Tour Down Under
(tourdownunder.com.au). The
best way to get into road racing?
Hit up your local cycling club for
a taster session.
Kit you’ll need: Any bike will do
to start with, but fast and light road
bikes are usually the best option
as your confi dence, fi tness levels
and distances grow, as well as a
bike-specifi c GPS tacked on to help
with route planning and navigation.
Mountain biking
Best for: Lovers of the great outdoors
and adventurous types.
The wheel deal: Mountain biking
combines intense concentration (to
negotiate obstacles and inclines) with
moments of sheer, unadulterated fun
(in other words, a swooping descent).
There are two main types of mountain
biking – cross-country and downhill. Most
people start with cross-country, which
is essentially riding a mountain bike over
o -road terrain, up and down hills –
a crazy-good workout for the whole
body as it’s interval training, and the
mind too, as you need to be so focused.
Once you’re hooked, cross-country
racing is pretty straightforward to get
into, with loads of events all around
Australia – from team competitions to
solo races – attracting non-elite riders
and keen beginners. They generally
involve doing a few laps around a 6-8km
course, but high-profi le international
events can be way longer, while stage
races can run for a whole week.
Downhill mountain biking, as thename suggests, involves descending a
trail after either walking the bike to the
top or with the help of mechanical uplift
(like a chairlift or truck). It can be a
progression for many riders who enjoy
the technical challenges and speed of
the descents in cross-country.
Racing downhill is similar to cross-
country in that events are usually aimed
at both novices and elite riders and are
solo against the clock, lasting a few
minutes per round for each ride.
Kit you’ll need: A mountain bike
is a must for cross-country, due to
its confi dence-inspiring brakes and
suspension. Bikes can vary from front
suspension only (hardtails) through to
burlier full-suspension options, designed
with rougher trails and bumps in mind.
Any rugged, full-suspension bike
can work for a downhill beginner, but
you’ll want to progress to a sturdier
downhill-specifi c bike, with its longer-
travel suspension and heavier-duty
frame. You’ll need to wear arm and leg
pads too, for protection, and a lot of
riders also wear back protectors.On ya
bike
Head to cycling.org.au
to fi nd out how to take
to the lanes with other
riders.womensfitness.com.au womensfitnessaustralia @womensfitnessmag @womensfitnessau 73LiveFIT
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