It’s great to see that more women are riding, and stepping up to the next level through racing, entering challenging events and taking the pursuit pretty seriously. If you’ve thought about joining them, then this article might just help you get there.
The right equipment
The first step is to get the right equipment. If you want to ride with a club, join in bunch rides or even try racing then you need a road bike, and it needs to be good quality. Don’t become obsessed about what level of gearing it’s got. Set yourself a budget and then buy the best bike you can for your money. And definitely don’t take someone else’s hand-me-down, particularly if it’s not the right size for you.
It’s far more important to focus on the quality of the frame, rather than whether it has Shimano this or SRAM that. I’ve noticed that men particularly get a bit obsessed with groupsets and forget about the fundamentals. So find yourself a bike shop where you feel comfortable and valued as a customer.
You will also need some good quality gear to go with it so don’t scrimp on items like your helmet, shoes and apparel. The old adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is never truer than with cycling kit. If you buy cheap stuff it will fit badly, wash poorly and…
