Nicola, Author at

master cornering on a road bike to improve your skills

July 9, 2020 Nicola Bike skills, Cornering, Women cycling

Cornering is one of those fundamental skills you really need to perfect if you’re going to be a good bike rider so read on if you’d like to master cornering on a road bike. I wouldn’t claim to be an expert but my cornering technique has improved over the years. This has been through watching other riders with superior handling skills to mine, listening to advice, attending skills sessions, and practising what I learnt. I’m a pretty risk-averse person so when I started out on a road bike I used to rely heavily on my brakes every time I went

Why riding your bike will make you happy

July 3, 2020 Nicola Life purpose, Mental health, Mindfulness, women's bikes, Women's health

When I started riding some 12 years ago I could never have answered the question – Why riding your bike will make you happy. But I now know unequivocally why riding my bike makes me so happy. Here are my top five reasons: Riding is fun The simple act of propelling a bike along, and experiencing the wind rushing by, is fun. It’s strange that a bicycle cannot stand up on its own, but it stays upright when you ride it. I find it fun to achieve that balance. It gives me a sense of freedom that I really don’t

Aussie female pro cyclists dealing with the COVID pandemic

June 26, 2020 Nicola COVID-19, Professional cycling, Women cycling

One of the things I’ve really enjoyed over the past few months is how well the Aussie female pro cyclists who I follow on social media have handled the COVID-19 pandemic. They’ve shared positive messages about the pandemic and how they are getting through it. It’s pretty tough when you race a bike for a living and suddenly you can’t ride your bike outside, let alone race it. Most of them have spent countless hours on their indoor trainers and they will return to racing with the Strade Bianche in Italy at the beginning of August. I’ve compiled some quotes

Women’s guide to cycling: Do I need a bike fit?

June 19, 2020 Nicola Bike fit, Bike retail, Women cycling, women's bikes

A question that arises often amongst road cyclists is – Do I need a bike fit? And like many questions, there isn’t one simple answer. In short, a bike fit is to make you sit more comfortably on your bike and to help you ride more efficiently. From my experience bike fits are most beneficial to cyclists who are stepping to a serious competitive level, those who have a problem with discomfort caused by a myriad of things, and those who are returning from an injury. Like most riders, I didn’t have a bike fit when I started riding a

Stop overthinking it – just try clip-in shoes on your road bike

June 11, 2020 Nicola Clip-in shoes, Pedal stroke, Women cycling

I find the overblown fear of clip-in cycling shoes quite interesting because they are not a big deal so my message is – stop overthinking it and just try clip-in shoes on your road bike. Firstly, let me share my own story. I’m a very risk-averse person. I hate crossing busy roads unless there’s a set of pedestrian lights. I avoid roller coasters, and I’m never ever going to try parachuting, bungee jumping, or anything that removes so much control from me. Despite all this, I have no fear of clip-in shoes. I’ll admit that I was nervous when I

How do you find the best women’s bike saddle for a road bike?

June 4, 2020 Nicola Bike retail, Bike saddle, Product reviews, Women cycling, women specific bike, women's bikes, Women's health

Let me share my own experience first. I started riding almost 12 years ago to complete a charity ride and was hooked almost instantly. I recall when I rode that charity ride which was an 80 km ride on undulating and hilly terrain in the Barossa Valley that I got quite uncomfortable on my bike saddle and it wasn’t my bottom that hurt, it was the far more delicate soft tissue area that really felt sore. I remember laughing when a non-riding friend asked me if I had a saw bum after all that riding. By far the most commonly

It’s all about layers for what to wear for cold weather cycling

May 28, 2020 Nicola Bicycle clothing, Lycra cycle clothing, Women cycling

I often get asked for advice from fellow female road cyclists as to what to wear for cold weather cycling. In short, it’s all about the layers. I’m lucky enough to live in the lovely city of Sydney, where our weather is fairly temperate all year round, but it does get a little cold in the middle of winter. That means I’m a big fan of layers for colder temperatures, and I vary my layers depending on just how cold it gets. In the past, I tended to overdress because I’d wake up early in the morning with a fear

How did you get into cycling and how did you improve in the beginning?

May 21, 2020 Nicola charity bike ride, Commuting by bike, Life purpose, Women cycling

A member of one of the social media groups that I’m a part of asked the question “How did you get into cycling and how did you improve in the beginning?”. It’s a great open-ended question and elicited some great answers so I’ve pinched some of them and publish them below. I’ve removed all the names for privacy but each paragraph represents a new comment. Enjoy….. “My husband got into cycling because it was the fastest way to commute to work. Somehow he convinced me to buy a bicycle and join him on rides. Actually hated riding because I didn’t

Here are 12 compelling reasons every woman should take up road cycling

May 15, 2020 Nicola Anti-ageing, Brain health, Cycling while pregnant, Heart health, Life purpose, Mental health, Women cycling, Women's health

Following on from my blog post a couple of weeks ago challenging women to take up road cycling, here are my 12 very compelling reasons every woman should take up road cycling. In truth, the posts should have been published the other way around, but better late than never. Here’s the motivation and you’ll have to skip back two weeks to read the practical stuff. Look younger Scientists at Stanford University have found that regular cycling protects your skin against the harmful effects of UV radiation and reduces the signs of ageing. Dermatologist Dr Christopher Rowland Payne explains: “Increased circulation

A woman’s guide: What to look for when you buy a road bike

May 8, 2020 Nicola Bike frame, Bike retail, Women cycling, women's bikes

I’m a member of some great women-only cycling social media groups and one of the questions that comes up time and time again is – what to look for when you buy a road bike. So often the advice that is given by other female riders is based on their own experience which is fine but it is such an individual thing that you need to forge your own path. The frame is the most important part Before I worked in the bike industry, I was of the view that if you wanted to buy a road bike then your