Bike retail Archives - Page 2 of 7 -

You need good lights for a road bike to see and be seen

April 3, 2018 Nicola Bike retail, Commuting by bike, Women cycling

Like many road cyclists, I ride early in the morning to avoid traffic, and to leave the rest of my day free to work or play, so I use lights for a road bike to see and be seen. This means that for several months during the year I leave home in the dark. One thing that constantly amazes me is that I see other cyclists riding around with inadequate or even no lights on their bikes. They are also often decked out in dark clothing on dark bikes. I’m not sure if they are trying to be really ‘cool’

How to encourage your kids to ride a bike

January 30, 2018 Nicola Bike retail, Children riding

I often get asked by parents who want to know how to encourage your kids to ride a bike. I was alarmed to read a few statistics in a great media release from We Ride Australia (formerly the Cycling Promotion Fund). There’s been a 42 per cent decline in active travel to school from 1971 to 2013. Sales of kid’s bikes has dropped to a ten year low, dropping about 22 per cent over a ten year period. So how do you get your kids to get off their devices and ride a bike. Here’s a few tips….. There are

Women Who Cycle’s Christmas Gift Guide for female roadies

December 12, 2017 Nicola Bike retail, Christmas gift, Women cycling

Like everyone else at this time of year I’ve got a few friends and family who are difficult to buy for, so I write an annual Christmas Gift Guide for female roadies to help others. I often include items I already own or would like to own. Here’s my picks for 2017: Socks Socks this year have become very colourful and interesting so there’s no excuse for finding a great pair of socks to match every woman’s favourite kit. I really like these ones from Defeet. Caps Cycling caps are great for wearing under your helmet in winter to keep

Road bike disc brakes are here, and all women are going to want them

August 1, 2017 Nicola Bike retail, Cycling Club racing, Women cycling, women specific bike, women's bikes

Cycling Australia made an interesting announcement last week, allowing the use of road bike disc brakes for most road bike racing within Australia, effective immediately. It was interesting because the international body, the UCI is still dragging the chain on the same issue, despite some of the big name riders like Marcel Kittel in the recent Tour de France winning several stages on a disc brake-equipped bike. Apparently disc brakes have been allowed in the US club scene since 2015. So I suspect that from January 2018 the UCI will allow them too, but we’ll have to wait and see.

The frame is the most important part of the bicycle

July 11, 2017 Nicola Bike retail, Women cycling, women's bikes

Before I worked in the bike industry, I was of the view that if you wanted to buy a road bike then your focus should be on the gearing of the bike, but I now know that the frame is the most important part of the bicycle. The frame provides strength and rigidity and largely determines the handling. The gearing which definitely matters, plays a secondary role. Just like many road bike buyers, when I bought my current carbon-framed bike I used the level of gearing on the bike as the key determinate. I first decided whether I wanted an

Help! What should I carry on my road bike for emergencies and mishaps

May 23, 2017 Nicola Bike retail, Women cycling, women's bikes

All riders should be ready for minor emergencies and mishaps and here’s what I carry on my road bike at all times. Even if you’re not super confident about changing your own flat tyre you should carry an inner tube and the equipment to change and inflate your tyre, because road riders are a friendly group and someone will always offer to help you. So here’s the list of items that I always carry on my road bike: Spare inner tube There are many different tube sizes, several different value types and lengths so make sure you buy the right

Help: How should I dress to ride my road bike in cooler weather?

April 11, 2017 Nicola Bike retail, Lycra cycle clothing, Women cycling

I’m lucky enough to live in the beautiful city of Sydney, which has a temperate climate so I can ride my bike outdoors all year round, but I still need to dress to ride my road bike in cooler weather. But even in Autumn (also known as Fall to many of you) and Spring, mornings can be a little cool so I wear a number of warmer clothing items to keep me comfortable on the bike. The most important thing I’ve learnt about riding in cooler weather is you need to wear layers, so you can peel them off (and

When should I replace my bicycle helmet?

March 28, 2017 Nicola Bicycle helmet, Bike retail, Women cycling

A question I often get asked by customers who come to the bike shop where I work is, “When should I replace my bicycle helmet?” And the answer is often fairly long. In Australia we are required by law to wear an Australian-approved bicycle helmet while riding, but many people use very old helmets, or ones that are very worn or even compromised by an impact. So here’s a few tips to help you decide when you need to upgrade your helmet. Excuse the pun, but it’s a no brainer to replace a helmet once it’s been involved in an

Connecting with female cyclists around the world – meet Josie from Iowa

January 10, 2017 Nicola Bike retail, Women cycling

One of the many privileges that comes with writing a women’s cycling blog is connecting with female cyclists all around the world. This week I’m highlighting a fantastic woman called Josie who lives in a town called Decorah in Iowa in the US, and like me she writes a cycling blog, she works in a bike shop and riding a bike has changed her life. I was enchanted by her story which I’ve included here. Over to you Josie…… June of 2012, I woke up on a Monday morning and had a dialogue with myself probably similar to this. “Hey,

Great Christmas gift ideas for female road cyclists

December 6, 2016 Nicola Bike retail, Lycra cycle clothing, Women cycling

Every year I put together a list of great Christmas gift ideas for female road cyclists, and when I first started my list there weren’t many others around. Now it seems everyone is getting on the band wagon. Check out other gift lists at Total Women’s Cycling, Bike Radar and Bicycling. Here’s my 2016 ideas: Bianchi cup & saucer set This lovely limited edition, espresso cup and saucer is made by German porcelain manufacturer Villeroy & Boch. It even comes in a gorgeous celeste-coloured presentation box. Wheel Women bicycle scarf My great friend Tina McCarthy of Wheel Women