How to Overcome Shyness For New Cyclists

When you begin cycling you may feel intimidated. It is common for people to feel intimidated when they begin cycling. Here are some of the reasons beginning cyclist may feel intimidated and what you can do to overcome this.

Cycling not common among Friends and family

Studies have shown that people are more apt to ride bicycles if it is seen as something that is common. If you are a new bicycle rider and there are not very many adult cyclists in your town then you may feel shyness about riding in public. If you can find a riding partner this can help with the shyness drastically and allow you to get outside and start pedaling around without worrying as much about people watching you. The thing to keep in mind is that cycling is common in every Country in the World, even though it may seem not to be very popular in your town.

 Once you begin riding your bicycle on a regular basis your friends and family will see how much fun you are having and how much weight you have lost and there is a great chance that they will want to get involved with cycling and ride with you so they can get the same health benefits.

Le Tour De France

You see the roadies periodically as they ride in perfect formation and speed down the road as if they were in the Tour De France.  A lot of begging cyclists think they need to be able to cycle like this in order to be a real cyclist. This could not be further from the truth. First off there are numerous types of cycling including mountain biking, casual cycling, cyclocross, and many other types of cycling. Even if you are interested in road cycling the best thing you can do is get out on your bike and gain some experience riding.

Once you get riding your new road bike you can find a riding partner and he can help you to improve your cycling skills. Your next step is to talk to your local bicycle shop and find a group that you can ride with. Nothing will increase you skills faster than riding with a bunch of experienced cyclists. They will definitely give you the do’s and don’ts when it comes to road cycling in groups.

Many people build u other confidence level when they get a bicycle by riding around the neighborhood. Some people like to ride around their own neighborhood and others like to ride around a different neighborhood where they do not know anybody so nobody they know can laugh and smirk at them as they ride their new bicycle.

Regardless of what type of bicycling you are interested in it is vital that you remember that you do not have to fit into any certain niche.  If you want to buy a beach cruiser bicycle cheap and then ride it around then go ahead and do it.

Clothing

Some people want to do road cycling but feel uncomfortable wearing skin tight shorts and cycling jerseys. If you feel uncomfortable doing this then don’t do it. If you want to wear some regular shorts that are loose fitting and a tank top then go ahead and do it. I do suggest however that once you begin cycling you try out a pair of cycling shorts. The comfort level of them may help you to quickly get over anything that may keep you from wanting to wear them in public while you ride your bicycle.

Find a Partner

Cycling as a new rider and by yourself can be very intimidating to many people. One of the best ways to overcome your shyness about cycling in public is to find a riding partner. Some people simply take their son or daughter out with them and then everybody thinks you are just being a great father, but in reality you were simply too shy to go cycling without someone else.

Maybe your wife or a friend will be interested in going cycling with you. The more you ride with someone else then the bigger your self-esteem and self-confidence become. If you are shy and do not know anybody with a bike then place an ad on Craigslist looking for a riding partner or inquire down at your local bicycle shop as they can often introduce you to other new bike riders who are in a similar position as you.

Run What Ya Brung

Many new cyclists think they need to buy a high-performance bicycle like they see used on television at the tour De France. Most of the time new cyclists do not need a carbon fiber frame and the lightest and most expensive components. A good entry=level bicycle is all you need to get going in the sport of bicycling. One caveat here though is to NEVER buy a department store bike. Bicycles from Wal-Mart and other similar stores are complete trash and not even worthy of being called a bicycle. Save you money and buy a bicycle from your local bicycle shop. Yes it will cost more but it is well worth it. You get a lighter frame, better components, and the bicycle will be assembled by a professional as opposed to the guy who also assembles the grills and patio furniture at Wal-Mart.  You must definitely stay away from cheap Walmart bicycles.

Do not think that you need to buy the most expensive bike you can to fit in. All the roadies in your town maybe riding carbon fiver Trek Madone’s but if you want an entry level Specialized with an aluminum frame then go for it. As long as you test ride the bicycles before you buy at your local bike shop you will know when the right bike is being ridden by you. By buying the bicycle that is comfortable to ride and fits you properly then you will not feel as intimidated when you go out in public to ride your bicycle.