Cycling Articles & Guides
Bike Lanes Around the World: How 12 Cities Built for Bicycles
From Copenhagen's cycle superhighways to Bogotá's Ciclovía, a tour of the world's best bicycle infrastructure and what makes it work.
CalculatorsHow to Calculate Cycling Speed, Time, and Distance
The simple math behind cycling speed, average speed vs. moving speed, and worked examples for planning any ride.
CalculatorsCalories Burned Cycling: The Real Math Behind the Estimate
How MET values convert speed, weight, and time into calories burned cycling — plus a table of burn rates and why trackers disagree.
TrainingAverage Cycling Speed by Experience Level, Age, and Terrain
Realistic average speed benchmarks for beginners through racers, how age and terrain shift the numbers, and how to test yourself fairly.
TrainingCycling Training Zones Explained: Ride Easy, Ride Hard, Get Faster
The classic power and heart-rate zones, what each one trains, and how to distribute weekly riding for real speed gains.
TrainingFTP Explained: What Functional Threshold Power Means and How to Test It
What FTP is, why watts per kilogram matters more, three ways to test it, and realistic benchmarks for amateur riders.
TechniqueCycling Cadence: What It Is and What the Research Actually Says
What cadence is, why the 90 rpm rule is oversold, and how to find and train the pedaling rate that fits you.
Getting StartedRoad Cycling for Beginners: Your First 90 Days
A practical first-90-days plan for new road cyclists: what to buy, how far to ride, the skills to learn, and the mistakes to skip.
TechniqueBike Fit Basics: Saddle Height, Reach, and the Fixes for Common Pain
DIY bike fit: saddle height and setback, handlebar reach, and the diagnostic table that maps each pain to its fit fix.
TechniqueBike Gear Ratios Explained: Chainrings, Cassettes, and Gear Inches
How chainring and cassette sizes create gear ratios, what gear inches mean, and practical shifting rules including cross-chaining.
CommutingBike Commuting: The Complete Guide to Riding to Work
Route planning, clothing and sweat logistics, cargo, security, and the habits that turn bike commuting from experiment to default.
NutritionCycling Nutrition: How to Fuel Rides From 1 Hour to All Day
Carbs per hour, the bonk explained, and exact fueling templates for one-hour, two-hour, and all-day rides.
NutritionHydration for Cyclists: How Much to Drink and When Electrolytes Matter
Sweat rates, how much to drink per hour, when electrolytes actually matter, and the sweat-rate test that personalizes it all.
HealthCycling for Weight Loss: What Works, What Doesn't, and the Honest Math
Why cycling is a superb weight-loss tool, the compensation traps that stall progress, and a sustainable weekly riding plan.
MaintenanceBike Maintenance Basics: The 8 Jobs That Prevent 90% of Problems
The weekly, monthly, and seasonal maintenance schedule — tire pressure, chain care, brake checks — that keeps any bike reliable.
MaintenanceHow to Fix a Flat Bike Tire in 8 Steps
Step-by-step flat repair: removing the wheel, finding the cause, seating a new tube, and the mistakes that cause repeat flats.
Getting StartedRoad vs. Gravel vs. Mountain Bike: Which Should You Buy?
The real differences between road, gravel, mountain, and hybrid bikes — speed, comfort, terrain — and a decision rule for choosing.
Getting StartedE-Bikes Explained: Classes, Range, Motors, and Whether One Is Right for You
E-bike classes 1–3, hub vs. mid-drive motors, realistic range math, and the research on whether e-bikes still count as exercise.
SafetyCycling Safety and Visibility: What the Data Says Actually Works
Daytime running lights, high-visibility gear, helmet facts, and route choice — ranked by what crash data shows actually prevents injuries.
SafetyHow to Ride in Traffic: Lane Position, Intersections, and City Skills
Lane positioning, the door zone, intersection tactics, and communication skills that make urban cycling calm and predictable.
CommutingWinter Cycling Guide: Clothing, Traction, and Cold-Weather Bike Care
Layering by temperature, ice and traction strategy, winterizing your bike, and the extremities-first rule that makes cold riding comfortable.
HealthThe Health Benefits of Cycling: What Large Studies Actually Found
What major studies show about cycling and heart disease, cancer, mortality, mental health, joints, and healthy aging.
TrainingCentury Ride Training: A 12-Week Plan to Your First 100 Miles
A complete 12-week century plan: weekly structure, long-ride progression, fueling rehearsal, and event-day pacing.
TechniqueHow to Climb Hills on a Bike: Pacing, Position, and Gearing
Climbing pacing, seated vs. standing, gearing choices, the physics of weight, and how to descend what you climbed.
TechniqueGroup Riding Etiquette: Pacelines, Signals, and Unwritten Rules
Drafting basics, paceline rotation, hand signals and calls, and the unwritten rules that make group rides safe and welcome.
TrainingIndoor Cycling and Smart Trainers: The Complete Setup Guide
Wheel-on vs. direct-drive trainers, the app ecosystem, the sweat-and-fan setup, and how to convert indoor time efficiently.