By MIKE ROSENFIELD
Look in any gym window and you’ll see men hard at work, pumping Iron, climbing the Stairmaster, or riding stationary bicycles. They’re sweating away -building those muscles and burning fat. Above them, the TV drones on; news of the latest local crimes, the weather report and the latest happenings in the stock market chatter on. The workout room has the same dreary look, day after day. The mind fights to find something of interest; it rebels against boredom. Strange things come of notice; a small crack in the wall, a lone piece of tape that once held a poster, or a drop of paint from where it was applied too thick.
Leave that room and the mind numbing boredom behind. Get a bike, and take your cardio workouts outside. There is a world to see; mind and body need to be stimulated. A universe of sights and sounds come alive that never seemed to be there out of car windows.
Types of Bikes
Mountain Bikes are built tough and have gripping wide tires. They’re great for riding Ft. Lauderdale and can easily handle patches of broken glass, curbs and lots punishment without harm. They can be taken off road onto trails, centered in nature and much better than the sight gym walls.
Road Bikes have lightweight frames and thin, fast tires. They are built for riding long distances with less friction. Long distance marathon bikers often choose these bikes to travel from city to city or across whole countries. But they are more fragile and should not be taken off road or bounced off curbs.
Hybrids are great choice for having the best of both worlds. They are a mixture off road and mountain bikes in one, and can handle more punishment yet create less friction with the ground, making for smoother, easier rides.
Folding bikes are excellent for travel; they are small and fold up to “tiny”. If you want to ride in another country, most airlines will accept them as a check on bag. If you want a lift across town, or ride in another location, they’re easily carried onto a bus or placed in the trunk of a car.
Accessories and things to carry
Head and Taillights will keep you alive at night; they required by law for night riding. They’ll also keep you alive; it’s hard to see bikers at night without them
Bells won’t make you feel like a man when you rig them, but are great in getting those in your path to give up a little space for passing.
Bike Pouch- These attach under the seat and are for carrying those things that would otherwise be annoying to carry in your pockets (if you even have them).
Bike tool- Excellent to have on hand. It’s small and has all the tools needed to assemble or dissemble a bike. It makes adjusting your seat or changing a tire a snap (fits in the bike pouch).
Water- Needless to say, it’s hot!
Patch kit and pump-A flat tire will leave you stranded without these. Ten-dollar lightweight pumps are available at Wal-Mart; they’re also so great for pumping motorcycle tires too. Patch-kits are inexpensive and easily fit in an under seat pouch.
Biking in Ft. Lauderdale
The Beach
Fort Lauderdale has many bike miles along the beach. A sunset ride with an ocean view can’t be beat. The road has a bike lane and riding sidewalk is acceptable as well. Take a swimming break. What other way, could you park your vehicle so close to your destination, and jump in for a swim?
Residential Areas
Residential areas offer safe riding conditions with low traffic and an assortment of beautiful scenery. A ride through a quiet neighborhood is an excellent way to shop for a new home, if you’re in the market. The Poinsettias are in bloom now; their brilliant red colors accent the surrounding verdant trees.
Bicycle Trails
The State of Florida has prepared a PDF booklet containing the locations and descriptions throughout Florida including Ft. Lauderdale of great places to bike.
The web address is: www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/PDF/biketrails_b_v6.pdf
Group Riding
Join a group and share the experience with others. The ride is much more pleasurable in the company of friends. There are many bicycle groups, some groups ride for pleasure, others for serious workouts and still more ride for causes. Two well-known groups that ride for cause are -Tuesdays Angels (www.tuesdaysangels.org/bike.htm) and Aids Life Cycle (www.aidslifecycle.org); follow the links for more information.
Bicycle Safety and Regulations
There’s nothing more exciting than a great ride, but to maintain the enjoyment of it is to follow a few guidelines. When traveling, ride with traffic on the correct side of the road and avoid heading into traffic, its dangerous. Traveling on the sidewalk is legal and perfectly acceptable. Be careful crossing the exit ways of parking lots with entrances to main roads. These people don’t look for bikers or runners. For a comprehensive guide to biking laws in the state of Florida go to:
www.floridabicycle.org/rules/bikelaw.html
Enjoy the ride!
