Pedal-to-the-metal advice for new cyclists

John Calma and his wife, Corina, have been working from home ever since 2019. While work-from-home (WFH) has its obvious benefits for commutes, it can lead to a sedentary lifestyle. So when they came across a pair of bikes being sold online by a couple too busy with their work (the irony), they grabbed the chance and started the year right by engaging in this hobby that’s not too straining on the leg bones and lets you enjoy the same cardio workout as jogging.

As a couple, what made you decide to start biking this 2025?

I started running last year because I was diagnosed as prediabetic, but my knee started aching after a couple of weeks. Then my friend suggested biking so my knee wouldn’t bear my full weight. I was hesitant to get one because the last time I had a bike, I didn’t ride it at all. My wife is the major factor in why we got one. She’s the one encouraging me because what I want is somewhat expensive. She just told me to get it. But of course, I wanted her to have one too — that’s how we ended up with the bikes.

How’s it going so far?

I ended up enjoying biking, maybe because I put a lot of money into the upgrades that I want to ride my bike all the time. Hahaha. I’ve been biking at least four or five times a week. My wife and I mostly ride on weekends around our subdivision. She’s still getting familiar with it, but eventually, we’ll ride farther once she’s more comfortable with road traffic.

Has biking influenced you two to start other health-stimulating habits? What do you think about triathlons?

Not really. Well, I plan on strengthening my core, but it was even before I started biking, and I haven’t started it yet. Let’s see; maybe we’ll start now since we want to go places, biking or not.

When it starts raining, do you think you’ll still continue biking?

I don’t see the merit of biking in the rain. I want the best possible conditions when biking, especially with my wife, to avoid accidents. But let’s see in the future — if we’re really into it or have planned rides that we can’t cancel. For now, not really.

What do you think you should do when you go too far out and get a leg cramp?

I haven’t experienced it yet, but what I can say is, don’t push yourself too hard, especially if you’re a beginner. Listen to your body. If you need to rest, then rest. It’s not a competition; just enjoy the ride. But always set a goal to improve gradually. It’s so satisfying when you go places that you thought you couldn’t.

Do you have plans for long routes or competitions in the near future?

That’s the plan. I want to go places with my wife and create memories we can share and talk about. For competitions, I don’t see ourselves joining one, but let’s see. We can’t really tell what’ll happen in the future.

To give our couple newbies sensible advice, we have an avid cyclist, Francis Cabuslay. He started doing Audax in 2023, which is an unmarshalled long-distance cycling event held in various parts of the country. He has finished the 200, 300, 400, and 600-kilometer Audax events over the past two years, earning the “Super Randonneur” award for 2023 and 2024. Last year, he joined the Duaman Duathlon with his wife. Duaman is a run-bike-run race held in three stages over the year.

How do you warm up for biking? Is it different for a beginner? Are warmups different depending on the distance to cycle? How did you warm up as a beginner, and how do you warm up now?

Road biking requires a lot of effort from the lower body, mainly your core, thighs, and legs. It’s best to do stretches that address these three. Warm up for at least two minutes per side area. When starting out, don’t overreach when stretching, and don’t be in a hurry.

How must beginners plan their first long routes? Do you recommend navigation apps?

Always ensure you have enough hydration and nutrition. Don’t continue riding if your water bottle is already empty. It’s best to do your first long rides in a group where there’s at least one person who’s already familiar with the route. Also, make sure someone in the group has basic knowledge of how to troubleshoot a bike in case of mechanical failure.

I started out using the Strava app and ran it on my phone during long rides. This is a good starting point. Soon, you’ll notice that the app drains most of your phone battery and may run out midway through your ride. I then invested in a dedicated cyclo-computer, the Wahoo Elemnt Bolt V2, to track my rides. You can download the route in advance and load it in real time to ensure you won’t get lost.

Talk about a mishap and how you got over it.?

My first and unforgettable mishap was when I got a flat during my first 200-kilometer Audax ride. The night before the event, I noticed my rear tire pressure was a bit low. I didn’t bother to investigate further and just re-inflated the tire. After the first 50 kilometers of the event, I noticed my rear tire was already flat. Since Audax is an unmarshalled event, I had to find a spot where I could check and replace the inner tube of my tire. Fortunately, I passed by a vulcanizing shop, so I stopped there to change my inner tube. Unfortunately, I wasn’t well-versed in replacing the inner tube and struggled to get it out of the rim. Thankfully, the staff at the vulcanizing shop assisted me in replacing it.

What if the newbie’s bicycle gets damaged? Is it useful to know how to fix their bikes themselves? What tools come in handy?

It’s best to know basic troubleshooting tips so that in case of an accident, you can manage to bring the bike to a rideable state to get back home. I also advise knowing the location of nearby bike shops on your routes. When starting out, always make sure to bring a bike multi-tool, tire levers, pump, spare inner tube, and patch kit. Also, check on tubeless tires, where you don’t put an inner tube anymore and just use tire sealant. This is the setup that I’m using.

What should bikers have in their backpacks?

Invest in a bike bag that you can attach to the seat post, top tube, or handlebar to avoid stressing your back during a ride. Items you can bring: bike multi-tool, tire levers, pump, spare inner tube, patch kit, first aid kit, money and snacks.

What top 3 tips will you give to new bikers?

First, biking is meant to be enjoyed. If you already own a bike but are having a hard time enjoying it, stop and think why. It may be due to a wrong bike fit, wrong bike size, wrong bike type, wrong bike setup, wrong bike route, wrong bike group, etc.

Second, determine first the reason why you should take up biking. Is it to lose weight? Boost mental health? Compete in events? Bike to work? Knowing your goals will give you guidance as you progress on your biking journey.

Third, invest time in reading and watching bike videos and tutorials online. This can help improve your skills, decide which specific bike or bike part to buy, or simply keep you informed of the latest trends. My primary source of bike information is Global Cycling Network and GCN Tech channel on YouTube.

And So...

Both the new and seasoned bikers send us a unified message: newbies should think more about enjoying their newfound love for biking rather than going all out, die-hard competitive during their first few weeks. As a sustainable form of active transport, the person who rides it ensures that their carbon footprint is minimized. The bike itself is just a tool to achieve this noble end.

From the looks of things, if John keeps focusing on enjoying the moments with his ride, he will end up biking for a long time — maybe even join Francis one of these days.