| Key Points | Advice and Guidance | | Fit |  A helmet should be firm fitting but still comfortable. - Whilst the helmet is on your head with the straps undone you should be able to lightly shake your head around without the helmet falling off.
- Place the helmet on your head and move it back and forth. If the skin on your forehead slightly moves with the helmet and it is not uncomfortably tight, then this is a sign of a good fit.
- Try a number of different brands. Each brand has different moulds and dimensions for their helmets, so some will naturally fit better than others.
| | Adjustment |  With adjustable chin straps and rear head locks, in many instances helmets today can be customized to fit. | | Safety |  Check that the helmet meets Australian or International standards. Most helmets on the market meet Australian standards; however it is possible to buy helmets that do not, especially BMX style helmets. | | Why pay more? | - Spending more money will get you the following features.
1- a lighter helmet.
2- extra air-vents for increased comfort.
3- adjustable rear head lock for a better fit. - Expensive helmets have more sizes and offer greater protection.
| | Care & maintenance | - For all helmets it is important to take note of the manufactures care and maintenance recommendations.
- Treat your helmet with care and try not to drop it as this can damage the internal structure of the helmet.
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When it comes to eye protection in cycling, sunglasses aren’t there just for the glare. Eye coverage is advised at all times while cycling whether the lenses are clear or coloured depending on light conditions.
The Lens
 Sunglasses have a UV protection and glare category 1, 2, 3 or 4. The higher the rating the better quality and more UV glare protection the lens offers.
Lens material needs to be impact resistance to debris (e.g. insects/stones). Most lenses are of a polycarbonate material which is a soft resin that can absorb high impacts. The down side to the lens being softer is that it can scratch more easily. However, a scratched lens is better than having a piece of shattered glass damage your eye.
There are various types of lenses that offer various advantages in differing conditions. Some examples are listed below: So for your next purchase think of styles that can swap lenses depending on the strength of uv and glare.
| Type | Characteristic | Condition | | Polarised | Reduces glare | Sunny days | | Photochromatic | Changes with all conditions | All | | Clear | Neutral | Dark | | Brown Red | Adds definition and relaxes eye | All day light | | Orange | Adds definition and relaxes eye | All day light | | Yellow | Adds definition | Cloudy / Dark | | Brown | Reduce glare | Sunny / High altitude |
 Some frames have full or half rims. Both have advantages and disadvantages. The key is to find a pair that is comfortable, well ventilated and safe. Full frames offer more safety protection to the face. However, some people find the full rim to be irritating and the lens is more likely to fog up when you are stationary. Half frames typically allow for more vision given there is less hindrances of the rim.
 However, in an accident there is an increase risk of cutting your face. These styles tend not to fog as much and the air dissipates more quickly when on the move. There are a lot of styles of sunglasses that are sports orientated and are ventilated, non slip, interchangeable and that you can get prescription lenses made for. The choice is vast. Just remember it’s very hard to ride without sight, so protect your eyes. |
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Cycling shoes have cleats that allow you to click into the pedals similar to snow skis. Once your feet are connected, pedaling is more efficient (like turbo charging your bike) and your cycling experience will become more pleasurable and effective.
Tips on Buying the Right Bike Shoes - Bike shoes need to be a snug fit around your heel and across the bridge of your foot. A little bit of room is fine; keeping in mind that your foot will swell once it gets hot.
- Your feet should always feel good once the shoe is removed.
- Each shoe manufacture has different dimensions. It is recommended that you try on as many different brands as possible. Some brands will be more suited to people with wide feet and others will be more suited to narrow feet.
- Not all shoes are compatible with all pedal and cleat systems. It is important to check that you can attach the appropriate cleat for your pedals to your new shoes.
- Why pay more? The more expensive shoes will generally have a stiffer sole and a firm, more supporting fit. Stiff shoes ensure all of the power from your pedaling is transferred onto the pedal and not wasted by the shoe flexing. An expensive shoe will also be lighter and have a ratchet strap for a tighter fit.
Types and Characteristics of Bike Shoes
| Type | Characteristics and advise | Mountain Bike Shoes
 | - Designed to click into your pedals and generally allow you to walk or run in them.
- Are typically broken down in to 2 different types,
Racing / Off-road – As well as clicking into your pedals these shoes have a jacked sole similar to football boots to aid grip in dirt and mud.
Standard – As well as clicking into your pedals these shoes are similar to sport shoes and are comfortable to walk in. - There are many variations, the key is to buy a good fitting shoe.
| Road Cycling Shoes
 | - Stiffer sole than most other bike shoes. The advantage of having a stiff sole for cycling is that it increases efficiency and spreads out the load on your feet. This makes you much more comfortable during long rides as localized pressure is reduced.
- A stiff sole and road cleat does make walking more difficult.
| Triathlon Shoes
 | - Designed for tri-athletes. These shoes are similar to road shoes but are typically tightened by one large velcro strap that allows you to put your shoes on as quickly as possible.
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Pedals can generally be broken down into 3 categories. The best type of pedal will depend on the individual and what kind of riding you do. The table below will give you an overview of your options.
Standard Platform Pedals
| - Attach to any bike.
- Can be used with any foot wear.
- Suitable for beginners because they allow you to quickly place your foot on the ground if needed.
- Suitable for riding short distances as you don’t have to change your shoes to ride the bike.
- Ideal for BMX riders because the sport encourages you to take your feet on and off the bike to perform tricks.
| Click-in Pedals
| - Best way of securing your feet to the bike.
- Clicking into the bike allows you to pull up as well as push down through your pedal stroke. The result of this extra control is that you can produce more power through each pedal rotation making you fast and more efficient.
- Click-in pedals can be intimidating to people who have never used them before. However, the advantages of using click in pedals make it worth while over coming your concerns. Once you have used click in pedals for a period of time clicking in and out of them becomes second nature.
- Highly recommended if you are riding a Road/Racer or a Mountain Bike regularly.
- Road/Racer click-in pedals are small as they consist of the clip devise only. Bike shoes are required with these pedals which have cleats that attach to the pedals, similar to snow skis.
- Mountain bike click-in pedals come in two styles. The first style is similar to road bike pedals in that the pedal consists of the clip devise only. The other style of mountain bike pedals come with a base around the clip, this means that these pedals can be used as both a platform pedal and click-in pedal, offering the convenience of platform pedals and the performance of click in pedals.
| Toe-clip Pedals
 | - Main advantage of using Toe-clip pedals is that they help you to locate your foot in to the correct position on the pedal, which is placing the ball of your foot over the centre of the pedal.
- Quickly becoming old fashion. Prior to click-in pedals, toe-clip pedals were the best way of securing your feet to the bike.
- Cheap way of securing your feet to the bike because toeclips can be used with any shoe and can be attached to most platform pedals.
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Why Pay More?
There are a large number of pedal manufactures which all have their own pedal and cleat designs. All of these designs work on similar principles and the choice normally comes down to personal preference. Spending more on your pedals will provide you with 3 main advantages. Better pedals will be lighter, have a smoother action, entry and release. Better pedals are usually more adjustable in terms of entry and release tensions. |
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Before buying tyres, you will need to check the tyre size you require and consider what style of riding you are planning on doing.
Tyre Tread Guide
Tyres have variations in width and tread patterns that allow for the different riding styles and road surfaces. This is especially true for BMX and mountain bikes as there are many variations and riding styles that can be performed. The below table should assist you in selecting the right style of tread pattern for your riding.
| Tread level and pattern | Style of Riding | | Minimal Tread (Slick) | -
 Free-style BMX riding - On road mountain biking
- Road riding (road bikes)
- If most of your riding time is spent on the road, it is better to have a tyre with minimal tread or slicks. This is because these tyres will allow the bike to glide along the road
- Slick tyres also give you greater grip and handling on the road making riding much more efficient, comfortable and safer.
| | Knobby Jagged or Tread Tyres | -
 Off road riding - For riders who spend less time on the road and more time in the dirt and on bush tracks
- Jagged tread will help the bike grip in rough unpredictable terrain and will give you much better control of the bike.
| | Minimum tread in the middle of the tyre and a jagged tread on the out side | -
 For riders who do a bit of everything on and off the road. |
Buying The Right Size
Once you have determined the style of tyre, you have to ensure that you are buying the right size for your wheel. The easiest way to do this is to read the side of the tyres that are currently on your bike which should have their dimensions written on them. Common tyre sizes are; - BMX 20 x 1.95”
- Mountain Bike 26 x 1.95”
- Road 700 x 23 cm
The first number indicates the wheel size and the second number represents the width of the tyre.
Why Pay More for Tyres?
Knobbies: More expensive knobby tyres will have advanced tread patterns which will give even greater handling. They will also have a higher thread per inch ratio. The more threads per inch the better the tyre will perform and handle.
Slick: Paying more for slick tyres can have a number of advantages such as; - Light weight
- Faster
- Greater tread per inch (more supple)
- Softer rubber = Greater grip / handling
Dual Compound, with harder rubber in the centre and softer rubber on the sides will give you a tyre that is fast and durable with good grip. |
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