Women's Cycling Warehouse
For Women who love bike riding
Women’s Cycling Warehouse | Bike Riding Apparel and Accessories
Welcome to Women's Cycling Warehouse. A large collection of cycling products from leading retailers. Why visit 10 different women’s cycling retailer sites looking for products? The Women’s Cycling Warehouse makes it easy for women and ladies bike enthusiasts to find the cycling products they need. A virtual biking warehouse for ladies cycling apparel and accessories. Featuring the finest women’s cycling clothing from leading cycling manufacturers. We offer the best selection of womens cycling products. We feature plus sizes and we are always adding new products and retailers so check back often to see the latest cycling offerings.
Riding bikes - for both transportation and exercise has become a growing trend – and bike riding among women is no exception. It could be the consistent rise in gas prices that makes riding a bike seem so much more appealing or it could be that bike riding is a great way to exercise and stay in shape. Regardless of why - you will find more woman riding their bikes than ever before.
As more and more women take to bike riding, the environmental benefits are becoming more prevalent. Other than the benefits of exercise - riding a bike saves money on gas and car repairs. Women who ride frequently also feel a sense of pleasure knowing that they are taking part in the “green” movement - doing their part to help the environment.
Bike riding to and from work has become much more popular than ever before. Most people live within a nice bike ride away from their work and - although many women are not riding every day to work on their bikes - they are making more of a conscious effort to do so a couple times a week. Women know that bike riding offers many benefits to them - including sculpting the upper body and toning muscles for great looking legs.
Another great benefit offered from bike riding is to get rid of that sluggish feeling many people feel - not being able to get motivated to face another day at work or being so tired when you get done with work that you don’t have the energy to do anything else. Bike riding gives women more energy because it allows the brain to produce more Dopamine. Dopamine is a chemical in the brain that creates energy in the body.
Bike riding is a lot easier on the female body then other forms of exercise such as running, jogging, or even walking - actions that can actually weaken the joints and cartilage. Perhaps even more important are the health benefits that bike riding offers - such as lowering cholesterol and reducing blood pressure, reducing the risk of a heart attack - which is the number one killer for women.
Bicycling in the United States has exploded in the past decade and women are the primary players in this trend. Commuter bikes are much more chic than ever before and public improvements in bike riding access has also attributed to more women hitting the road. Women are redefining culture, and women who have taken to bike riding are doing it very fashionably.
There are many new lines of trendy cycling outfits and accessories available for women of all fashion tastes. Women no longer are taking to the streets in spandex bike pants, a tee shirt, and a bike helmet as was the norm years ago -they are now enjoying a full line of professional and casual clothes, decorative helmets and gloves, and other accessories.
How women can get fit cycling
When Jennifer decided to start to exercise, she didn’t know how to begin.
“I’m not for gyms,” she says. “I know it’s stereotypical, but when I think about gyms, I think about beefy guys with too much muscle and too little brains. It’s really not for me.”
Fitness trainer Liza says that it’s not necessary to visit a gym to get into shape. She suggests that those new to exercise start gentle. Walking is a good option, although cycling will burn more calories and provide a better cardiovascular workout.
“The amount of calories you burn will, of course, depend on your height and weight, as well as the intensity you’re working,” she says. “For example, a 150-pound five-foot-six woman will burn close to 550 calories an hour cycling at a fast speed of 14mph.”
When Jennifer made her exercise selection, she chose cycling as a way to begin her fitness routine. Combined with diet, she found that the weight came off steadily and stayed off.
“In three months, I lost 20 pounds and am now at my ideal weight and fitness level,” says Jennifer. “I really liked starting off [my exercise program] cycling because it was gentle on my joints and I found the wind whipping past my face refreshing.”
If you’re looking to lose weight and get in shape, or if you’re simply checking into other fitness options, cycling is a great choice.
Here are some tips to help you make the most out of your cycling experience.
Choose a Bike Designed for a Woman
Too often manufacturers simply create a man’s bike, give it a more feminine color, and then call it a woman’s bike. But in order to make cycling enjoyable, it’s important to make sure you have a bike that fits you correctly.
Women generally have less upper body weight and a lower center of gravity. This affects the way a woman rides a bike. To avoid falling off and to keep moving, a woman typically needs to ride leaning further forward.
Keeping this in mind, you should choose dropped handlebars if most of your cycling is on flat, city roads. Dropped handlebars allow for multiple hand positions that help with control and overall efficiency and comfort.
Dropped handlebars also help with the saddle discomfort many women experience. The jolting from bumps is moved to the arms so it’s not felt exclusively in the buttocks.
Choose a straight tube frame. The low tube frames are a throw-back from the days when women wore skirts when they cycled. They serve no purpose now and only make the bike heavier and weaker.
Take the time to make sure the fit is correct.
Liza says, “The distance from the top of the seat to the extended pedal should be 1.09 times the distance from your crotch to the floor when you’re standing in your bare feet.”
She emphasizes that this distance is crucial. “Even if you’re off slightly with your measurement, you could cut your cycling efficiency by as much as five percent.”
You should be able to easily straddle your bike when you stand with both feet flat. An inch clearance is good.
Correct Cycling Technique for Fitness
“When I started cycling, I would get such terrible pain in my neck and my shoulders,” says Jennifer. I even went to a massage therapist to fix the problem until I found out it was because of the way I was riding my bike.”
“Cycling shouldn’t hurt,” says Liza. “And the way to prevent that painful tension in your neck and shoulders is to improve your bike posture and strengthen your core muscles.
Core muscle strengthening can be done through exercises like planks and sit-ups. Do 10 to 15 minutes of these types of exercises three times a week. A stronger core reduces the chance that you’ll round your back which can contribute to neck and shoulder pain.
Make sure your bike posture is correct by easing off on the stranglehold grip you have on your handlebars. Slightly bend your elbows so they can help absorb any jolts and bumps.
Keep your shoulders away from your ears by consciously drawing them down. Often imagining that you’re creating a v-shape with your back will help. Your shoulders are the top of the V and the middle of your back is the bottom. Pull the top of the V towards the bottom and you’ll work your back muscles as well.
