The classic photos of the Tour de France depict riders on what's often called a 10-speed bike -- also called a road bike. While the 10 speed was once the classic long-distance bicycle, in recent days it's been replaced by bikes with more gears. If you have a classic 10 speed and want to learn to ride it, you should find it as simple as riding other bikes. But before you get to cruising down the road on your 10 speed, take a few minutes to make sure that the bike is adjusted to your body. According to BikeRadar.com, the wrong adjustments can make you tire more easily, possibly shortening the duration of your ride.
Adjust your seat to the ideal position for your body. Measure your inseam -- the distance from the top of your crotch to the floor while standing barefoot -- then add 9 percent to that number. Adjust your seat to that height. Many seats come with a quick release that allows you to adjust the seat quickly by pulling on the lever, but in some cases, you may need a wrench to adjust the seat up or down. The type of wrench varies depending on the bike.
Check the height of your stem. Sit on the bike and place your hands on the wide top portion of the handlebars -- as opposed to the curvy part. Your elbows should have a slight bend; this gives you some shock-absorbing power in your arms. If your arms are very bent or too straight, adjust the handlebar stem height by taking the bike to a bike shop, which will have the right tools for the job.
Familiarize yourself with the bike's gears. On a typical 10 speed, you will find two large chainwheels near the right front pedal, and five smaller sprockets on the side of the back wheel. The chain moves onto the front chainwheels and the back sprockets to move into the various gears on the bike; two chainwheels times five sprockets equals 10 speeds. If you find that you have more than two front chainwheels or five back sprockets, your bike has more than 10 speeds. Most new bikes are not made with 10 speeds, but instead with 18 or more.
Locate the gear shifters on the bike; these may be levers in the middle of the handlebars, on the grip of the handlebars, or on the outside edge of the handlebars, at the tip of the curved portion of the handlebars.
Mount the 10 speed. Place your leg over the middle bar, sit on the seat, place your hands on the top portion of the handlebars and then place your feet on the pedals. Start pedaling.
Continue pedaling as you shift the bike down one gear by clicking your right-hand shifter backward until you hear one click. This motion moves the rear derailleur -- which moves the chain onto the back sprockets. Keep pedaling at a light pace -- this motion should make the bike a bit easier to pedal. Reverse the direction of the right shifter to make it harder to pedal again. After you've shifted into one gear, you can click the shifter again to move into a progressively easier or harder gear.
Continue pedaling as you shift the bike up by clicking your left-hand shifter backward until you hear one click. This moves the front derailleur and moves the chain onto another front chainwheel. This should make the bike harder to pedal. Reverse the direction of the shifter to make it easier to pedal again.
Shift up when you want to make the bike harder to pedal. Shift down when you want to make the bike easier to pedal, such as when you are approaching a hill.
- Always wear a helmet when you're trying out a new bike, and take it slow until you become familiar with the bike.
Nicole Vulcan has been a journalist since 1997, covering parenting and fitness for The Oregonian, careers for CareerAddict, and travel, gardening and fitness for Black Hills Woman and other publications. Vulcan holds a Bachelor of Arts in English and journalism from the University of Minnesota. She's also a lifelong athlete and is pursuing certification as a personal trainer.