It’s inevitable: sooner or later every cyclist experiences a mechanical breakdown of one kind or another. From a simple flat tire or loose cleat, to more catastrophic failures, such as a broken chain or spoke, mechanical mishaps can bring an otherwise enjoyable ride to a screeching halt if you’re not prepared to deal with them.

My introduction to riding with a group came one summer evening when I timidly decided to join a well-known ride in my area. As much as I enjoyed my solo adventures, I wanted to start connecting with other cyclists. The entire day I worried about it. Was I fast enough? Were there some secret rules I didn’t know? Was my bike good enough? Did I have the right gear?

Here are the top 10 “words of wisdom” for novice riders, from experienced riders.

Switching to clipless pedals is a great way to increase overall cycling performance. Using clipless pedals will help smooth out your pedal stroke, increase overall efficiency, and make dialing in bike fit easier.

If you’re comfortable drafting off of your buddies and are thinking about joining a larger group ride, you may be concerned about riding in a paceline. A paceline is a line of riders drafting off of each other. They can range from 3 riders to over 100. There is a lot of etiquette that goes into properly participating in a paceline. Here are some easy tips to help you benefit from sharing the workload with your fellow cyclists.