Biking in Newport: How to Prepare Yourself and Your Bike

By: Mary Cate Kelleher
Posted In: News

Spring is coming, and the warmer weather means more outdoor activities. Soon there will be cookouts and little league games, and quickly following will be swimsuit season and family vacations. This is a big deal for cities like Newport, which thrive on tourism.

There are several things that attract outsiders to Newport, like the beautiful mansions in the historic district, the great shopping and dining in the downtown area, and the long beaches that provide excellent surfing and sailing.

With so many things to do and see, traffic gets somewhat heavy, and more people will resort to biking as a way to get around.

Whether you want to conserve gas and time, are looking for a good workout, or just want to spend a fun afternoon with your family, biking is a good activity for everyone. The nicer weather provides the opportunity to start preparing your body and your bike for the more active season ahead.

Kathryn Farrington, the director of communications at the Newport County

Convention and Visitor’s Bureau said they have already begun preparing for the swell of visitors expected to arrive.

“When the snow stops, they’re already coming,” she said.

In preparation for the season, the Visitor’s Center has a new travel guide, and Farrington says they have been working with the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority on a new map of Newport.

Farrington observed that there are a lot of people on bikes these days, and pointed out that there is an area on the front of the local RIPTA buses for bikes.

“A lot of people ask [about biking],” she said, “especially coming off the

cruise ships.”

According to Farrington, Newport’s tourist season kicks off after Memorial Day,and over the summer the population swells up to three times its normal size.

Last summer, July was the biggest month, bringing 182,178 people through the Visitor’s Center and 1,068,575 cars over the Newport Bridge.

While the Visitor’s Center doesn’t deal with problems specifically related to biking, Farrington notices some patterns.

“The biggest problem I encounter is seeing people without helmets,” she said. “And bikes are stolen because people don’t lock them up.”

Hilary London, the Recreation Director at Salve Regina University agrees that safety is a top priority when biking.

“There is no way you should be biking without a helmet,” she said, “especially in this area. [A helmet] will definitely save your life.”

London offered some other safety tips as well, such as ride with the traffic and don’t ride at night.

London organizes most of the recreational classes at Salve and is a frequent participant in triathlons. To get in shape for the biking season she recommends going outside and doing some running now.

“The roads are not in great condition yet [for biking],” she said, “and walking isn’t gonna do it alone.”

London recommends a beginner 10-kilometer workout that consists of walking with 1 minute jogging segments. She doesn’t recommend using recumbent bikes at the gym to get in shape.

“They don’t simulate outdoor biking,” she said. “They’re really more for rehab.”

London likes biking because it is a low impact exercise that won’t damage your knees like running does.

According to London, biking targets your big leg muscle groups, like your quads and hamstrings. If you are not properly prepared physically you may experience some soreness and feel a little tight in your shoulders and lower back.

London recommends Pedal Power in Middletown as an affordable place that does bike repair and offers a Rhode Island biking map.

Another local bike shop is Ten Speed Spokes, located on Elm Street in Newport. They rent and sell bikes and equipment, and do repairs as well.

Chris Douglas, a Ten Speed Spokes employee, says it usually will take 2 to 3 days to repair a bike.

Among the things to get checked on your bike before you start riding are the chain, the rear cassette, and the break pads. You also want to make sure the pivot points are functioning and the cables are well lubricated.

Douglas says the cost varies depending on the parts that need to be replaced.

Most of the bikes they rent are comfort bikes, designed to keep the rider in an upright position. While Ten Speed Spokes attracts tourists, most of their bigger sales are kept to the locals.

Ten Speed Spokes sponsors an Annual Longest Day of the Year Ride, and this year is no exception. The ride follows the Aquidneck Island loop, and anyone can participate. This year’s ride will take place on June 24 at 5:30 pm.

However, there’s no denying the impact of tourists on Newport’s economy.

“We get lots of tourists about a month before Memorial Day,” said Douglas. “Once the cruise ships start coming in.”