If you could give two tips/advice to a newbie cyclist what would it be? And why?

2 tips would have to be very general.
Living at the start of the route my local bike shop are innundated with people who have wrong sized or badly maintained bikes, it only takes them 5 miles to realise this so tip one is make sure your bike is suitable for you & the trip before you set off, make sure its been serviced.
Second make sure you enjoy it, its hilly here, if you have never rode 50 miles dont assume you can here, be realistic & set achievable targets & have clothing, spares & food/drink on hand to ensure you manage it. Otherwise you put yourself under pressure to get to your stop or spend the day running around fixing disasters.

Tip 1
Make sure you buy a bike actually that fits YOU. Not a bike that is supposed to fit you, or a bike someone reckons will fit you. Get qualified advice and get more than one opinion. Don't forget that all bums are different, so get a saddle that fits too!

Tip 2
Ride as often as you can. The more times and miles you do, the easier it will become. When you get home, you should be happy with your efforts and the distance done. You should be hungry for more.

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Mick F Cornwall