How to start cycling: find the best beginner bike and gear for you

Chris Hunt

Chris is a freelance writer, communications head, and adventure cyclist based in Bristol, UK. Working in a bike shop as a teenager was his gateway to clocking up countless miles, embracing various shapes of bicycle, from couriering on cargo bikes to multi-day off-road bikepacking journeys. With over a decade of experience in adventure media, he cut his teeth first as a journalist in surf media before becoming editor of at BASE magazine. These days, his work revolves around cycling: reviewing gear, documenting rides, and helping develop long-distance routes. He’s also the founder of Pinch Flat Journal, an online magazine celebrating alternative cycling culture. In 2025, after years of following the event, he rode the 11th Transcontinental Race, covering 5,000 km from Spain to Romania in 17 days.