Commuting - so i rode for the first time in lke 18 years today.

I rented the bike as i had planned and went for a little run, just a mile up and back.. came to a few conclusions.

I am absolutely not ready for traffic riding yet.. and given it's manhattan - trial by fire is probably not the best way to go.

Bikes are a lot lighter now, well and i'm stronger obviously - but the bike was so light that it felt squirmy to me, and i was definitely not stable with it :p But MAN do they stop fast now.. which is good, cuz on my second mile run a short while later.. i almost got doored. A cab was cutting me off so i was reaching for my brakes when pow - door opens a bit in front of me. I Locked the rear and sloweddown with the front.. skid was maybe a foot and i was riding pretty slowly (let's call it leisurely rather than n00b). I came to a stop with my front tire about 6 inches from the guys door, who still didn't see me - at which point i just said... nice job man...he was looking at the SIDEWALK when he opened his door into traffic - bike or no bike involved, that's just ********. He was very embarrassed and apologetic.. but still..oh well, one more guy that will look next time (i hope)

I also notices that pedestrians don't give a flying crap about cyclists. I had a green light and there were no cars - people just kept walking in front. So i basically just shouted out "out the way" and got the stare of death from a coupe of paris hiltonites that couldn't believe i was just going in front of them (in a bike lane, with a green light - lol)

I'm wickedly out of shape. I'm not heavy - in fct i'm slim.. but i'm a smoker..oofa - i hit a couple of short sprints when the roads were open and was having a lot of fun. but i felt like i was going to die afterwards.. you guys must be in wicked shape.

Finally on the second trip i was returning home, and i turned down my street.. which is a small street. There was a couple getting in their car and there wasn't anyone coming immediately behind me - so i swing out a bit - at which point a jackass speeding decided he should honk at me for being in his way.. you know.. while i was legally riding and avoiding yet more doors. Yah.. he got the finger.

So, my assertion is this.

#1) i'm a bit shakey on the bike, i'm sure a solid day of riding will correct that
#2) As a former jr pro racer (cars) i can see all kinds of errors i am making in traffic. I am focusing on riding a LOT more than i should be, and therefore not enough on hazards and traffic. That has to change before i'll even think about commuting - again, i imagine a few days of riding will help me out.
#3) bikes are complicated machines now. I don't really know the first thing about shifting a bike - or how much resistance there should be - so i basically rode it like a fixie in the hardest gear... hmm.. wonder why i was sweating so much...

I will buy a bike now, i won't ride to work yet. I'm not in a hurry to rush the commute before i'm comfortable.. but I did enjoy the act of riding, just not in the surroundings. I think some waterfront / central park rides willhelp me with that.. that is if there are people that just tool around on those routes and don't get all speed obsessed. The fact i haven't ridden a bike is painfully apparent at 30 since i was probably 12-14 lat time i was on one.. i'd say most likely 12.

Thanks for reading my newb book. Interesting adventure.. i feel REALLY uncomfortable when a cab or car pulls in the right lane and i have to swing out to avoid them>> Were i to ride right now, wihtout getting more comfortable and on the streets, i can guarantee i would be fender splatter pretty fast.

Phat!! First day on NYC streets!!
A couple of things...what kind of bike did you rent,Mt Bikes are quicker handling than Commuter/Road/Touring bikes. just like in a car,the longer the wheelbase the more stable the ride.
As a former New Yorker, Spray Paint is your friend,no matter what you buy make it look like S**t,and get a N.Y Fagguetaboutit Lock.
One more thing if you are looking for a cheap GOOD bike...Check out Times-Up on Houston st,they are the NYC Bike CO-OP,Critcal Mass Crazies,Bike Nuts of NYC!!! Good Folk and they will hook you up with something that is to your liking.:D

Hooligan:

Welcome, fellow NYC biker!

Even if you live in Manhattan, you don't have to deal with the traffic if you know where to go! There are Greenways readily accessible in Manhattan, such as Central Park, and the Hudson and East River greenways.

Here are some maps that will help:

NYC bike map (front) (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/bike/mapfront.pdf)
NYC bike map (back) (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/bike/mapback.pdf)

Hope this helps!

thanks guys, i've looked at the map before, but to work there's no real way to skip the streets.. i'll def. give it a shot as time progresses - abit of weekend riding passes.. heh. I'm not HORRID, to the degree of fallin goff or whatever.. i'm just focusing too much on the mechanics of riding for my taste in this traffic. It was a mtn bike i rented.... and i think the seat was a bit too high for me.

Thanks for the times-up heads up :) definitely will check it out!

:roflmao: Welcome to NYC riding! I understand getting comfortable in traffic can take a while, but the only way to learn is to ride in it. I think you have the right idea though. Get a bike first, then ride to the park after work, preferrably getting to the park at 7 pm or later when it's closed to traffic. Riding in the park will get you into shape, even if you smoke and riding to the park will get you used to riding in traffic. Riding on the greenways are fine, but not easily accessible for most people since their home/work locations are usually located in the middle between them.

Some things you can do to help yourself out: don't ride in the door zone, if you do, keep an eye on drivers/passengers and if you see cars w/ drivers/passengers, give them wide berth if they do open their doors, and get a mirror for your helmet or handlebars so you can look behind you to see if the coast is clear so you can change lanes or move further out into traffic. You are traffic so don't ride so far to the right that cars feel they can zip past you w/o moving out of their lane. Handy tip, if you're on an avenue use the bus lane and ride in the middle of it. During rush hour, only buses and bikes can be in those lanes so just take up the whole lane and just watch out for buses sneaking up on you and right-hookers.

Well done, h00ligan! I'm another Manhattan commuter, and once you get used to it you'll find biking is by far the best way to get around the city. The first week or so is always the hardest. Just keep riding and you'll be surprised at how quickly you gain strength and endurance.

Riding in NYC traffic can definitely be intimidating. You absolutely have to be super-aware of the traffic and hazards evolving around you. But once you get in the flow, it's easy. You have to ride defensively, but at the same time you can't be afraid of asserting your space on the road. As a cyclist, you have the legal right to take the whole lane if there is otherwise not enough space for you to ride safely. I'd much rather get honked at by a taxi than squeeze myself into the door zone or ride over a pothole. Also use hand signals and ride predictably so the cagers can tell where you're heading.

Feeling shaky on the bike is most likely a function of balance. Do you have back/neck problems? I do, and find that it affects my balance on days when I'm particularly tight. Try stretching before you ride to loosen up more, or you might think about strengthening your upper body a bit.

About shifting and resistance, you could go psuedo-fixie if that's what you want, but my approach is use 'em if you have 'em. You definitely want to push yourself at times, because that's how you get stronger, but the basic principle is to adjust your gears to keep your pedalling cadence the same. A nice brisk cadence keeps your heartrate going, which builds stamina, and is the most efficient use of your energy.

The clueless pedestrians in NY are a never-ending source of consternation, but also make for pretty spectacular eye candy so on balance they're a very good thing ;)

actually yes - i've ruptured my l5 2x in 20 months...gret advice all, thanks a ton!

man, im jealous. Just visited NYC for the first time last week, and now all I can think about all the time is how much I would love to bike in manhattan traffic all the time =p

Hooligan:

Welcome, fellow NYC biker!

Even if you live in Manhattan, you don't have to deal with the traffic if you know where to go! There are Greenways readily accessible in Manhattan, such as Central Park, and the Hudson and East River greenways.

Here are some maps that will help:

NYC bike map (front) (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/bike/mapfront.pdf)
NYC bike map (back) (http://www.nyc.gov/html/dcp/pdf/bike/mapback.pdf)

Hope this helps!

I may be visiting soon. I may have to try some of those trails!

Go to any LBS and pick up a free bike map. If you rent a bike, they should have some available.

Regarding shifting and gearing: going into the hardest gear and just staying there is a very common mistake. I started out like that, it wasn't good... You want to aim for about 75-90 revolutions per minute. With typical gearing, on a flat well-paved road with no wind this would mean you need to shift to a 2-4 to 2-6 gear, but this in an EXTREMELY rough guideline.

As you get better with shifting, you will learn to shift down before you're about to stop (for a stop sign, red light etc.) for an easy start, and to start shifting back up right away as you're gaining speed.