PunkMartyr

As I have been riding more and more lately I find I learn something every week. Mostly just little things. I figured I could cut through the learning curve some by asking you to share. Whether it be performance, stamina, safety or other please share.


I find that as far as getting into a steady groove, its good to focus on both feet turning the pedals simultaneously, instead of switching focus or training it on the dominant side of my body.

To save my rear I will alternate between sitting position and standing. Before standing up if it is a longer commute I will turn the gear up to add to resistance. This allows me to go fairly fast.

Yesterday I had a close call. I usually alternate between sidewalk and road based on conditions. It was at night and I didn't feel like having cars fly by doing 50 mph about a foot from me on this main road, so I was on the sidewalk. I reach the end of the sidewalk about to cross a drive and realize the curb doesn't downslope. I focus on the curb, slowing down to drop off it. At this point I am not focused on my surroundings like I should be and a white truck turns in front of me. I lock up the brakes and skid about 3 feet. He stopped anyway but I realized I should have been way more aware of the situation than that.

mtnwalker

My first wisdom and experience I want to share with you.

Don't ride on the sidewalks!

Also, sometime last week, I finally discovered the importance and power of spinning. Instead of concentrating on my downstroke I now make use of applying power on the whole rotation. I noticed that I can go faster with what seems like less effort and strain on the knees.

CliftonGK1

Always bring a spare tube. And a spare spare tube.

CBBaron

I'll repeat "Don't ride on the sidewalk!!!"

Also if your bike fits well and you have a comfortable saddle you should not need to stand up to spare your rear. Brooks saddles are definitely worth the price and weight for this reason.

Use 2 head and tail lights when riding after dark or in weather with poor visibility. Having a backup is a good idea incase batteries are dead, one fails, etc. Also you can set them up such that one is blinking and the other steady to improve the ability of cars to see you and judge where you are. Blinking lights attract attention but it is easier to judge distances and location with a steady light.

Wear bright clothes in all condition but especially after dark or in low light. Yellow stands out much better than blue or black.

Don't hug the curb if the lane is narrow. Riding a comfortable distance from the curb will force cars to pass you when it is safe instead of squeezing by you.

Ignore the occasional A** that doesn't know the laws and insists on yelling at you. Don't let them bother you as its not worth it.

Good luck and enjoy your ride.

Craig

RT

Ride with confidence, knowing that as a cyclist, you do own part of the road. Motorists have more respect for someone who looks like they should be out there on two wheels. Never assume a red light is going to stop a car.

badhat

if you use chemical footwarmers in the winter, dont bundle your feet too much or they wont get any air and wont work.

lil brown bat

Don't, oh please don't, ride the wrong way on a one-way street.

The kollege kidz are starting to descend and the dumb-rider factor has gone waaay up, with the wrong-way riding being (to my unscientific eye) the behavior that seems to cause the most problems and consternation for motorists. Isn't it a bit much to expect them to "share the road" if you're doing random crap like that?

zoltani

If there is an object you need to avoid suddenly in the road, a storm grate, pothole, puke, or whatever, turn slightly in the opposite direction that you want to go to avoid the obstacle then make your hard turn to avoid. This will allow you to be more stable and have more control. It might not make much sense written out like this, and it takes some practice, but it works.

Take a street skills class if there is one offered by your local cyclist coalition.

and don't ride on the sidewalk, it is much more dangerous than riding on the road. You become unpredictable to motorists if you are always going from the road to the sidewalk and back. Also, if you are going the opposite direction of travel (one way) on the sidewalk cars that are trying to pull out of parking lots and driveways will most likely not look in your direction, they will look in the direction of travel, and will pull out in front of you!

Caspar_s

Yup, always expect a car to do something to get in your way - pulling out in front of you, turning to right hook you, opening their door in front of you etc. Try not to get annoyed at them when they do, it'll just ruin your day, and if they have any remorse at all (as in next time they'll check first), then chances are they have already learned their lesson, and you yelling at them will not help the situation.

aMull

Always filter to the front, especially downtown, otherwise you'll be stuck behind right turning vehicles waiting for pedestrians to cross. One time i actually waited a whole light, and went through the intersection not realizing it was already red. Pissed off a few left turning motorist and jumped a little when they used the horn

Treespeed

Practice changing a flat tire. It gets easier.

Work on handling skills first, speed second.

Invest in good lights and comfortable cycling clothes, whatever that is for you. Don't worry about fashion for the bike or the clothes.

Lube and clean your drivetrain and it will last a good long time.

Artkansas 

Let trouble pass you by. I tend to let motorists go first. They are in a rush and if they go away, you don't have to deal with them any more.

The car behind you is the car in front of you. All drivers believe that they are in front of the bicycle and drive accordingly.

ItsJustMe

Don't ride the wrong way on the street. Don't run red lights. Don't be bullied into the curb; if people are passing you too close move LEFT and demand your space. People will only give you what you demand.

Let the idiots go by; they're not worth the breath it takes to yell at them.

If you have to stand to save your butt, you need to adjust or replace your saddle or stop sitting on the horn; you're supposed to sit so your weight is on your sit bones. If your soft tissue is getting compressed and numb, you're sitting wrong or there's an adjustment/fit problem.

You may still want to alternate sprinting; that's called interval training. Personally I'm just tryin' to get home so I sit and spin at 100 RPM all the way home.

Frankenbiker

Expect the unexpected, plan ahead and be alert to traffic and your surroundings at all times. Don't daydream while listening to an iPod. Riding is a conscious effort.

That car is going to turn into you.
That pedestrian is going to cross the street in front of you.
There's a bicycle rider that suddenly appears on a collision course.

marko_1111

be certain of your equipment. lube your drivetrain and remember some parts are consumables without trauma even when maintained. don't get sentimental about your chain and tune your own bike.

don't wait for something unexpected to fail to carry the right equipment: tube(s), tire if you're doing real distance, bunch of co2 and valve, patches, chain break, allen wrenches to re-adjust whatever you just adjusted, id (credit card), not necessarily in that order. I'm still waiting to need the tire boot I carry, so maybe carry dollars instead. apparently they work just as well.

view your behavior from a motorist's perspective. step outside yourself and seriously check your act. remember where motorists scan and focus and be there instead of somewhere unexpected. don't become competitive with cars or allow them to do the same with you. turning your head to make eye contact goes a long way - even behind shades. understand the car following too closely is dangerous and learn to hold your line when glancing behind - do it a couple of times and folks tend to back off - if they do otherwise you need to act. when you're in jeopardy and all else fails, be the horn and yell.

take water every twenty minutes no matter the weather and accelerate when you get out of the saddle - and do it regularly. maintain pace over the tops of climbs. learn to love hot, windy days.

keep your head about yourself, enjoy the ride, and pay more attention than anyone else on the road. expect people to panic ineffectively and plan ahead - to include peds and cyclists. given the time, expect indecisiveness and take the lead.

just a couple of ideas.

enjoy.

Mr. Underbridge

If you're 1) inexperienced, and 2) riding toward the right of the lane, don't check your mirror while on a curve (It's probably a bad idea even if those two conditions don't necessarily apply).

While this might be obvious to some, it became *painfully* obvious to me, resulting in rapid deceleration as I hit the curb at 25mph and sailed onto the sidewalk.

Kotts

Pick your routes based on time of day. Some routes are less traveled at certain times.

"Share the road" applies to Multi-Use Paths (if you have/use them). Respect the other riders, walkers, joggers.

Not every ride is a training ride. Sometimes you're trying to get somewhere, sometimes you're just riding. Ride appropriately, but always be aware of where you are.

Take the lane, agressively if you need to. Conversely, if it is safe to pass, swing right to a safe position and wave the car through. This combination of behaviors gets you more respect than either alone (particularly when you travel the same route/see the same drivers regularly).

When you see a driver behaving well, applaud them (sometimes literally). Let them know that you appreciate their "cluefulness".

Either have a mirror or get very good at looking behind you while keeping your line. Be 360 degree aware, all the time.

When you hit a rough stretch of pavement, if you can't go around it, get off the saddle, be loose, and let your hands "float" on the bars. The bike will bounce around under you while you serenely skim along.

Stay away from curbs and the loose crap that accumulates on the side of the road.

Flimflam

Don't be scared of maintaining your position on the road, you have a right to be there.

+1000 Don't ride on sidewalks.

Carry a spare.

Read the road ahead, make sure you know what's going on in front of you more than just 2-3 cars ahead - we have a high viewpoint on a bike (typically) - use it to your advantage (looking through SUVs works, too).

Don't follow cars too closely, they can and will stop very quickly - most drivers it seems don't read the road properly and are too caught up in themselves.

Make sure other road users can see you - I look like a oddball with my hi-vis vest on, but I'd rather wear it and be mocked (they saw me, that's the point) than not wear it and be hit.

Be courteous to other road users - sure there are JAMs (Jack-ass motorists) but there are also good drivers, and you have to share the road as well as them. Say your 'thank you's where appropriate, say your 'watch the hell out's where appropriate

Ride out of the door zone. If people give you grief, tell them why you are not riding in the door zone - just inform them, no need to get angry. (The door zone is the 3-4ft. area to the left/right of a parked car where you can potentially have a door opened in your path.)

If you do get pissed off, don't let it get to you if you can help it - let the moment pass as the cars do.

Good luck, ride safe and have fun.

Edit: +1 on be aware - situational awareness is incredibly important, and it is a lot of effort to begin with - but I've found it's second nature after a while (even if I'm walking somewhere).

bentnail

It might have be posted already and forgive me if it has but worth repeating RIDE LIKE YOUR INVISABLE

swwhite

If you can see your shadow in front of you, drivers in front of you can't see you (because of the glare of the sun). This is not my own; someone else here pointed that out.

Bikingtoteach

These are great!! But, I am feeling like a bit of an idiot. I stay off the sidewalks for 90% of my ride, 12miles each way.
I have a mile shot down a four lane highway. It has huge sidewalks, in six months I have passed one person on the sidewalk. It is a road that is there for development to come, if a Wallmart takes up one of the corn fields in four years, I am sure I would reroute. But after reading this, I realize I am being stupid, I am out of the cars sight, and they are flying at 55mph....I guess I could just get on the road, or reroute to a windy dark road that barely has room for two cars. Now I realize that the "safe" huge sidewalk is really not safe at all. Thank you!

Winter76

If the main road has too many cars moving too fast, ride on a secondary road, even if it takes a little longer.

CBBaron

I think you misunderstand the warnings about riding on sidewalks. In MOST cases riding on sidewalks is more dangerous. That includes a lot of instances that most people feel safer riding on sidewalks. However there are always exceptions. It sounds like you have one of those cases. I often ride a short section of sidewalk on my way to the grocery. It is not safer than the alternate route that uses all roads but it is shorter and allows me to ride quite residential streets instead of busy arterial streets, and I am very careful getting on and off the sidewalk.
There are cases where a sidewalk is the best choice for riding but these are rare so in general posters do not recommend them.

Craig

WillisB

Don't forget your pump! I always have a spare in the bag. I had a flat a couple weeks ago. When I went to change it I realized I was missing the pump!

Luckily it was only a two mile walk.

nextstopwillbe

+1 and then some!

This is probably the single most important non-safety related lesson that I've learned since I began bicycle commuting back in the spring. I was mashing for a couple of months and it was killing my knees and thighs. Learning to spin made my whole commute both easier and faster.

Safety related lessons would have to include Alert Shirts, PB Super Flash, and learning to "own" my space on the road. That last one was a big one, learning to negotiate traffic in an urban jungle was intimidating at first but once I began to "own" my space it got a lot easier.