Give us your tip.
 

I see that new cyclists come to the forum and ask questions.

Would not it be right if we could give them a tip or two about cycling in the succinct form?

Maybe we also can learn something new.

My tip - do not ride with the screeching chain, oil it.

My tip:

No tires are perfect for everyone. Try a lot of different tires and see which ones work best for your riding style and terrain. Sometimes the $19.99 tires will be a better match than those $49.99 mondo-tires that "the popular people" use.

My tip: Hold your breath under water... :p

Seriously though... My best tip would be to just ride your bike . Sometimes we get too wrapped up in training schedules, heart rates, cadence, average speed, etc., etc., and it eventually becomes too much like work. I ride my bike to get away from work. Just get on your bike and ride, have fun, and never forget what made you love riding in the first place...

Just my $.02.
-Mike

Um, let's see..... How about checking your tire pressure before the ride? It would be a waste of a perfectly good tube if you are to blow the bastard. Think of all the "fun" time (fun=ridig) you will save by not fixing your flat.

Always consult Sheldon Brown, ParkTools.com, or a bike mechanic before trying complicated bike maintenance for the first time, especially if its your only bike.

-Middi-zon

Boy! I could have used that one a time or two. But if I may let me add the Bike Forums to the list.

My tip:

Check your cleat screws before riding. Make sure they are snug. Nothing like trying to clip out in a hurry and not being able to.
Can you say:
I've fallen and I can't get up?

My tip: Ride even on the days you don’t feel up to it. It’s all good!

My tip:

Never forget an extra tube, patch kit, and a cell phone!:p
Sometimes you try and try to fix your tire but eventually you may just have to call in reinforsements.
;)

Ride safe, be courteous, and expect the unexpected.

Make a photo copy your drivers license and keep it in your saddle bag. It doesn't hurt to have a name and number of an emergency contact either.

-Dana

Don't ride when you're tired. Listen to talk radio & roll windows down. Have some hot coffee. Pull off to the side of the road or at the next rest stop and take a nap. And the most important tip of all: NEVER OVERLAP WHEELS!!!

- When it comes to clipless: if you haven't fallen, you haven't learned
- Don't wear underwear under those tights. I learned it the hard way.
- RIDE DEFENSIVELY. It doesn't matter who's right or wrong because you gonna get screwed either way if a car hits you.

My tips:
Look both ways before you cross an intersection.
Carry a few Band-Aids.

Mine would be...take all advice with a grain of salt. Everyone has a personal opinion/investment about a product and he/she might not always be right. Take all advice and make your own decision.

Make yourself as visible as possible to motorists but ride as if you were invisible.

Carry a chain tool and extra links when MTBing.

And my corollary:

Never assume that someone sees you, even if they have looked you in the eye.

Learn to yell loud enough to be heard very well inside a car. You should be able to do this easily if you have kids! :)

keep the rubber side down :D

Otherwise read the above sugestions they are all pretty good

Concentrate on pulling your legs up as much as pushing down. Strengthens your hip flexor muscles and evens out your stroke.

Let me reemphasize the point about not thinking someone sees you even when they look right at you. I've had both a car and a person pull right out in front of me, yet they were apparently looking right at me. What they were probably doing was looking THROUGH me to see if cars were coming. I didn't even register with them.

Bob

Be a defensive driver and go for eye contact make sure they see you, presume they don't

I couldn't agree more.

I will add this. For a while, I got caught up into the hype of bicycles. I spent way too much money just to find out that very few things are as advertised. The most important thing is to get a bike that fits right, get the right kind of bike for the riding you want to do, and go out and ride it.

I will also add that there is no such thing as the perfect bike.

Don't shy away from hills, if you worry about being a bad climber then avoiding the climbs will make it a fact.

SamDaBikinMan, I thought for sure you would recommend a 50 Calibre Smith and Wesson handgun.