How to learn to ride a bike better?
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I can ride a bike somehow, but I'd like to learn to do it better (maneuvering, etc.) before starting to use it as a way to move about the city. Any suggestions how I should go about doing that, what I should consider? All I could find on the web was how to learn to ride for beginners.
technique city skills
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up vote
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down vote
favorite
I can ride a bike somehow, but I'd like to learn to do it better (maneuvering, etc.) before starting to use it as a way to move about the city. Any suggestions how I should go about doing that, what I should consider? All I could find on the web was how to learn to ride for beginners.
technique city skills
migrated from sports.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for participants in team and individual sport activities.
4
Just ride your bike as often as you can and you will gain experience and practice.
– Herr Derb
yesterday
Do you ride alone or with others? My best times are when riding with several other people.
– Criggie
23 hours ago
2
What kind of bike do you ride, and where do you ride it?
– Criggie
23 hours ago
Learn to keep your inside pedal up when turning. i.e. when turning left, your left foot should be up and your right foot down. You may never intentionally turn sharp enough to clip a pedal (inside foot down, the pedal hits the ground, you can crash), but the physics work better for cornering that way. It seems that there's something psychological about having the inside foot down when cornering because most people I see riding casually (and some not so casually) do it that way. To me it feels innately awkward to have the inside foot down...
– FreeMan
22 hours ago
1
@ojs - he was asking how to learn, I was throwing in a what to learn, so I didn't feel it was an appropriate answer to this question.
– FreeMan
14 hours ago
 |Â
show 3 more comments
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
I can ride a bike somehow, but I'd like to learn to do it better (maneuvering, etc.) before starting to use it as a way to move about the city. Any suggestions how I should go about doing that, what I should consider? All I could find on the web was how to learn to ride for beginners.
technique city skills
I can ride a bike somehow, but I'd like to learn to do it better (maneuvering, etc.) before starting to use it as a way to move about the city. Any suggestions how I should go about doing that, what I should consider? All I could find on the web was how to learn to ride for beginners.
technique city skills
technique city skills
edited 1 hour ago
James Bradbury
5,13211943
5,13211943
asked yesterday
user18894
migrated from sports.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for participants in team and individual sport activities.
migrated from sports.stackexchange.com yesterday
This question came from our site for participants in team and individual sport activities.
4
Just ride your bike as often as you can and you will gain experience and practice.
– Herr Derb
yesterday
Do you ride alone or with others? My best times are when riding with several other people.
– Criggie
23 hours ago
2
What kind of bike do you ride, and where do you ride it?
– Criggie
23 hours ago
Learn to keep your inside pedal up when turning. i.e. when turning left, your left foot should be up and your right foot down. You may never intentionally turn sharp enough to clip a pedal (inside foot down, the pedal hits the ground, you can crash), but the physics work better for cornering that way. It seems that there's something psychological about having the inside foot down when cornering because most people I see riding casually (and some not so casually) do it that way. To me it feels innately awkward to have the inside foot down...
– FreeMan
22 hours ago
1
@ojs - he was asking how to learn, I was throwing in a what to learn, so I didn't feel it was an appropriate answer to this question.
– FreeMan
14 hours ago
 |Â
show 3 more comments
4
Just ride your bike as often as you can and you will gain experience and practice.
– Herr Derb
yesterday
Do you ride alone or with others? My best times are when riding with several other people.
– Criggie
23 hours ago
2
What kind of bike do you ride, and where do you ride it?
– Criggie
23 hours ago
Learn to keep your inside pedal up when turning. i.e. when turning left, your left foot should be up and your right foot down. You may never intentionally turn sharp enough to clip a pedal (inside foot down, the pedal hits the ground, you can crash), but the physics work better for cornering that way. It seems that there's something psychological about having the inside foot down when cornering because most people I see riding casually (and some not so casually) do it that way. To me it feels innately awkward to have the inside foot down...
– FreeMan
22 hours ago
1
@ojs - he was asking how to learn, I was throwing in a what to learn, so I didn't feel it was an appropriate answer to this question.
– FreeMan
14 hours ago
4
4
Just ride your bike as often as you can and you will gain experience and practice.
– Herr Derb
yesterday
Just ride your bike as often as you can and you will gain experience and practice.
– Herr Derb
yesterday
Do you ride alone or with others? My best times are when riding with several other people.
– Criggie
23 hours ago
Do you ride alone or with others? My best times are when riding with several other people.
– Criggie
23 hours ago
2
2
What kind of bike do you ride, and where do you ride it?
– Criggie
23 hours ago
What kind of bike do you ride, and where do you ride it?
– Criggie
23 hours ago
Learn to keep your inside pedal up when turning. i.e. when turning left, your left foot should be up and your right foot down. You may never intentionally turn sharp enough to clip a pedal (inside foot down, the pedal hits the ground, you can crash), but the physics work better for cornering that way. It seems that there's something psychological about having the inside foot down when cornering because most people I see riding casually (and some not so casually) do it that way. To me it feels innately awkward to have the inside foot down...
– FreeMan
22 hours ago
Learn to keep your inside pedal up when turning. i.e. when turning left, your left foot should be up and your right foot down. You may never intentionally turn sharp enough to clip a pedal (inside foot down, the pedal hits the ground, you can crash), but the physics work better for cornering that way. It seems that there's something psychological about having the inside foot down when cornering because most people I see riding casually (and some not so casually) do it that way. To me it feels innately awkward to have the inside foot down...
– FreeMan
22 hours ago
1
1
@ojs - he was asking how to learn, I was throwing in a what to learn, so I didn't feel it was an appropriate answer to this question.
– FreeMan
14 hours ago
@ojs - he was asking how to learn, I was throwing in a what to learn, so I didn't feel it was an appropriate answer to this question.
– FreeMan
14 hours ago
 |Â
show 3 more comments
9 Answers
9
active
oldest
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up vote
16
down vote
The short answer is practice. Simply riding around at moderate to slow speeds, practicing starting off, braking, stopping and negotiating tight turns will help build balance, confidence and control of the bike. Do this in a quiet spot away from people and cars if you can. If you are worried about falling do it on grass.
The most useful foundational bike handling skill is to learn how to stand up on the pedals, or at least take your weight off the saddle and onto the pedals through your legs. Being able to do this enables better braking, dealing with bumps and low speed maneuvering. Being able to pedal while standing up also allows you to apply more power to get over short climbs or accelerate quickly.
Learning how to brake hard and stop quickly is obviously a very important safety skill. It involves using both the front and rear brakes in the right proportion and shifting your weight backwards.
The other thing I'd recommend it learning how to use your bike's gears properly and be able to shift into appropriate low gears for hills, short steep climbs and stopping and starting.
Global Cycling Network has several bike handling skills videos. They are oriented towards fast road riding but the principles all apply. Here is their latest one:
1
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
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In the UK there is a national training scheme targeting child cyclists, often organized through schools. It claims to have trained about 2.5 million children to date. It has been running under different names for a long time - I took part in it back in the 1950s! Go to https://bikeability.org.uk/. "Level 1" is mainly about controlling the bike. Levels 2 and 3 are about riding safely in traffic.
From their website FAQ page, there may be opportunities for adults to take part:
Can adults take part in Bikeability?
Yes, adults can take part in Bikeability. The skills taught as part of
Bikeability will last a lifetime, and it is never too late to learn.
Your local authority might have an adult cycle training offer. They
might call it Bikeability, or refer to the National Standard for cycle
training, the standard upon which Bikeability is based. It is
recommended that you check with your local authority about their adult
cycle training offer – information is usually available from their
website, under ‘cycling’ or ‘cycle training’. There may be a charge
for training.
The training you receive can be built around your specific training
needs – so, if there’s a particular route you would like to practise
or a skill you’d like to work on, please make your instructor aware.
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up vote
5
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I agree with the advice to practice.
There's a book, Effective Cycling by John Forester, which covers everything--the physiology of cycling, bike maintenance, interacting with traffic, etc. Some of the advice on bike maintenance is outdated at this point, and I think some of what he wrote about physiology has been superseded by improved scientific understanding, but in terms of day-to-day riding, his advice is specific and solid. There is a series of courses based on the book as well, although I don't know if they are offered where you live.
Here's some of my own advice:
- Get your bike set up properly. Most people ride with the seat too low, and without enough weight on their hands. Your seat should be high enough that your knee is almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and you should be carrying some of your body weight on your hands. And if there are any serious mechanical problems with your bike, fix them.
- Learn how to ride in a straight line by instinct. This sounds trivial, but most naive bike riders can't do it. You should be able to hold a line that's no more than 15 cm wide.
- Learn what the real risks of riding in traffic are, and prepare for them. A lot of naive riders will try to mitigate their perceived risks, and will do it in ways that actually increase their real risks.
- Assuming your bike has multiple gears, ride in a lower gear than feels natural. You'll adjust. Most naive riders have a cadence (pedal speed) of 60 rpm or lower; you should aim for about 80 rpm. This is better for your knees, and it helps you accelerate quickly when you need to.
- Most importantly, learn to ride in a heightened state of awareness. Anticipate what's going to happen. If you need to swerve around a patch of broken glass, is there a car coming up behind you that will need to swerve too? Is there an oncoming car that will prevent it from doing so? Is someone going to get out of that parked car up ahead? What gear do you want to be in to accelerate away from the stop you're approaching?
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3
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I'm not certain what you are asking?
Once you know how to ride your bike, it is just a question of getting more experienced.
Ride and ride more, go around your neighborhood, learn how cars and pedestrians and other cyclists behave and react.
Go to parking space when there are no cars and ride there practicing how to maneuver safely at different speed (mostly low speed).
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
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1
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The most important thing is control. It is like they said in a movie that the Sword should become an extension to your body only then you will master it. That is the case with Bikes, too.
One additional suggestions other than the obvious 'experience'.
Do not turn your bike using only the handle. Tilt your bike sideways to the side you want to turn. Reason - Physics --> Centripetal Force --> Better Control.
PS - I was able to ride my bike for almost a km with numerous turns and completely hands free, (I highly recommend against it, though). Reason: you can turn the bike just by your own weight as explained above. High Schooler me didn't know the science behind this, then.
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Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
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1
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A lot of bike confidence comes from learning your particular bike. Here's some maneuvers I like to practice when there's no traffic or other bikers/pedestrians around:
- Find an empty parking lot or an alley without traffic and practice taking one hand off the handlebars while still pedaling. You'll learn how to manage your weight, and you'll be more comfortable taking a hand off in real riding conditions to signal your turn or get water.
The trackstand. Come to a slow halt while riding and try to balance the bike up while keeping both feet on the pedals, braking as needed. You'll learn a lot about how your bike responds to small amounts of braking and small weight shifts. You can use this in real life at stoplights to let you get off the line quicker and be able to get out the way more easily.
I like to practice riding with no hands on the handlebars sometimes - it's a great way to stretch out your back after being hunched over and having to steer with your leg weight shifts alone teaches you more about how to handle the bike.
- On wide roads with no traffic, I like to get up to speed and then practice steering left and right, as if there were imaginary obstacles, to practice making tight turns at speed, so I know how to make them in real life when a car door appears.
- Finally, I like to try locking up my rear tire and managing a skid for a second or two, in case it would happen in real life. I wouldn't recommend trying this unless you really want to, but I feel better knowing I can handle one if it should happen.
- If you haven't tried using toe clips or foot straps yet, those are a good easy upgrade to have more control over the bike and gain more confidence.
Also keep in mind that most things on a bike can be adjusted and customized for you. If you feel like your brakes are too mushy or too firm, that's easily adjustable. Same with tire pressure and saddle position, and front shock softness on mountain bikes. Once you have your bike exactly how you like it you'll feel a lot better and enjoy riding more.
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1
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
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I think with just riding your bike you will get enough bike handling skills for casual city riding. If you really want to practice, i would suggest you four exercises:
- braking with front brake only
- locking up your back wheel
- jumping over small things
- riding with no hands
However I have never fell because of poor technique but because I underestimated how slippery the road was. So watch out for tight turns
- after light rain
- in the winter
- when the road is covered with wet leaves
- on (wet) tram tracks.
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As others have mentioned, practicing in a safe environment without traffic will help you improve your skills.
I think learning the following skills is essential for riding around a city.
- Pedalling standing up for quick acceleration.
- Signalling left and right with your arm and only one hand on the handlebars.
- Observing behind you by looking over your shoulder. Mirrors can help, but the shoulder-check is considered a life-saver.
- Knowledge of the rules and rights of way for traffic in your country.
- The ability to do all the above without excessive wobbling or swerving.
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For "moving about the city", nothing is as important as safety.
Study something like, Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling -- especially the later pages, which explain how to interact with traffic. Note page 20 (and page 36), for example, which shows how to avoid getting trapped between the curb and vehicle turning right (or in the UK, turning left).
It doesn't tell you everything though, e.g. in the situation on page 21 I'd also want to make eye contact with the driver who is waiting to exit the driveway or the side-road, and (even though I have right of way) not cross in front of them until I had made eye contact.
As a semi-advanced skill, get the kind of cycling shoes which clip to the pedals (and corresponding pedals) -- called "SPD", also confusingly-named "clipless". I have two-sided pedals, one side with a clip receiver for bike shoes, and the other side flat for street shoes.
When learning to use these shoes, you'll fall off: the bike store told me that everyone does -- and I certainly did, when travelling at a speed of zero i.e. when coming to a complete stop at an intersection or destination and forgetting to unclip in time -- so learn to do it on sideroads where you're not in traffic ... and (they said) do it while you're wearing a winter coat (and a helmet of course, and cycling gloves): I found that gives extra padding on arms and hips, which makes a zero-speed fall painless.
Anyway, having feet clipped to the bike eventually helped me feel more 'at one' with or tied to, linked to the bike -- I no longer have to think about keeping my feet on the pedals, and can concentrate on eyes and hands (and ears) instead. It's also more comfortable eventually, e.g. easier to stand on the pedals (like you'd "rise to a trot" on a horse, using stirrups) when going over bumps, or to shift your bum to behind the seat when performing a hard stop or downhill braking (or an emergency brake).
Having equipment might help confidence:
- Effective brakes, front and back. Preferably, very effective brakes (I have and like hydraulic disk brakes, which remain effective even when wet or snowy, downhill in traffic). If yours is an older bike, ask whether you need new brake pads (they, and chains, are consumables).
- Lights (front and back) and reflectors (to the side), especially in winter when the days are short
- Helmet, glasses (with corrective lenses if that's you, otherwise just to keep the wind/dust/insects out of your eyes and to keep you from ever having to squint), gloves (if you fall then you're likely to put your hand on the ground to break your fall, and they absorb some of the vibration of the handle bars)
- I like to have robust tires too, so that the bike isn't fragile (the tires were the least reliable part of my bike until I upgraded them to "Marathon Plus")
- A bell (no good for cars but useful for alerting bikes and pedestrians on a cycle path)
Also, communicate with the traffic around you: use hand signals, and do shoulder-checks.
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9 Answers
9
active
oldest
votes
9 Answers
9
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
16
down vote
The short answer is practice. Simply riding around at moderate to slow speeds, practicing starting off, braking, stopping and negotiating tight turns will help build balance, confidence and control of the bike. Do this in a quiet spot away from people and cars if you can. If you are worried about falling do it on grass.
The most useful foundational bike handling skill is to learn how to stand up on the pedals, or at least take your weight off the saddle and onto the pedals through your legs. Being able to do this enables better braking, dealing with bumps and low speed maneuvering. Being able to pedal while standing up also allows you to apply more power to get over short climbs or accelerate quickly.
Learning how to brake hard and stop quickly is obviously a very important safety skill. It involves using both the front and rear brakes in the right proportion and shifting your weight backwards.
The other thing I'd recommend it learning how to use your bike's gears properly and be able to shift into appropriate low gears for hills, short steep climbs and stopping and starting.
Global Cycling Network has several bike handling skills videos. They are oriented towards fast road riding but the principles all apply. Here is their latest one:
1
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
16
down vote
The short answer is practice. Simply riding around at moderate to slow speeds, practicing starting off, braking, stopping and negotiating tight turns will help build balance, confidence and control of the bike. Do this in a quiet spot away from people and cars if you can. If you are worried about falling do it on grass.
The most useful foundational bike handling skill is to learn how to stand up on the pedals, or at least take your weight off the saddle and onto the pedals through your legs. Being able to do this enables better braking, dealing with bumps and low speed maneuvering. Being able to pedal while standing up also allows you to apply more power to get over short climbs or accelerate quickly.
Learning how to brake hard and stop quickly is obviously a very important safety skill. It involves using both the front and rear brakes in the right proportion and shifting your weight backwards.
The other thing I'd recommend it learning how to use your bike's gears properly and be able to shift into appropriate low gears for hills, short steep climbs and stopping and starting.
Global Cycling Network has several bike handling skills videos. They are oriented towards fast road riding but the principles all apply. Here is their latest one:
1
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
16
down vote
up vote
16
down vote
The short answer is practice. Simply riding around at moderate to slow speeds, practicing starting off, braking, stopping and negotiating tight turns will help build balance, confidence and control of the bike. Do this in a quiet spot away from people and cars if you can. If you are worried about falling do it on grass.
The most useful foundational bike handling skill is to learn how to stand up on the pedals, or at least take your weight off the saddle and onto the pedals through your legs. Being able to do this enables better braking, dealing with bumps and low speed maneuvering. Being able to pedal while standing up also allows you to apply more power to get over short climbs or accelerate quickly.
Learning how to brake hard and stop quickly is obviously a very important safety skill. It involves using both the front and rear brakes in the right proportion and shifting your weight backwards.
The other thing I'd recommend it learning how to use your bike's gears properly and be able to shift into appropriate low gears for hills, short steep climbs and stopping and starting.
Global Cycling Network has several bike handling skills videos. They are oriented towards fast road riding but the principles all apply. Here is their latest one:
The short answer is practice. Simply riding around at moderate to slow speeds, practicing starting off, braking, stopping and negotiating tight turns will help build balance, confidence and control of the bike. Do this in a quiet spot away from people and cars if you can. If you are worried about falling do it on grass.
The most useful foundational bike handling skill is to learn how to stand up on the pedals, or at least take your weight off the saddle and onto the pedals through your legs. Being able to do this enables better braking, dealing with bumps and low speed maneuvering. Being able to pedal while standing up also allows you to apply more power to get over short climbs or accelerate quickly.
Learning how to brake hard and stop quickly is obviously a very important safety skill. It involves using both the front and rear brakes in the right proportion and shifting your weight backwards.
The other thing I'd recommend it learning how to use your bike's gears properly and be able to shift into appropriate low gears for hills, short steep climbs and stopping and starting.
Global Cycling Network has several bike handling skills videos. They are oriented towards fast road riding but the principles all apply. Here is their latest one:
edited 12 hours ago


Sdarb
1033
1033
answered yesterday


Argenti Apparatus
24.4k12664
24.4k12664
1
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
1
1
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
i'm dumb and added a suggested edit to this comment but realized it was just a missing video embed because of an extension i'm using but i don't have enough points to comment on the review to say my bad
– Sdarb
14 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@argentiapparatus could you please review the youtube link? I remember it previewed okay last night but seems to be done today. The edit history shows no youtube link, so I'm confused what's happened.
– Criggie
13 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Sdarb no problem
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
@Criggie link seems OK
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
OK there's something wrong with youtube generally right now for me, so no video works and therefore no preview shows up. I've noticed a similar thing if Imgur is over capacity or otherwise not working, in that photos can be simply missing.
– Criggie
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
In the UK there is a national training scheme targeting child cyclists, often organized through schools. It claims to have trained about 2.5 million children to date. It has been running under different names for a long time - I took part in it back in the 1950s! Go to https://bikeability.org.uk/. "Level 1" is mainly about controlling the bike. Levels 2 and 3 are about riding safely in traffic.
From their website FAQ page, there may be opportunities for adults to take part:
Can adults take part in Bikeability?
Yes, adults can take part in Bikeability. The skills taught as part of
Bikeability will last a lifetime, and it is never too late to learn.
Your local authority might have an adult cycle training offer. They
might call it Bikeability, or refer to the National Standard for cycle
training, the standard upon which Bikeability is based. It is
recommended that you check with your local authority about their adult
cycle training offer – information is usually available from their
website, under ‘cycling’ or ‘cycle training’. There may be a charge
for training.
The training you receive can be built around your specific training
needs – so, if there’s a particular route you would like to practise
or a skill you’d like to work on, please make your instructor aware.
New contributor
alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
In the UK there is a national training scheme targeting child cyclists, often organized through schools. It claims to have trained about 2.5 million children to date. It has been running under different names for a long time - I took part in it back in the 1950s! Go to https://bikeability.org.uk/. "Level 1" is mainly about controlling the bike. Levels 2 and 3 are about riding safely in traffic.
From their website FAQ page, there may be opportunities for adults to take part:
Can adults take part in Bikeability?
Yes, adults can take part in Bikeability. The skills taught as part of
Bikeability will last a lifetime, and it is never too late to learn.
Your local authority might have an adult cycle training offer. They
might call it Bikeability, or refer to the National Standard for cycle
training, the standard upon which Bikeability is based. It is
recommended that you check with your local authority about their adult
cycle training offer – information is usually available from their
website, under ‘cycling’ or ‘cycle training’. There may be a charge
for training.
The training you receive can be built around your specific training
needs – so, if there’s a particular route you would like to practise
or a skill you’d like to work on, please make your instructor aware.
New contributor
alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
up vote
6
down vote
up vote
6
down vote
In the UK there is a national training scheme targeting child cyclists, often organized through schools. It claims to have trained about 2.5 million children to date. It has been running under different names for a long time - I took part in it back in the 1950s! Go to https://bikeability.org.uk/. "Level 1" is mainly about controlling the bike. Levels 2 and 3 are about riding safely in traffic.
From their website FAQ page, there may be opportunities for adults to take part:
Can adults take part in Bikeability?
Yes, adults can take part in Bikeability. The skills taught as part of
Bikeability will last a lifetime, and it is never too late to learn.
Your local authority might have an adult cycle training offer. They
might call it Bikeability, or refer to the National Standard for cycle
training, the standard upon which Bikeability is based. It is
recommended that you check with your local authority about their adult
cycle training offer – information is usually available from their
website, under ‘cycling’ or ‘cycle training’. There may be a charge
for training.
The training you receive can be built around your specific training
needs – so, if there’s a particular route you would like to practise
or a skill you’d like to work on, please make your instructor aware.
New contributor
alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
In the UK there is a national training scheme targeting child cyclists, often organized through schools. It claims to have trained about 2.5 million children to date. It has been running under different names for a long time - I took part in it back in the 1950s! Go to https://bikeability.org.uk/. "Level 1" is mainly about controlling the bike. Levels 2 and 3 are about riding safely in traffic.
From their website FAQ page, there may be opportunities for adults to take part:
Can adults take part in Bikeability?
Yes, adults can take part in Bikeability. The skills taught as part of
Bikeability will last a lifetime, and it is never too late to learn.
Your local authority might have an adult cycle training offer. They
might call it Bikeability, or refer to the National Standard for cycle
training, the standard upon which Bikeability is based. It is
recommended that you check with your local authority about their adult
cycle training offer – information is usually available from their
website, under ‘cycling’ or ‘cycle training’. There may be a charge
for training.
The training you receive can be built around your specific training
needs – so, if there’s a particular route you would like to practise
or a skill you’d like to work on, please make your instructor aware.
New contributor
alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
edited 22 hours ago
New contributor
alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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answered 22 hours ago
alephzero
1612
1612
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alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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alephzero is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
I agree with the advice to practice.
There's a book, Effective Cycling by John Forester, which covers everything--the physiology of cycling, bike maintenance, interacting with traffic, etc. Some of the advice on bike maintenance is outdated at this point, and I think some of what he wrote about physiology has been superseded by improved scientific understanding, but in terms of day-to-day riding, his advice is specific and solid. There is a series of courses based on the book as well, although I don't know if they are offered where you live.
Here's some of my own advice:
- Get your bike set up properly. Most people ride with the seat too low, and without enough weight on their hands. Your seat should be high enough that your knee is almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and you should be carrying some of your body weight on your hands. And if there are any serious mechanical problems with your bike, fix them.
- Learn how to ride in a straight line by instinct. This sounds trivial, but most naive bike riders can't do it. You should be able to hold a line that's no more than 15 cm wide.
- Learn what the real risks of riding in traffic are, and prepare for them. A lot of naive riders will try to mitigate their perceived risks, and will do it in ways that actually increase their real risks.
- Assuming your bike has multiple gears, ride in a lower gear than feels natural. You'll adjust. Most naive riders have a cadence (pedal speed) of 60 rpm or lower; you should aim for about 80 rpm. This is better for your knees, and it helps you accelerate quickly when you need to.
- Most importantly, learn to ride in a heightened state of awareness. Anticipate what's going to happen. If you need to swerve around a patch of broken glass, is there a car coming up behind you that will need to swerve too? Is there an oncoming car that will prevent it from doing so? Is someone going to get out of that parked car up ahead? What gear do you want to be in to accelerate away from the stop you're approaching?
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
I agree with the advice to practice.
There's a book, Effective Cycling by John Forester, which covers everything--the physiology of cycling, bike maintenance, interacting with traffic, etc. Some of the advice on bike maintenance is outdated at this point, and I think some of what he wrote about physiology has been superseded by improved scientific understanding, but in terms of day-to-day riding, his advice is specific and solid. There is a series of courses based on the book as well, although I don't know if they are offered where you live.
Here's some of my own advice:
- Get your bike set up properly. Most people ride with the seat too low, and without enough weight on their hands. Your seat should be high enough that your knee is almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and you should be carrying some of your body weight on your hands. And if there are any serious mechanical problems with your bike, fix them.
- Learn how to ride in a straight line by instinct. This sounds trivial, but most naive bike riders can't do it. You should be able to hold a line that's no more than 15 cm wide.
- Learn what the real risks of riding in traffic are, and prepare for them. A lot of naive riders will try to mitigate their perceived risks, and will do it in ways that actually increase their real risks.
- Assuming your bike has multiple gears, ride in a lower gear than feels natural. You'll adjust. Most naive riders have a cadence (pedal speed) of 60 rpm or lower; you should aim for about 80 rpm. This is better for your knees, and it helps you accelerate quickly when you need to.
- Most importantly, learn to ride in a heightened state of awareness. Anticipate what's going to happen. If you need to swerve around a patch of broken glass, is there a car coming up behind you that will need to swerve too? Is there an oncoming car that will prevent it from doing so? Is someone going to get out of that parked car up ahead? What gear do you want to be in to accelerate away from the stop you're approaching?
add a comment |Â
up vote
5
down vote
up vote
5
down vote
I agree with the advice to practice.
There's a book, Effective Cycling by John Forester, which covers everything--the physiology of cycling, bike maintenance, interacting with traffic, etc. Some of the advice on bike maintenance is outdated at this point, and I think some of what he wrote about physiology has been superseded by improved scientific understanding, but in terms of day-to-day riding, his advice is specific and solid. There is a series of courses based on the book as well, although I don't know if they are offered where you live.
Here's some of my own advice:
- Get your bike set up properly. Most people ride with the seat too low, and without enough weight on their hands. Your seat should be high enough that your knee is almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and you should be carrying some of your body weight on your hands. And if there are any serious mechanical problems with your bike, fix them.
- Learn how to ride in a straight line by instinct. This sounds trivial, but most naive bike riders can't do it. You should be able to hold a line that's no more than 15 cm wide.
- Learn what the real risks of riding in traffic are, and prepare for them. A lot of naive riders will try to mitigate their perceived risks, and will do it in ways that actually increase their real risks.
- Assuming your bike has multiple gears, ride in a lower gear than feels natural. You'll adjust. Most naive riders have a cadence (pedal speed) of 60 rpm or lower; you should aim for about 80 rpm. This is better for your knees, and it helps you accelerate quickly when you need to.
- Most importantly, learn to ride in a heightened state of awareness. Anticipate what's going to happen. If you need to swerve around a patch of broken glass, is there a car coming up behind you that will need to swerve too? Is there an oncoming car that will prevent it from doing so? Is someone going to get out of that parked car up ahead? What gear do you want to be in to accelerate away from the stop you're approaching?
I agree with the advice to practice.
There's a book, Effective Cycling by John Forester, which covers everything--the physiology of cycling, bike maintenance, interacting with traffic, etc. Some of the advice on bike maintenance is outdated at this point, and I think some of what he wrote about physiology has been superseded by improved scientific understanding, but in terms of day-to-day riding, his advice is specific and solid. There is a series of courses based on the book as well, although I don't know if they are offered where you live.
Here's some of my own advice:
- Get your bike set up properly. Most people ride with the seat too low, and without enough weight on their hands. Your seat should be high enough that your knee is almost fully extended at the bottom of the pedal stroke, and you should be carrying some of your body weight on your hands. And if there are any serious mechanical problems with your bike, fix them.
- Learn how to ride in a straight line by instinct. This sounds trivial, but most naive bike riders can't do it. You should be able to hold a line that's no more than 15 cm wide.
- Learn what the real risks of riding in traffic are, and prepare for them. A lot of naive riders will try to mitigate their perceived risks, and will do it in ways that actually increase their real risks.
- Assuming your bike has multiple gears, ride in a lower gear than feels natural. You'll adjust. Most naive riders have a cadence (pedal speed) of 60 rpm or lower; you should aim for about 80 rpm. This is better for your knees, and it helps you accelerate quickly when you need to.
- Most importantly, learn to ride in a heightened state of awareness. Anticipate what's going to happen. If you need to swerve around a patch of broken glass, is there a car coming up behind you that will need to swerve too? Is there an oncoming car that will prevent it from doing so? Is someone going to get out of that parked car up ahead? What gear do you want to be in to accelerate away from the stop you're approaching?
answered 20 hours ago


Adam Rice
4,3571329
4,3571329
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
I'm not certain what you are asking?
Once you know how to ride your bike, it is just a question of getting more experienced.
Ride and ride more, go around your neighborhood, learn how cars and pedestrians and other cyclists behave and react.
Go to parking space when there are no cars and ride there practicing how to maneuver safely at different speed (mostly low speed).
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
I'm not certain what you are asking?
Once you know how to ride your bike, it is just a question of getting more experienced.
Ride and ride more, go around your neighborhood, learn how cars and pedestrians and other cyclists behave and react.
Go to parking space when there are no cars and ride there practicing how to maneuver safely at different speed (mostly low speed).
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
I'm not certain what you are asking?
Once you know how to ride your bike, it is just a question of getting more experienced.
Ride and ride more, go around your neighborhood, learn how cars and pedestrians and other cyclists behave and react.
Go to parking space when there are no cars and ride there practicing how to maneuver safely at different speed (mostly low speed).
I'm not certain what you are asking?
Once you know how to ride your bike, it is just a question of getting more experienced.
Ride and ride more, go around your neighborhood, learn how cars and pedestrians and other cyclists behave and react.
Go to parking space when there are no cars and ride there practicing how to maneuver safely at different speed (mostly low speed).
answered yesterday
Max
90167
90167
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
add a comment |Â
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
There are certainly useful skills one doesn't get by just riding the sme over and over. One must actively try to learn them (examples in oher answers here).
– Vladimir F
14 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The most important thing is control. It is like they said in a movie that the Sword should become an extension to your body only then you will master it. That is the case with Bikes, too.
One additional suggestions other than the obvious 'experience'.
Do not turn your bike using only the handle. Tilt your bike sideways to the side you want to turn. Reason - Physics --> Centripetal Force --> Better Control.
PS - I was able to ride my bike for almost a km with numerous turns and completely hands free, (I highly recommend against it, though). Reason: you can turn the bike just by your own weight as explained above. High Schooler me didn't know the science behind this, then.
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1
Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
The most important thing is control. It is like they said in a movie that the Sword should become an extension to your body only then you will master it. That is the case with Bikes, too.
One additional suggestions other than the obvious 'experience'.
Do not turn your bike using only the handle. Tilt your bike sideways to the side you want to turn. Reason - Physics --> Centripetal Force --> Better Control.
PS - I was able to ride my bike for almost a km with numerous turns and completely hands free, (I highly recommend against it, though). Reason: you can turn the bike just by your own weight as explained above. High Schooler me didn't know the science behind this, then.
New contributor
user39405 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
The most important thing is control. It is like they said in a movie that the Sword should become an extension to your body only then you will master it. That is the case with Bikes, too.
One additional suggestions other than the obvious 'experience'.
Do not turn your bike using only the handle. Tilt your bike sideways to the side you want to turn. Reason - Physics --> Centripetal Force --> Better Control.
PS - I was able to ride my bike for almost a km with numerous turns and completely hands free, (I highly recommend against it, though). Reason: you can turn the bike just by your own weight as explained above. High Schooler me didn't know the science behind this, then.
New contributor
user39405 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
The most important thing is control. It is like they said in a movie that the Sword should become an extension to your body only then you will master it. That is the case with Bikes, too.
One additional suggestions other than the obvious 'experience'.
Do not turn your bike using only the handle. Tilt your bike sideways to the side you want to turn. Reason - Physics --> Centripetal Force --> Better Control.
PS - I was able to ride my bike for almost a km with numerous turns and completely hands free, (I highly recommend against it, though). Reason: you can turn the bike just by your own weight as explained above. High Schooler me didn't know the science behind this, then.
New contributor
user39405 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
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answered 22 hours ago
user39405
111
111
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user39405 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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user39405 is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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1
Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1
Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
1
1
Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
Hello and welcome to Bicycles SE. :-) To nitpick: you cannot turn a bike without leaning into the turn, unless you are looking to fall over. What you say is true but is not something that needs to be improved by experience since this — once you have learned riding a bike — is a reflex to maintain balance, and not a conscious choice. You almost never use the handles to turn, except at very low speeds. It is the "head angle" of the fork and the gyroscopic forces on the front wheel that keeps it at the right direction for the turn, which is why you can ride without your hands on the handles.
– MichaelK
20 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
If I'm fast approaching e.g. a sharp right turn (with both hands on the bars, of course) I sometimes think of steering towards the left, to make the bike 'fall over' (i.e. begin to turn towards) towards the right. If you want to go more right then you have to 'push' the bars slightly to the left.
– ChrisW
2 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
A lot of bike confidence comes from learning your particular bike. Here's some maneuvers I like to practice when there's no traffic or other bikers/pedestrians around:
- Find an empty parking lot or an alley without traffic and practice taking one hand off the handlebars while still pedaling. You'll learn how to manage your weight, and you'll be more comfortable taking a hand off in real riding conditions to signal your turn or get water.
The trackstand. Come to a slow halt while riding and try to balance the bike up while keeping both feet on the pedals, braking as needed. You'll learn a lot about how your bike responds to small amounts of braking and small weight shifts. You can use this in real life at stoplights to let you get off the line quicker and be able to get out the way more easily.
I like to practice riding with no hands on the handlebars sometimes - it's a great way to stretch out your back after being hunched over and having to steer with your leg weight shifts alone teaches you more about how to handle the bike.
- On wide roads with no traffic, I like to get up to speed and then practice steering left and right, as if there were imaginary obstacles, to practice making tight turns at speed, so I know how to make them in real life when a car door appears.
- Finally, I like to try locking up my rear tire and managing a skid for a second or two, in case it would happen in real life. I wouldn't recommend trying this unless you really want to, but I feel better knowing I can handle one if it should happen.
- If you haven't tried using toe clips or foot straps yet, those are a good easy upgrade to have more control over the bike and gain more confidence.
Also keep in mind that most things on a bike can be adjusted and customized for you. If you feel like your brakes are too mushy or too firm, that's easily adjustable. Same with tire pressure and saddle position, and front shock softness on mountain bikes. Once you have your bike exactly how you like it you'll feel a lot better and enjoy riding more.
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1
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
A lot of bike confidence comes from learning your particular bike. Here's some maneuvers I like to practice when there's no traffic or other bikers/pedestrians around:
- Find an empty parking lot or an alley without traffic and practice taking one hand off the handlebars while still pedaling. You'll learn how to manage your weight, and you'll be more comfortable taking a hand off in real riding conditions to signal your turn or get water.
The trackstand. Come to a slow halt while riding and try to balance the bike up while keeping both feet on the pedals, braking as needed. You'll learn a lot about how your bike responds to small amounts of braking and small weight shifts. You can use this in real life at stoplights to let you get off the line quicker and be able to get out the way more easily.
I like to practice riding with no hands on the handlebars sometimes - it's a great way to stretch out your back after being hunched over and having to steer with your leg weight shifts alone teaches you more about how to handle the bike.
- On wide roads with no traffic, I like to get up to speed and then practice steering left and right, as if there were imaginary obstacles, to practice making tight turns at speed, so I know how to make them in real life when a car door appears.
- Finally, I like to try locking up my rear tire and managing a skid for a second or two, in case it would happen in real life. I wouldn't recommend trying this unless you really want to, but I feel better knowing I can handle one if it should happen.
- If you haven't tried using toe clips or foot straps yet, those are a good easy upgrade to have more control over the bike and gain more confidence.
Also keep in mind that most things on a bike can be adjusted and customized for you. If you feel like your brakes are too mushy or too firm, that's easily adjustable. Same with tire pressure and saddle position, and front shock softness on mountain bikes. Once you have your bike exactly how you like it you'll feel a lot better and enjoy riding more.
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Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
1
down vote
up vote
1
down vote
A lot of bike confidence comes from learning your particular bike. Here's some maneuvers I like to practice when there's no traffic or other bikers/pedestrians around:
- Find an empty parking lot or an alley without traffic and practice taking one hand off the handlebars while still pedaling. You'll learn how to manage your weight, and you'll be more comfortable taking a hand off in real riding conditions to signal your turn or get water.
The trackstand. Come to a slow halt while riding and try to balance the bike up while keeping both feet on the pedals, braking as needed. You'll learn a lot about how your bike responds to small amounts of braking and small weight shifts. You can use this in real life at stoplights to let you get off the line quicker and be able to get out the way more easily.
I like to practice riding with no hands on the handlebars sometimes - it's a great way to stretch out your back after being hunched over and having to steer with your leg weight shifts alone teaches you more about how to handle the bike.
- On wide roads with no traffic, I like to get up to speed and then practice steering left and right, as if there were imaginary obstacles, to practice making tight turns at speed, so I know how to make them in real life when a car door appears.
- Finally, I like to try locking up my rear tire and managing a skid for a second or two, in case it would happen in real life. I wouldn't recommend trying this unless you really want to, but I feel better knowing I can handle one if it should happen.
- If you haven't tried using toe clips or foot straps yet, those are a good easy upgrade to have more control over the bike and gain more confidence.
Also keep in mind that most things on a bike can be adjusted and customized for you. If you feel like your brakes are too mushy or too firm, that's easily adjustable. Same with tire pressure and saddle position, and front shock softness on mountain bikes. Once you have your bike exactly how you like it you'll feel a lot better and enjoy riding more.
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A lot of bike confidence comes from learning your particular bike. Here's some maneuvers I like to practice when there's no traffic or other bikers/pedestrians around:
- Find an empty parking lot or an alley without traffic and practice taking one hand off the handlebars while still pedaling. You'll learn how to manage your weight, and you'll be more comfortable taking a hand off in real riding conditions to signal your turn or get water.
The trackstand. Come to a slow halt while riding and try to balance the bike up while keeping both feet on the pedals, braking as needed. You'll learn a lot about how your bike responds to small amounts of braking and small weight shifts. You can use this in real life at stoplights to let you get off the line quicker and be able to get out the way more easily.
I like to practice riding with no hands on the handlebars sometimes - it's a great way to stretch out your back after being hunched over and having to steer with your leg weight shifts alone teaches you more about how to handle the bike.
- On wide roads with no traffic, I like to get up to speed and then practice steering left and right, as if there were imaginary obstacles, to practice making tight turns at speed, so I know how to make them in real life when a car door appears.
- Finally, I like to try locking up my rear tire and managing a skid for a second or two, in case it would happen in real life. I wouldn't recommend trying this unless you really want to, but I feel better knowing I can handle one if it should happen.
- If you haven't tried using toe clips or foot straps yet, those are a good easy upgrade to have more control over the bike and gain more confidence.
Also keep in mind that most things on a bike can be adjusted and customized for you. If you feel like your brakes are too mushy or too firm, that's easily adjustable. Same with tire pressure and saddle position, and front shock softness on mountain bikes. Once you have your bike exactly how you like it you'll feel a lot better and enjoy riding more.
New contributor
PascLeRasc is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
PascLeRasc is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
answered 19 hours ago
PascLeRasc
191
191
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1
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
1
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
1
1
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
I agree generally with all of this except the track stand, which is an advanced skill and hard to learn.
– Argenti Apparatus
12 hours ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
I think with just riding your bike you will get enough bike handling skills for casual city riding. If you really want to practice, i would suggest you four exercises:
- braking with front brake only
- locking up your back wheel
- jumping over small things
- riding with no hands
However I have never fell because of poor technique but because I underestimated how slippery the road was. So watch out for tight turns
- after light rain
- in the winter
- when the road is covered with wet leaves
- on (wet) tram tracks.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
I think with just riding your bike you will get enough bike handling skills for casual city riding. If you really want to practice, i would suggest you four exercises:
- braking with front brake only
- locking up your back wheel
- jumping over small things
- riding with no hands
However I have never fell because of poor technique but because I underestimated how slippery the road was. So watch out for tight turns
- after light rain
- in the winter
- when the road is covered with wet leaves
- on (wet) tram tracks.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
I think with just riding your bike you will get enough bike handling skills for casual city riding. If you really want to practice, i would suggest you four exercises:
- braking with front brake only
- locking up your back wheel
- jumping over small things
- riding with no hands
However I have never fell because of poor technique but because I underestimated how slippery the road was. So watch out for tight turns
- after light rain
- in the winter
- when the road is covered with wet leaves
- on (wet) tram tracks.
I think with just riding your bike you will get enough bike handling skills for casual city riding. If you really want to practice, i would suggest you four exercises:
- braking with front brake only
- locking up your back wheel
- jumping over small things
- riding with no hands
However I have never fell because of poor technique but because I underestimated how slippery the road was. So watch out for tight turns
- after light rain
- in the winter
- when the road is covered with wet leaves
- on (wet) tram tracks.
answered 3 hours ago
Balint
854
854
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
As others have mentioned, practicing in a safe environment without traffic will help you improve your skills.
I think learning the following skills is essential for riding around a city.
- Pedalling standing up for quick acceleration.
- Signalling left and right with your arm and only one hand on the handlebars.
- Observing behind you by looking over your shoulder. Mirrors can help, but the shoulder-check is considered a life-saver.
- Knowledge of the rules and rights of way for traffic in your country.
- The ability to do all the above without excessive wobbling or swerving.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
As others have mentioned, practicing in a safe environment without traffic will help you improve your skills.
I think learning the following skills is essential for riding around a city.
- Pedalling standing up for quick acceleration.
- Signalling left and right with your arm and only one hand on the handlebars.
- Observing behind you by looking over your shoulder. Mirrors can help, but the shoulder-check is considered a life-saver.
- Knowledge of the rules and rights of way for traffic in your country.
- The ability to do all the above without excessive wobbling or swerving.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
As others have mentioned, practicing in a safe environment without traffic will help you improve your skills.
I think learning the following skills is essential for riding around a city.
- Pedalling standing up for quick acceleration.
- Signalling left and right with your arm and only one hand on the handlebars.
- Observing behind you by looking over your shoulder. Mirrors can help, but the shoulder-check is considered a life-saver.
- Knowledge of the rules and rights of way for traffic in your country.
- The ability to do all the above without excessive wobbling or swerving.
As others have mentioned, practicing in a safe environment without traffic will help you improve your skills.
I think learning the following skills is essential for riding around a city.
- Pedalling standing up for quick acceleration.
- Signalling left and right with your arm and only one hand on the handlebars.
- Observing behind you by looking over your shoulder. Mirrors can help, but the shoulder-check is considered a life-saver.
- Knowledge of the rules and rights of way for traffic in your country.
- The ability to do all the above without excessive wobbling or swerving.
answered 1 hour ago
James Bradbury
5,13211943
5,13211943
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
For "moving about the city", nothing is as important as safety.
Study something like, Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling -- especially the later pages, which explain how to interact with traffic. Note page 20 (and page 36), for example, which shows how to avoid getting trapped between the curb and vehicle turning right (or in the UK, turning left).
It doesn't tell you everything though, e.g. in the situation on page 21 I'd also want to make eye contact with the driver who is waiting to exit the driveway or the side-road, and (even though I have right of way) not cross in front of them until I had made eye contact.
As a semi-advanced skill, get the kind of cycling shoes which clip to the pedals (and corresponding pedals) -- called "SPD", also confusingly-named "clipless". I have two-sided pedals, one side with a clip receiver for bike shoes, and the other side flat for street shoes.
When learning to use these shoes, you'll fall off: the bike store told me that everyone does -- and I certainly did, when travelling at a speed of zero i.e. when coming to a complete stop at an intersection or destination and forgetting to unclip in time -- so learn to do it on sideroads where you're not in traffic ... and (they said) do it while you're wearing a winter coat (and a helmet of course, and cycling gloves): I found that gives extra padding on arms and hips, which makes a zero-speed fall painless.
Anyway, having feet clipped to the bike eventually helped me feel more 'at one' with or tied to, linked to the bike -- I no longer have to think about keeping my feet on the pedals, and can concentrate on eyes and hands (and ears) instead. It's also more comfortable eventually, e.g. easier to stand on the pedals (like you'd "rise to a trot" on a horse, using stirrups) when going over bumps, or to shift your bum to behind the seat when performing a hard stop or downhill braking (or an emergency brake).
Having equipment might help confidence:
- Effective brakes, front and back. Preferably, very effective brakes (I have and like hydraulic disk brakes, which remain effective even when wet or snowy, downhill in traffic). If yours is an older bike, ask whether you need new brake pads (they, and chains, are consumables).
- Lights (front and back) and reflectors (to the side), especially in winter when the days are short
- Helmet, glasses (with corrective lenses if that's you, otherwise just to keep the wind/dust/insects out of your eyes and to keep you from ever having to squint), gloves (if you fall then you're likely to put your hand on the ground to break your fall, and they absorb some of the vibration of the handle bars)
- I like to have robust tires too, so that the bike isn't fragile (the tires were the least reliable part of my bike until I upgraded them to "Marathon Plus")
- A bell (no good for cars but useful for alerting bikes and pedestrians on a cycle path)
Also, communicate with the traffic around you: use hand signals, and do shoulder-checks.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
For "moving about the city", nothing is as important as safety.
Study something like, Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling -- especially the later pages, which explain how to interact with traffic. Note page 20 (and page 36), for example, which shows how to avoid getting trapped between the curb and vehicle turning right (or in the UK, turning left).
It doesn't tell you everything though, e.g. in the situation on page 21 I'd also want to make eye contact with the driver who is waiting to exit the driveway or the side-road, and (even though I have right of way) not cross in front of them until I had made eye contact.
As a semi-advanced skill, get the kind of cycling shoes which clip to the pedals (and corresponding pedals) -- called "SPD", also confusingly-named "clipless". I have two-sided pedals, one side with a clip receiver for bike shoes, and the other side flat for street shoes.
When learning to use these shoes, you'll fall off: the bike store told me that everyone does -- and I certainly did, when travelling at a speed of zero i.e. when coming to a complete stop at an intersection or destination and forgetting to unclip in time -- so learn to do it on sideroads where you're not in traffic ... and (they said) do it while you're wearing a winter coat (and a helmet of course, and cycling gloves): I found that gives extra padding on arms and hips, which makes a zero-speed fall painless.
Anyway, having feet clipped to the bike eventually helped me feel more 'at one' with or tied to, linked to the bike -- I no longer have to think about keeping my feet on the pedals, and can concentrate on eyes and hands (and ears) instead. It's also more comfortable eventually, e.g. easier to stand on the pedals (like you'd "rise to a trot" on a horse, using stirrups) when going over bumps, or to shift your bum to behind the seat when performing a hard stop or downhill braking (or an emergency brake).
Having equipment might help confidence:
- Effective brakes, front and back. Preferably, very effective brakes (I have and like hydraulic disk brakes, which remain effective even when wet or snowy, downhill in traffic). If yours is an older bike, ask whether you need new brake pads (they, and chains, are consumables).
- Lights (front and back) and reflectors (to the side), especially in winter when the days are short
- Helmet, glasses (with corrective lenses if that's you, otherwise just to keep the wind/dust/insects out of your eyes and to keep you from ever having to squint), gloves (if you fall then you're likely to put your hand on the ground to break your fall, and they absorb some of the vibration of the handle bars)
- I like to have robust tires too, so that the bike isn't fragile (the tires were the least reliable part of my bike until I upgraded them to "Marathon Plus")
- A bell (no good for cars but useful for alerting bikes and pedestrians on a cycle path)
Also, communicate with the traffic around you: use hand signals, and do shoulder-checks.
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
For "moving about the city", nothing is as important as safety.
Study something like, Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling -- especially the later pages, which explain how to interact with traffic. Note page 20 (and page 36), for example, which shows how to avoid getting trapped between the curb and vehicle turning right (or in the UK, turning left).
It doesn't tell you everything though, e.g. in the situation on page 21 I'd also want to make eye contact with the driver who is waiting to exit the driveway or the side-road, and (even though I have right of way) not cross in front of them until I had made eye contact.
As a semi-advanced skill, get the kind of cycling shoes which clip to the pedals (and corresponding pedals) -- called "SPD", also confusingly-named "clipless". I have two-sided pedals, one side with a clip receiver for bike shoes, and the other side flat for street shoes.
When learning to use these shoes, you'll fall off: the bike store told me that everyone does -- and I certainly did, when travelling at a speed of zero i.e. when coming to a complete stop at an intersection or destination and forgetting to unclip in time -- so learn to do it on sideroads where you're not in traffic ... and (they said) do it while you're wearing a winter coat (and a helmet of course, and cycling gloves): I found that gives extra padding on arms and hips, which makes a zero-speed fall painless.
Anyway, having feet clipped to the bike eventually helped me feel more 'at one' with or tied to, linked to the bike -- I no longer have to think about keeping my feet on the pedals, and can concentrate on eyes and hands (and ears) instead. It's also more comfortable eventually, e.g. easier to stand on the pedals (like you'd "rise to a trot" on a horse, using stirrups) when going over bumps, or to shift your bum to behind the seat when performing a hard stop or downhill braking (or an emergency brake).
Having equipment might help confidence:
- Effective brakes, front and back. Preferably, very effective brakes (I have and like hydraulic disk brakes, which remain effective even when wet or snowy, downhill in traffic). If yours is an older bike, ask whether you need new brake pads (they, and chains, are consumables).
- Lights (front and back) and reflectors (to the side), especially in winter when the days are short
- Helmet, glasses (with corrective lenses if that's you, otherwise just to keep the wind/dust/insects out of your eyes and to keep you from ever having to squint), gloves (if you fall then you're likely to put your hand on the ground to break your fall, and they absorb some of the vibration of the handle bars)
- I like to have robust tires too, so that the bike isn't fragile (the tires were the least reliable part of my bike until I upgraded them to "Marathon Plus")
- A bell (no good for cars but useful for alerting bikes and pedestrians on a cycle path)
Also, communicate with the traffic around you: use hand signals, and do shoulder-checks.
For "moving about the city", nothing is as important as safety.
Study something like, Ontario’s Guide to Safe Cycling -- especially the later pages, which explain how to interact with traffic. Note page 20 (and page 36), for example, which shows how to avoid getting trapped between the curb and vehicle turning right (or in the UK, turning left).
It doesn't tell you everything though, e.g. in the situation on page 21 I'd also want to make eye contact with the driver who is waiting to exit the driveway or the side-road, and (even though I have right of way) not cross in front of them until I had made eye contact.
As a semi-advanced skill, get the kind of cycling shoes which clip to the pedals (and corresponding pedals) -- called "SPD", also confusingly-named "clipless". I have two-sided pedals, one side with a clip receiver for bike shoes, and the other side flat for street shoes.
When learning to use these shoes, you'll fall off: the bike store told me that everyone does -- and I certainly did, when travelling at a speed of zero i.e. when coming to a complete stop at an intersection or destination and forgetting to unclip in time -- so learn to do it on sideroads where you're not in traffic ... and (they said) do it while you're wearing a winter coat (and a helmet of course, and cycling gloves): I found that gives extra padding on arms and hips, which makes a zero-speed fall painless.
Anyway, having feet clipped to the bike eventually helped me feel more 'at one' with or tied to, linked to the bike -- I no longer have to think about keeping my feet on the pedals, and can concentrate on eyes and hands (and ears) instead. It's also more comfortable eventually, e.g. easier to stand on the pedals (like you'd "rise to a trot" on a horse, using stirrups) when going over bumps, or to shift your bum to behind the seat when performing a hard stop or downhill braking (or an emergency brake).
Having equipment might help confidence:
- Effective brakes, front and back. Preferably, very effective brakes (I have and like hydraulic disk brakes, which remain effective even when wet or snowy, downhill in traffic). If yours is an older bike, ask whether you need new brake pads (they, and chains, are consumables).
- Lights (front and back) and reflectors (to the side), especially in winter when the days are short
- Helmet, glasses (with corrective lenses if that's you, otherwise just to keep the wind/dust/insects out of your eyes and to keep you from ever having to squint), gloves (if you fall then you're likely to put your hand on the ground to break your fall, and they absorb some of the vibration of the handle bars)
- I like to have robust tires too, so that the bike isn't fragile (the tires were the least reliable part of my bike until I upgraded them to "Marathon Plus")
- A bell (no good for cars but useful for alerting bikes and pedestrians on a cycle path)
Also, communicate with the traffic around you: use hand signals, and do shoulder-checks.
edited 9 mins ago
answered 33 mins ago
ChrisW
8,51064378
8,51064378
add a comment |Â
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4
Just ride your bike as often as you can and you will gain experience and practice.
– Herr Derb
yesterday
Do you ride alone or with others? My best times are when riding with several other people.
– Criggie
23 hours ago
2
What kind of bike do you ride, and where do you ride it?
– Criggie
23 hours ago
Learn to keep your inside pedal up when turning. i.e. when turning left, your left foot should be up and your right foot down. You may never intentionally turn sharp enough to clip a pedal (inside foot down, the pedal hits the ground, you can crash), but the physics work better for cornering that way. It seems that there's something psychological about having the inside foot down when cornering because most people I see riding casually (and some not so casually) do it that way. To me it feels innately awkward to have the inside foot down...
– FreeMan
22 hours ago
1
@ojs - he was asking how to learn, I was throwing in a what to learn, so I didn't feel it was an appropriate answer to this question.
– FreeMan
14 hours ago