As with everything we do, cycling too has its learning curve.

If you’re new to cycling, you may wonder about the things you should and should not be doing. To be truthful, most of these things will just have to be learned out on the road. A lot of them, however, can be avoided by riding with more experienced cyclists or reading about cycling.

In that vein, here are 5 common “mistakes” to look out for:

by Team Traveller

Using the Wrong Gears
Although gearing may seem like it’s mostly common sense, it’s more a less a mystery to most beginner cyclists. In fact, i’d say it’s safe to say that there are a lot of beginning and intermediate cyclists out there who still don’t use the correct gears at the correct times.

Here’s a quick rule of thumb: Keep pedaling as easy as possible. If it’s easy to pedal, you conserve energy by not using up your valuable fast-twitch muscles. Don’t worry about losing speed. You’ll find that as you increase your cadence that your speed becomes more consistent, while your endurance goes up.

Riding Against Traffic
This is perhaps one of the most dangerous (deadly) of beginner mistakes. When you are on a bicycle, you are a vehicle as well. You take up more room than a runner, and are meant to flow with traffic not against it.

Take your lane! Be visible!

Saddle Too Low
Your saddle should be high enough that your legs are nearly fully extended at the bottom of your pedal stroke. It may seem like it is more comfortable, but having your saddle too low greatly decreases your pedal efficiency.

Raise your saddle to take advantage of the full power your legs have to offer. This will noticeably decrease your fatigue and increase your endurance.

No Lights at Night
Although many would have you believe that reflectors can provide adequate visibility at night, they’re wrong. In fact, I prefer to ride with lights even during the day. Why?

Plain and simple: visibility. You have to be visible for cars to see you. Lights are needed for this, especially at night. Don’t take it for granted that they’ll just notice you, because chances are they won’t. It’s your responsibility to make sure they do.

Not Enough Water
You need a lot of water when you’re cycling, especially on long rides. Don’t get caught out 15 miles from home with no water! Riding dehydrated is not only dangerous, but very uncomfortable.

There are plenty of other mistakes that are easy to make, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Part of doing something includes making all the mistakes necessary to learn. I’m a firm believer, in fact, that making mistakes is the best way to learn.

What are some of the mistakes you see others (or yourself) make? Let us know in the comments!

Related posts:

1. Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense
2. Stop Lagging Behind | 6 Easy Ways to Increase your Cycling Speed
3. How Can We Make Cycling Safer For Everyone?

I very often go cycling by myself, or with a small group. I also bike very frequently pulling my son in a trailer, and this always brings my most safety-conscious self to the forefront. I find myself thinking “what is this car going to do?” “are they going to see us?”

Bicycle Safety

That being said, the trailer actually makes me more visible, and I have had very few bad experiences. I have, however, had a few close calls that made me think twice.

I think that it’s safe to say that many more people would ride if they thought riding a bike was safer. How, then, can we make cycling safer for everyone? How can we do away with the machismo attitude that claims that cars own the road? Here are just a few thoughts:

Our streets would be more bicycle friendly if. . .

Everyone followed a few simple rules and common sense
This could go a long way. Simple traffic rules, safety conventions and common  sense actions could help bridge the gap between driver and rider, which could enable them to finally “share the road”.

Everyone paid more attention
Distracted driving is definitely an issue. Some of the closest calls I’ve been in have been because of distracted drivers. Whether they’re on their cell phones, texting, or just flat out not paying attention, distracted driving endangers everyone.

Everyone was more visible
This is along the lines of simple rules and common sense, but it is an important one. Ride with traffic, not against it. Wear visible colors, switch your reflectors out for lights, USE lights (especially when it’s dark or dusky), and stay in the lane. Most bicycle accidents happen to cyclists who started out on the sidewalk. Why? Because people in cars don’t pay attention to the sidewalk. When you make the transfer to the road, or to cross a street, you’re much less visible on the sidewalk than if you were in the road to begin with.

Everyone was more aware
As is often the case, ignorance is a huge part of the problem. People don’t realize that cyclists have their place on the road. Cyclists aren’t aware of correct etiquette (signaling, positioning, etc), and drivers aren’t aware enough to look for the signals. Ignorance is the issue, and education is the solution.

Have you had some close calls? Share them with us in the comments.
Do you have more ideas to help create cycle friendly streets? Share those too.

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Related posts:

1. Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense
2. 5 Reasons You Should Ditch Your Car and Ride a Bike
3. Riding the Road: What to Bring on Your Ride

Ditch Your Car - Ride a Bike!

Ask yourself the question: Why do I ride my bike? or Why do I not ride my bike? Do you know the answer? Maybe it’s a simple. Maybe it’s not. Must you ride your bike, due to lack of vehicle? Or is riding a bike a conscious choice? Maybe you don’t ride a bike. Why not?

In any event, I believe it’s important to know why exactly you do what you do. In this case, why do you ride a bike? Why don’t you ride a bike? If you don’t spend much time on a bike, I challenge you (yes you) to ditch your car and ride a bike! If you do spend time on a bike, i challenge you to spend more time on it. I’ll even give you 5 reasons why:

See Things in a Different Way.
Anyone who’s spent much time on a bike knows that the road takes on a different view while on two wheels. You’re going fast enough to get where you’re going, but slow enough to be able to actually take in what you’re seeing. See houses you hadn’t seen before, storefronts you never noticed, or nature you never took the time to look at.

Get in Shape.
This one speaks for itself. On an intense bicycle ride you can burn over 1000 calories per hour. During a leisurely ride, you’ll burn more than 300. Why not get your workout AND your commute out of the way all at once?

Save Money.
Gas prices are soaring, and car maintenance fees are nothing to scoff at either. Save yourself the time and money by riding a bike. After a small investment in gear, you won’t have to spend another paycheck on gas again.

Save the Environment.
This one’s simple: Use less gas! Using less gas, means more harmful fumes and less drilling, which means cleaner air and a healthier planet. More cyclists on the road leads to less crowded streets and cleaner city air.

Stand Out from the crowd.
Take the opportunity to be different. In a world full of people dependent on their automobiles, take two wheels, see the road you’re traveling and maybe meet a person or two.

There you have it: 5 of the multitude of reasons you should ditch your car and ride a bike. Let us know why you ride your bike in the comments!

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Related posts:

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2. How Can We Make Cycling Safer For Everyone?
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I mentioned in my previous post Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense to be prepared on your ride, but didn’t go too far into what being prepared actually entails. If  you’re new to the road (or getting back in the saddle), you may ask: “What should I bring with me?” How do you know what’s too much, and what exactly to bring to be prepared for what may happen? The list is actually quite small but full of things that can save you a lot of headaches when you’re 20+ miles away from home (or civilization).

What to Bring: The Bare Essentials

1. Helmet
   Yes, you have to wear a helmet. Although I believe the proponents of going helmet free have a point (More cyclists on the road means fewer accidents. No helmet means less pressure and more cyclists), the safety risks outweigh the benefits. Find a helmet you like and you won’t feel goofy. I personally like Giro helmets, which can be found to fit any budget. They cool well and offer good protection (not to mention, most of them look nice too).  Find one you like!
2. Hydration
   Make sure you stay hydrated, because riding home dehydrated not only sucks, but is dangerous. You can use either a Water Bottle (don’t forget the cage) or go for a CamelBak which will also give you room to hold extra gear. In any event, make sure you bring enough for the ride.
3. Tool Kit
   True, it’s hard to do any serious bicycle maintenance on the side of the road, but you should definitely be prepared to fix any minor problems on the fly. Here are a few things that you should carry:
   • Multi-Tool - For performing your maintenance
   • Seat Bag – To hold your gear
   • Tire Levers - For changing flats
   • Spare Tubes or a Patch Kit (I prefer tubes, patch the old one at home)
4. Frame Pump
   To air up your tires after you change the tubes.
5. Cash
   Just in case you stop somewhere that doesn’t take cards. Or (God Forbid) to help out with gas money in the event that you need a ride home.

What to Bring: The Extras

1. Eye Protection
   I strongly suggest investing in some sunglasses not only for sun protection, but also to protect your eyes from wind and debris (especially if you wear contacts)
2. Gloves
   Gloves can take a lot of the bite out of road vibration, and help prevent blisters and callouses.
3. Computer
   Cycling computers range from incredibly simple to ultra comprehensive. You can go with a base model like this Cateye CC-RD300W or go all out with something like the Garmin Edge 705 that measures cadence, heart rate, and has a full GPS.

Each rider will ride with something different, depending on their desires, skill level, and ride conditions. What do you ride with? Let us know in the comments!

And don’t forget to check out our post on Road Basics: Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense.

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Related posts:

1. Riding the Road: Simple Rules and Common Sense
2. 5 Reasons You Should Ditch Your Car and Ride a Bike
3. How Can We Make Cycling Safer For Everyone?

You may have never ridden a bike in the road, or you may have been doing it regularly for some time now.  In either case, it is always a good idea know what you need to do to keep yourself and others safe. I see motorists and cyclists every day making simple (but sometimes deadly) mistakes.  While you may ride (or drive) safe and smart, it only takes one to give the rest a bad reputation. This bad reputation unfortunately leads to far-too-common motorist aggression, and resentment toward cyclists. Here are a few guidelines to follow to help remedy this:


Safety Guidelines For Cyclists

1. Stop at Signs and Lights
   Yes, you have to stop at traffic lights and wait your turn at stop signs too.  The general rule of thumb here is this: pay attention, be considerate, and think!  As a vehicle, you are responsible for following all the rules of the road.
2. Signal
   Let other drivers (and hopefully riders) know where you’re going!  It is generally accepted to signal with your left arm.  To make a left turn, point to the left.  To make a right turn, it is in many states acceptable to do the same with your right arm (and often more understandable to less observant drivers), but legal in all states to raise your left hand with your elbow at a right angle.  After you’re done signaling, make sure you look to make sure your signal has been seen, especially when turning across another lane of traffic.
   

   Cycling Hand Signals

3. Stay in the Road (And Off the Sidewalk)
   For many, this is counter intuitive. However, you reduce your chances of being in an accident greatly by riding in the street. Why? Visibility. One of the keys to staying safe on the road is to be visible and predictable. Think about it: cyclists move much faster than pedestrians, which means that you can enter a driver’s field of vision faster. This makes it much harder for them to see you if you are on the sidewalk. In the road, you’re right in their face.
4. Avoid Riding into the Sun
   Riding into the sunset or sunrise reduces your visibility greatly, increasing your chances of getting hit.
5. Use Lights at Night
   Reflectors are just not enough! If you are riding at night, use a light for both front AND rear. They’ll be worth every penny. Also wear bright clothing, as anything to help your visibility is a plus.
6. Be Prepared
   Tires can go flat with no notice of all. Be prepared for emergency maintenance. Carry a basic toolkit, spare tires or patches. And know how to use them!

Safety Guidelines For Drivers

1. Pay Attention and Be Considerate!
   I can’t think of much else I can put in this category. Watch what cyclists are doing, and give them enough room. Most states require that you give cyclists at least 3 feet of clearance when passing. Please observe this and make sure not to pass when a cyclist is turning.

By following these rules, paying attention, and maximizing your visibility, you can increase your safety greatly. Remember, a dead cyclist rides no bicycle.

What safety rules do you follow? Let us know in the comments!

Related posts:

1. How Can We Make Cycling Safer For Everyone?
2. Riding the Road: What to Bring on Your Ride
3. 5 Common Cycling Mistakes You Should Avoid