blinking red tails are actually illegal in the UK lol.
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
I hate cyclists, always bein in the road and making me think I might drive into them by accident one day when they should just use the pavement or something.
Get bike shorts, spandex or baggy, but get them, it will reduce chafing and ur ass won't hurt as much afterwards.
Always wear a helmet. Don't think you are invincible, some bullshit will happen and it may be out of your control.
When riding on busy streets and cars try and pass you try and stay as far to the right as possible. If it is impossible to allow the cars to pass safely, simply stay in the middle of the lane as to be sure there is no harm done to you.
If riding at night ALWAYS wear reflective gear, make sure your bike has reflecters on it, maybe a good idea to get some form of flashlight / bike light to go on the front of your bike or on your head. Cars will not see you if you don't have reflective gear.
In the cold its probably a good idea to have leggings and especially gloves. I live in boston so yeah I learned that lesson quick.
If you can, do yourself a favor and wear some form of sunglasses or goggles while you ride, I find around her I get a lot of dust caught in my eyes, but I wear glasses now and it's not as huge a problem.
Make sure you always, always, always signal.
Don't wear earphones of any type. You will get distracted and you will probably die.
Mirror maybe is a good idea but I've never used one.
Don't get nervous when riding in traffic. The cars will not hit you. If you get nervous and look behind you too much you can lose track of where you are going and possibly be killed.
Do not ride on sidewalks, it is illegal, dangerous, and stupid. I used to do this then realized how dangerous it was and stopped. If a car is trying to pass you on a 1 lane road, you can use the sidewalk temporarily.
Always carry a bike lock.
Always keep an energy bar or something that is prepared to eat, you will get hungry and it's always a good idea to keep some food with you
Always keep some form of hydrating beverage such as water or gatorade, you will get thirsty.
Bring money. Bring a phone.
Keep your tires properly inflated. This is one of the most important things, too much or too little air can ruin the bikes performance.
Personally I always carry a knife with me but thats personal preference, my bike costs about $600 and I am nervous some guy could leap out at me and steal it (paranoia?)
my 2 cents
Always wear a helmet. Don't think you are invincible, some bullshit will happen and it may be out of your control.
When riding on busy streets and cars try and pass you try and stay as far to the right as possible. If it is impossible to allow the cars to pass safely, simply stay in the middle of the lane as to be sure there is no harm done to you.
If riding at night ALWAYS wear reflective gear, make sure your bike has reflecters on it, maybe a good idea to get some form of flashlight / bike light to go on the front of your bike or on your head. Cars will not see you if you don't have reflective gear.
In the cold its probably a good idea to have leggings and especially gloves. I live in boston so yeah I learned that lesson quick.
If you can, do yourself a favor and wear some form of sunglasses or goggles while you ride, I find around her I get a lot of dust caught in my eyes, but I wear glasses now and it's not as huge a problem.
Make sure you always, always, always signal.
Don't wear earphones of any type. You will get distracted and you will probably die.
Mirror maybe is a good idea but I've never used one.
Don't get nervous when riding in traffic. The cars will not hit you. If you get nervous and look behind you too much you can lose track of where you are going and possibly be killed.
Do not ride on sidewalks, it is illegal, dangerous, and stupid. I used to do this then realized how dangerous it was and stopped. If a car is trying to pass you on a 1 lane road, you can use the sidewalk temporarily.
Always carry a bike lock.
Always keep an energy bar or something that is prepared to eat, you will get hungry and it's always a good idea to keep some food with you
Always keep some form of hydrating beverage such as water or gatorade, you will get thirsty.
Bring money. Bring a phone.
Keep your tires properly inflated. This is one of the most important things, too much or too little air can ruin the bikes performance.
Personally I always carry a knife with me but thats personal preference, my bike costs about $600 and I am nervous some guy could leap out at me and steal it (paranoia?)
my 2 cents
ive only been hit 3 times when cycling, so i say ignore elite mafias post.
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
I seen someone literally get yanked off their bike for riding on the pavement by a policeman. No thanks.Dauntless wrote:
I hate cyclists, always bein in the road and making me think I might drive into them by accident one day when they should just use the pavement or something.
I ride to and from work every day in Chicago.
Get some lights for your bike, first and foremost. The ones that have permanent holsters but clip off the holsters are the best. Take them with you...otherwise they'll probably get stolen. Most LED bike lights will have a few settings...off, low, high, and flash. Flash is the best for safety. You won't be using the lights to see what's ahead of you, you'll be using them so cars see you more clearly.
Get a helmet and make sure it fits. Wear the chinstrap up against your chin. Helmets are pointless if they don't stay put when you crash. They can and will save your life if you get doored.
On that note, be especially careful around parked cars. Many drivers take a glance and see no car, so they swing their doors open quickly. Be prepared to swerve out of the way.
Something I do...that not everyone likes but is extremely effective...is if you're to the side of the road and a car starts coming over in your lane, or if it's going to try and make a turn and cut you off, tap the rear panels or door panels of the car. Don't do it hard...you're not doing it to damage the car...you're doing it so the driver hears it and realizes something is there.
Someone mentioned making sure your bike fits you. This is essential. Take it into a bike shop. Ask them. Tell them you're new to biking and that you just want to get the adjustments right. Also, have them tune the bike up. It might cost you a few pounds, but it'll be worth it.
Other than that...just keep your head up and keep your eyes moving. Don't look at the pretty girl walking toward you.
Get some lights for your bike, first and foremost. The ones that have permanent holsters but clip off the holsters are the best. Take them with you...otherwise they'll probably get stolen. Most LED bike lights will have a few settings...off, low, high, and flash. Flash is the best for safety. You won't be using the lights to see what's ahead of you, you'll be using them so cars see you more clearly.
Get a helmet and make sure it fits. Wear the chinstrap up against your chin. Helmets are pointless if they don't stay put when you crash. They can and will save your life if you get doored.
On that note, be especially careful around parked cars. Many drivers take a glance and see no car, so they swing their doors open quickly. Be prepared to swerve out of the way.
Something I do...that not everyone likes but is extremely effective...is if you're to the side of the road and a car starts coming over in your lane, or if it's going to try and make a turn and cut you off, tap the rear panels or door panels of the car. Don't do it hard...you're not doing it to damage the car...you're doing it so the driver hears it and realizes something is there.
Someone mentioned making sure your bike fits you. This is essential. Take it into a bike shop. Ask them. Tell them you're new to biking and that you just want to get the adjustments right. Also, have them tune the bike up. It might cost you a few pounds, but it'll be worth it.
Other than that...just keep your head up and keep your eyes moving. Don't look at the pretty girl walking toward you.
lol I've never been hit. I fell once but it was kind of not my fault I got spooked by some mexican lawn mower and fell into this ditch between the pavement and the sidewalk...FatherTed wrote:
ive only been hit 3 times when cycling, so i say ignore elite mafias post.
edit:failkarmaisfail
Last edited by elite.mafia (2009-05-29 20:03:18)
ive wrecked two bikes in crashes, costly ones two. the worst was a jump bike, i was heading home from a day of vids and shit, then some stupid bitch hit and ran me as i was going across a pelican crossing. £850ish lost.elite.mafia wrote:
lol I've never been hit. I fell once but it was kind of not my fault I got spooked by some mexican lawn mower and fell into this ditch between the pavement and the sidewalk...FatherTed wrote:
ive only been hit 3 times when cycling, so i say ignore elite mafias post.
edit:failkarmaisfail
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
what is a pelican crossing?FatherTed wrote:
ive wrecked two bikes in crashes, costly ones two. the worst was a jump bike, i was heading home from a day of vids and shit, then some stupid bitch hit and ran me as i was going across a pelican crossing. £850ish lost.elite.mafia wrote:
lol I've never been hit. I fell once but it was kind of not my fault I got spooked by some mexican lawn mower and fell into this ditch between the pavement and the sidewalk...FatherTed wrote:
ive only been hit 3 times when cycling, so i say ignore elite mafias post.
edit:failkarmaisfail
Xenu! 850 euros lost... ugghhh
Mine was only like $500USD
but i would still be pissed cus I saved up for a while to get it, and while it may not be the most fun bike, it is very quick, when I bought I tried this and a few mountain bikes and a few other commuters, it just felt so much faster, lighter and whatnot. Other bikes were a bit more comfortable but I wear bike shorts under basketball / training shorts so its all good. Trek 7.2fx is what I have
I don't follow some of my advice, I signal when I need to (usually when I ride there is no cars on the road so I figure what the fuck and just turn. I hardly have any reflectors, just the ones that came on my bike which I'm pretty sure I lost one that came on my petals the other day when I hit a curb because I was checking some chick out and got too close to the curb and turned the wheel too quickly and bounced off it and my petal scraped the curb, I didn't realize it but I am not even 100% sure I had one there. I have one on my left pedal but not my right, and my right pedal is bent and warped from that, I was going kinda fast but I didn't fall or get hurt at all so whatever. I have one on the front, one on the back, white and red respectively, one on each side of my wheels, my backpack has 2 silver stripes that are semi-reflective.
elite.mafia wrote:
what is a pelican crossing?
Zebra, Pelican, it's all the same.
We call those cross-walks here in America. =x
Yea.. the podcast recommended big bright flags and marine style horns for urban enviroments..
Ha!
My dog would either love me or hate me..
Holy crap they are fast..
Xbone Stormsurgezz
Forgot to mention a split bicycle seat or your nuts and ass will hurt like hell after the first day of cycling to work.
- Superior Mind
- (not macbeth)
- +1,755|7117
You need to approach riding along side machines (cars) that can kill you with some humor or the like or it will all be too stressful.
Last edited by Superior Mind (2009-05-29 23:24:10)
dont be a fuckwit on the road or ill throw my rubbish/ random stuff at you and honk an yell at you
QFT, there is a fucking sidewalk for a reason. get on it or feel my wrath.Nappy wrote:
dont be a fuckwit on the road or ill throw my rubbish/ random stuff at you and honk an yell at you
cept it's illegal and more dangerous to use it. over here at least.seymorebutts443 wrote:
QFT, there is a fucking sidewalk for a reason. get on it or feel my wrath.Nappy wrote:
dont be a fuckwit on the road or ill throw my rubbish/ random stuff at you and honk an yell at you
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
i dunno about you guys, but the road is meant for cars, not cyclists. we created sidewalks so people dont have to walk/bike in the road. so why do people still do it, maybe if everyone who biked got on the sidewalk every time they road we would have less deaths per year to motor vehicle incidents. just my 2 cents.FatherTed wrote:
cept it's illegal and more dangerous to use it. over here at least.seymorebutts443 wrote:
QFT, there is a fucking sidewalk for a reason. get on it or feel my wrath.Nappy wrote:
dont be a fuckwit on the road or ill throw my rubbish/ random stuff at you and honk an yell at you
tbf we have a lot of cyclepaths on roads (not so much in Ireland, but lots back in England).
plus hoppin on and off kerbs gets fucking annoying after a while.
plus hoppin on and off kerbs gets fucking annoying after a while.
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Only if you're a pussy. I only wear gloves when I'm downhilling for a full day.ebug9 wrote:
If you're traveling a fair distance, wear bike gloves or your hands will get blisters.
@OP: You may have the right of way, but remember that car will always win in a collision.
So you're telling me that you'd rather put your life in the hands of the dolts on the road as opposed to possibly hitting the occasional pedestrian? (Excluding city streets, ignore my comment if that's what you're hinting at.)elite mafia wrote:
Do not ride on sidewalks, it is illegal, dangerous, and stupid. I used to do this then realized how dangerous it was and stopped.
Last edited by TopHat01 (2009-05-29 23:56:19)
Specify 'a fair distance'. I've been biking all my life and never got blisters from biking.ebug9 wrote:
If you're traveling a fair distance, wear bike gloves or your hands will get blisters.
Yeah, but you guys are just weirdoselite.mafia wrote:
We call those cross-walks here in America. =x
Last edited by RDMC (2009-05-30 00:11:18)