Urban Biking Tips for Beginners

Biking is a great way to get around a city, for many reasons. It's faster than sitting in traffic jams, it's a good form of exercise, and it's great for the environment. If you're a beginner or are just reluctant to ride a bicycle through a city, here are a few basic tips that can help you feel comfortable on the road.

Urban biking tips for beginners #1: Be safe!

A lot of cyclists don't feel the need to wear a helmet. But you only have to read one or two stories about bicyclists getting killed in collisions with cars before you realize that taking the risk just isn't worth it. Those worried about looking cool should opt for a stylish helmet. Right now a lot of urban bicyclists are wearing skater-style helmets. You can look cool and be safe.

Being safe also means having lights and reflectors on your bike. Even though many cities have ordinances requiring bikers to use lights at night, it's a little shocking how many people don't bother. They're just asking for an accident! A headlight and taillight can be purchased together for as little as $10 at bike stores, depending on the brand and type. Every beginning cyclist should have lights.

Urban biking tips for beginners #2: Get familiar with the streets in your city

Biking in urban environments means dealing with city traffic. Even in the most bike-friendly cities, there are some streets you're better off avoiding. How can you learn which roads to take? Observing other riders is one obvious way. Take note of which streets bicyclists seem to use most often.

Additionally, many cities offer detailed bike maps that show which roads have bike lanes - every beginner should pick up one of these maps! Use the map to find the most painless route to wherever you're going. There's no reason to ride on a busy 4-lane road if there are bike lanes on a parallel street just a block away.

Urban biking tips for beginners #3: Find your comfort zone

One of the most difficult things for beginning urban bicyclists is finding a comfort zone on the road. It can be intimidating to ride on city streets with cars zooming past. I personally avoided urban biking for a long time for that reason. What worked for me was to start off by biking only on streets that had designated bike lanes. After a couple of hours, I no longer flinched when I heard cars coming past. After establishing a comfort level biking on the road, you can move on to streets that don't have bike lanes.

The last thing you want to do as a beginner is to start biking through city traffic while you're still unsure of yourself. Being scared and tentative on the road will actually increase your chances of an accident, because your riding is likely to be unpredictable and drivers won't know how to react.

Urban biking tips for beginners #4: Be aware of your surroundings

One of the most common urban biking accidents is dooring, which describes when an individual in a parked car opens his car door right into the path of an oncoming bike. Some cities, like Chicago, actually have laws against dooring designed to protect cyclists. But regardless of where you are, it's a good idea to keep an eye on parked cars while riding past. If people are sitting inside the cars, you may want to slow down a bit or move out of the "door zone" entirely.

Another good tip is to look back frequently to know how much traffic is behind you, in case you need to swerve or stop suddenly. Some urban bikers use mirrors to avoid having to look back over their shoulder constantly.

One thing many beginners don't realize is that on the road, bicyclists have the same rights as cars. If a road is too narrow to ride alongside the cars on the right, don't be bashful about moving over and taking up the entire lane. The driver behind you may get ticked off, but that's better than taking the chance of an accident. Ultimately, the number one priority for beginners is staying safe. If at any point you're not feeling comfortable with the level of traffic around you, you can always pull off the road and walk your bike.

Urban biking tips for beginners #5: Security, security, security

Understand that bike theft in urban areas is extremely common and be vigilant about locking your bicycle. You wouldn't believe how many stolen bike stories go like this: "I was just running inside for a minute, so I didn't think I needed to lock it..." You always need to lock it.

No method of locking a bike is 100% theft-proof, but ideally your bike should be locked so securely that it's like The Club on a vehicle - would-be thieves see it and realize that stealing your bike would be too much effort. Get a good U-lock and/or chain lock and lock the bike every single time you're not sitting on it. Lock both the frame and one of the wheels to a bike rack, a city street sign, or something sturdy. One of my neighbors regularly locks his bike to a measly wire fence that could easily be cut through - that's like putting a giant sign on the bicycle that says, "Please take me!"

One rider told me if he sees a poorly-locked bike, he'll lock his bike next to it, because he knows that any bike thief who comes along will go for the poorly-locked one. Heartless, perhaps, but it's a smart tip, and it does indeed keep his bike safe.

Urban biking tips for beginners: Summary

This is not an exhaustive list of important things to know, but if you're a beginner ready to hit the city streets, these tips should give you a good start. Urban biking is a lot of fun and can be very rewarding, so don't be afraid to give it a try.

Sources:
personal experience
http://anti-dooring.org/
http://www.bicyclingforbeginners.org.uk/