Beginners cycling on pavements?

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soulful dog

Veteran
Location
Glasgow
its not even just beginners, I go out on the slow tuesday ride with my club if I have nothing better on and its almost all retired people doing it for sociability/fitness, so you won't be too slow for them and they are generally really nice

Cool, hopefully the OP will have a club locally that does some easy rides, as that'd probably be ideal.
 

Angelfishsolo

A Velocipedian
+1
Get hold of a copy of cyclecraft (positioning can be better than indicating sometimes anyway) and pick a nice quiet route
to the gym (www.cyclestreets.net may help) and give it a go you'll never know or learn till you give it a try. You might also investigate if there is any cycle trainers in your area.
 

biglad

New Member
Location
Liverpool, UK.
This is the second recomendation for Cyclecraft I have read in the last couple of minutes. Will definitely be getting myself a copy. Thanks for the heads up lads :smile:
 
Thanks for all the replies!

There is only one road to the gym. It is a main road, but in the evenings it's pretty quiet.

The cycling club in my area requires you to be a fairly confident cyclist with some basic experience of riding on the road. I'm not sure I have time to join, anyway - I pack my free time pretty full, and I'm generally only free after 8pm.

I'll pick myself up a copy of CycleCraft, thank you for the recommendations.

Have a chat with the CTC cycling champion in Essex (linky here) It seems that they offer free adult training sessions.

I will try, thank you. I've looked at that site before, but I can't see anything that says the training is free. I'll drop the guy an e-mail.

Have you a more experienced friend you can go cycling with? Someone who can show the ropes of riding on the road? A "bike buddy" as they're called?

You say you learnt to ride only a few months ago. Was this all off your own bat (in which case, well done. Fun isn't it) or did you have lessons? If it was the latter, can your cycle trainer give you more advice on safe and confident road use? Or look up on t'interweb to see who offers such training in your neck of the woods.

Of course the most important question is "what colour is your bike?"

I have been out a couple of times with my brother - he's very good at explaining to me what I should do, where I should be, and so on, but it's my ability to actually do it that's the problem. I'm still wobbly and can't take one hand off the handlebars without falling off, or look over my shoulder very well without drifting.

It was indeed off my own bat. I did look for cycle training round here, but couldn't find any that I could afford/attend.

It's purple and silver. :tongue:
 

david1701

Well-Known Member
Location
Bude, Cornwall
I still suck at indicating :biggrin:

what about a friendly local CC member going out with you one evening and riding behind you coaching for a pint at the end?

we gotta have a few members in Essex
 

Sheepy1209

Veteran
Location
Blackpool
Are you familiar with the Highway Code, as you don't drive? I don't know how much of it's covered in Cyclecraft, but it might be worth getting hold of one of those Theory Test CDs aimed at learner drivers or motorcyclists - they include random multiple-choice tests, might make it a bit more interesting than just reading the Code. I know they're aimed at motorised road users, but it does no harm to see things from their point of view sometimes.

If you're travelling slowly I suspect you'll have fewer issues than those of us who've been cycling for longer and go faster - many drivers seem to be calibrated to expect cyclists to go at no more than 10mph.

Don't be timid around parked cars, but DO pull out gradually and avoid being too close to their doors. Before pulling out try to look behind you, just the head movement can be enough to make a car driver realise you're looking to move out. You shouldn't need to signal every time you pass a car, unless you find yourself being pushed out of the traffic flow.

There's absolutely no shame in walking across difficult junctions, particularly right turns - and you'll soon get to know which junctions are tricky, which ones are OK, and which routes are best. When you start out it's natural to follow the main roads or bus routes if that's what you know, but it's worth exploring the alternatives.

Don't feel you have to filter up the side of traffic at the lights - unless you're sure you can get to the front you're best staying in the queue - position yourself in the centre of the lane to stop vehicles stopping alongside you which may then turn left having forgotten you're there.
And most importantly - keep well clear of lorries in queueing traffic - they have huge blind spots and probably won't know you're there.

Take care out there and you'll be fine.
 
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