Thoughts on Cycling

As a cyclist of many years I’ve decided to compile a list of things newcomers might take not of.  Some are obvious, some are preferences and some are purely my own prejudices.  Any other cyclists out there, feel free to disagree or to add your own thoughts.   I’ll add the ones I agree with to the list.

1.       Wear something bright or visible. 

The jury is out on what makes you visible in an urban setting.   All the different background colours on a busy shopping street make it difficult to stand out.  When I used to commute in London I always wore a day-glo workman’s vest (cheaper than specialist cycling shops).  The reflective strips are very effective in the dark.

Out in the countryside I wear a nice bright top or if I’m touring, strap my day-glo vest onto the back of my carrier.  Your Tour de France replica gear isn’t always going to do the trick.

2.       Lycra gear is for the Tour de France and elite cyclists.

Ok, a slight exaggeration.  A good pair of padded cycling lycras are a good investment if you intend spending more than an hour and a half in the saddle.   They’ll make life more comfortable if you’re riding off-road too.  If you’re going to spend many hours in the saddle, I’ve found gel padding more comfortable than foam.

 I once did the whole Argus Tour in a pair of joggers  - remember those polyester running shorts in the seventies?  My backside was fine. I was twelve and I managed it in five and a half hours, including a puncture repair.  So lycras don’t make you go faster, see?

Apart from making a fashion statement and spending a fortune, you’re not benefitting by wearing a branded cycling team shirt.  If your shirt says you’re an elite rider, your paunch vehemently contradicts it.  Technical fabric is good, especially for longer rides.  Though a normal t-shirt is adequate.  When I go touring I prefer a long-sleeved collared hiking shirt.  It’s light, cooler than a cycling shirt, dries quickly.  Best of all it keeps the sun off my arms and neck.

The point is this:  you can wear what you like to ride a bicycle – check out the Dutch. Don’t let the lycra brigade put you off cycling.

3.       Don’t ride in the gutter. 

Whether in the city or out in the countryside, take your space on the road.  I take at least a metre.  I’m of the opinion that you are more visible and command more respect from car drivers.  They are forced to change their line slightly and are less likely to push past you dangerously close.  If you have a bit of room on your inside you’ll have space to escape to without crashing onto the gravel if some idiot does try to brush past. 

On a related matter, keep an eye on the state of the road edge and the shoulder.  If, as happened to me in Namibia several times a day, an oncoming car overtakes and you have to duck off the road, you’ll know whether it’s an easy exit or you’re likely to crash!  You can plan accordingly.

4.       A bicycle is a vehicle.

Obey all the rules of the road.  That includes stopping at traffic lights.  If you don’t, you can’t demand the respect of motorists.  And signal when you’re turning, dammit!

5.       Don’t duck into bus stops and lay-byes.

 It may seem considerate to motorists but it then becomes difficult or even dangerous to re-enter the stream of traffic.  Claim your place on the road, you are as entitled to it as any other road user.

6.       Invest in the best lights you can afford. 

At dusk, dawn and at night, the better the lights the more visible you are.  Keep batteries fresh.  The number of cyclists I’ve seen riding with puny lights and/or nearly flat batteries is frightening.  A token light is as good as useless.

7.       Helmets. 

All in all wearing a helmet is probably the safest way to go.  Some cycling lobbyists argue against wearing them, saying that there is no proof that they prevent serious injury.  They also claim that motorists take more risks around cyclists wearing helmets because they assume a high level of proficiency.  This may well be true. When I’m cycling in the city, I feel safer in a helmet.  For most of my tour of Angola I wore a sun hat.  I calculated that the risk of sunstroke was probably higher than a head injury.  And it was much more comfortable.  I’m against legislation in this regard and pro-choice.  We need to encourage cycling, not discourage it by over-regulating what should be an easily accessible form of transport and exercise. 

I’ll still sometimes wear a sunhat.

8.       Use your bike for short everyday trips.

It’s a vehicle not a mobile gymnasium and it’s cheap to use.  I go to the shops on mine. Suburban roads are quiet and safe. There’s always an alternative route to the busy main roads.  Take time to find them.  It’ll save you a fortune in petrol and gym membership.  And remember:  you DON’T have to wear lycra!

9.       Single file.

I’m not in favour of riding two abreast on the road even when it’s quiet.  I’ve heard principled arguments.   Like,  two abreast still takes up less space than a car.  But from a safety point of view I’d advise single file.  “Teams” out practicing together may have a case if there is a big enough group to present a presence on the road.  In South Africa I still think this is dangerous.  Particularly as these training “teams” often seem to act as if they have all the protection of a Tour de France escort and attack the leader without a glance over their shoulder at the traffic situation.  I’ve been surprised on more than one occasion behind the wheel of my car by a group of these “elite” riders.   Dangerous, stupid, selfish and potentially fatal.

10.   Car drivers are homicidal maniacs.

Well, not all.  I’m one too. But as a cyclist, it’s safer to make this assumption.  If you assume everyone behind the wheel of a car is a homicidal idiot out to kill you, you’ll live longer.

11.   Be a cycling ambassador

The other thing about motorists – those who aren’t also cyclists that is – is that they are all one-eyed selfish creatures.  They believe the road belongs to them and that cyclists are a hindrance to their god given right to get from A to B in the fastest possible time.  Don’t give them the ammunition to reinforce their anti-cyclist prejudices.  Obey the rules and be polite towards them.  They don’t know any better.