Useful Cycling Tips for Commuters.

OleRodrigo

Just to expand on a previous point: be careful of using cycle paths where they rejoin the road. Its easy to look back and see no traffic in the lane you're entering but by the time you turn something has taken the lane - especially dangerous on fast moving roads like the Conyngham road by the Phoenix park.

Right turning traffic can easily misjudge your speed and pull across catching you unawares. This is especially the case around mature residential areas where there's lots of elderly people.

Be careful around schools and hospitals where the driving is a bit more absent minded than usual.

Also, in the city centre there will be plenty of situations where everyone using the road has to slow down and engage in a bit of give and take. I often see cyclists not giving motorists an inch and then getting on their high horse when they could have easily slowed down and let them pass/ enter from a side road etc etc. Not to sound preachy but its much easier to slow down, let someone make their manoeuvre and then continue on.

Roundabouts - make eye contact with motorists waiting to enter so that they see you and wait for you to pass. Don't assume that just because you're on the roundabout that they will wait their turn - especially if they're entering from a fast moving road.

Wishbone Ash

OleRodrigo wrote: »

.... I often see cyclists not giving motorists an inch and then getting on their high horse when they could have easily slowed down and let them pass/ enter from a side road etc etc....

+1

I see this regularly where cyclists will speed up to enter a danger zone to get the opportunity shout their mouths off at motorists and then look around expecting support from other cyclists.

detones

A lot of really good posts added. Thanks all some really sound advise in there.

ted1

Taxis, they are out to get you. They will suddenly stop, they will swerve to pick up and drop off, their doors will swing open , they will use bus lanes.

Busses, trucks and other HGV are lethal , if one stops beside you , move to the front and give a driver a nod to ensure he sees you. Never go up inside one, they will beer out to take meny corners.

Be wary about keeping to close to the side of the road, you may need to avoid potholes, dead badgers, tyres , glass etc.

Use mudguards in winter , it shows courtesy to those behind you and will keep you much much drier.

If you are in a cycle lane keep left allow others to pass.

Light up, and don't go through crossroads.

De Bhál

Leave the dust caps on your tyre valves. They'll last longer. The valves that is.

Wishbone Ash

ted1 wrote: »

...and don't go through crossroads.

Must we always turn right or left?

jimmycrackcorm

Enjoy flying past cars stuck parked in traffic. It's one of the great joys in life.

Blahfool

Re: Queuing,

View from the other side. As I pull up the lights (on my Dublin bike) I do a quick check of who's ahead. If I see either a fixie or a road bike on the 7th or 8th cog I go in front. I always pull away faster with the super low 1st gear. Yes I'm passed 100yds up the road, but I always arrive at the next red 20s faster than I would if I waited for everyone else to get up to speed. It's an internal justification like we all have, but might be an insight.

I'm a 'proper' cyclist too but think DB's are great.

ted1

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

ted1 wrote: »

...and don't go through crossroads.

Must we always turn right or left?

Could have sworn I added 'on red' to the end. Left on red is only a misdemeanour.

Mattie500

Great thread!!

So what if the taxi drops someone in the cycle path... it is only a minute.
Anticipate all the time.
Filter carefully, especially if you are on the inside while cars are moving slowly... sometimes they drift.
Acknowledgement works!! A thumbs up is easy.
Don't look for annoying behaviour.. if you do you are guaranteed to find it...
Don't be the one with the annoying behaviour.

07Lapierre

Look after your bike! Keep it clean!
Learn to maintain it yourself.
travel light..leave your lock at work, so you don't have to carry it every day.
Lock your bike correctly
Take note of the frame number and take photos of any unique features.
If you wear a helmet, wear it correctly or don't wear it at all.
Mudguards in the winter, lights when it's dark!

tomasrojo

Roadtoad wrote: »

Slip roads (when not exiting) : I don't know. Dismount and walk? Down the line, right arm waving? Always dodgy, but more so at twilight.

Depends on the slip road. Cyclecraft mentions the option on a long slip road of going down the slip road a bit, stopping at the point of no return at the side of the road, looking back and, when there's not traffic coming, cycling across the ghost markings back onto the main road. I've used that successfully enough, but on roads with heavy traffic I think you sometimes can't get back onto the main road. So using the pedestrian crossing that's usually at the exit point on these roads can be handy (which I guess is essentially "dismount and walk").

The slip road on the way from the Islamic Cultural Centre to Goatstown is not a particularly bad one, but I have to do it on a bakfiets with two kids, so rather slowly; I find I have to cycle just to the right of the cycle track to close down the angle to make motorists pass behind me, instead of accelerating and passing in front of me; it has the unfortunate side effect of making conscientious motorists going straight ahead slow down, so I'm not 100% happy about doing it.

Hani Kosti

Great post, thanks!!!
I'd just add:
Predict, expect the worst possible outcome and be prepared for it
Be mindful of other road users (aka don't be a di€k), treat others the way you want to be treated

mr spuckler

Hani Kosti wrote: »

Great post, thanks!!!
I'd just add:
Predict, expect the worst possible outcome and be prepared for it
Be mindful of other road users (aka don't be a di€k), treat others the way you want to be treated

this bit is key and applies to all road users. just be sound and things will be much better!

i also like the one above about enjoying the feeling of passing queued / stopped traffic. i know how it feels to sit in traffic and the joy of not having to do so should not be underestimated.

OleRodrigo

If you see a triathlete ( identified by his cloven hoof ), race the bejaysus out of him to show whose boss on these mean streets. But remember:
- No RLJing
- No bothering of other commuters
- No acknowledgement of race.
- No foothpad passes
- No sign of pain on your face, unless you were born like that.

Macy0161

Slip Roads, For the likes of clonskeagh road/ goatstown road/ roebuck road, I'd normally give some signal if I am carrying on.

If using buslanes, be very aware of cars jumping into them on really bad traffic mornings. e.g. I'd often stick to the bus lane rather than the cycle lane on the N11 Whites Cross to Brewery Road section, but more likely to suck up the cycle lane if it's a manic traffic morning.

Also be very aware of the amount of nutter motorists in bus lanes pre-7am, especially just before 7.

Always wear socks on your commute so cyclists don't know you're a triathlete...

MB Lacey

ted1 wrote: »

Be wary about keeping to close to the side of the road, you may need to avoid potholes, dead badgers, tyres , glass etc.

If you are in a cycle lane keep left allow others to pass.

If you are in the cycle lane, cycle in the middle! If someone wants to pass you they can (and should) wait for a safe space to overtake which doesn't put the slower cyclist in any danger.
Cycling to the left of the cycle lane puts you in danger of all of the above situations listed above.

magicbastarder

OleRodrigo wrote: »

- No acknowledgement of race.

i did a double take on that.

ted1

MB Lacey wrote: »

ted1 wrote: »

Be wary about keeping to close to the side of the road, you may need to avoid potholes, dead badgers, tyres , glass etc.

If you are in a cycle lane keep left allow others to pass.

If you are in the cycle lane, cycle in the middle! If someone wants to pass you they can (and should) wait for a safe space to overtake which doesn't put the slower cyclist in any danger.
Cycling to the left of the cycle lane puts you in danger of all of the above situations listed above.

Cyclists don't pass each other at 60+ kmh. Any cyclist on the cycle path will be able to see the obstacle and will know not to over take.

For clarity I'm talking about off road cycle lanes like the N11.

Where the cycle lane is on the road do keep yo the centre

com1

ted1 wrote: »

Cyclists don't pass each other at 60+ kmh. Any cyclist on the cycle path will be able to see the obstacle and will know not to over take.

Ah, would that were true...

I always acknowledge drivers who do not try to kill me. E.G. those who actually stop at a junction and let you go by rather than pulling out on top of you - I usually find that if they catch up they generally give a lot more space when passing and seem to be more considerate.

It, strangely, even kind of works when you nearly get sideswiped, a sort of thanks for not ACTUALLY hitting me. The next encounter with them seems to be more civilized. (except coaches for some reason)

Fian

There are many tips I strongly agree with in this thread. Below are the ones i think are most important:

• Enjoy it - cycling is a great way to wake up in the mornings and get your head out of the office before you get home in the evenings.
  
  
• Smile when it is raining - at least you are not stuck in traffic or jammed into a hot sweaty dart/luas - being on the bike even in the rain is much more pleasant.
  
  
• Never go up the inside of a HGV/Bus unless you are sure that it is safe. I mean Sure, not "ah shure it will probably be fine"
  
  
• Don't push past inside a car that is indicating left. You are not entitled to have the car wait for you to put yourself accross it's path, you don't have right ofway. Go outside it.
  
  
• Stay more than a door width outside parked cars. This is the one I most often see people not doing. Sooner or later someone will open a door right in front of you.
  
  
• Change everything in work - socks, underwear, everything. You will be the better for it all day. baby wipes are also your friend if you have no shower.
  
  
• Choose a route that is pleasant, does not need to be the shortest route from your house to the office, it should be the best route from your home to the office.
  
  
• Don't be the person who skips the queue at lights. Especially don't be the guy who does that and then gets overtaken by the people you skipped.
  
  
• Be helpful and friendly to other road users and they are more likely to be helpful and friendly to you. Leave the aggro to the poor fools cooped up inside their little iron cages.
  
  
• Your commute is not a race. You don't need to beat anyone else. Relax.
  
  

twinsen

Fian wrote: »

• Your commute is not a race. You don't need to beat anyone else. Relax.

Nah, it is always a race.

ted1

twinsen wrote: »

Fian wrote: »

• Your commute is not a race. You don't need to beat anyone else. Relax.

Nah, it is always a race.

Race myself every morning. With 30km each direction, and an extra 5 minutes in bed always going against the clock.

RayCun

ted1 wrote: »

Race myself every morning. With 30km each direction, and an extra 5 minutes in bed always going against the clock.

that's fine outside the city, but when you get into buses and school drops and traffic lights and pedestrians... whether you're a cyclist or a driver, getting up five minutes earlier and taking it easy is safer and less stressful

cdaly_

tomasrojo wrote: »

The slip road on the way from the Islamic Cultural Centre to Goatstown is not a particularly bad one, but I have to do it on a bakfiets with two kids, so rather slowly; I find I have to cycle just to the right of the cycle track to close down the angle to make motorists pass behind me, instead of accelerating and passing in front of me; it has the unfortunate side effect of making conscientious motorists going straight ahead slow down, so I'm not 100% happy about doing it.

In that circumstance, I would take the centre of the lane. Yes, you will slow motorists down a bit but you'll be much safer. If you pull back in with a wave after, they'll cope...

daragh_

Don't take the fact that another cyclist is on a nice race bike or in club gear as a direct challenge to your masculinity.

+1 on the Mudguards comments. Proper Mudguards are life changing!

Chuchote

If you have Presta valves, replace one valve cap with a Presta-to-Schrader converter

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Presta-Schrader-Bicycle-Adapters-Connectors/dp/B00U7B7IDO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491631617&sr=8-3&keywords=presta+to+schrader+adapter

If you get a slow puncture and haven't a pump with you, you can then get to the nearest garage and use its air line to inflate the tyre. (Do not inflate it too hard - a teen lost an eye some years ago when he pumped his tyre super-hard and the spokes burst up and out into his face.)

dermabrasion

Use your voice, loudly.
If a car is taking a right turn in front of you and inching across in order to nip through a gap, and that gap is you, then you need to scream at the top of your voice. Half the time they will be startled as they genuinely did not see you, the rest of the time you will be able to lip read something about you having to go off somewhere.
Smile and wave as you pass.

AndrewJRenko

Parchment wrote: »

-Get a pannier/panniers, saves your back, less sweat and better vision when you turn to look back.

This is huge. I'm amazed at how many commuting cyclists are not geared up for commuting. Get panniers, get dynamo lights, probably get upright handlebars, and consider if clip pedals make any sense in busy traffic.

Fian wrote: »

• Enjoy it - cycling is a great way to wake up in the mornings and get your head out of the office before you get home in the evenings.
  

Also huge - get some exercise into your day, without having to go to the gym early morning or late evening.

detones wrote: »

1. Just focus on you. People are stupid, there is nothing that can be done about that, so just try to focus on your journey. If a driver starts to get mad and beeps furiously at you etc. really what is the point in reacting, just move on, think to yourself always in these situations what can I do to get out of this safely. If you can have this mindset you will be a happier cyclist.

3. Acknowledge Drivers. A simple wave even if your in the right just to acknowledge a driver is there can prevent a lot of sh&tty altercations with drivers. For example if I have held a Taxi up in a bus lane, even though I am perfectly entitled to be there I give a simple wave as he passes. I find once I do this they never react.

5. Ignore Dangerous Cyclist. If some suit on a Dublin Bike Sails through the lights at O' Connell Bridge while on the Phone (true story) so what, let him off, you are not the Bike police, no point letting it get to you, just again focus on you. I found initially my reaction was I'm gonna teach this red light jumper a lesson by catching and overtaking him as quick as possible, what is the point.

Some great suggestions OP - but I disagree with the 'ignore the bad drivers/cyclists' approach. If you ignore bad behaviour in any walk of life, as a parent or a manager or as a consumer or as a pet owner, you enable bad behaviour.

I'm not talking about road rage here. It is possible for two adults to have an adult engagement.

So if somebody does close pass you, find a way to communicate that. It could be a tap on the window as he passes, if you can do that safely. Or it could be when you catch up (as you usually do) at the next lights, a hand-signal or a mouthed message about moving out.

If the driver meets five cyclists a day who tell him to move out, he just might get the message. He won't like it, but he might get it.

Wishbone Ash

Chuchote wrote: »

If you have Presta valves, replace one valve cap with a Presta-to-Schrader converter

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Presta-Schrader-Bicycle-Adapters-Connectors/dp/B00U7B7IDO/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1491631617&sr=8-3&keywords=presta+to+schrader+adapter

If you get a slow puncture and haven't a pump with you, you can then get to the nearest garage and use its air line to inflate the tyre. (Do not inflate it too hard - a teen lost an eye some years ago when he pumped his tyre super-hard and the spokes burst up and out into his face.)

Most filling station compressors only go up to 60psi - very low for a road bike on 23mm tyres.

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

This is huge. I'm amazed at how many commuting cyclists are not geared up for commuting. Get panniers....

Each to their own I suppose. I tried a pannier for a while and hated it. Went back to the old reliable back-pack.