URBAN CORE BIKING

Getting Started

Urban Core Biking presents our guide for people new to biking in the city. The huge range of equipment, clothing, techniques and advice presented out there can be extremely intimidating to a newcomer. Add in the tough and gruff attitude of many city dwellers and newcomers are presented with an impenetrable, confusing subculture with a tall barrier to entry.

The truth is, just about anyone can learn the important stuff and with a little advice (from us!) you can get ready to become an urban bicyclist. The time and effort is well worth it when you consider the benefits to your fitness, the environment and your wallet. Whether you are biking for your commute or for pleasure, riding through the city has its own special issues, obstacles and benefits. We present here everything you need to get started.

Equipment

Here is the basic equipment to get you started.

Choosing your bike

Perhaps the most important thing to know is that any old bike will do fine on a clear day pedaling down an open street. So if you have a leftover bike from earlier in your life, you might want to start with that. Add some lights and get it checked over at the local bike shop. Once you are comfortable and confident in your riding, you will certainly want to upgrade to something purposely designed for the streets. That's where this list comes in.

Bike Share

If you want to get a feel for the road, many cities have a bike share program. Here are some of the bigger ones:

New York	Chicago

Washington	Los Angeles

San Francisco Bay Area	Philadelphia

Denver	Boston

Minneapolis-St. Paul	Charlotte

Road bikes are good for pavement. They have lightweight drop bar handlebars that curve downward to put you in the right position to transfer your energy efficiently into making the bike move. For commuters, the lean-forward position might put a little too much strain on the back. Total overall weight is key and we recommend disc brakes to get much better stopping power in all weather. Many traditional high-priced road bikes are aimed more at long-distance bike-rides than stop-and-start commuting. But as we mentioned above, a bike is a bike and they might work for many urban riders. They also might lack the cargo capacity and fenders that urban riders find they can't live without.

City bikes have cropped up as a response to the generic road bike. City bikes are lighter – the expensive ones come in carbon fiber – but more durable than a regular road bike. They can take a pounding and keep you safe as you navigate traffic. They also include fenders (or a spot to mount them), built-in suspension, lights and a decent cargo capacity.

People who might have to bike to the train and then bike to the office from the station might benefit from a folding bike. Riding strictly on pavement offers some ability to select the smaller wheels that come with smaller folding bikes. Folding bikes are more expensive than regular bikes and don't usually come in a variety of different frame sizes, so they might not be suitable for people whoe are taller or shorter than average.

They are expensive, but a lot of people enjoy the extra benefit of an electric bike. You can still pedal, but you also get to enjoy the benefit of a small electric motor pushing you along. Electric bikes are a complicated subject well beyond the scope of this beginner guide. Check out Treehugger.com's look at electrics.

As we mentioned, any bike will do for your first few times commuting. But no one recommends the use of a mountain bike over the long term. They are uncomfortable, unforgiving daily rides and don't generally have suitable road tires.

Other Gear

Helmet: These days, to get a safe helmet, you shouldn't have to sacrifice comfort and vice versa. A great helmet might cost about $75-$100 and it can one day save your life. Headgear can be a very personal purchase, so we recommend visiting a local shop and trying on several models.

Lights: There are a lot of options, but lights are essential for visibility (your own and that of drivers) if you are biking anywhere close to dusk or dawn. Having them on in the daytime can't hurt either. Many lights can charge off a computer's USB port.

Sunglasses: Cut down on early-morning or early-evening glare with a good pair of sunglasses.

Locks: Get a decent lock. The cheap ones can be cut too quickly. Good ones generally cost at least about $50. A quality U-lock will give you security and peace of mind.

Tools: With all the use a commuting bike gets, you will need to have a small tool kit or multi-tool as well as a flat tire kit that includes a spare inner tube and a small pump. All the tools should be able to attach to the cargo spaces on your bike.

Bathroom kit: Some offices are starting to offer showers. If you don't have one, a wet wipe might work for you on arrival at work.

Clothing: Many manufacturers make clothing that's suitable to both riding and commuting. But most people prefer to wear riding clothes and then change upon arrival.

Etiquette

The biggest rule all bike riders need to know is that bikes almost universally required to follow the same rules as cars. There are some small exceptions (listed below) but the rules are the rules, for cars and bikes.

Some special rules for bike friendliness more than strictly legal affairs include:

Pass on the left, with a verbal warning or bell: Only pass another bike on the left and only when there is enough room. Passing on the right is unexpected and can edge the other bike too far into traffic. Most bicyclists like to say “on your left” when passing, but other variations can be acceptable. Bells are less common but generally considered to be acceptable too.

Use hand signals: Make sure drivers and other riders can clearly see your intentions. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers a guide for cyclists.

Don't ride two abreast on busy streets: Bike lanes will often be marked out for two cyclists, but the left-hand lane is for passing only.

Don't “shoal”: Shoaling is a slang term for reaching a red light where another cyclist is waiting and pulling to a stop in front of them. It is considered rude and impractical because it often puts you sitting in a crosswalk in front of a cyclist who may be faster than you and will look to pass you at the earliest opportunity.

Don't “salmon” except where required: Salmoning is a slang term used to refer to cycling in the opposite direction of traffic (like a salmon swimming upstream). It is unsafe to be on a street with traffic coming at you as it greatly reduces reaction time when the car is moving towards you.

Don't wear headphones or use a phone: Your hearing is an essential element of road safety, even if you have invested in rearview mirrors. Don't listen to music while riding. Similarly, the distraction of a phone, even for GPS directions is usually enough to dangerously reduce reaction times. Keep it in your pocket and check it at a stop light.

Exceptions: Some city bike lanes have been designed specifically for contraflow cycling to improve traffic in the urban core. In these cases, you should “salmon,” but note that the lanes are generally physically separated from other traffic. Local jurisdictions may also have special rules of the road for cyclists. One example is the “Idaho stop” which allows bicyclists in Idaho to treat Stop signs as a Yield sign and red lights as a Stop Sign. Check your local laws to learn more about these specific rules.