Cycling
7 tips for safe city cycling
Cycling in a busy city can be daunting but with the right skills and some know-how you can quickly increase your confidence on your bike so you feel safe, relaxed and in control.
One of the most common reasons given for not riding to work is worrying about safety when cycling in the city. Dealing with busy junctions and fast-moving traffic can feel intimidating but there are techniques and products that will increase your safety and make you feel more comfortable. Regular riding increases your skill level and your confidence so we’ve asked experienced city cyclists for their top advice on what makes them feel safe and in control.
And if you find yourself growing fond of road cycling, you can always challenge yourself a bit further and enter Red Bull Timelaps – the 24-hour road cycling event that takes place the night the clocks go back, making it 25 hours long.
1. Feel comfortable on your bike
You can use any bike at all to commute: road bike, mountain bike, Brompton folding bike, or a shopper. The most important things are that it fits you well, it is mechanically sound and you are comfortable on it. Alex Davis, from every London cyclist’s favourite café Look mum no hands!, says, “You need to feel confident on your bike, whatever it may be. I'm used to [my] saddle, pedals and handlebars – the three touch points and holy trinity of any bike. You need to be able to easily look around, make handle signals and have a finger on the brakes.”
2. Own the road
If you aren’t feeling confident on your bike you may be tempted to minimise your road presence by sticking close to the curb but assuming a strong central lane position helps you to be seen, particularly when signaling your direction at junctions. Adrian Wills from Cycling UK is a regular cycle commuter, what makes him feel safe is “good road positioning and being confident in traffic, as riding in the gutter only encourages drivers to pass too closely. I try to own the road without being irresponsible. It’s the same at junctions and roundabouts. Make sure you can be seen and your intentions clear.”
3. Safety in Numbers
The more people cycling on the roads, the safer we all are and, as part of the #MillionMileCommute, we hope even more people will join us. Daniel Kogan from Sigma Sports agrees: “The amount of cyclists now riding through London really helps my confidence, based on the fact that motorists are more aware that cycling is now a widely used mode of transport and they need to watch for cyclists.”
TEKKERZ racer Alec Briggs agrees: “The cycling peloton of commuters is ever growing; cycling in the city certainly seems to becoming safer as it becomes more popular.”
4. Planning your route to use cycling infrastructure
When planning your route to work think like a cyclist, not a car driver, and look for places with well-designed road infrastructure and segregated bike paths. Commuter cyclist Ben Ralphs, marketing associate at Strava, feels it has made a real difference to the cyclist's experience of commuting in the city. He said: “The improved segregated bike lanes in London have really helped cycling appeal to people that may have been intimidated previously.” It is also something we can all help with. “If you're using Strava to record your commutes, " he says, "with your permission, the data gets anonymised, aggregated and analysed to be used with departments of transportation and local authority groups to improve road infrastructure for everyone.”
5. Engage with drivers
Positive engagement with drivers can help ensure you are spotted and feel safe, particularly at junctions. Cycling commentator Ned Boulting rides his bike in many different cities, travelling with his one-man stage show Tour de Ned. “I get confidence from eye contact," says Boulting. "If you can look someone in the eyes and know that they know you’re there, nothing bad can happen, probably." Smiling helps, too, he says. ”Smiling really does help as it creates human contact between you and the driver; you are no longer an obstacle or an inconvenience to them but a real person on a bicycle.
6. Stay within your own comfort zone
Having lots of cyclists on the road with you adds to your safety but can also make some junctions feel even more hectic, especially with riders jostling to get to the front of the green box at the head of the queue. It’s not just cars, Rebecca Charlton explains. “Don’t allow anyone else to pressure you into a situation you’re not comfortable with. I’ve seen rushing commuters tutting away because a rider in front of them won’t move up the inside of a bus or HGV. Use your judgement and never put yourself in a dangerous blind-spot. If in doubt, it’s probably not worth it. Be confident, assertive and ensure you are where you can be seen.”
7. Expect the unexpected
Car drivers, pedestrians, other bikes; they all do seemingly stupid things but, the more you ride, the more you start to read the signs. That guy walking briskly talking on his phone –yep, he will be the one who steps out in front of you. Approaching the back of a parked bus? Expect someone to dash out from behind it. As runner and cycle commuter James Poole says, a crystal ball would be nice but in its absence “the main skill is to look ahead and try and predict what pedestrians and motorists ahead will do. Be alert and expect the unexpected.”
