Teenager new to Road Cycling, please help me!

cbatten565

hey there, ive just recently over the last few weeks got back into road cycling, after a bad accident a few years ago (which i wont go into details)! All i would like to know is these few things:

* Road Cycling season
*What days to go cycling in (weather)
*How to road cycle as in, rules of the road being a road cyclist etc etc and a few more things that you may have in mind for me

thanks,
Chris

redddraggon

cbatten565 wrote:

*What days to go cycling in (weather)

huh? You're meant to go out every day aren't you?

CheeseyJoe

1. I don't know
2. Whenever you feel like it
3.Ride on the left hand side

sicknote

Hi Chris

I think it might help if you looked at the High way code, I think it will help you with what you want BUT the problem is some drivers seem to have forgotten it.

So you have to keep your wits about you when you cycle and double check, like looking over your should before you do most things and something that a lot of people on bike a round have forgotten in hand signals.

Hope this helps[/code]

Ste_S

Road Cycling Season
- Year round with the racing season being spring/summer.

What days to go cycling in (weather)
- Snow and ice are no no's, otherwise it's making sure you've got the right clothes for the weather

How to road cycle as in, rules of the road being a road cyclist
- Cyclecraft and the Highway code are probably good starting points

bluecow

* Road Cycling season
Competing, no idea since i dont compete.

*What days to go cycling in (weather)
I cycle all year round, there are only a couple of times i wont, i.e when it has rained and then frozen (eeeeek!) and in snow. God bless global warming huh (joke).

*How to road cycle as in, rules of the road being a road cyclist etc etc and a few more things that you may have in mind for me

Id read the highway code (you dont say whether or not you drive yourself) but then bear in mind that the majority of drivers will treat you like an inferior and cut you up/beep their horn/pull out on you/ open their door into your path on a daily basis. It spices things up a bit but do yourself a favour and ride defensively but not selfishly. Hard balance to find i think.

Oh, and good luck and enjoy it.

iain_j

Road cycling season - I don't know either.

What days to go - whichever you like. I commute in all weathers, used to only go touring on good days but there's so few of them now I go whatever its doing and it's never as bad as it looks, if you've got decent gear.

How to - never had any trouble riding out in the countryside, but commuting in and out of the city centre every day - you need your wits. One valuable bit of advice I was given years ago was "expect the worst" from all other road users, not just cars - if there's a car waiting in a side-road, expect it to pull out in front of you. If there's people standing on the kerb, expect them to step out in front of you. If there's a cyclist on the pavement, expect him to bump down onto the road in front of you (had loads of near-misses with these just lately). If you expect it to happen, it won't surprise you on the odd occasion when it does.

Happy cycling :P

iain_j

Oh and another thing I was told - assert yourself on the road, but not selfishly - think "mirror signal manouvre" - look around, give arm signals. Ride a few feet out from the kerb - the closer you are to the kerb, the more people will try and force their way past too close, not to mention grids, potholes and getting punctures off the grit and glass in the gutter. And definitely keep away from parked cars! Even if there's someone standing alongside the drivers door they'll probably still step back and open it in front of you.

Bronzie

First road races of the season in the UK are in mid February (Perfs Pedal Race is the traditional season opener), and the last few in October. Few race solidly for that length of time though.

Jez mon

There are some winter circuit races at Hillingdon, which i think go from November to February.