Tips for a newbie to country-road riding

CrouchingWayne

Basically as per the title! Tempted to start riding the country rods locally to take in some scenery and avoid dense traffic.

Previously I've been quite intimidated due to the safety aspect - do you have any advice on how best to approach this safely?

mikeabanks

I always try to keep to country roads, much nicer riding environment. Read the road, keep listening for cars approaching from behind - not necessarily to let them squeeze past but so you are not surprised by them :-)
Also watch out for pot holes and cow sh1t. Both can have you off!

HebdenBiker

Cycling is not a dangerous activity. My tip is to just get out there and enjoy yourself, and try not to worry so much.

Lossie Loon

It's like cycling anywhere else except more relaxing and pleasurable for most people, just keep your wits about you and be sensible, and you'll be fine. The only downside is that you may get the occasional idiot trying to squeeze past you when it's not advisable to do so because of the road dimensions at that point (i.e. on the narrower country lanes) - have confidence to "take control of the road" if you think someone is going to try and do that, and edge to the side once it has become safer for someone to pass.

The waste produce of farm animals isn't pleasant if the roads are wet though.

jim453

CrouchingWayne wrote:

Basically as per the title! Tempted to start riding the country rods locally to take in some scenery and avoid dense traffic.

Previously I've been quite intimidated due to the safety aspect - do you have any advice on how best to approach this safely?

I (like many others on here) do ninety percent of my riding on country lanes, what specifically do you envisage the safety aspects to be?

Personally, I much prefer country lanes to A roads.

cyberknight

Although theres less traffic they do tend to begoing faster but can hear them coming and in general they give you more room when overtaking.
Altogether i prefer it to riding intraffic.

StillGoing

Country roads are far safer than A roads and urban B roads. There's less traffic for a start and anything that is driving around like a lunatic you hear long before it suddenly creeps up on you unlike when riding in busy traffic. What's not to like about riding on country roads?

Duffer65

I dream of riding on country roads...you lucky, lucky b*stards.

briantrumpet

Safety-wise the only thing I'd say is not to hug the hedge if at all possible going round left bends, as if there is someone coming the other way they won't see you till the last minute, and if the road is really narrow (as many are here in Devon) and they are travelling at any speed, it might lead to a 'close encounter'. And watch out for poor surfaces/gravel/potholes - as some friends and I were approaching a tight corner on a steep hill on Saturday, we realised at the last minute that the corner (unlike the road we had been going down) was completely covered in loose gravel - fortunately we were already going slowly, so didn't have to make the decision about how we were going to crash.

JamesB

Safety-wise the only thing I'd say is not to hug the hedge if at all possible going round left bends

absolutely agree, nearly got wiped out around a blind LH bend years ago, now ride well out to give safety space for me.

and also remember to keep overall to your side of road, particularly RH bends, I`ve seen too many sportives eg with riders spraed across road at speed around bends; guess who would win out of a vehicle, often a tractor, cycle collsion?

On windy days too country lanes can give added shelter; just ride sensibly and remember locals may not expect to see other road users !

CrouchingWayne

There are quite a few twisty roads - does riding well out not limit your chances of dodging a car coming too fast behind you?

I should not in talking about B roads so there is an element of traffic. I assumed it would be more dangerous with a 60 limit vs 30?

rick_chasey

Ride in the left hand tyre-track/dent that cars leave (usually about a metre in from the curb).

HebdenBiker

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=unkIVvjZc9Y

cougie

Yes - staying out wide in the road increases your visibility.
I do this and I don't wear all black kit. You can be almost invisible in shadows.
If its dull - I have my bright led flashing on the back too. It costs nothing really and does make you stand out.

keef66

And don't overtake a horse without calling out to the rider first. A simple "hello" will suffice, and it should mean you won't spook the beast.

nickel

Although it sounds cliched, my tip would be expect the unexpected. E.g. what if there's a tractor round the corner of that sharp bend? What if someone pulls out of the blind junction at the bottom of the hill? Anticipating situations like this has saved my bacon many times!

briantrumpet

Nickel wrote:

Although it sounds cliched, my tip would be expect the unexpected. E.g. what if there's a tractor round the corner of that sharp bend? What if someone pulls out of the blind junction at the bottom of the hill? Anticipating situations like this has saved my bacon many times!

Indeed - not that the OP is suggesting it, but it's important to forget any ideas of chasing times/speed if you're using proper country lanes - there are too many potential hazards to make that a safe thing to do. Just take the time to enjoy the scenery (but keep your eyes on the road!)

Last Summer I was doing just that on holiday in the Lake District, on the road from Little Langdale to Langdale, and as I went down the hill to Bleatarn House, right in the dip there was a pothole virtualy the width of the road, about two feet front to back, and a good foot deep. It was just as well I wasn't flying down that hill. Though I didn't check the bottom of the hole to see if there were any cyclists who hadn't been taking so much care....