{"id":319,"date":"2015-08-11T10:51:29","date_gmt":"2015-08-11T09:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/direct2u.co.uk\/blog\/cycle-shelters\/?p=319"},"modified":"2018-05-18T10:21:11","modified_gmt":"2018-05-18T09:21:11","slug":"top-tips-for-1st-time-cycling-commuters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/direct2u.co.uk\/blog\/cycle-shelters\/top-tips-for-1st-time-cycling-commuters\/","title":{"rendered":"Top Tips for 1st Time Cycling Commuters"},"content":{"rendered":"

Ever considered cycling to work?<\/h2>\n

Thought about it but not got round to it? Cycle to Work Day is on 3rd September this year – which gives you plenty of time to get sorted!<\/p>\n

This years \u2018Cycle to Work Day\u2019 is fast approaching and we know lots of you want to get involved. If you’ve not cycled to work before or during rush hour periods, we thought we\u2019d give our top tips for first timers.<\/p>\n

Particularly if you work in London you will have felt the effects of the recent tube strikes – don\u2019t let these setbacks hold you up, cycling to work is a great alternative.<\/p>\n

1. Have your route planned<\/h3>\n

\"Plan<\/p>\n

Take a few minutes the day before to make sure you know your route and to double check that there won\u2019t be any road works. If there\u2019s a non-main road option, take it. Even if it costs you a little bit longer in time, it will be a much safer route. It\u2019s always a good idea to have a back up route planned just in case you encounter any incidents and have to reroute.<\/p>\n

2. Make yourself visible<\/h3>\n

\"MAKE<\/p>\n

In the UK it is the law to have lights on the back on your bike when it is dark or poor visibility. Another tip that is relative to visibility is to never assume a driver has seen you. Make sure you use hand signals to make it clear where you are intending to go and always try to think like a driver to anticipate their moves.<\/p>\n

3. Prepare the bike<\/h3>\n

\"prepare-your-bike\"<\/p>\n

If your bike isn\u2019t used regularly you should make sure your tyres are inflated and the chain is lubricated to avoid any mishaps out on the road. It is recommended you take a small puncture repair kit out with you on every journey because you never know what might happen! Another important thing to check before heading out is that the brakes are in good working order. If you don\u2019t feel happy with your bikes workings or are unsure what to do, take it to your local bike shop\/ mechanic and ask them to take a look at it.<\/p>\n

4. Practice riding with a friend<\/h3>\n

\"practice-makes-perfect\"<\/a><\/p>\n

If you know someone who cycles regularly, ask them if you can tag along for a few practice rides. This will not only help you learn the rules of the road, it will also help build your confidence making you ready to go it alone. If you haven\u2019t got a friend to cycle with, you can still go out and practice alone \u2013 pick a route you are familiar with and practice tackling islands etc. This will make it easier for you when it comes to doing so in rush hour.<\/p>\n

5. Stay space aware<\/h3>\n

\"stay-space-awar\"<\/p>\n

Although listening to music when cycling isn\u2019t illegal, if your music is too loud it can distract you and drown out other noises around you. This can be dangerous, particularly for new cyclists. Being aware of other cyclists, pedestrians and vehicles is also extremely important \u2013 always shoulder check before making a turn and using a bell can help alert others of your presence. It is vital to leave plenty of space between yourself and parked cars \u2013 someone could be about to open a door or pull out into your path. Another important thing to remember in terms of space is to keep at least one metre away from the kerb, this to allow yourself room for manoeuvre if anyone tries to pass unsafely\/ inconsiderately. It also helps make you slightly more visible to drivers and other road users.<\/p>\n

———————————————————————————————————————————————<\/p>\n

Those are our five top tips for first time cycling commuters. If you’ve been thinking about starting for a while, why not use Cycle to Work Day as the perfect reason to start? Find out more about the organised day and join the 250,000 others that have pledged already here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Ever considered cycling to work? Thought about it but not got round to it? Cycle to Work Day is on 3rd September this year – which gives you plenty of time to get sorted! This years \u2018Cycle to Work Day\u2019 is fast approaching and we know lots of you want to get involved. If you’ve not cycled to work before or during rush hour periods, we thought we\u2019d give our top tips for first timers. Particularly if you work in London you will have felt the effects of the recent tube strikes – don\u2019t let these setbacks hold you up,… Read more <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":320,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[54,58,4],"tags":[65,66,64],"class_list":["post-319","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-benefits-of-cycling-2","category-cycle-safety","category-cycling-news","tag-cycle-to-work-day","tag-cycle-to-work-day-2015","tag-cycling-commuters"],"yoast_head":"\nTop Tips for 1st Time Cycling Commuters - Cycle Shelters Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Cycle to Work Day 2015 is fast approaching - why not use it as the day you start cycling to work? 5 top tips for first time cycling commuters.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/direct2u.co.uk\/blog\/cycle-shelters\/top-tips-for-1st-time-cycling-commuters\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Top Tips for 1st Time Cycling Commuters - Cycle Shelters Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Cycle to Work Day 2015 is fast approaching - why not use it as the day you start cycling to work? 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