Four sets of essential points for cyclists to remember

As promised 10 days ago here are the pithy points.

To recap: The object is to have memorable phrases to cover the important
issues.

You can see a pretty web page at
http://www.eminent.demon.co.uk/pedalpoints.htm
and from there you can get to an expanded list.



Rules of the ride


* See and be seen
* You are traffic
* Space doesn't hurt
* Prepare for junctions

Traps of the trip


* Junction jumpers
* Rubbish Road
* Never overtake lorries
* Loony left hookers

Bits of the bike


* Size suits
* Wheels work
* Brakes bite
* Mechanical mischief

Joy of the Journey


* Beauty of back routes
* Speed of commute
* Fun of fitness
* Independence or party



Please remember when explaining them to somebody that the FIRST
important thing is to remember the points themselves and ONLY THEN can
you hang the more detailed meanings onto the mantra.

Comments to the (spamtrapped) address in the sig.





--
PETER FOX Not the same since the deckchair business folded

www.eminent.demon.co.uk/wcc.htm Witham Cycling Campaign
www.eminent.demon.co.uk/rides East Anglian Pub cycle rides

Peter Fox wrote in
:

Bits of the bike

* Size suits

[From the website:] Adjust the height of the saddle so you can touch
the floor with the ball of one foot but not both

I used to set the saddle this way, but found it was a long way out, and
gave me all sorts of knee trouble and saddle (pressure) sores. Using the
"heel on pedal, leg straight" sets it much lower and is much more
comfortable. And I can put the balls of both feet on the ground.


Joy of the Journey

* Speed of commute

[Website:] Buses and cycles go about the same speed in towns

Each morning going to work I pass about 5 buses. £1.20 saved and five
minutes faster. I love it!

Each morning going to work I pass about 5 buses. £1.20 saved and five
minutes faster. I love it!

What I love about cycling..

It's a form of exercise I find enjoyable - much more so than spending a fortune
to join a gym and be surrounded by sweaty bodies all staring into nothing and
hearing loud music. Much nicer to be out in the open air and changing scenery.


As a way of getting me to and from town when I've only a little bit of shopping
to do, it gets me exercise and saves on the fuel bill for the car - noticeably
so.

It blows the cobwebs away, so to speak, and if I've been stuck inside all day,
it's a sheer joy to get in the fresh air.

I'm sure it makes me a more considerate driver, as when cycling, I'm a more
vulnerable road user, and this helps me, when I'm in motorist mode, be more
aware of the needs of non-motorised road users.

It puts things in perspective - closer to the outside world than when behind
the wheel of my car - I hear the birdsong when I'm cycling - I don't when
driving :-)

Cheers, helen s


--This is an invalid email address to avoid spam--
to get correct one remove fame & fortune
**$om $

--Due to financial crisis the light at the end of the tunnel is switched off--

omcom (dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers) wrote in
:


Each morning going to work I pass about 5 buses. £1.20 saved and five
minutes faster. I love it!

And that's only a 3 1/2 mile journey as well.


As a way of getting me to and from town when I've only a little bit of
shopping to do, it gets me exercise and saves on the fuel bill for the
car - noticeably so.

If I used to bus, to and from work ... £1.20 each way = £2.40 per day. 228
working days per year = £547.20 per year. The bike was only £370.

It blows the cobwebs away, so to speak, and if I've been stuck inside
all day, it's a sheer joy to get in the fresh air.

I even enjoy riding in downpours and howling gales. Well, maybe not at the
time I don't.


I'm sure it makes me a more considerate driver, as when cycling, I'm a
more vulnerable road user, and this helps me, when I'm in motorist
mode, be more aware of the needs of non-motorised road users.

I'm not a driver (haven't been in a driver's seat since I passed my test 2
years ago) but I like to think most of the skills and observations I use on
the bike I can use in a car as well. Like you say, on a bike I'm more
vunerable so I have to be aware of everything. Unlike some drivers who seem
to be aware of nothing.

omcom (dirtylitterboxofferingstospammers) wrote in
:


Each morning going to work I pass about 5 buses. £1.20 saved and five
minutes faster. I love it!

And that's only a 3 1/2 mile journey as well.


As a way of getting me to and from town when I've only a little bit of
shopping to do, it gets me exercise and saves on the fuel bill for the
car - noticeably so.

If I used to bus, to and from work ... £1.20 each way = £2.40 per day. 228
working days per year = £547.20 per year. The bike was only £370.

It blows the cobwebs away, so to speak, and if I've been stuck inside
all day, it's a sheer joy to get in the fresh air.

I even enjoy riding in downpours and howling gales. Well, maybe not at the
time I don't.


I'm sure it makes me a more considerate driver, as when cycling, I'm a
more vulnerable road user, and this helps me, when I'm in motorist
mode, be more aware of the needs of non-motorised road users.

I'm not a driver (haven't been in a driver's seat since I passed my test 2
years ago) but I like to think most of the skills and observations I use on
the bike I can use in a car as well. Like you say, on a bike I'm more
vunerable so I have to be aware of everything. Unlike some drivers who seem
to be aware of nothing.

It blows the cobwebs away, so to speak, and if I've been stuck inside all
day,
it's a sheer joy to get in the fresh air.

Absolutely. I've had a cycling free weekend but I'm itching to get out and
now the clouds are disappearing I might just go for an early-evening whizz
round my 10-mile route. If I need an excuse, it's to try out my new specs
which arrived from Wiggle on Thursday (complete with sweets - hurrah!) -
Madison D'Arcs, cheap and cheerful but with interchangeable lenses, and
after getting a fly in my eye at the top of a 17% descent last weekend I
know I definitely need them. Specs are something I would now add to any list
of essential cycling kit... along with bib shorts.

I'm sure it makes me a more considerate driver, as when cycling, I'm a
more
vulnerable road user, and this helps me, when I'm in motorist mode, be
more
aware of the needs of non-motorised road users.

I've found that too - I've always tried to give cyclists and horses a wide
berth but now I find I'm quite happy to sit behind them pottering along at
5mph for a couple of minutes just to make sure that when I do pass them
there is *plenty* of room and I'm not just squeezing by.

It puts things in perspective - closer to the outside world than when
behind
the wheel of my car - I hear the birdsong when I'm cycling - I don't when
driving :-)

I'm gobsmacked to discover how much actual wildlife there really is out
there. The most amazing thing I've seen to date is an albino squirrel, which
I spotted in a hedgerow just a couple of weeks ago. I had to stop and rub my
eyes to check I wasn't imagining it.

d.

davek wrote:

I'm gobsmacked to discover how much actual wildlife there really is out
there. The most amazing thing I've seen to date is an albino squirrel, which
I spotted in a hedgerow just a couple of weeks ago. I had to stop and rub my
eyes to check I wasn't imagining it.

Same here. I've lost count of the number of squirrels and rabbits that
have run across the trail in front of me. That's not even counting the
hundreds of sheep, that I forget are just a few hundred feet away from
the house.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
"I've seldom seen a horny player walk into a bar and not let out exactly what
he did for a living." - Johnny Bench

"davek" writes:

Absolutely. I've had a cycling free weekend but I'm itching to get out and
now the clouds are disappearing I might just go for an early-evening whizz
round my 10-mile route. If I need an excuse, it's to try out my new specs
which arrived from Wiggle on Thursday (complete with sweets - hurrah!) -
Madison D'Arcs, cheap and cheerful but with interchangeable lenses, and
after getting a fly in my eye at the top of a 17% descent last weekend I
know I definitely need them.


My Madison D'Arcs, cheap and cheerful but with interchangeable lenses,
arrived from Wiggle on Thursday (complete with sweets - hurrah!)
too...

And I'm just off for a 10 mile 'first time this weekend' ride...

You haven't just ordered a Kryptonite wall thingy, cable and D lock
from them as well, have you?

David

And I'm just off for a 10 mile 'first time this weekend' ride...

Spooky. Actually, my 10 mile ride turned into 26 miles - mainly because my
10 mile route would have involved a return leg into a stiff-ish headwind.
Instead I went the other way and had the wind behind me all the way home...
WHEEEEEE!

The D'Arcs are nice - quite comfortable and don't obscure your vision at
all. Already very glad I got them.

You haven't just ordered a Kryptonite wall thingy, cable and D lock
from them as well, have you?

I don't think so, but maybe I'd better check...

d.

And I'm just off for a 10 mile 'first time this weekend' ride...

Spooky. Actually, my 10 mile ride turned into 26 miles - mainly because my
10 mile route would have involved a return leg into a stiff-ish headwind.
Instead I went the other way and had the wind behind me all the way home...
WHEEEEEE!

The D'Arcs are nice - quite comfortable and don't obscure your vision at
all. Already very glad I got them.

You haven't just ordered a Kryptonite wall thingy, cable and D lock
from them as well, have you?

I don't think so, but maybe I'd better check...

d.