Cycling for Newbies
A Workride guide to get you rolling…
Riding a bike can be a scary prospect. You might be completely new to it or a returning cyclist who's looking to dust off the cobwebs. Here are a few top tips that will get you from stabilizers to wheelies (the latter at your own discretion).
Use your community
This should be your starting point - there are a wealth of community organisations, council run confidence sessions and beginners drop in sessions. Before you even contemplate getting a bike start with the basics. You can head into a local bike shop and ask some questions about the right bike for you. Check out community forums, or get yourself down to a confidence session (more on that below)...
Plan your ride
Even for experienced riders cycling amongst traffic is at best less enjoyable than cycling on segregated cycle paths or quieter roads. You’ll have a much more enjoyable time if you plot your journey on quiet roads and cycle lanes where possible. Routes that are best (quickest) for cars, are not always the most fun on a bike!
And before you do any of that, start in a park or offroad to build confidence somewhere without traffic and plenty of room to manoeuvre!
Hitting the road
Remember, you have as much right to the road as other users, while cycling in the gutter (close to the pavement), can feel like it’s safer, you are far more likely to encourage close passing and pick up a puncture from debris.
Be aware of your surroundings (checking over your shoulder and making eye contact with others).
Be confident and predictable , signal your intentions early and make it clear to other road users.
Start Small - Don't go from 0-100. It’s well known that behaviours that stick are ones that have small achievable steps, which is why many New Years resolutions fail. If your goal is to cycle to work. Why not commit to one day per week. Pick the days with the favourable weather, get your stuff ready the night before, plan a route, meet a friend, and (crucially) reward yourself. Go on, grab that coffee on the way to work, you’ve earnt it!
Cycle Confidence Sessions
So much of safety comes from being a confident cyclist. Most local authorities offer cycle confidence sessions for both kids and adults so you can get up and running in no time. If you are having less luck with your local authority, a quick google should help point you in the right direction of local organisations and cycle charities in your community. See an example from Christchurch City Council.
Ride with others
One of the best ways to build your confidence is to cycle with others. This can be a group of people at a similar level to you. Or even better cycling with someone who is slightly more confident can help to build yours up. If you’re thinking about commuting, a ‘bike buddy’ system is great for added confidence, safety, and heck it's more fun too!
Get your workride!
You guessed it, the missing piece of the puzzle. WorkRide enables you to get that new bike with a cost offset between 32-63%. You can use our savings calculator to see how much you can save!
To refer your employer, get your free info pack to share or contact us support@workride.co.nz
For more information check out NZTA - Code for Cycling | NZTA - Biking in our town & Cities | Christchurch City Council - Cycling Tips
Start your Workride journey for free today!
Click the link below and complete the form to receive a free information pack.