Street-Safe Cycling Tips

Shifting Gears

Gears help to make pedaling easier to remain consistent up hill and downhill. When it is getting hard to pedal, shift to a lower gear. When it is easy to pedal, shift to a higher gear. When on flat ground, you want to keep your gears in the middle range. The chain of your bike needs to be in a straight line for best results!


Starting & Stopping

Steps to starting your bike:

  1. Stand ahead of the seat.
  2. Place one pedal in an upright position.
  3. Push pedal down and ease yourself onto the seat.
  4. Place the other foot on the opposite pedal.

Steps to stopping your bike:

  1. Stop pedaling.
  2. Shift your weight to the pedal that is in the down position.
  3. Squeeze both brakes equally.
  4. Slide off the seat.
  5. Place one foot on the ground.


Scanning

Scanning your surroundings is a key part of riding anywhere—it’s an easy and safe way to communicate your intentions to others and it also shows you what is happening behind you.

At first, it will be difficult to scan and maintain a straight line. A tip that may keep you from pulling the bike is to remove the hand, from the direction you are scanning, from the handlebars.


Signaling

Communicating your intentions not only makes your ride safer, but it is also required by law in the United States.

  • Left Turn: Fully extend your left arm out to the side.
  • Right Turn: Fully extend your right arm out to the side or bend your left arm up at a right angle with your hand flat.
  • Slowing or Stopping: Extend your left arm out at a right angle with your hand open.


Steering

Handlebars help you to steer by allowing small motions to keep the bike under your center of gravity as you lean into a tighter smoother turn. Be sure to look up and ahead to keep aware of what is going on as you make your turn.