Learn to ride a bike:

Details:
London School of Cycling, Patrick Field,
tel: 0171 249 3779
South Tyneside MBC, Traffic Services Road Safety Team,
tel: 0191 427 1717
City of York Council, Ken Spence,
tel: 01904 613161

The self-help options:

Bike to Basics is available from York City Council, 01904 613161, for £7.99. Cyclecraft by John Franklin. Aimed at the adult cyclist, this newly revised book covers everything you need to know about riding a bike: from acquiring basic cycling skills to cycling at night in thunderstorms. Plenty of explanatory diagrams break up the test. It's a comprehensive, albeit dry, self-help course in how to handle your bike on the road. Available for £9.99 from bookshops.
Buying the right bike:

New Bicycle info          Used Bicycle info
Bikes are vehicles, not toys. You shouldn't be rushed into buying one. There are a lot of pre-purchase decisions to make before you find the bike that's just right for you. Comfort, practicality, lightness, price, durability, and other considerations have to be taken into account. Before you head for the bike shop use this guide to work out which features you think you'll need.
What do you intend to use the bike for? Will you be commuting to work on it every day? Just nipping down to the shops now and then? Showing the kids your knowledge of the local disused railway paths at the weekends? Will you be using it on city streets or off-road? For long periods on cycling holidays or short trips every day? Probably it's a mix of many of the above. Bikes are very flexible creatures and can cope with whatever you throw at them, but it can't be escaped that many bikes have been designed for certain purposes and if most of your riding fits that criteria you've got a bike that will do what you want it to do.


Here are the basic types.
Road bikes:  
Expensive ones are used by Tour de France riders; cheaper ones are ridden by fast club cyclists. They come fitted with razor slim saddles (which you get used to in time, honest) and thin tyres. Commonly, and mistakenly, known as 'ten-speed racers' by those who were around before mountain bikes were invented.
Road bikes are designed to be ridden at high speeds on smooth road surfaces. Because of this they are lightweight, with tyres pumped up to over 100psi to minimise friction, and dropped handlebars to force your body into that aerodynamically efficient Tour de France tuck. Road bikes can be easily damaged and are prone to punctures. When you're not used to it, you will probably find the hunched forward riding position uncomfortable. This is not to say road bikes are for fit young people: plenty old-timers do hundreds of miles per week on their road bikes. It's just a matter of getting used to them. If your primary aim is to get fit or do any kind of road racing then you need a road bike, even mountain bike professionals use them as part of their fitness training. If you're going to be commuting more than ten miles each way then a road bike - fitted with mudguards and a rack- can be a benefit because of its speed and the low rolling resistance of the tyres.


Mountain bikes:  
These now make up 70 percent of all bikes sold in the UK but that doesn't mean they are the right kind of bike for you. Very few mountain bikes - MTB's for short - get to see mountains but the chunky tyres, 26-inch wheels, strong frames and flat handlebars are pretty good for city streets too. Because they are designed for going up (and down) steep slopes, MTB's have lots of low gears and highly effective brakes. For off-road comfort many MTB's feature front suspension forks; some also have suspension for the bum, too. These are called full suspension bikes and were originally designed for crazy downhill mountain bikers although suspension adds to any riders comfort.
Even without suspension products, the fat tyres on MTB'S soak up the shocks and jarrs of off-road trails and city potholes. The knobbly tyres found on MTB's don't puncture easily but can rattle and hum on tarmac, slowing you down. By adding 'slick' tyres (i.e. fat tyres without knobbles), mudguards and lights you could convert your mountain bike into a good urban bike during the week and change back to knobblies for weekend rough stuffing.


Hybrids: 
Hybrids are a mix between mountain bikes and road bikes and offer the advantages - and disadvantages of both. They look like mountain bikes but with thinner wheels and tyres, and offer a slightly more upright sitting position, suited to urban riding. They are faster on tarmac but can handle weekend off-roading. Not all come with mudguards, a rack and lights, but these can be easily fitted by the shop. Some hybrids come with internal hub gears. Component manufacturer Shimano calls hybrids 'Sports Touring Bikes' or STB's for short. Germans call them trekking bikes. Some people call them city bikes. Raleigh, and other companies, call them 'comfort bikes' because they equip them with seat posts with added bounce and suspension front forks.


Utility bikes:  
The so-called Dutch roadster is a perfect utility bike, a real workhorse. They are virtually bombproof , very low maintenance and great in all weathers, although only really suitable for short journeys in flat areas.


Touring bikes:  
A touring bike is a chunkier, more laid back and more comfortable version of the road bike. It normally has drop handlebars and mudguards and pannier racks for luggage. The wheelbase - the distance between the hubs - is longer than in either a road bike or an MTB, giving a smooth ride, ironing out all the bumps and potholes and making it easier to handle when loaded up with panniers.


Folding bikes:  
Bicycle origami is thriving. Before we get to the dream of a fully integrated transport system the best way to get a bike onto a train, bus or underground service is to pack it down. There's even a theory that come ten years hence every new car will come with a folding bike in the boot because city-centre gridlock means cars will be next to useless and the only way to get about will be by bike! Cheap folding bikes are heavy and don't fold down too well. More expensive ones fold down tiny in just 15 seconds. Because they are designed for the first and last legs of a commuter journey they sacrifice speed, stability and comfort for convenience. Typically they come with hub gears and may also be fitted with mudguards and lights. Optional extras include folding pedals.


What size do I need ?:  
To get the most out of cycling it's vital to have the right sized bike.
Before setting off to the bike shop you need a tape measure. Your inside leg measurement determines what size frame you're going to need. To find your frame size for road bikes and hybrids, multiply your inside leg measurement by 0.65, this will give you an approximate frame size in inches. The frame is measured by the distance along the seat tube from the centre of the bottom bracket to the centre of the top tube.
When you get to the shop, stand over and sit aboard a number of bikes. When you stand over the bike there should be 2cm clearance between your crotch and the top tube for a touring bike, 3cm for a road bike, 4-6cm for a hybrid and 6cm+ for a mountain bike. The reach of the handlebars should be comfortable and neither cramp you or strain your back. To pedal comfortably, the length of the crank should be about a fifth of your inside leg measurement. When you pedal, your leg should have a slight bend in it and never be extended fully. The old rule that you had to be able to touch the ground when sitting on the saddle is a load of tosh: if you can, your saddle and seat post need to be raised. (Note: this is not the case for children). Do this in small increments over a number of days so you get used to the new, higher position. Once you're used to it, you'll find you can cycle faster and for longer and with more comfort with less effort.


Am I pedalling right ?:  
Cadence is important. This is the number of time your pedals go round per minute, your 'revs' if you will. Tour De France cyclists can pedal all day long and at great speeds because they 'spin'. Aim for something similar. Your legs should whizz round rather than strain in a high gear. And don't pedal with your heels. Your toes should be just over the lip of the front of the pedal.


Are bikes allowed on countryside footpaths?
Unfortunately not. Countryside access is a huge subject, policed by specialist lawyers and 'rights of way' experts. Unlike in countries like Sweden or Germany, we can't wander where we please in this green and pleasant land of ours. All outdoor users have to stick to 'rights of way'.

A bike, unfortunately, is not what the law deems a 'natural accompaniment' to walking (such as a walking stick or a dog) so you can't ride on a footpath. Technically speaking, you can't even walk on a footpath with a bike. Cyclists are committing trespass by riding on footpaths - no matter how wide - and could be prosecuted by the landowner for any damage caused. Don't worry, it's a civil matter, not a criminal wrong. In practice no landowner will sue you but riding on footpaths upsets walkers.


You can ride on:
Bridleways (27 400 km)
We've had the right to share bridleways with walkers and horses since an Act of Parliament in 1968. Note the word 'share'. Horses get spooked easily and we're faster than walkers so it's only fair give them due consideration. Slow down, smile, say hi and pick up speed once you roll past.


Byways Open to All Traffic (3000kms)
Otherwise known as BOAT's these allow all traffic to pass, including vehicles.


Forest tracks and paths
Permission is officially required for riding through Forestry Commission land. Often this permission has already been granted by the local conservator and the Forestry Commission generally regards cycling favourably. Stick to the way-marked routes, you don't want to meet a 60-ton logging truck coming round the corner of a dirt track.


Green lanes (10 200kms)
A non-legal term for a pleasant unsealed country road, track or byway.


White roads (7000kms?)
Most roads on Ordnance Survey maps have colours to denote their status. White roads have no colour so are not recorded as having any rights-of-way status. When looking at an Ordnance Survey map they can appear to be farm tracks or private roads when, in fact, they might be public highways. Of the estimated 7000 km of 'lost' white roads many of them are great, totally legal trails for use by cyclists just waiting to be 'found' and put onto the 'definitive map'.


It's a sign!
It's fine and dandy knowing which routes you're supposed to stick to, but on the ground it's often a different kettle of rear mech's. There's not always a footpath sign when you need one and many wide, open trails look as though they must be bridleways. It's therefore good practice to always carry an Ordnance Survey (OS) map. These don't list every right of way - check out the 'definitive map' at your local highway authority for that - but will include the main ones. Or look for paths that have coloured way-marking arrows: yellow on footpaths, blue on bridleways, and red on byways that can be legally used by everybody.


Saddle sores ? " My bum hurts!" ...........
Is probably the number one complaint of new cyclists, especially those who choose to get back into cycling by doing a 50 mile charity ride with no prior preparation!.
For most people, the soreness quickly recedes and after a few more day's of riding, getting on a bike is no longer painful. It's a matter of getting your bum used to sitting on a saddle, preferably an 'anatomical' one, and your back and shoulders used to the new sitting position.
Of course, there are ways to minimise this initial discomfort. Check your saddle isn't too far forward on the 'seat post' and make sure it's a decent width. Many bikes do not come ready fitted with comfy enough saddles. 'Tractor' cycle saddles - such as those available from Selle Royal and Madison - are wide and often come fitted with gel inserts, bags of soft goo which conform to the shape of your bum. Some tractor saddles also come with springs or elastomer bungs. These let the saddle bounce underneath you when pedalling along ( which can lead to a fair amount of bobbing around and, whilst comfortable, isn't very energy efficient )

To convert your existing saddle into a gel one you could fit a gel-filled saddle cover. Velo from Moore Large do one for £12. Alternatively, fit a sheepskin cover from Easy-rider, Tel: 01604 870713. Always bear in mind, though, that too squishy a saddle won't be supporting you properly. Over time try to wean yourself onto a harder, more supportive saddle.
If your saddle is too narrow, all your weight is concentrated on your perineum (check where this is in a medical dictionary, we're a family website! ... !!.) instead of the sit-bones, the ischial tuberosities. In men the sit bones are roughly three inches apart; in women they're four inches apart. This is why women's saddles are wider. On a sit-up-and-beg bike you're taking a lot of your weight on your bum; on mountain bikes and sports bikes a lot more of your weight is shared with your handlebars.
Don't fit such a wide saddle, however, that it chafes your thighs. Find a happy medium. If, after altering your riding position through trial and error, moving the saddle forward a touch or fitting a wide - possibly sprung - saddle or a suspension seat-post, and you're riding in proper padded cycle shorts, you're still uncomfortable, maybe you might be on the wrong sort of bike altogether? Many of the mountain bikes in the shops are designed for racing and so sling you far forward into an uncomfortable position. Racers are used to this position and it's quite comfortable for them but for the rest of us a more 'sit-and-beg' position is desirable. Hybrids are normally more upright and so more comfy for beginners. Dutch roadsters are even more upright. But, as was made clear above, you don't want to be so upright that hardly any of your weight is being supported by the handlebars. Again, aim for a happy medium. If all else fails, why not try a recumbent? These are laid-back cycles with comfy, deck-chair like seats. They take a bit of getting used to but have been godsends for some riders who might otherwise have had to retire from cycling.

Setting a Saddle up:
Height
Saddles set too high or low can lead to knee injuries. Find the right position by sitting on your bike and putting your heel on a pedal in its lowest position. The saddle and seat-post are the right height when your leg is virtually straight (but not locked). The seat-post should not be extended above the inscribed safety limit. (If you do .. it will snap!) Buy a longer seat-post if necessary.

Fore-aft
Most saddles have rails by which they are attached to the seat post clamp. Undoing a locknut or Allen key bolt will enable you to slide the saddle forwards or backwards. With the pedals horizontal to the ground you should be able to draw a vertical line from the front of the forward knee through the centre of the pedal spindle.

Angle of tilt
For true comfort on a bike the tilt of the saddle is crucial but is largely a matter of taste. Women tend to like the saddle nose pointing to the ground slightly, to relieve pressure on the pubic area. That's why women's saddles are shorter than men's. The Terry Liberator saddle gets round this problem by cutting a hole out of the nose. By making just minor adjustments to the saddle's tilt you can radically improve your comfort. Try your saddle at different angles and ride about for twenty minutes or so to check which angle suits you best.