Scared to ride a road bike on the road?
- Thread starter joshhat98
- Start date
pistonbroke
Eats Squid
From memory you have a lot of narrow roads with no shoulder. Is that correct? I don't like the sound of that, even though you are well in your rights to own the lane. I try and find quiet roads or ones with a shoulder. I also like riding early Sunday mornings as there is no traffic. Can you join a group ride? Make sure you are visible with some good lights ect. It does get easier and most cars are pretty good. But you also see more, people texting, talking on the phone, running red lights ect.
Registered Nutcase
Likes Bikes and Dirt
YOLO
People these days.
People these days.
I don't ride on the road anymore because I believe it is too dangerous. There are plenty of great MTB trails in the region. I live not far away in the Pyrenees and can see Mt William from the living room window. Hundreds of km of fantastic MTB riding starting from the backdoor. If you don't want to be killed by a car, stay off the road. There is an excellent bike club in Ararat with a superb velodrome and track bikes you can borrow or hire. I trained and raced there a couple of seasons with my kids. Track season is summer so there won't be much racing left. http://araratdcc.com.au/
Conversely, YODO.
I've done nearly 11,000km on the road over the last 2 years. I wont ride anything with a high speed limit and no shoulder. There are relatively few cycling deaths each year but the type that features prominently is rural roads without shoulders, especially at low light times like dawn/dusk.
High visibility/good lighting are important. I don't mean fluro yellow but especially in areas where there are a lot of shadows over the road from trees don't wear black and then expect to be seen... Hold your line - be predictable! Riding in a group is safer as cars will see you but they also get crankier at groups too as they're harder to pass.
Find the quieter routes and build your confidence. Check places like strava, google maps and bike route toaster for common cycling routes in your area. Your confidence will also make you safer as well as feeling safer.
Riding on the road is a different kind of fun to MTBing. Enjoy!
No, it isn't. Riding on the road is no fun at all.
Buying a roadbike to improve your mountain biking legs has always baffled me. Why not just ride your mountain bike more? If it is to gain endurance legs then yeah, maybe but is it worth spending that extra money on something that isn't really going to float your boat? Your obviously aren't too keen so just ride more mountain bike trails.
For what it's worth, you will not gain any skills on a road bike that will enhance your bike skills. You'll get legs but not much else.
I should have qualified that. Riding a light, high quality, road bike with good tyres, etc, on the road is fun (to me anyway!). I've tried riding a mtb on the road and it's completely crap without any redeeming features (except it may bring you closer to the next trail).
cleeshoy
Eats Squid
I would like to ride my mtb more but find mtb'ing much more physically demanding. A couple of back-to-back days on the mtb and my body really feels it (old age perhaps?)! As such I do more hours on the road then on the mtb.
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cleeshoy
Eats Squid
I certainly don't enjoy cars wizzing by me at 100km/h - not sure anyone does!
Riding in a group tends to be a bit safer then riding on your own whilst on the road. Lots of bike shops have "shop rides" where anyone can join - its also a great way of meeting others and learning the basics of riding in a group situation.
Flashing lights on the back and front of your bike make you much more visible even during the day.
harmonix1234
Eats Squid
Ozkaban is right.
If there is no shoulder, and the roads are skinny with fast cars just don't go there.
If I have to put a car in a position where it has to vere into oncoming traffic to get past me, I just won't ride that road.
That's my golden rule for road riding.
If there is no shoulder, and the roads are skinny with fast cars just don't go there.
If I have to put a car in a position where it has to vere into oncoming traffic to get past me, I just won't ride that road.
That's my golden rule for road riding.
If only every person who used the road went with this...................
pistonbroke
Eats Squid
A cyclist has just been killed on the Hume hwy. Not good.
