Do not do as i have done

[Gr8fun]

Does and don'ts

No skinny tires

disk brakes and suspension fork very helpful

Get a mirror.

Do not use 9 speed chain on 7 speed cassette and ring

If you have a problem fix it today or it will break tomorrow.

If it is not broken don't fix it.

Get a temperature sensor. Then watch it.

No cheap tires

Do not overgear. Keep rpms up

Good solder joints and proper wiring and connectors are very important

keep a straight chainline.

Get an igh

Do not shift under power especially into lower gear

do not pass police car at 40 mph in bicycle lane

Charge a damaged battery or try reversing polarity

Tighten bolts and use blue lock tight (not red)

Clean and oil chain
Chain wear gauge. Replace chain before it is worn out.

Relube with synthetic grease

Loan bycycle to others

Many consider an unlocked bike a "free" bike
Do not lose key or forget combination

Stop and find cause for problems when acting strange

Do not use lightweight cheap parts

Good lights at night. Trees garbage cans and people materialize mysteriously in front of you.

do not trust motor vehicles to see or respect your right to be on the road. They want to kill you.

Get a bigger battery from reputable source than you think you will need. Same goes for motor

wear a helmet, good quality

Carry basic tools and parts with you. Tire Patch kit
Pump. Chain. Wrenches etc. Better repair on the road than walk of shame.

Do not drive faster than conditions allow.

Although all these seem to be obvious, it is the loose nut on the seat of your bike that is most dangerous part of system

I am sure with experience there will be many more does and don'ts.

[Dale H]

WOW, you need to print this up as a poster!! Sage advice.....

[Gr8fun]

WOW, you need to print this up as a poster!! Sage advice.....

Add more advice. Your experience is helpful to me.

[Dale H]

Thanks, I gleaned a lot of it from here, then applied it to my real world commutes.The loose nut on the seat is the key to it all. Only thing I can add is wear a good helmet and remember that in a battle between 2 tons of steel versus 200 pounds of bicycle,the steel will win if you do not get out of the way!! Always use at least one mirror on the left side so you know what's coming up behind you. Maybe more later after some more coffee....... ride on safely my friends

[ykick]

In addition to clean & oil chain I would recommend a chain wear gauge and replace chain at 1st sign of wear. Sprockets will thank you.

Also, big PLUS for mirrors. I find it unsettling to ride without mirrors. For example, with a mirror you can judge if/when it's okay to ride more in the roadway away from the shoulder or need to move over for the hurtling machinery passing by. Other benefits too but that's the most common one I find myself using mirrors for.

[Dale H]

I'll have to agree with ykick on the uneasiness of being without a mirror. Doesn't have to be an expensive mirror either, mine cost less than $10 from Walmart, attaches to my grip with velcro and is surprisingly durable. I actually pulled over a quarter of a mile from home yesterday when I realised I had left it in my rear bag, felt like I was naked without it. 30 seconds later I was on my way feeling complete again.

[Zippy]

I need to get mirrors too, one thing I find is even when you have enough power and speed to ride in the traffic lane auto and especially drivers of big jacked up pickup trucks get absolutely furious, like how dare you challenge their superiority by going the same speed as them. They want to pass you and they want to pass you NOW and this is residential streets, I'd hate to see what kind of behavior they exhibit on the open highway.

Yeah mirrors-good thing.

[Gr8fun]

Thanks people. Got another mirror today. Good advice.

[tommie]

do not pass police car at 40 mph in bicycle lane

lol..... i like that one, sound advice!!

[Dale H]

Had my first encounter with members of the spandex crowd today, the first of which was interesting. Going up a route I normally travel I encountered 3 bicycles, non motorized as was obvious in the choice of attire, the aforementioned spandex. passed the first one who was obviously lagging back on purpose, a female. I was going maybe 25 when I first came upon them, lowered my speed to theirs, maybe 15 or so. Passed on the left after loudly proclaiming " on your left". The next 2 were sort of together, couple of dudes wearing the same kind of outfit. I must have looked funny in my jeans, t-shirt, reflective vest and matching neon yellow helmet, with 4 different sets of lights, 2 flashing and the other 2 just bright led's. As I passed the last two after warning them as I had the first one, got the strangest look but no nasty rebuttal. I slowly increased speed until the were out of sight, them hammered down and got the crap out of there. On the way home couple of hours later encountered a different on several miles from the first encounter, under an overpass waiting for a thundershower to pass by. I gave him an extra rain poncho I had just purchased not 30 minutes before at a yard sale. He tried to give my .25 cents back but I declined. Trying to help those who are not motorised to accept us is going to be a struggle but I believe we can all coexist with a little effort.As far as the dudes in the big truck mentioned above, it may take more effort with that particular group, the mindset is totally different. Be safe and try to foster some good will amongst all of us 2 wheelers. Above all ride on safely.........

[insider]

I've heard of this song before...

[Gabriel]

In the UK, the tarmac is washed frequently by rain -- definitely not the case here in Andalucia, Spain, where rain is a rare event. This means that there is a build-up of rubbery dust on the roads which turns to slime when the wet stuff eventually occurs. Also the road-stone here is softer than the granite used in the UK, and wears into a smooth surface quickly.
So -- if it has just rained after a dry spell, I make allowances when braking and cornering when using my motorbikes, and will do the same when my Ebike is finally ready.

One thing in the (excellent) list which strikes me is the comment regarding motorists apparently wanting to kill cyclists -- we can't stop it happening, but our reaction is up to us.
It is tempting to assume that drivers are idiots or murderous - but such people are rarely encountered. We can just as easily assume that the errant driver is in a panic on his way to the maternity ward, or has just sneezed three times and temporarily lost vision, and this can ameliorate our otherwise angry response - which can otherwise lead to further, more serious bother.

The rarest, and I think the most attractive thing on our roads, is compassion.

[Dale H]

well said. However here in the USAa hate runs deep for some reason. And the spandex crowd are one of our biggest detractors, at least in my city. All fueled by greed and an unending need to tell others they are wrong for not cycling like they do. I do not cycle for the sheer fun of it, it is my ONLY form of transportation. The motor helps me to get from point A to point B, and I typically do not find much resistance, but when I do I will stand my ground as much as I possibly can. Your ideals are genuinely pure, but unfortunately that is not the consensus of the entire crowd. I applaud your devotion to compassion, and I do give compassion. On the other hand I am not opposed to protecting myself either. Two way street........

[Gabriel]

I think cycling in a city would test my compassion beyond endurance Dale -- you won't need me to tell you that cities are a bit like the Internet where we can hurl abuse in relative safety. If you live in a village, or up in the mountains, there is much more of a mutual dependence between folk, and it pays to be nice. The car driver that cuts you up may teach your children, that spandexed fool on a bicycle may be the emergency plumber you'll need tomorrow etc... It's not saintliness that motivates me -- more like enlightened self-interest, and the knowledge that my actions describe me.
In a village, people lose their sharp corners, like pebbles in a bag -- to me the city resembles rats in a sack.
I find it interesting how our attitudes affect our internal experience. If we are quick to call everyone who upsets us an idiot, we will live our lives surrounded by idiots. If we factor in the difficulties other people face, some struggling with pain, some leading lives of quiet desperation, we will have a different experience, and, I think, a richer life.