How To Cycling in the City

Executive summary abaut bike city by Rudi Kiya

How To Cycling in the City. Pros: Cycling is one of the best means of transit. Most buses are outfitted with bike racks and other modes of transportation such as subways generally allow a few bikes per car for those people commuting from longer distances. Cyclists are also seeing cities changing to accommodate their needs. Bike lanes and streets which are bike friendly are beginning to be a part of the city. One of the biggest benefits of cycling is the lower costs associated with it. Biking in the city can be a dangerous activity. Inadequate laws can be problematic to cyclists. Currently, other than owning a bike little else is required by law to outfit cyclists. There are occasionally cyclists who disrespect the rules by taking non-cycling routes which can be deadly as narrow roads, dark conditions and lack of safety equipment can lead to accidents. Cycling is a great activity.

How to Tell If a City is Bike-Friendly

Executive summary abaut bike city by Darla Blackmon

In 1974 a French city initiated a free bike program with yellow bicycles that were free to take and use. Does the city use sharrows?

A "sharrow" is a shared-lane marking system for roadways. The green lanes are usually installed within travel lanes that are shared by bicyclists and other vehicles.

Are there bike boxes at major intersections?

A bike box is a green box that is painted on the road with a white bicycle symbol inside. Are the streets wide? Do they have clearly marked bike lanes?

Though wide city streets are good for the cyclists, bike lanes are actually far better, they help define road space, promote a more orderly flow of traffic, help cyclists know which direction to travel in, and give them a clear place to ride as opposed to using the sidewalks.

Are there bike racks for parking?

Racks need to cradle the entire bike and allow the user to lock the frame and wheels of the bike. What about bike racks on public transport?

In a bike friendly city, the Department of Public Transportation usually works with cyclists to meet their needs. City buses can carry two bikes in the front or back, and the drivers will sometimes allow the cyclist to bring their bike inside. Rail vehicles can often carry 4 bikes per car. Overall, a bike-friendly city will have a solid bicycle culture and a well-developed infrastructure that favors cyclists. 

checkout my other guide on bike brakes, bike pumps