Questions tagged [urban-riding]

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16 votes
8 answers
2k views

Is a dropper post a good solution for sharing a bike between two riders?

We have an e-bike with a step-through frame that's shared between two riders with fairly different heights (5'8" and 6'2"). It's used for commuting, kid-toting, and general short-mileage ...
segfault's user avatar
  • 161
15 votes
7 answers
4k views

Does the use of front suspension negatively affect road riding efficiency?

I've been riding a 1980's-era (unsuspended) Specialized MTB with slick tires on the road for many years, and recently got a Marin trail bike with a Suntour SR front suspension. I thought it would make ...
Cadence's user avatar
  • 161
6 votes
4 answers
2k views

Suspension compromise for urban use

I ride an eBike in New York City. About 80% of the roads I ride are relatively smooth and 20% pretty bumpy. On my non suspension bike the 80% is great but the 20% is a bit painful. I understand ...
Marcus Leon's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
1k views

How do I reduce the risk of pinch flat punctures while riding up stairs on my hardtail?

I've got a Specialized Pitch, size 27.5". I do a lot of urban MTBing and tricking. I know how to ride up stairs - up to four stairs at the moment, working on getting more - you lean back, get the ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 677
1 vote
2 answers
1k views

Mild pain in lower forearms during biking

I feel some pressure and fatigue in my wrists and lower forearms during riding but not after it. I don't know whether it is due to weakness of my wrists or my suspicion that my 18" frame mount bike is ...
infatuated's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
272 views

What would be a good bike for urban commute? (3-4km) [closed]

I have been riding bicycles for quite a long time now, but have never done it on city roads. Instead, I have been riding a rented bike in a park which has specific bike lanes (the same size as the car ...
Ethan's user avatar
  • 111
1 vote
4 answers
536 views

Fitting a vibration-proof bell for drop bars

I have a bike with drop bars which I need for commuting, but I live in a city which is not only full of idiots† both on foot and on bikes themselves (thus meaning going bellless is idiotic), ...
errantlinguist's user avatar
12 votes
10 answers
13k views

Is 17 miles (27km) each way a lot for a newbie cyclist?

I go to the gym on a regular basis and do a fair bit of running. I feel like I'm fit enough to do this. It would be a one-off ride from Wembley to Slough and back so it would be a fair bit of road ...
Ryan Thompson's user avatar
2 votes
5 answers
174 views

What makes a great kids city bike? (and where can I find or how can I build one?)

I have two children age 6 and 8. In good weather we often ride 10 or 20 miles in a day to school and misc activities. I'd like to get them city / commuter bikes but almost all of the kids bikes I can ...
David LeBauer's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
701 views

Is Marseille a safe place to ride a bicycle?

I learned to ride a bike quite recently and I was thinking about moving to Marseille next year to study. I love bikes and I would love to be able to get one there and move around the city using it. I'...
S -'s user avatar
  • 145
2 votes
4 answers
659 views

How does riding on bumpy road while suspension fork locked and without slow down effects?

Is urban riding on bumpy road while suspension fork locked and without slow down harming to my bike or me? I don't care about my comfort so much. I don't want to slow down or to lose energy.
mutlucan96's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
5k views

Hitting bumps on a locked out suspension fork

I just bought a mountain bike with a Suntour XCM fork with lockout. Being a BSO rider, this is my first ever bike with a lockout on the fork. I will be riding trails, but most of my riding will be in ...
BSO rider's user avatar
  • 5,650
6 votes
2 answers
8k views

Choosing a handlebar width

Are there any rules/tips to choosing a handlebar for your bike? I live in a big city, and I've seen fixies with really, really narrow handlebars (presumably to avoid hitting pedestrians?) I ...
BSO rider's user avatar
  • 5,650
24 votes
6 answers
8k views

How can I interpret the intent of and respond to cars behind me honking?

Two days in a row on my commute home I've had vehicles behind me start honking at me. (Note: I'm in Canada, and drive on the right.) The first time I was riding on a four-lane road, with a left ...
Michelle's user avatar
  • 343
0 votes
1 answer
3k views

Converting a mountain bike to a urban commuter [duplicate]

While cleaning up our storage room I saw my dad's old bike collecting dust on a corner (he used to bike a lot before) so I asked him if I can have it and he said yes. So for my question can I ...
biosync's user avatar
8 votes
4 answers
2k views

What is the best way to stop and restart at a stoplight?

Since your feet should hardly touch the ground when the saddle is at optimal height, what is the best approach to stopping at a stoplight and then quickly re-starting when riding in traffic.
Neil Kelty's user avatar
5 votes
3 answers
433 views

Specialized bike store or general sports shop

I plan to buy a new bicycle. Is it better to buy it at a specialized bike store or at a general sports shop? In case it matters, I live in Vienna, Austria. I know very little about bicycles in ...
Celia's user avatar
  • 161
6 votes
3 answers
318 views

Urban rides map projects

Some time ago I read about a project in which bike commuters tracked their paths in order to map then on-line and have a place to see the most frequent routes in their city. Do you know this or other ...
Andrestand's user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
6k views

How can I prevent cars from passing me too closely?

Recently, a driver buzzed by me, leaving just a couple of inches between my handlebars and his car. It was very scary. In general, how can I prevent cars from passing me too closely? Please cite ...
unforgettableidSupportsMonica's user avatar
16 votes
2 answers
10k views

Can a chain-lock be better against cutting than a U-lock?

I'm looking for a bike lock and, in 2013, Kryptonite have a new lock, the Evolution Series 4 Mini Chain: The chain is quoted as being only 55 cm long, and 10 mm thick. Is the blue mark below a ...
Baumr's user avatar
  • 1,545
10 votes
5 answers
27k views

Is there anything I can do to prevent snakebites (pinch flats)?

Riding in an urban setting, I've lost two tubes in the last week to snakebites, and it's easily the most common way for me to get a flat. I've got Gatorskin treads, which help prevent standard ...
Mike G's user avatar
  • 265
8 votes
7 answers
3k views

Fixie Vs Urban bike for small-distance commuting

My daily commute is a 1.7km long, almost straight line with minimal slope. Since I have no other method of private transportation, I am thinking of getting a bike and have come up with two interesting ...
Kostas's user avatar
  • 183
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

I want an cool urban/track bike with 3speeds. Could you recommend me one?

Good afternoon, I would like to buy a cool urban bike based on track design: sort like a tuned fuji feather and so forth. I would like it to be light and instead of a single speed, have 3 speeds. I ...
flaab's user avatar
  • 119
3 votes
2 answers
6k views

Am I better off buying a new bike, or upgrading my old bike?

Half a year ago I started to use again my old Schwinn Woodlands MTB for commuting. I didn't want to spend a fortune on a new bike, I wasn't certain that I would like to bike commute daily. Bike has ...
Hubidubi's user avatar
  • 233
21 votes
3 answers
7k views

Are anti-pollution masks effective?

In Toronto when the temperature goes above 30 degrees Celcius (90 degrees Farenheit), for a few days and without wind, there is smog. I find the smog irritates and makes it difficult to breathe in ...
ChrisW's user avatar
  • 11.9k
2 votes
4 answers
725 views

What is different about cycling in London?

Prologue I cycle in Toronto, Canada: which has wide straight roads, bike lanes, bike paths, no traffic on residential roads etc. My brother lives near Brixton: he doesn't cycle himself, and says ...
ChrisW's user avatar
  • 11.9k
10 votes
4 answers
5k views

How can I get started riding without spending a fortune (too much)?

I've just recently moved to a city (Seattle) where owning a car seems less appropriate than it has to me in the past. Before, I lived in a far more suburban environment where biking was more-or-less ...
ashays's user avatar
  • 201
12 votes
5 answers
3k views

What should I consider when buying a respirator?

I'm using my bicycle to ride from home to work and back. Now I face a problem that the air is not so clean: dust, car exhaust etc. So I'm thinking of buying a respirator (i.e., an anti-pollution mask)...
k102's user avatar
  • 2,288
4 votes
8 answers
3k views

Unconventional, pretty bicycle helmets

My wife and do a lot of urban riding - mostly on bike lanes - and usually we don't wear a helmet for these rides. But I'd like us to start, and I'd like to get her a nice helmet, one that doesn't look ...
Eyal's user avatar
  • 191
6 votes
4 answers
2k views

Cycling traffic signs and rules in Germany

I'm over 30 and have just started cycling in real traffic, my first experience, as I have only ever ridden as a child in parks and such. I live in a university town in the state of Baden-Württemberg ...
Ivar Persson's user avatar
16 votes
8 answers
46k views

Front brake only on a fixed-gear bike

Is it considered safe-enough to only have a front-brake on a fixie in a urban area that has many hills? I've been considering buying one, but I want to get some opinions before I move forward.
BBonifield's user avatar
10 votes
8 answers
579 views

How to cope with being rattled by the wake of a fast car?

There's one long road that I bike on that has a decent bike lane, but the speed limit for cars is 50 mph. Needless to say, they drive 60+. Often I find myself being shaken or rattled by the turbulent ...
user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
2k views

Will it be a problem to bike uphill with a rear pannier with books (~2lbs)

I've been biking to work ~11 mi and my back hurts from carrying books. I was thinking of buying a pannier and putting my books in it. But I'm not sure if it'll be harder to bike, as I live in San ...
user avatar
12 votes
5 answers
1k views

Secure Storage for Running Errands

I use my bike to run errands on the weekends - stopping for soap and shampoo at the drug-store, a loaf a bread at the grocery store, stopping for lunch, etc. The issue is I have to haul my previous ...
eBeth's user avatar
  • 223
20 votes
7 answers
3k views

Techniques for minimising injury when falling or crashing?

I've been riding bikes since I was a child but my partner only started when she was in her 20's. She's had one fall where she lost teeth and is keen to avoid future injuries. I've broken bones twice ...
user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
4k views

What is the best Anti-Pollution Mask?

I bike everyday in Paris and I am looking for a mask with a particulates filter.
user avatar
11 votes
4 answers
416 views

Night Riding With Heavy Traffic

I live in a fairly urban setting and there are plenty of cars around when it gets past dark. The main point of having a bicycle light/backlight (I contend) is not for you to see, its for others to see ...
crasic's user avatar
  • 796
86 votes
13 answers
5k views

Is pollution a problem in urban cycling?

I usually ride a bicycle in Barcelona. I'm concerned about pollution and I take an anti-pollution mask. Of course, some people scream because they confuse me with Hannibal Lecter but currently that's ...
FerranB's user avatar
  • 961
3 votes
2 answers
1k views

purchasing a bike

I live in Queens, NYC. I am thinking of buying a bike for casual ride probably during weekends and sometime for commuting to the city. Can anyone recommend which and what type of bike should I buy ...
Prajwal Tuladhar's user avatar
13 votes
5 answers
776 views

Lock for extremely frequent use

Are there lock products out there specifically designed for easy handling when locked unlocked dozens of times a day? I'm using a normal, chain-based lock at the moment and I'm annoyed because I'm ...
Pekka's user avatar
  • 231