Wanted: A rider. Teach LdnGrrl how to ride day

Ldngrill - Also PM Pigfarmer he has a new job teaching basic cycling skills.

I remember when I first got a bike in London, I had to ride it home from Oxford St. I was so terrified of cycling along all the big main roads on my way home, but as soon as I got on the bike I had a surge of adrenaline and all my fear went away and was replaced by a super awareness that I didn't know I was capable of. I've never been afraid of cycling in London after that first time.

I think that even if you are riding with other people, at some point you will have to take a leap of faith. I think that the sooner you ride down a "scary" road, the better (that is once you are comfortable on your bike). You will feel a lot better once you do.

I got my first one off a freecycler in Camden and rode back to Greenwich via the Highway, Tower Bridge and Jamaica Road at rush hour, having never ridden outside of a small village before. I was fucking TERRIFIED. I didn't get on it again for several months.

Re: There is a canal path that goes from Alperton to Shepherds bush. I think.

I'm not sure I'd say canal paths are a good idea. With a hearing aid you should hear a bike bell as people pass under bridges but not necessarily people approaching you from behind (cue innuendo...) which could cause a bit of panic. Taking a dip in a canal is probably preferable to getting hit by a car but I would have thought parks are the best place to start. Just mho.

Very endearing OP, Ldngrrl.

I wouldn't mind a gentle roll in a week or so if you need more practise. I'm sure these points have been covered, but if i were you, i would concentrate on the following....

1.) Bike control at slow speeds
2.) Checking over your shoulder early, and without changing your line (wobbling)
3.) Confident signaling on both sides without changing your line (wobbling)
4.) Being assertive enough to hold a road position at least 1m away from the curb
5.) When safe to do so, filtering through or outside of traffic at lights and junctions
6.) Positioning at the front of a queue of traffic (well ahead and centre of lane)

Good luck

what Braker said, also it may helps if you begin somewhere that you are familiar with...roads, layout etc =]
Good Luck yo!

I'd advise finding a friend, getting on the train to brighton, cycling along the coast towards seaford or something, cycle lanes most of the way, or you can go under the cliffs for a bit just past the marina, get to seaford, eat fish and chips at trawlers, cycle back to brighton, buy some drink, drink it on the beach, get the train back to london. Don't do this on a bank holiday. Oh, and I thought this was pretty good if you can get someone with a clue to measure you, came up slightly big in seattube and BB to saddle but good for a startig point http://competitivecyclist.com/. Good to be cautious on the roads, I'm not, but I got cut up by a taxi the other day, I jumped off my bike, and he ran over it. totally fucked, just spent money on it too. grr.

+1 if u do come down I dont mind helping you, it is a lovely smooth easy place to build up confidence.

I honestly didn't think I'd get as many responses to my OP, so thank you everyone for your advice, I will keep going back to this and re-read everything.

Thanks everyone for the offers, I'll make sure to PM some of you, have a fair few already but will let you know etc.

Thanks again, I think this shows a good example of the community, and I like how you're also sharing your first experiences with me, makes me feel a little better and that little bit more confident!

Anyone up for it tomorrow?

Teach LgnGrrl how to ride.............. hmmmm.

Don't understand what this is about really, also different riding styles?

My style is I push on the pedals and I go forwards!

This was a genuine request for help, and the best you could do was to be an arsehole? WAC.

Can't offer any help I afraid being about 200 miles away but I am one of them ipod wearing dickheads and find that whether I'm listening to music or not it is visual alertness and experience of the situations that you face on the road that matter. You just have to learn to be ready to avoid retards, always, and it's when you get complacent and daydream that bad things happen. To me anyway.
same i ride with an ipod, but when im acutally in town i find its better having one out otherwise im totally deaf thanks to the miracle of in ear headphones :D

Are girls scared of me though? I'd like a girl rider as well!

mate, I'm not amazing - it just comes with experience. Am cycling more now than the rest of my life. A few of my mates and I head to regents park 1x/wk/fortnight to do laps... its not exciting, and there is bugger all traffic, but if you fancy it - wendnesday this week?

mate, I'm not amazing - it just comes with experience. Am cycling more now than the rest of my life. A few of my mates and I head to regents park 1x/wk/fortnight to do laps... its not exciting, and there is bugger all traffic, but if you fancy it - wendnesday this week?

Sounds good, I'll look into getting there via train! (and bike!)

Sounds good, I'll look into getting there via train! (and bike!)

mmmmm, getting there is the hard bit (that I forgot about - OBVIOUSLY).... perhaps we can nick you a bike from near by, do some laps and return it?

Lil, my mate, and also a compadre of Oliver, is a qualified cycling instructor. Her name is Denise, but better known as "Dinky".
I'll let her know about your needs, and see if she can help, or if she has any ideas.

This is she:

http://www.bikefix.co.uk/index.php?unique=e85dba696dde01cf856867dff5cbcc5a&get_ol_id=4&get_gl_id=5&get_sgl_id=12&get_bsm_id=1&bsm_code=words

mmmmm, getting there is the hard bit (that I forgot about - OBVIOUSLY).... perhaps we can nick you a bike from near by, do some laps and return it?

If the bike isnt stolen :P and fits me, I thought it would be ideal to do it on my bike though to get used to it though? I can't do this wednesday though, I have an dentist appointment I believe [enter droolage :/]

Lil, my mate, and also a compadre of Oliver, is a qualified cycling instructor. Her name is Denise, but better known as "Dinky".
I'll let her know about your needs, and see if she can help, or if she has any ideas.

This is she:

http://www.bikefix.co.uk/index.php?unique=e85dba696dde01cf856867dff5cbcc5a&get_ol_id=4&get_gl_id=5&get_sgl_id=12&get_bsm_id=1&bsm_code=words

Thanks GA2G. As long I dont have to learn on that bike in the link :P

No worries - I'll keep you posted. Its generally every week or 2 and we just do like 5 (or so depending on gossip) laps after work... about one of the free-est cycles in london when it comes to getting some speed up and not really having to deal with traffic (lights), idiot pedestrians etc.

Have you seen Nhatt's and Tricitybendix's thread about womens cycling every sunday? For getting miles in!

P.s Do keep me posted!

Have you seen Nhatt's and Tricitybendix's thread about womens cycling every sunday? For getting miles in!

P.s Do keep me posted!

Interested, but generally a tad fragile on a sunday... its the church sermon. Takes it out of me. Where fo they leave from/go to?

Get the train to Wests and do the newbie Olympics, this is how Wiggins got started.

Interested, but generally a tad fragile on a sunday... its the church sermon. Takes it out of me. Where fo they leave from/go to?

It's all here! I think they do different routes, but I spy Rosie lurking this thread, so she might shed light on it - or she was!

Correct, different routes - next one will probably be St Albans and back

I ride with a bloke that rides on the wrong side of the road at high speed in the dark. I'm not sure what the point is.

you can see if a car is coming this is also advised for people who walk in roads where there is no footpath

I understand your point, and yes, it works in some contexts e.g. I sometimes ride wide into blind bends on country lanes to be seen sooner by anyone cutting the corner coming the other way (more time for both parties to shift position) - more often in the daytime.

But in the particular instance I'm alluding to, it had exactly the opposite effect. I blame myself really, for forcing the other person to ride out of his skin attempting to keep up with me. Poor bloke couldn't think straight due to exhaustion ;)

Friday afternoon? As you were too hung over today.