Tips for a new biker?

Make sure that you can be seen, especially if you are riding at sunrise/sunset time. Reflective clothing and lights.

Don't wear earphones when you bike. If you do, only listen with one ear and keep the ear closest to traffic empty.

If you change clothes after your bike ride, keep extras of socks or underwear in your bag or office. You will forget them one day and be grateful for the extras.

If you change clothes, it might be worth putting your clothes in plastic bags in your backpack in case it rains.

If you sweat a lot or live in a humid climate, it is worth having an extra shirt if you stop somewhere or meet someone.

Always have a lock with you.

Keep an extra tube and air canister if you get a flat tire. Learn to change a flat tire before it happens.

Baby wipes are great to have to wipe off sweat, mud or grease from changing a tire. If they dry out, use the water from your water bottle to wet.

Wear sunglasses or clear glasses for eye protection.

Have fun and enjoy the ride and the time to see the world at a little slower pace!

Do you have any tips for a new biker?

Dominate the lane, sit in a road position that allows you to bail out when cage dwellers get too close.

Carry spare tubes, tyre levers and a pump.

Keep your tyres fully inflated and your brake blocks clean.

And as above, make sure you can be seen. It's unlikely to stop the SMIDSY moments, but it'll reduce them.

ALSO, is the calorie count on this site accurate? It seems pretty high! Or is it because I am too fat that it's a big number?

Definately all of the suggestions above.

I find the calorie count on MFP for cycling insanely high. I done a hard 32 miler yesterday and MFP gave me close to 2000 calories but my HRM gave me 1400 so you should probably be conservative and only use about half of what MFP suggests.

Good start. I also bike to work, and have done so for about 2 and a half years now.

I would add that, once you're committed, get some proper gear. You don't need to spend loads, but cycling shorts are a must (as I fould out to my, painful, cost). The do really help and you'll quickly get over any self-conciousness in them.

Lights, lights, lights. I have four on the front and the same on the back, at different heights (helmet, backpack, under saddle and on the traffic side back fork). A hi-vis backpack cover is also recommended.

If you are on the road, don't wear headphones. Sight and sound are all you've got to keep you safe. If you're on a cycle path, then as long as you're not skelping along at 20+ mph, you're porbably alright with one ear in.

You'll get the same kind of weather conditions as me (I'm in Scotland), so the comment earlier is about a bag to keep your clothes in (as well as wallet/phone) is a good one. For wallet, phone, etc I found a small camera bag to be good (Home Bargains, B&M, supermarket).

I don't carry any puncture repair stuff as I'm always on the main road and just walk/bus the rest of the way if need be. It is sensible for longer jouneys though as you will, most definitely, get a flat at some point. You may want to consider an inflation gel. No messy roadside repairs, and it's quick, but it will ruin the inner tube - although they're cheap to replace. Specialist bike shop, or a Decathlon - if you have one - for that and it might set you back about a tenner.

Best advice though is to enjoy it, and don't let the really wet days (like I had last night) get you down. If you want to add me, just send a request. happy to put my tuppence worth in at any time. :happy:

Do you have any tips for a new biker? I started biking to and from work and it takes roughly half an hour on each trip. It feels great, but I was wondering if there are any pointers that long time bikers can give me. Any advice or warning is welcome(such as wear this, don't eat before biking, stay on the left side of the road etc. I really am pretty new at biking, I just learned how to bike a couple of weeks ago, heh)

ALSO, is the calorie count on this site accurate? It seems pretty high! Or is it because I am too fat that it's a big number?

There's a good chance that a 30 minute ride such as a commute is only around 175-225 calories (unless you are really pushing it with lots of hills, sweating, panting, etc...). How many miles is it for those 30 minutes?

It seems that it's slightly more than 3 miles or so, but I have to climb up and downhill quite often, so it takes me 30 minutes, both because the uphill is kind of hard and because I am a newbie.

It will get easier.

I always have a pump attached to the bike, and check that it works every now and then. along with a spare tube,or two. I am a pessimist.

I also carry a chain tool and a quick link. and learn how to use these before you need them.

What part of the world are you in.

france

You should be able tofind someone to show you how to change a tube and then practice. you will probably have to do it in the rain. Which is why a repair kit is not that useful on the road.

The same goes with the chain tool.

just for reference I bike 30 minutes 10k to work(central London), weigh 130lb and burn 220 each way.

Hope that helps.

Stay away from big vehicles, take space up in the road if you are going fast enough with the traffic and NEVER Undertake.

Do you have any tips for a new biker? I started biking to and from work and it takes roughly half an hour on each trip. It feels great, but I was wondering if there are any pointers that long time bikers can give me. Any advice or warning is welcome(such as wear this, don't eat before biking, stay on the left side of the road etc. I really am pretty new at biking, I just learned how to bike a couple of weeks ago, heh)

ALSO, is the calorie count on this site accurate? It seems pretty high! Or is it because I am too fat that it's a big number?

Tips-learn how to fix a flat.

Calorie counts are 15-20% over stated.