Lots of cycling firsts for me this week!

[steppink]

Having been only riding all by myself around the back roads in upstate New York & maybe going through my 1 stop light town, I have now jumped in with both tires into riding with other cyclists and TRAFFIC! I am in London for the month and have started cycling around Richmond Park in south west London, it is full of cyclists of all different degrees. It is really impressive to see some of the riders, wow! They are very good and fun to watch as I am huffing and puffing up the hills and they are zooming past :-) But in order to get to Richmond Park, I have to brave the busy streets to get there, I'm getting better, but still walk my bike across the intersections, not ready to start switching lanes quite yet ;-/

DH and I also did the Prudential Freeride today in London, which is the prelude to the Prudential Ride 100 tomorrow, from London to Surrey, the Freeride was awesome, cycling through central London on traffic free streets among huge crowds of other cyclists! Having never ridden in close groups of cycles, it was another new thing to experience, top speed was maybe 8-10 mph, I was ok with that! Another first which happened today, riding just over 40 miles in one day, including my morning cycle in Richmond Park and the Freeride, I'm very tired now z z z , the furthest I've ever ridden before this was 28 miles.
I am enjoying, for the most part, this new cycling life, but I think I will be very happy to be pedaling along by myself on the a quiet back road when I get back to New York!

[azfiddle]

That sounds really fun!

[OakLeaf]

That sounds great!

Does riding on the left side of the road freak you out? I think I'd be walking through intersections too, until I figured that out! And, are you supposed to signal with the opposite arms of what we do in the states??

[steppink]

Yes it does! Its bad enough driving over here for me and riding my bike, especially round the roundabouts, can be yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes! And that is in the park with a 20 mph speed limit! Doing a signal, it is the same :-) left for left, right for right. But, saying that, I ended up getting the same model Trek that I have in the USA to keep here & the brakes are reversed! Not sure why they do that, but it is the same with DH's bike and the bikes that I test rode too. So that is taking a bit of getting used to. Luckily I haven't flown over the handlebars because of it, fingers crossed!

[rebeccaC]

But, saying that, I ended up getting the same model Trek that I have in the USA to keep here & the brakes are reversed! Not sure why they do that, but it is the same with DH's bike and the bikes that I test rode too. So that is taking a bit of getting used to. Luckily I haven't flown over the handlebars because of it, fingers crossed!

it's legally required for new bikes in the U.K. to have the front brake on the right....goes back to when people actually signaled with their right hand on left hand driving roads. it does surprise americans. it can be a benefit when you use your right hand to grab a water bottle, use computer buttons, downtube shifting etc and still have control over the rear brake......no brake fixie's ftw :)

enjoy london it's a great city!!!!....and even more now the back roads in upstate NY when you get back!!!!!!

[steppink]

Ahhh, so that it explains it, thank you! Ugh, now when I get back, not only will I have to make sure I stay on the left side of the road for driving/cycling, I need to remember which brake is where! Glad I will be a bit out in the country where I have a little room for error until I get back on track again :-)

[OakLeaf]

when people actually signaled with their right hand on left hand driving roads.

... no "when" about it! People in cars still can't stick their arms all the way out the passenger side window ... people on bicycles still need to signal with their inside arm so that drivers behind them can see the signal. The only people left out are modern motorcyclists - now that the control configuration is a worldwide standard, I don't even know what people who live in left-hand drive jurisdictions do! Have you noticed how motorcyclists signal in the UK? I'm curious. You wouldn't want to just let go of the throttle and front brake any time you need to signal!

[steppink]

I believe in all my recent memory of motorcycles, I've maybe only seen one rider on a vintage bike use arm signals & that was in America! MC's here use the directionals on their bikes to signal :-)

[OakLeaf]

:)

If there's another vehicle close behind me, or if I'm riding in a group, I do both, for better visibility. I keep the stock blinkers and brake lights, none of these tucked-in barely-visible lights the kids use ;) but I always hand signal a turn or hard braking as well, to help ensure it's seen.

[steppink]

That is a good & smart thing to do, I admit that I do not use arm signals when I am on my MC. But you have made me think that I should do so in those same situations. If it alerts the driver coming towards me or right behind me that I am here, on the road, right in front of you, please do not run me over, then I am all for it!

[rebeccaC]

Ahhh, so that it explains it, thank you! Ugh, now when I get back, not only will I have to make sure I stay on the left side of the road for driving/cycling, I need to remember which brake is where! Glad I will be a bit out in the country where I have a little room for error until I get back on track again :-)

I have more initial difficulty with shifting with my left hand in the U.K. right side steering wheel cars than with the brakes on a U.K. bike :)