New to biking...

Ok, I just got myself a hybrid bike, a Trek 7300. So far so good, but I definitely have to get the little cages for the pedals (recommendations, anyone? I'm not up to clipless by any means) - now that I've figured out the gears my feet are flying off the pedals sometimes!

A request for info: right now I live in a major metropolitan area and will be here for almost two more months. What's the best way to find out about road riding "etiquette" so to speak? How/where to be in the road so I'm safest? I don't want to learn this the hard way. Also, my twin sister is into biking, just a few months longer than I - how does she deal with rushhour traffic (different city, same problem!) if she wants to commute? Any tips for us would be greatly appreciated!!

Coelura

Cool. I just got The Female Cyclist, but it may be a little beyond where I'm at. It talks about moving up a notch, which I'm certainly doing, but I think it's a different notch!! :-) I'm going to try to get Effective Cycling - is that one good, you think?

Thanks!
Coelura

I'm pretty new to cycling as well. I bought a Gary Fisher cross style bike and had the same problem with the peddles. I went to the local bike shop and bought some peddle cages that screwed right on to my peddles, what a difference. I'm sure they could have installed them for me too. As far as bike ediquette, I took a bicycling safety course once a very long time ago, and I remember that the basic rules of driving apply. Stay on the right side of the road, signal (remember the hand signals we never use because we have blinkers?), and remember that you are not always clearly visable to drivers. Don't ride on side-walks that is for pedestrians. Wearing a brightly colored top or jersey is always important so you are more visable. I just bought a book called, Complete Bok of Road Cycling Skills, by Ed Pavelka and the editors of Bicycling Magaize. There is a lot of good information in there for us new cyclers. Be safe.

my only bit of advice on commuting is to keep in the back of your head that 99% of the time car drivers and pedestrian UNDER-estimate your speed and will either cut you off or jump in front of you. i was going straight through a green light at about 30 km/hr, and hour, when a someone trying to make a left turn decided to try and cut in front of me. Had i not waved at him (he changed his mind at the last second), i would have collided with him for sure...and almost every commute a pedestrian would cross the road in front of me. So be prepared to stop...

New rider -
Best place to get the road etiquette and get hooked up in all sorts of ways is to go to your LBS (Local Bike Store). Go to one near where you plan to be on the road the most. You will find support, encouragement, technical assistance and a lot of folks who share your interest. Ride on!

just came across this website
has a bike commuting guide
http://www.btww.org/commuting/

Wow, thanks for all the helpful replies!! Anyone know of a good bike shop in Charleston or Savannah? I'm moving shortly (my husband is military). So far, I'm using my sister's LBS in Winston-Salem, since I'm visiting, but that won't work for too long! :-)

Coelura