5 Pieces of Advice for Ebikers to Ride in a Busy City

As Magicycle has been growing rapidly, we found out that many ebike beginners who live in a city are so worried about the traffic on busy roads that they rarely ride their electric bikes out. Actually, it could be scary with busy junctions and lots of moving cars, but it doesn’t need to be as you can build up your skill level and your confidence with a bit of advice and some regular riding. In this article, I am going to share with you some tips to help make you feel safe, confident, and in control while riding, let’s get to it.

1. Get prepared

Before you set off, make sure whatever ebike that you are riding is well-maintained and in great condition. For example, you can check your brakes to ensure that they are going to work. Also, you may need to make sure the tire pressure is correct, preventing your ebikes from getting punctures. And why not check your gears as well to make sure they don’t slip? keeping an electric mountain bike in tip-top shape will help you avoid getting distracted by any squeaks or rattles. Once you finish that, then you can hit the streets. Of course, if you are not so clear about ebike maintenance, just check our blog about tips for ebike maintenance.

While hitting the road, equip your ebikes with front and rear lights. This will not only help you get visible, but also on those gloomy daylight hours too. It is also a good idea to leave the lights on your electric bikes for adults. In that way, you will never forget them. Moreover, why not consider adding a bell to your ebike either? This will ensure that pedestrians are aware of your presence. Being prepared and equipped will help you reduce and manage all those hazards that the city can throw at you, such as pedestrians, traffic, busy workers, or those unexpected surprises.

2. Find your way

The biggest fear of city riding is getting lost and not knowing where you are going, so the tip for you here is that you can find a colleague or a friend that you can follow. In that way, you can focus on yourself and your surroundings instead of directions. Also, it is okay to pull over in a safe area and check the route on a map to know exactly where you are going before you set off again. And the last thing you want to do is get fixated on a navigation app or something attached to your bars, keeping your eyes up, not down.

3. Make signals

Positive engagement with other road users will ensure you are spotted easier and make you fee safer, especially when you are in a junction. Remember to signal clearly and in advance. You could also have eye contact with other road users, which ensures you are treated better and give them enough time to maneuver. In a word, there are 3 things to remember: check, signal, and maneuver.

Moreover, practice makes perfect. When you practice quite enough, you can both ride in a straight line and look behind you too.

4. Be predictable

The best piece of advice I’ve ever heard is that don’t be erratic and ride predictably and smoothly. In that way, all road users will know what you are doing exactly and they can judge accordingly.

5. Positioning

Take the cycle lane if it is safe to do so, but it can be safe as well when you are riding on the road. Safe or not, it depends on what city you are riding in. The one thing I would like to mention is that don’t get your electric bikes too close to the edge of the road, nor to the gutter, as that will encourage your cars to overtake you too closely, and you won’t be able to avoid hazards like parked cars or potholes. If you are on the lane, you could take control of it. In that way, you will give yourself enough room for situations where there is a hazard like parked cars or potholes. Taking a lane is legal and it is advised in the highway code.

6. Watch out for the blind spots

Blind spots can be one of the most dangerous things when you are hitting the road. One thing to remember is that never, never undertake because of blind spots of vehicles, especially those massive trucks. They may not see you creep up on the inside before they turn. Therefore, make sure you hold the space in the lane, giving them a lot of space just in case they are reversing. To put it simply, make sure you can see those big vehicles and drivers can see you clearly as well.

7. Surface

City surfaces tend to be quite oily and slippery, especially in wet conditions, they also have a load of different surfaces, cobbled streets, concrete, and even tarmac. When you are riding in wet conditions, make sure you avoid the white lines or even the yellow lines, especially when cornering. Some cities have tram lines, others don’t, but they could be lethal especially if you get your wheel caught in one of them. So you do come in with a tram line, remember to avoid it.

8. Don’t race

This is something we’ve all done. When you are commuting on ebikes for sale, there are lots of riders around and you can get competitive and start racing other commuters, finally arriving at your destination all sweaty. The thing I would say is don’t race, leave it to the track, and enjoy your commute. Riding nice and easy, you won’t arrive all sweaty.

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