so something i see:

i am riding along, say in a bike lane

a car is next to me, sort of going about the same speed

i can see the car;s front wheel, suddenly it veers, say to the right

most of the time, this car is preparing to turn LEFT

why do they go to the right first?

it's worse if they actually are about to turn right, that would cut me off. but instantly i am on the lookout. i may slow down in case they are trying to turn right. because i want to live.

but why do they do that first veer right, if they are going left?

and the opposite can be just as bad, veering left THEN turning right, cutting me off

takeaway is: any turning action by a car;s front wheels, means slow down and anticipate a cutoff {"right hook", in the usa}

i bought a carrera subway 2 recently second hand for commuting around my city. after a couple rides, i noticed i would take off my backpack and my back would be drenched in sweat. to fix this, i want to buy a rear rack to put my backpack on, but im not sure if the options im looking at will fit. some of the screws are quite rusty and i wouldnt want to waste my money on a poor-fitted rack, or one that doesnt fit at all.

right now im looking at the rear rack suggested to me by google gemini, the pannier rack from halfords which isnt that far from where i live. as an extra, would i need to buy a different bag or any straps, or can i simply tie my bags straps to the rack and leave it as is?

Hello everyone, I want to start bike coommuting but I'm very afraid of cars, trucks etc.

What tips would you give to a newbie for overcoming fears and staying safe at the streets of a traffick packed city?

Around a month ago I purchased a new single speed bike (https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/single-speed-city-bike-500-carbon-grey/306292/c383m8749510) for commuting to the office (~12km each way).

So far this has gone smoothly, I've been happy with the commute and the bike. I've not used public transport once in the past month, and have cycled pretty much everywhere. Unfortunately, I was ignorant when buying the bike and just went for the cheapest option available to validate that I'd actually enjoy/stick with bike commuting. With the weather turning in London and rain on the horizon I am seriously regretting my choice of bike. It does not appear to be possible to mount a rear pannier rack, and it seems people have also had issues mounting mudguards.

Right now my options appear to be:

1. Buy a massive waterproof backpack

2. Buy a new bike (currently thinking this https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/long-distance-step-through-city-bike-500/305054/c193m8601841)

3. Fit a sketchy saddle mounted rear rack to the frame because the seat is at its lowest point and hope it doesn't fall off.

For context, on a daily basis I am bringing at minimum, a laptop, a change of clothes, shoes, a book, a couple of bits of hardware for work (nothing too heavy but a little bulky), and a bike lock. This list is notably missing tools/spare inner tube because I just don't have the space at present.

So yeah, I feel a bit lost at this point and I'm not sure which option to go for. I'm leaning towards just getting a new bike, but it feels a bit wasteful to buy another so soon after getting my first.

Edit: I ended up just buying a second bike (similar to the one linked, but a bit cheaper). I'd probably have ended up buying a new bike at some point anyway so easier to just bite the bullet now. Thank you everyone for your input!

I did absolutely nothing wrong I was crossing through an intersection on a 35 mph road and the large truck was nowhere near me from their side of the road but then they sped to make a right turn and I'm terrified holy shit. This happened yesterday and I still feel sick from it

I can't ride my bike safely. I can't lock my bike up safely. What do I even do at this point. I'm done.

Hi everyone,

I’d like to get a second opinion from people with more experience building bikes.

I don’t have experience building a bike from a frameset. I originally started looking for a complete bike, but my requirements turned out to be unusual enough that I’ve gone fairly deep down the research rabbit hole and am now considering a custom build.

The bike would primarily be an everyday/utility bike. I’m 195 cm tall and around 95 kg. We also have a newborn, and once they’re old enough I may eventually use the bike with a child seat (Kindersitz), and later potentially tow a child trailer (Anhänger). So reliability, stability and having a decent load margin matter more to me than making the bike particularly light.

My main requirements are:

• Non-electric
• Suitable for a 195 cm rider
• Thick tires — 55 mm is my absolute minimum, preferably around 60–65 mm
• Full fenders with those tires
• Belt drive
• Internal gear hub
• Low-maintenance drivetrain
• Strong enough platform for rider + luggage/future family use
• Ability to mount an Old Man Mountain Divide on the front
• Comfortable and durable rather than fast/light
• Parts that are reasonably serviceable in Germany/Europe

After looking at Alfine, 3X3, Rohloff, etc., I’m currently leaning toward an Enviolo hub + Gates CDX. I initially liked Alfine because of the price, but the Enviolo gives me more flexibility with modern rear axle standards. I don't particularly want/need a Rohloff.

The frame I’ve currently settled on is a Salsa Fargo Steel XL, probably the 2025 or 2026 version depending on which I can get at a good price.

The rough build idea at the moment is:

Salsa Fargo Steel XL
29 × ~2.4–2.6" tires
Enviolo IGH
Gates CDX belt
Hydraulic disc brakes
Full fenders
OMM Divide mounted at the front using the appropriate axle/fit kit
Flat platform/case on the Divide
Possibly a child seat later, followed by a child trailer when appropriate

The Fargo appealed to me because it gives me a steel frame, huge tire clearance, adjustable Alternator dropouts, official Gates compatibility, lots of mounting points and a geometry/size that should work for someone my height. It also seems much closer to an expedition/utility platform than the urban bikes I originally considered.

My main question for experienced builders: does the Fargo actually make sense as the foundation for this bike?

I'm particularly interested in anything I might be overlooking regarding the Enviolo + Gates setup and beltline, Alternator dropouts, wheel/hub choice, fenders with ~60–65 mm tires, OMM Divide on the Fargo fork, and eventually using a child seat/trailer.

Would you build this around a Fargo, or is there another non-electric, belt-compatible, heavy-duty frame with ≥55 mm tire clearance that you think would be a better starting point?

Also, if there are components in this proposed build where a beginner is likely to make an expensive compatibility mistake, I’d really appreciate hearing about those before I start buying parts.

Thanks!

i’m getting a new bike mainly for my commute (which is about 40 mins each way) but i do also tend to use my bike for shorter trips on the weekend etc, and maybe for the odd weekend long ride.

i live in london where the roads are busy and some areas are quite cycle friendly but it also can be stressful out there!

i currently have a 1970s puch pacemaker racer bike with straight. i love it but want to get something new. i know these usually have dropped handle bars but i tend to ride quite upright so think this works - not that i’ve really tried the alternative. i also will want to fit a rack on whatever i get.

i really enjoy the speed i can get on my puch and how easy it goes uphill. i am worried hybrid bikes can be a little slow and clunky? but also with road bikes i fear they can be a little unsteady, particularly on uneven roads / in the rain (there is usually lots of rain here). i haven’t had a single accident on this bike in the 2 years i’ve been riding it and it feels very sturdy. the wheels are 27 1/4. i’m not a nervous cyclist at all but i do want to feel safe on the roads!

i’ve been looking at the boardman HYB 8.8 and the SLR 8.6 (i would change the tyres as these seem very thin), or the liv avail 2 road bike… let me know if anyone has any thoughts please? am 28F if that changes anything :)

Empty road, plenty of room to pass, on my ebike so I was already basically going the speed limit. Drove right up behind me, laid on their horn, then when i moved over to give them extra room to pass they pushed me into the parked cars. Fucking awesome i love living in the hickfuck south. Anyway, fuck. should i start biking with a camera?