Requirements for Safe Cycling

Four elements are required to ride a bike safely in traffic: strength, bike handling skill, experience, and knowledge. The knowledge necessary can be learned from the traffic code and from advice from other cyclists, including what I have written here, books and other web pages on cycling in traffic, and personal contact with other riders, if possible. Strength, bike handling skills, and experience will all have to be acquired more slowly and while bicycling. I suggest riding on side streets and country roads with light traffic until comfortable in all three areas. Riding off-road can help with bike handling skills and strength; however, the requirements for cycling on the street and in the dirt are extremely different. Riding on bike paths will probably not be helpful at all.