Cycling UK Forum

Is there a recommended distance to cycle from the kerb edge I sometimes find the double yellow lines slippery
Thanks for the info on saddles I am a late starter to cycling ( aged 71)-not really a lot of time for experimenting!!

Recommended distance from the kerb varies for different conditions, but 0.5 metre is the minimum, and certainly avoid running along any road-marking lines.
In the excellent book "Cyclecraft" by John Franklin, seven pages are devoted to positioning on the road, so it is not possible to summarise that on here.
Iwould recommend you get a copy of the book, it is published by The Stationery Office, ISBN 0-11-702051-6 costs around £10 'available from all good bookshops'.

Stay far enough out to give swerving room when you get carved up. Assertive riders who claim their road space have a lot less trouble than more timid souls who cringe in the gutters

Thanks for the very useful comments

The only time I am anywhere near the roadside markings is on my commute when I pass some rumble strips.

My rule of thumb, or rather of eye, is that the kerb should appear to be beyond the end of the handlebar.

According to the line of sight and handlebar width, that'll generally put you between 0.5 and 1.0m away from it.

my aim in deciding where on the road to position myself is to be within the gaze of the motorist as (s)he drives along. So: not too close to the kerb (and thereby giving yourself room for manouvre when necessary) but not so far out as to be an unnecessary (in the motorist's opinion) nuisance. near my home , where all the roads are single track with passing places, i ride in the middle of the road so that traffic passing in both directions has to take account of my presence!

Remember where most of the holes are...close to the kerb. be aggressive claim your space .

Thanks for the additional comments

I have found, as a young cyclist in and arround Aylesbury, Bucks, that the 2million pound government grant to provide SAFE cycle ways has been spent on simply painting a white line about .5m from the kerb with the occational picture of a bike in it! What is thbe point, especially as it dissapears as soon as the road gets narrow anbd you actually NEED a cycle path!

My usual advice is to ride in the track made by the left-hand wheels of the cars. This has several advantages:

1) Cycling there will make you most visible to car drivers. As a car driver, I spend a lot of time looking where my wheels are going to go, in order to avoid potholes, etc.
2) The road is generally smoother, cleaner, and better-maintained than at the edges.
3) This positioning rule works in all road situations, even when you're riding in a lane some way away from the kerb, or if the lane is wider than normal. Riding to a fixed distance from the kerb can lead to problems in situations like roundabouts.

Cheers!

Anthony

That's normally what I do (cycle along the left hand wheel rut), but will deliberately move towards the middle of the lane if there is a potential hazard. This includes:
- a narrowing of the lane which means that a car can't (in my judgement) pass safely,
- a side road where a car could turn into or out of
- bollards in the middle of the road.
I'll also give parked cars more space in case they decide to open a door.
Where there are cycle lanes painted on the road, I find I am generally outside them.

There's a long discussion of this on this board in a thread called 'Please don't ride in the gutter' - about three months ago. One of the chief recommendations was to read Cyclecraft!

frank9755 wrote:That's normally what I do (cycle along the left hand wheel rut), but will deliberately move towards the middle of the lane if there is a potential hazard. This includes:
- a narrowing of the lane which means that a car can't (in my judgement) pass safely,
- a side road where a car could turn into or out of
- bollards in the middle of the road.
I'll also give parked cars more space in case they decide to open a door.
Where there are cycle lanes painted on the road, I find I am generally outside them.

There's a long discussion of this on this board in a thread called 'Please don't ride in the gutter' - about three months ago. One of the chief recommendations was to read Cyclecraft!

seconded, my thoughts exactly. i think cycling in the gutter, too close to the kerb is like apologising for being on the road. It's also dangerous, if you get blown or pushed to the left and your pedal hits the kerb there's every chance you'll come off. give yourself room to move.

Also, .5m from the kerb is just about enough to see you clear of normal gulley covers (aka drains) and much of the subsidence sometimes found around them. This can be a lifesaver at night, or when the roads are awash in heavy rain. Ride into one that has collapsed or been nicked and you will remember it for a long time!
And definitely avoid red/white/yellow lines. They tend to be bumpy and are often slippy.

And a long service and good conduct medal to PW who is still on here 4 1/2 years after the thread started.