Is it weird to ride just on trails?
 

Well I have a mountain bike and road bike. For the longest time, I was riding my mountain bike on long, paved trails. Then I got a road bike and started riding them on the paved trails. I also recently just started riding my mountain bike on mountain like trails. And that's a whole new ballgame in of itself and am really starting to like mountain biking as well.

But I do have a little bit of a phobia riding in traffic, next to cars. I haven't done it very much other than around the block and maybe a little bit on bike lanes. But other than that, I've just felt a little apprehensive, so basically I've just been a trail rider with both my mountain and road bike.

But I feel like I'm not really being a true cyclist by not doing the roads. When I watch The Tour De France, that looks appealing in a sense and at times I just wish roads were free of cars. So I feel like I'm limiting myself by not doing the roads and I just don't feel like I'm being the full cyclist that others are.

I've seen some youtube videos, and have read stories of some crazy things happening on the road. You can't stop a drunk driver or a selfish truck driver, no matter how safe you are. Some people don't care if they hit you, they just wanna go fast. I feel like if you're driving a car and get hit, at least you have protection. But what happens when you get hit on a bike? I just can't even imagine.

Am I too paranoid? Or is my phobia justified? Should I ride only on the quietest roads? Or is trail riding good enough? I mean since there are a lot of trails both paved and mountains, would I be an idiot trying to ride with traffic?

Well, you can't live your life in fear, but you also have to balance that line of paranoia and just good common sense. Sounds like you are leaning on the common sense side to me.:)

I love trails and greenways. The surroundings, scenery, simplicity, and yes... the safety aspect which is less stressful. Who says you have to ride on the roads and streets to be a "full cyclist?" The fact that you are RIDING makes you a cyclist, in my book. That's the main thing. Honestly, I only ride on the streets when I need or have to. I'd much rather be on a greenway, and have no problem whatsoever saying it.

Ride where your heart and mind combined ...lead you.

That's a start. Life just got more interesting, didn't it?

Well, you've defined the boundaries of your problem. Idiot, no. Risk averse...maybe.

To what are you clinging? What are you willing to risk/lose to gain the freedom and experience of riding on the road. What holds you back?

Depends on the location and environment too, people do get hit. City is probably the most dangerous but in some ways i think the middle is most dangerous, a fairly crowded place with medium constant traffic and no bike accommodations. Cities are busier but have some accommodations and slower traffic. In the boonies, you have space and may not see any cars all day. In the suburbs you may have some quiet roads but I think some roads people shouldn't be riding. There's no room, cars are going too fast, the roads curve all over and its busier and busier every year. Mountain biking is inherently dangerous too but you're a little more in control and there's everything from smooth flat dirt trails to going straight down a mountain.

I quoted your post in its entirety because it’s a pretty comprehensive description of attitudes among many new to riding (not otherwise specified). FYA, see this thread, ” Bike Riding vs Cycling”.

For me, cycling is a lifestyle for transportation and fitness, so road riding is necessary (and enjoyable). My one piece of advice is to use a rearview mirror to instill confidence. It’s probably also a good idea to start on lightly traveled roads and work your way up.

BTW, I was hit and off work for three months with a fractured sacrum that still bothers me, but allows for riding, more enthusiastically than ever. Nonetheless, in acknowledging your concerns, I have previously posted,

Umm, where to start. Mountain bikers are true cyclists, adrenaline junkies with mad skills. Unlike some roadies who just pedal pave. Tour de Farce? How much doping are you going to do? Carpe diem. Get a mirror, use it, take some bike skills classes to get a better feel for biking on the road. Ride what you like, pave, dirt, bike paths, tour, race, bikepack, whatever. You only have to answer to yourself. Saturday I left early, took the fat bike on singletrack, gravel roads and paved roads. Did 4 hours of mountain bike trail work and pedaled home, all good.

First rule of cycling - throw away the rules (except the safety ones!). I think it's perfectly normal to be apprehensive about road riding because let's face it, it's potentially quite dangerous. Once I started commuting I grew more comfortable with riding on the road, but only certain roads.

I see a lot of roadies in my area riding on what seem to me to be very risky roads - high traffic, high speed areas with no shoulder. Most of them have no lighting. It's insane! At least to me it is.

You have to do what is fun and safe for you. Fitting in with "real cyclists" isn't all it's cracked up to be. Have fun and ride to your comfort level. The more you ride the more your comfort level evolves.

It sounds like you have many trails available to you, great! If you enjoy riding them and feel safe while doing so, why change anything? If you feel you are missing something by not riding on the road, maybe try an early Sunday morning ride with a friend.

It's not weird. Most of the riders I see on my commute are probably trails-only cyclists.

It depends on the trail and roads and how you ride, but there's a chance that your traffic isn't as dangerous as you fear. I do enjoy being away from cars on a trail or mup, but I also feel at less risk of an accident when I'm on the streets.

I think this is normal for anyone with very little experience riding on the roads. I learned how to ride a bike just this past May. Fear of being on the road with cars was one of several fears I had to overcome, if I wanted to commute by bike to work. Also, I didn't really have a choice because there's no safe way to get to any trail from my house without riding on the road. After a couple of months of riding experience, I got used to being on the road with cars.

I think the sidewalks are a bit more dangerous to ride on here. My first cycling injuries happened on the sidewalk because I was trying to go around boxes and other junk left on the sidewalk and I wiped out. Also, motorists are known to pull out of driveways and suddenly block cyclists riding on the sidewalk, or even worse hit them.

Trail riding I think is good enough. You should ride where you're happy.

I only ride on the roads when the road is the best or only choice during my commute ride. I was really motivated to start bike commuting, so I kind of forced myself to ride on the roads when no trail is available. I wanted to take a City Cycling class with our local bike association but none was scheduled for the foreseable future at the time. Thus my "city cycling course" turned out to be frantically following my coworker into the city, followed by beginner level group rides with a "casual cycling group". So far, it's worked out fine.

Again, though if you're happy just riding the trails, then just keep enjoying.

Yes you are too paranoid. No, your phobia is not justified. The stats show that per mile travelled, cyclists are no more likely to be killed or injured on the streets than are pedestrians. But if you don't want to do it, don't do it.

And how many different forums are you going to post this question in?

Why is this such a recurring theme lately?
Why are bike owners constantly asking random strangers if it is safe to ride a bicycle?
Do people constantly post on automobile forums asking if it is safe to drive their car down the street?
Why buy the car or bike in the first place?
Millions of men, women and children of all ages ride their bikes on the road every day.
I personally am not seeing a rise in the % of bike injuries/deaths in the news and I am ofc smart enough not to gauge the overall % of bike issues on something like an internet safety forum which revels in the same 17 people spouting doom and gloom.
I believe there is another thread right now where someone is uber concerned about drunk drivers.
Drunk drivers are a real concern for everyone.
How about just not riding your bike at night and avoiding 99% of all interaction with them?
You really shouldn't be in a car late at night either unless you have to. Lot of reasons for that but you don't just obsess over it and live in fear 24/7 imo.
My 2 cents :)

You might be making this bicycling thing too complicated. Try to identify your ultimate objective.

Did you start riding bicycles to have fun?

Are you having fun? If so, you're are accomplishing what you set out to do.

Why do a form of riding that you find unpleasant? How other people choose to ride their bicycles is of no concern.

While you may be a little paranoid, like others have said you do have to be smart and choose the best route for riding. There are just some roads that are not good choices especially at certain times of the day.

As far as mountain biking, it is a totally different animal. The bike skills are so far beyond road that it is hard to grasp when you first go on fairly flat wide dirt trails. Depending on how far you take your riding, there will be times when you find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time and you just can't stop next to the curb like a road bike.

Since I started to ride mountain bikes when I was 61, I don't have that skill set and have gone down more than once, but mountain biking is addictive. The biggest issue for me has been my intestinal fortitude to go for a section. After negotiating my way through sometimes successfully, and sometimes not, those cars don't seem that intimidating.

John

I live in relatively heavy-traffic Bergen County, New Jersey. I ride the streets as much out of necessity than choice - there aren't too many options other than one great local MUP. I use that MUP a LOT, but it too has quite a bit of "traffic" with pedestrians and other cyclists. If I had my druthers I would ride exclusively on bike paths; I just enjoy them more, especially not having to worry about cars.
I don't think that makes me any less of a cyclist. You do what you enjoy. This is not a "contest." Incidentally, although I only have one good bike path nearby, there are quite a few within reasonable driving distance. I often drive to one of them.

Everyone has to define their own parameters of acceptable risk and incorporate strategies that accommodate those parameters. I'm kind of of a wimp by nature, but I don't own a car so I pretty much have to ride, not just on trails but on streets. My personal strategies to lower my risk level somewhat (100% is impossible) include:
-Wearing a safety vest and front/rear helmet blinkers
-Frequenting a select few regular routes where I really know the traffic patterns and driver behaviors
-Walking the bike through trickier/scarier intersections
-Making eye contact with drivers as needed
-Using a rear view mirror (although I'm still looking for one I like enough to use regularly)
-Riding only in designated bike lanes unless it's actually safer (or necessary) to take the lane
-Riding during off-peak traffic hours and in full daylight (between rush hours and before happy hour)
-Avoiding rainy/icy streets (the drivers in my area have no clue how to manage such conditions)

You'd be surprised how much riding I can still get in under those conditions. And when I feel like i'm doing what I can to stay safe, I enjoy the ride that much more.

While riding on the MUP, I've never been yelled at or punish-passed by a meathead in a diesel pickup.

This is the second fear-related thread you have started today. Care to try for No. 3?

Heh. Now I remember your earlier trolling:

http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...l#post18121581

Give the boy a break, it's only three days since he was bleating about being afraid to ride downhill. http://www.bikeforums.net/mountain-b...le-scared.html

The responses to this troll post of yours are also funny:

http://www.bikeforums.net/road-cycli...bike-okay.html

Heh. He's going to the well too often. Then again, there are so many people on BF who are easily hooked.

I doubt anyone has. However, MUPs have their own special kinds of accident-encouraging idiots:

-Full-kit wannabe pros, riding 20mph+ weaving in and out of traffic, who love to cut passes waaaayyy too close.
-Middle-lane runners with headphones in.
-The 2/3 abreast oncoming runners who refuse to move over when you only have 6" before a shoulder drop off.
-University cross country'ers running in packs of 10-15 who take up the entire trail with little regard for anyone else.
-Leashed animals with poor owner control.
-Newbs who generally have no idea that etiquette exists, and don't know what to do when approached from behind. "Look at those butterflies! Oh ****, a bike is coming...what the **** do I do???!!"

I don't see any need for someone to ride in traffic just because they haven't yet and are curious. I would much rather NOT ride in traffic. But I don't have enough other options. If you don't need to, I wouldn't encourage you to.

I do not like riding on paved trails. Invariably it means more cyclists, pedestrians, and dogs - all of which can be very unpredictable. I recently rode the Cherry Creek trail in Denver and it was a royal pain. Constant acceleration and braking and waiting for trail traffic to clear, not to mention some outright rude people. I feel safer riding on the roads in the rural area where I live. I can ride for miles and not see another cyclist and very few cars.

To each their own though. People have different predilections and comfort levels for different types of riding.

Bingo. Trails are not definitively safer than roadways. Best time to MUP it is when hot/cold weather keeps all the recreational users at home/in a car. Worst time to use it is right after college kids return for the fall and when the weather turns agreeable.

Roads have defined boundaries which the vast majority of drivers respect. The presence of enforced law (albeit lacking many times) also helps. MUPs do not have this...people just generally do whatever they want, and there are not license plate numbers to report when someone commits an egregious act.