{"id":17237,"date":"2024-06-13T05:08:23","date_gmt":"2024-06-13T12:08:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/?p=17237"},"modified":"2024-06-13T16:02:50","modified_gmt":"2024-06-13T23:02:50","slug":"7-bike-commuting-mistakes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/averagejoecyclist.com\/7-bike-commuting-mistakes\/","title":{"rendered":"The 7 Biggest Mistakes People Make When They Try to Start Bike Commuting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Here are the top 7 most common mistakes that people make when they try to start bike commuting. Many people start bike commuting – and then quickly give up because it just does not work out. That’s not because they can’t do it – it’s just because they make some beginner mistakes.<\/p>\n

Bike commuting is a great way to keep fit year round. Trust me, becoming a bike commuter is one of the best things you can do for yourself. It gives you a great start to your day, and provides stress relief at the end of each day. The years I spent as a bike commuter were among the happiest and healthiest years of my life. Now that I am semi-retired, the only thing I miss about work is the bike commute! OK, not quite the only thing – I admit that I also miss the pay checks!<\/p>\n

The catch is that in order to succeed, you do have to be super organized. Unfortunately, more people fail than succeed when they try to become bike commuters. If that has happened to you, don’t feel bad! Just read our list of the top 7 biggest mistakes people make when they try to become bike commuters. Make sure you don’t make any of these mistakes, and you should be fine!
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Related Post: How to Change Gears on a Bike \u2013 Beginner\u2019s Guide<\/a><\/h3>\n

Related Post: 7 of the Best Bike Lights for Night Riding and Commuting<\/a><\/h3>\n

Bike Commuting Mistake #1:<\/strong> Failing to Plan a Safe Route<\/h2>\n

If you just jump on your bike one morning and try to ride to work, things could go horribly wrong. The route on a bike is almost always completely different from the route in a car or on a bus. There are always easier, safer, and sometimes more direct routes you can take on a bike. But if you don’t plan, you could have a frightening, or even dangerous, experience on Day 1. This could very easily put you off for life.<\/p>\n

So, it is essential to work out a safe route<\/strong> before you start. This can take a long time, because many quiet roads and paths don\u2019t show up on maps. It\u2019s well worth your while to spend a lot of time on this. Figure out the best possible route, and memorize it. That will make your first day of bike commuting much easier.<\/p>\n

Below is the route I bike commuted on for years. This was my most challenging bike commute. I planned this route for more than a week before I started doing it. It kept me on safer cycling routes, and off busy roads.<\/p>\n

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