Riding to work is one of life's great little wins. You skip the traffic, save a fortune on fuel and fares, and arrive with a clear head and a cheeky hit of endorphins before you've even had your coffee. But if you've heard the odd bike-versus-car horror story and you're not sure where to start, don't worry. Here's how to commute by bike safely, and have a good time doing it.
The quick version
Get your bike and helmet checked over, make yourself impossible to miss, plan a safe route and pre-ride it on a weekend, ride like every driver is out to get you, and pack smart. Nail those and commuting stops being a chore and becomes the best part of your day.
Get your bike (and helmet) ride-ready
If you've just dusted off a bike that's been hibernating since the early 2000s, give it a service before you trust it with your commute. A mid-ride mechanical or flat is annoying at best and dangerous at worst. Spend a bit of time reacquainting yourself with it too: test how quickly it stops, and get a feel for how long it takes to clear an intersection (spoiler: much slower than a car), so you know when to wait and when to press on.
And check your helmet. If it's cracked, faded, or older than you'd like to admit, bin it and buy a new one. Your head is worth the outlay.
Light yourself up like a Christmas tree
Visibility is your superpower, so use it shamelessly. Run flashing lights, white up front and red at the rear, even in daylight, and get into the habit of charging them so you're never caught out at dusk. A cheap clip-on light on your helmet makes a great backup for when the main ones die.
Then dress to be seen. Think 80s fluro and bright colours, not stealthy black that blends into the bitumen. This is where a bold, brightly coloured Cycology jersey earns its keep: it looks great and it makes drivers notice you from a mile off. Don't forget sunglasses, sunscreen, and enough water for the ride, with electrolytes if you're really working up a sweat.
Plan a sneaky safe route (then pre-ride it)
Your fastest route and your safest route are rarely the same thing, and safe wins every time. The dream is separated bike paths or shared paths that keep you off the road entirely. Where that's not possible, favour roads with proper bike lanes over those without.
To find the good stuff, check your city or state's cycle route planner, or use Google Maps with the mode set to cycling (it won't always find the sneakiest paths, but it's a solid start). Even better, ask a colleague who already rides in, especially one from your neck of the woods. And do a test run on a quiet weekend first, so you can scope out the dodgy intersections and school zones before you tackle them on a busy Tuesday.
While you're at it, time the ride in both directions and give yourself plenty of it. Trust me, nothing spikes your heart rate like sprinting to make daycare pickup before the dollar-a-minute late fine kicks in, and rushing is exactly when silly, risky decisions happen. Head in early to dodge peak hour if your workplace lets you.
Ride like you're invisible
Here's the mindset that keeps you safe: assume no driver can see you. Even when you legally have right of way, that counts for nothing if a car pulls out anyway, because in bike-versus-car, you always come off worse. So ride defensively, scan well ahead, and always have an exit in mind.
Try to make eye contact with drivers waiting to pull out; once you've locked eyes, you can breathe a little easier. But stay ready anyway, hands covering the brakes, speed in check. Yes, you'll be a touch slower riding on the brakes through danger spots. You'll also be upright and uninjured, which is a very good trade.
One specific menace: car doors. Getting "doored" is a nasty and common way to come unstuck. Keep about a metre off parked cars where you can, watch for movement or heads in driver's seats, and always know whether you've got room to brake or swerve.
Be predictable, and put the phone away
Predictability is a gift to everyone around you. Know your route, commit to your decisions, and no last-second lane changes or wobbly indecision, because if you don't know what you're doing, drivers definitely won't. Use clear, exaggerated hand signals for turns so your intentions are obvious.
And please, stay off the distractions. No chasing live Strava segments, no podcasts blasting in both ears, no fiddling with gadgets. Keep your senses tuned to the road. If you must check your phone or a map, pull over somewhere safe first. On shared paths, ease off around kids, greet walkers, ring your bell kindly, and keep an ear out for the near-silent e-bikes and e-scooters that appear from nowhere at 40km/h.
Pack smart
A good backpack or panniers that fits your work clothes, laptop, and toiletries makes everything easier (bonus points for one that sits low so it doesn't nudge your helmet when you check over your shoulder). Lay your gear out the night before and stash a change of clothes so there are fewer excuses on a cold, dark morning. A packable lightweight jacket, arm warmers, and a base layer are perfect for chilly starts you can shed for the warmer ride home.
Carry a basic flat kit too, a spare tube, tyre levers, and a pump or CO2, and do a practice tube change at home so you're not learning on the roadside. Tuck in some emergency cash and a written contact number for the day your phone dies and the universe conspires against you. Finally, lock it up: a lightweight cable lock to carry, or a sturdy U-lock if you can leave one at the office. If your bike's a pricey one, consider theft insurance, or commute on something cheaper that won't break your heart.
Now go enjoy it
That's a lot to take in, but it becomes second nature fast. Have fun, stay visible, and ride politely, predictably, and defensively. Before long, you'll wonder why you ever sat in traffic.
Ready to kit up for the commute? Explore the Cycology collection and get seen in style.
Written by Jayne Rutter. Jayne lives in Brisbane, drinks beer, and races mountain bikes, placing 2nd in the masters category at the 2022 AusCycling National Mountain Bike Championships. A pinner, in other words.