CAN-BIKE 2 Course Material 

Reasons For Riding On The Right

Lane Positioning 1  by Susie Jones

Rock Dodge by Susie Jones

Instant Turns by Susie Jones

Panic Stop by Susie Jones

Good Cyclist, Bad Choices by Susie Jones

Do You See What I See by Susie Jones

The 4 Day CAN-BIKE II Itinerary

Complete: Intersection Positioning in handouts.

Day 1: 

Homework: Gear chart from your handouts.

• Meals: Lunch will be on the road. We usually stop at a restaurant. Bring your own lunch if you wish. We try to pick an open air restaurant where the bikes can have an eye kept on them. Get those lunch suggestions in early!
• Competency: The Canbike instructors assume you have some competency in preparing yourself and your bike for trouble-free riding in any weather. Please ensure your bicycle is in good mechanical shape, fenders mounted, and suitable clothing for wet weather riding. (The lower mainland's normal weather!)

Lesson: Efficient cycling

Video: Effective Cycling-45 minutes.

Review:

Review: Merges & diverges.

Marking exams, course evaluation, review of test.

A Certificate will be mailed to you within the month. 70% minimum to pass; 80% minimum to become a Canbike 2 Instructor.

CANBIKE 2 Reading List from John Foresters’ "Effective Cycling" 5th or 6th edition. "Effective Cycling" is published by MIT press and is available at bookstores, libraries, MEC and Cycling BC. The order of the chapters compliments the CANBIKE 2 course agenda.

Before

Please Read Chapter

Night 1

• 26 Basic Principles of Traffic
• 27 The Why & Wherefore of Traffic Law
• 28 Accidents
• 29 Where to ride on the road
• 30 Avoiding straight road hazards
• 31 Changing Lanes
• 32 Riding at Intersections
• 36 Commuting & Utility Cycling (optional)

Day 1

• 1 Mechanical Safety & Operational Inspection
• 2 Bicycles, tools, equipment & clothing
• 3 Steering & Handling
• 4 Brakes
• 5 Gears (optional)
• 8 Tires & Pumps

Night 2

• 5 Gears, especially p.41-43 (5th ed.), p.68-70 (6th ed.)
• 10 Cleaning & Lubricating
• 13 Matching hubs to for ends
• 14 Adjusting derailleurs
• 16 Cranks & Chainwheels
• 17 Chains
• 18 Freewheels & Clusters
• 22 Basic Skills: Posture, pedaling & maneuvering
• 23 Emergency Maneuvers
• 24 Keeping your body going
• 33 Riding at night
• 34 Riding in the rain
• 35 Riding in cold weather
• 37 Mountain riding, especially p.243-246 (5th), 398-401 (6th)
• Optional: Ch.6 (5th) or Ch.42-49 (6th)

Day 2

Traffic & Cycling Principles

All drivers, regardless of the type of vehicle they drive, follow the same basic traffic principles. The size and speed of your vehicle may influence how you apply these principles, but the reason is the same:

To Reduce conflicts between road users.

1. Ride on the Right
2. Yield to Cross Traffic
3. Yield to New Lane Traffic
4. Destination Positioning
5. Speed Positioning

In greater detail:

1. Ride on the right side of the roadway, not the left, and not on the sidewalk. Cyclists who ride facing traffic are more vulnerable because other drivers do not expect wrong way traffic. Sidewalk riding is also very hazardous because each driveway or laneway becomes, in effect, an intersection.

2. How and when you yield to crossing traffic. When yielding , look both ways and proceed only when it is safe to do so. Drivers on minor roadways yield to those on main streets. At uncontrolled intersections, the driver who arrives last must yield. When drivers arrive simultaneously, the one on the left yields.

3. How and when you yield to same direction traffic. Every driver who wants to move into a new line of travel must yield to traffic already in that line.

4. Destination positioning at intersections depends on your intended direction beyond the intersection. At a simple intersection, start a left turn from or near the center line and a right hand turn from the curbside. At a multiple lane intersection, choose the ‘right most lane that serves your destination.’

5. Positioning between intersections depends on your speed relative to traffic and the usable width of the road. In a lane that is too narrow to share, ride far enough to your left to discourage motorists from overtaking unsafely. In wide lanes, if you are slower than traffic, ride on the right. If you are just as fast as traffic, take the lane.

Please read Chapter 26 of  "Effective Cycling" by John Forester

Effective Cycling Notebook-Reasons For Riding On The Right

As a serious cyclist, you know to ride on the right hand side of the road, in the same direction as other traffic. If someone asked you why, though, would you know how to explain your reasons? This edition of the League's "Effective Cycling Notebook" offers ammunition for those times you need to convince a friend, neighbour, child or co-worker why this is such an important aspect of safe bicycling.

Fact: Wrong-way cyclists make up only five percent of bicycle traffic, but make up twenty-one percent of total car-bike collisions. Many people believe that they are safer riding against the traffic because they can "see what's coming"-but only four to six percent of all car/bike collisions involve a cyclist being struck from behind. Real safety comes instead from traveling on the road in the same predictable manner as other road users.

Reasons to Ride on the Right:

• Motorists expect to find other traffic on the right. Wrong-way cyclists are on the outside of normal searching patterns. This is especially important at intersections, where auto drivers may only be scanning where they expect to see other traffic.
• Turning maneuvers for wrong-way cyclists are more dangerous and complicated because a cyclist must cross paths with so many other vehicles on the road.
• Wrong-way cyclists are in head-on conflict with cyclists who are riding correctly, which can result in a net speed of impact of over 40 miles per hour.
• The speed difference between a car and wrong-way cyclist in the same lane is much greater than for cyclist riding correctly. Any impact, therefore, will be much more damaging. In addition, approaching motorists have less time to respond to the presence of a wrong-way cyclist. A motorist has more time to react to a cyclist riding with traffic, and more time to plan to give the cyclist adequate room to share the road.
• Traffic control devices (such as stop lights, stop signs, and yield signs) and other important regulatory signs that apply to all road users can't be seen as easily by cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road.
• If you need additional motivation, the Vehicle Codes of all 50 states require bicyclists to ride on the right with the flow of traffic.

There are exceptions to the strict rule of riding on the right, such as on one-way streets and when a cyclist is changing position to prepare for an upcoming maneuver. For more information on these issues see "E.C. Notebook" #5 (July/August '93) and #6 (Sept. '93) on Lane Positioning; also see "E.C. Notebook" #10 (May/June 94), How Far Right Is Right?" Note that even in these cases, however, the cyclist is still riding with traffic and not against traffic.

E.C. Notebook-A Beginner's Guide To Efficiency On The Bike

• Gear Down- Spin, spin, spin! If you're a casual cyclist or new to the sport, there's a good chance you're pedaling in too high a gear, probably at 40-70 revolutions per minute (rpms). This stresses the knees and will cause you to fatigue faster than if you maintain a cadence a 70-100 rpms. It may feel unnatural to spin this fast, so increase your pedal cadence gradually. In time you'll notice how much more energy you have and you'll be saving yourself from future knee problems.
• No Bull- You know how a bull paws at the ground before it charges? That's what many cyclists look like when a light turns green. They push off the ground to get enough speed to balance and begin pedaling. Instead of doing the "bull dance," while stopped at the light put your weight on one foot and position the other pedal at the two o'clock position. When the light changes, push down on this pedal, and you'll have enough momentum to balance and begin pedaling. (If you use toe clips or cleats, wait until you are safely through the intersection before you clip in.)
• Lighten Up- Efficiency on the bike is influenced by how relaxed and comfortable you are riding. Assuming you are riding a properly sized and adjusted bike, maintain your comfort by changing hand positions often, keeping your elbows relaxed, and doing neck and shoulder stretches throughout your ride.
• Don't Rock and Roll- Many new cyclists ride with their saddle either too high (which causes a rocking motion) or too low (which causes knee problems). To get the most output from your pedaling, position your saddle so that when the ball of the foot is on the pedal at the bottom of the pedal stroke, there is a slight flex in the knee.
• Skip The Ol' Soft Shoe- Shoes designed for tennis, running and aerobics have cushioning built for shock absorption. When you wear these shoes for bicycling, much of your energy output is absorbed by that cushioning before it ever gets to the pedal. A bike shoe's firm sole, on the other hand, allows more of your pedaling to actually propel the bike. Toe clips go a step further with a cage attached to the pedal that you slip your foot into and tighten. A clipless pedal system offers the most technological advantage by "attaching" your foot to the pedal with special pedals and a cleated shoe.
• Red Light, Green Light- Accelerating up to a red light, just to have to stop and then start out again from a standstill uses alot of energy. Rather than stopping and starting, time your arrival at an intersection (speeding up or slowing down accordingly) so that you can pedal right on through. If you do have to stop, though, then downshift first so you don't aren't trying to start out from a high gear. Over the course of a long ride, these small behavior changes will reap significant energy savings. Safety note: Predictability is the key to safety when you're sharing a. Lane with motor traffic. Be aware of how your changes in speed impact other drivers.
• Avoid the wall- There is a well-known adage among cyclists to "eat before you're hungry and drink before you're thirsty." If you fail to follow this advice, you may reach a state of exhaustion known as "the wall," where fatigue and pain set in. Because of the severity of this condition, most cyclists only hit the wall once before learning their lesson.

EFFICIENT GEARING Adapted From TCCC CB Instructors Manual

Gearing allows you to maintain a constant degree of leg effort under such varying conditions as winds, hills and fatigue. Using gears in this manner may not make you go faster but you will use your bodies resources more efficiently.

Developing a high cadence, how often you spin the crank arms per minute, is the key to efficiency. Most new comers to cycling spin at about 60 rpm. Experienced riders generally spin in the 80 to 90 rpm range.

To spin a high cadence and not exhaust yourself in the effort, you must choose the correct gear that corresponds with your strength and endurance. You must train your body to accept a higher cadence by increasing your aerobic ability.

Your strength affects what gear you choose to pedal at your chosen cadence. Closely linked is your aerobic ability to maintain that cadence over long periods. When riding with friends you may note some have the ability to climb hills in harder gears or maintain a constant high cadence without sign of exhaustion. Luckily our bodies respond well to training and repetition. To become better at maintaining a high cadence, ride at a high cadence until you are no longer comfortable at that level. Keep trying and your body will get better.

When confronted with a long set of stairs, do you choose to run up the stairs two or three steps at a time, risking exhaustion before you get to the top, or do you pace yourself and climb the stairway one at a time? It depends what you want to achieve. Cycling is the same. Using your gears you can ease up a hill in small steps or proceed with monumental efforts. Potential exhaustion is not the only drawback to low cadence. Low cadence/big effort cycling is very hard on the knees. Certainly, when you use an easier gear, as in climbing steps one at a time, you will not be going as fast, but you last longer.

Six points to consider about your body, cadence and efficient cycling.

1. Aerobic Fitness - Spinning in an easy gear allows the body to use the aerobic metabolism for energy production. Energy stored in the body for this metabolic process are long lasting.

2. Endurance - Pushing a harder gear will force the body to use the anaerobic metabolism sooner. This metabolic system is not as efficient with your bodies resources. There is only about 10 minutes fuel supply for this type of metabolism and results in the introduction of lactic acid in the blood stream. A build up of lactic acid in the muscles creates a burning sensation and impedes fatty acids from entering the blood for use during the aerobic metabolic process. Your liver will eventually make use of the lactic acid but it takes a while.

3. Logic - You determine the effort to propel you from A to B. For a given distance, the more pedal strokes you make, the less effort required per pedal stroke and the less likely you are to fatigue.

4. Comfort - Riding with a smooth, fast cadence will make your legs supple and relaxed instead of stiff and tired.

5. Reserves - A fast spin keeps a reserve of power in your legs for when you need to sprint, out run a dog or climb a hill.

6. Preparation - Developing a good spin is an excellent base for improved fitness. Smarter riding will lead to increased aerobic ability. Muscle strength will follow if you continue to challenge the threshold of your abilities.

Tips on Cadence

• To develop a smooth fast spin, think ‘circles’ as you spin the crank arms.

• Pull through the bottom of the stroke, like you were scraping mud off your shoes.

• Keep the pedal force light and your cadence high.Occasionally count your cadence or monitor it with a bicycle computer.

Gear Selection - for people challenged by gear numbers and terminology

• Effort becomes ‘easier’ as the chain gets closer to the frame.

‘Easier’ is synonymous with ‘low’ or ‘lighter’ gearing.

Use easier gears for uphill, headwinds or fatigue.

• AND effort becomes ‘harder’ as the chain moves further from the frame.

‘Harder’ is synonymous with ‘high’ or ‘heavier’ gearing.

Use harder gears for tailwinds, downhills and speed.

GEARS INCH FORMULA & CHART Adapted from TCCC CB Instructors Manual

Once you know how to use your gear selector, you know how to find easier or harder gears. If your ‘easiest easy’ and or ‘hardest hard’ does not suit your cycling style, calculating the ‘gear inches’ will allow you quantify your needs. Calculating ‘gear inches’ of your entire setup can help you identify unsuitable gears, gaps, repetitions and the shift pattern of your gearing.

Unsuitable Gears - as described above, decrease your enjoyment of cycling. Gears are not low enough to allow you to get up hills easily, or not high enough to allow you to pedal downhill with force.

Unsuitable Gaps - are found, between your high and low gears. If a selected gear is too hard, but the next one is too easy, there is either a gap in gearing or you are not following the shift pattern of your setup.

Repetitions - your setup may have duplicate gears, or a gear inch so similar to another gear they are essentially the same. Look for gear inches that vary at least three percent.

Shift Pattern - Your setup contains one linear shifting pattern to go from the highest to the lowest gear. Use the following formula and Table II to illustrate what your linear shifting pattern is. Maybe the gear you thought was missing is close by on the another chain ring.

To determine gear inches you must know the diameter of the bicycle wheel, the number of teeth on the chain ring at the front, and the number of teeth on the rear cog.

gear inches = (wheel diameter in inches)(# chain ring teeth)/(#rear cog teeth)

Touring Bike Example: 27 inch wheel (~700C) with a 52T chain ring and 13T rear cog. 27 X 52/13 = 108 gear inches

Mountain Bike Example: 26 inch wheel with a 46T chain ring and 13T rear cog. 26 X 46/13 = 92 gear inches

42T Front Chain Ring

52T Front Chain Ring

Gear Inches

Shift Sequence

My Bike's Gear Inch Chart and Shift Sequence

Small Front Chain Ring

Medium Front Chain Ring

Large Front Chain Ring

Gear Inches

Shift Sequence

Gear Inches

Shift Sequence

E.C. Notebook-Lane Positioning 1 or Attitude Adjustment by Susie Jones

E.C. Notebook #6 will delve into the factors involved in choosing the correct position for making left turns.

E.C. Notebook-Lane Positioning 2 by Susie Jones

Rather than attempting to cover all the variables in this column, cyclists are encouraged to enroll in an L.A.W. Effective Cycling Class. Understanding the cyclists' lane rule and the factors involved, is what the E.C. Program is all about. Students are given the knowledge and training needed to make informed decisions about the safest place to ride given specific circumstances.

Effective Cycling Notebook-Rock Dodge by Susie Jones

This technique will feel unnatural at first and will take quite a bit of practice before you can do it smoothly. Once you master the Rock Dodge, practice it regularly to maintain proficiency. While out riding, dodge rocks that you would otherwise be able to avoid, or make constructive use of the time spent waiting for an organized ride to begin by practicing in the parking lot. For an emergency maneuver to actually work in an emergency, it has got to come naturally, with out your having to think it through first.

E.C. Notebook-Instant Turns by Susie Jones

"Turn your front wheel left-the wrong way, toward the car. By doing this you've forced the a right lean, and you'll start to fall right. The moment you've got a good lean started, after a tenth of a second or so, turn your front wheel right and you'll find yourself in a tight right turn. This is what you've done.. To make a right turn you must lean right, so to hurry up the leaning process you make the bike track to the left a few inches. Then you are leaning over properly and can steer a right turn. This doesn't ever feel natural, and you must train yourself to do it. It is a jerk in the wrong direction at the start of the instant turn when you deliberately unbalance yourself by steering in the whole bike out from under you." (Effective Cycling-page 125) The Instant Turn will take some time to learn and must be practiced regularly. Set a sponge down in an abandoned parking lot and start by Rock Dodging it, slowly progressing to the Instant Turn.

Effective Cycling Notebook-Panic Stop by Susie Jones

• Braking with the rear brake alone will avoid pitchover, but it is not very effective.
• The theoretically fastest stop is made with the front brake alone, but this is dangerous-only a slight error will pitch you over.
• The best system for a fast, safe stop is to use both brakes in a 3:1 ratio, front:rear, which produces the optimum deceleration. If the rear wheel starts to skid, this indicates that you are unweighting the rear wheel almost to the pitchover point. Therefore, when the rear wheel skids, ease up slightly on the front brake.
• When braking hard, slide your body back in the saddle as far as possible. Although it is not necessary for an effective panic stop, you can transfer even more weight to the rear wheel by lifting your buttocks off the saddle and thrusting them straight back over the rear axle.
• If you are carrying a heavy load on the rear of your bike, you will be able to brake harder before pitchover occurs.

E.C. Notebook-Good Cyclists-Bad Choices By Susie Jones

1. Even though you may think it is polite to let others know that an intersection is free of traffic, calling "clear" invites them to roll through without stopping to check for themselves. Although this follow-the-leader syndrome is very common on group rides, it is also illegal and extremely dangerous. Each cyclist is required by law to stop at stop signs and check for traffic before proceeding. In effect, calling "clear" just means that "the intersection was clear for me and it may be for you."
2. When you wave a motorist by, you can be held liable if that motorist is involved in a crash. Although it may be clear when you signal, there is a the possibility that the motorist will wait a few seconds before proceeding. Those few seconds can make the difference between an opening in traffic and an impending collision. If you are occupying the correct lane position, and are riding predictably, the motorist will pass you when the space and traffic permit.
3. Never make a motorist pass you twice. When you are traveling on roads too narrow for a car and bike to share easily, motorists may have to wait for some time before passing you. Once they do though, and you encounter them stopped at a red light, don't pull to the head of the line to get to the front of the intersection. Take your place in the line of stopped traffic just as you would in a motor vehicle.
4. When bicyclists take off together on group rides, they often forget that they are sharing the road with other vehicles. It is important to leave a gap for cars between every three or four bicycles so motorists can "leapfrog" around your group, especially on narrow roads and up on hills.
5. Pulling into an opening between parked cars so motorists can pass you may seem like a good idea, but it creates a dangerous situation when you have to merge back in with moving traffic. Instead, ride predictably three feet to the left of parked cars, and motorists will pass you when space and traffic permit.

E.C. Notebook-Group Riding (From "How to Ride in a group" by Franklin Prosser, L.A.W. Effective Cycling Instructor #159)

• Be predictable-Group riding requires even more attention to predictability than riding alone. Other riders expect you to continue straight ahead at a constant speed unless you indicate differently.
• Use signals-Use hand and verbal signals to communicate with members of the group and with other traffic. Hand signals for turning and stopping are as follows: left arm straight out to signal a left turn; left arm out and down with your palm to the rear to signal slowing or stopping; and for a right turn, put your right arm straight out (in states where this is legal) or put your left arm out and up.
• Give Warnings-Warn cyclists behind you of changes in your direction or speed. To notify the group of a change in path, the lead rider should call out "left turn" or "right turn" in addition to giving a hand signal. The lead rider should announce the turn well in advance of the intersection, so that members of the group have time to position themselves properly for the turn.
• Change Positions Correctly-Generally, slower traffic stays right, so you should try and pass others on their left. Say "on your left" to warn the cyclist ahead that you are passing. If you need to pass someone on the right, say "on your right" clearly since this is an unusual maneuver.
• Announce Hazards- When riding in a group, most of the cyclists do not have a good view of the road surface ahead, so it is important to announce holes, glass, gravel, grates, and other hazards. Indicate road hazards by pointing down to the left or right, and by shouting "hole," "bump," etc.; where required for safety. Everyone in a group should be made aware of the hazards, however everyone does not need to announce them.
• Watch For Traffic Coming From The Rear-Even when you are occupying the proper lane position, it often helps to know when a car is coming. Since those in the front cannot see traffic approaching from the rear, it is the responsibility of the riders in the back to inform the others by saying "car back." Around curves, on narrow roads, or when riding double, it is also helpful to warn of traffic approaching from the front with "car up."
• Watch Out At Intersections-When approaching intersections requiring vehicles to yield or stop, the lead rider will say "slowing" or "stopping "to alert those behind to the change in speed. When passing through an intersection, some cyclists say "clear" if there is no cross traffic. This is a dangerous practice that should be abandoned. It encourages riders to follow the leader, letting others do the thinking for them. Each cyclist is responsible for verifying that the way is indeed clear.
• Leave A Gap For Cars-When riding up hills or on narrow roads where you are impeding faster traffic, leave a gap for cars between every three or four bicycles. This way a motorist can take advantage of shorter passing intervals and eventually move piecemeal around the entire group.
• Move Off The Road When You Stop-Whether you are stopping for mechanical problems or to regroup with your companions, move well off the road so you don't interfere with traffic. When you start up again, each cyclist should look for, and yield to traffic.
• Ride One Or Two Across- Ride single file or double file as appropriate to the roadway and traffic conditions and where allowed by law. Most state vehicle codes permit narrow vehicles such as bicycles and motorcycles to ride double file within the lane. Even when riding double is legal, courtesy dictates that you single up when cars are trying to pass you if the lane is wide enough for them to do so safely.

E. C. Notebook-Do You See What I See by Susie Jones

As you can see, there are many valid arguments on both sides of the mirror debate. Using one to be aware of the total traffic situation makes sense; ignoring the limitations of mirrors does not. Glancing in your mirror is no substitute for glancing over your shoulder before changing lanes.

Bicycling Accidents, Incidents, Collisions and Statistics

50% Personal Falls Stopping - blunt collision

17% Car/Bike Skidding - poor traction

17% Bike/Bike Diverting - front wheel re-directed

8% Bike/Dog Insufficient Speed - lost balance

5% Bike/Other

Major Causes of Car/Bike Collisions From "Deaths of Cyclists in B.C." October 1996

25% Cyclist fails to yield to cross traffic

17% Cyclist riding on wrong side of road

15% Cyclists fails to yield changing lanes

8% Motorist turns left

7% Cyclist on sidewalk

5% Motorist turns right

4% Motorist restarts from stop

Contributing Factors in Car/Bike Collisions

Driving without due care

Failing to Yield the Right of Way

Riding on the wrong side

Ignoring traffic control device

Rider inexperience

Failing to Yield the Right of Way

Driving without due care

Improper turning

Visibility impaired

Weather conditions

Statistics for B.C.

1993 1,916 Injured 10 Fatalities

1994 1,926 Injured 9 Fatalities

Of the 9 fatalities in 1994, 6 were not wearing helmets, 7 were male and most of the instaces occured in clear, dry, daylight in spring or summer.

27% - Head 27% - Lower leg 22% - Arm/shoulder 24% - Other

BIKE INJURY FACTS From the Canadian Bike Helmet Coalition (613) 224-4144

85% of cycling injuries in childhood do not involve a motor vehicle and occur within six blocks of home.

Cycling mishaps are the leading cause of hospital admissions for head injuries in children.

The life time cost of a head injured Canadian are estimated at $1 to $1.5 million when including: intensive care; long term hospital costs; lifetime care and home support.