Chances are a great majority of UK bikers have had an enforced break from being in the saddle, some may have not ridden since before winter struck while other will have stopped a couple of months ago when lockdown began. The recent announcement from Government has effectively given the green light for us to begin riding for pleasure again so it’s time to consider getting back on two wheels.
There are a few things to think about however, even if you drive too there’s a good chance you won’t have driven anywhere near as much in the past couple of months than usual; this means skill fade, whether you realise it or not.
Riding a bike is not something you forget overnight, however the acuity of your senses and awareness certainly begin to fade after only a few days out of the saddle. It can be very hard to notice if you aren’t attuned to yourself, but little things like being caught out by corners a little, having to brake harder than usual when other road users change speed are warnings that you’re not reading the road and conditions as well as you might.
As with a lot of things the only way around this is time, patience and practice. When you first go back out on your bike make sure you’ve nowhere to be, you’ve nothing going on in your mind (although it’s fair to say some of us might be worried about jobs and family, or maybe just whether you're going to get a holiday...) and that your bike and gear are good to go.
Take a route you know well and take your time; we’re lucky in that traffic is much reduced currently so you’ve less cars to worry about. Don’t try to push your limits during this ride, just get used to the feeling of being back out there again, it’ll be more than enough to lift your spirits! With each ride you take practice different things, like filtering, slow speed control, reading corners effectively and emergency braking, and you’ll be back up to speed in no time.
While it’s definitely getting warmer it’s definitely not summer yet, and as a result it’s easy to find cool or damp patches of road. Adjust your riding accordingly, especially if you’re out in the country. Reduced traffic, while great for stretching your bike’s legs, also means roads stay cooler and damper for longer so make sure to bear that in mind. The same goes for gravel and other debris on the road usually pushed away by the passage of traffic. If you’ve been out driving or riding anywhere during the initial lockdown phase you’ll also have noticed a change in the behaviour and type of traffic on the road; cyclists and pedestrians everywhere, and road users in no real hurry to get where they’re going. That lack of impetus inevitably leads to poor road awareness, so it’s up to you to make yourself obvious to other road users and account for their mistakes.
That being said, if you’re taking it easy because of skill fade you should be just fine, just stay calm and go with the flow!
Don’t be afraid to go back to school a bit, and this should be the case no matter how ‘good’ a rider you might think you are, there is always more to learn and practice. Watch some YouTube videos and read some books on roadcraft, and most importantly have a go at putting what you’ve learned into practice. I particularly enjoy Roadcraft Nottingham’s videos for the combination of teaching and sardonic wit, there are also some nice bikes to be seen on his channel! Leading on from that, if your local riding schools are reopened then don’t be afraid to book in for some refresher or advanced training so that someone else can constructively critique your riding.
This is a tricky one as it’s a huge part of the pleasure of riding for some; riding with others. For those first few rides it’s really recommended you go solo, that way you can truly ride your own ride. You’ll know yourself which of your riding buddies have level heads and can be trusted to slow the pace as required, and won’t filter like a prat when you’re trying to stay as a group (we all know one of those!). If you’re good enough friends you might even be able to give or receive constructive feedback on how they’re riding and how they look from another perspective.
Be very cautious about bringing a pillion with you too soon after you’ve started riding again; a bike becomes very different to handle with the extra weight on the back as well as much more tricky to ride at low speeds and hold upright. Your pillion will also need to understand that they too need to get used to being on a bike!
Above all, take your time and enjoy being back out on two wheels. Sure, we might have to wait a while for biker cafes to reopen and going to a bike or gear dealer might not be possible, but you can go out for a ride, bring some food and drink with you, and take a break somewhere pretty.
The Bike Stop shop in Stevenage is currently temporarily closed, but our online shop is still alive and well and taking orders (and calls Monday to Friday!) We’re even doing a 10% off promotion – just enter the code ‘TOGETHER’ at checkout. You can check out our full range on our website with free delivery for any order over £25 on the UK mainland, and delivery possible to almost anywhere else. Not only that but our ‘No Quibble’ returns policy allows for returns within a 365 day period – see our returns page for more details.
