Yourguidetocyclingsafely

Remember: My Prudential RideLondon is not a race, and you should not compromise your own safety to get a good time.

Cycling on open roads comes with hazards, so make sure you are well prepared before you head out for your ride to protect yourself and other road users. 

Wear a helmet

• Make sure your helmet fits you properly and is secure before setting off
• If you are riding with children always check their helmets too before heading out

Wear the right clothing

• Wear fitted clothing to avoid it getting stuck in your wheels or chain
• Bright colours and fluorescent clothing will help you stand out

• Make sure your tyres are in good condition and your inner tubes are pumped up and ready to go. For more about how to check your tyres, click here.

• Continental Tyres are designed to give riders confidence in their grip, thanks to their exclusive BlackChili compound formula. Find out which tyre is right for you here.

• Be sure to carry spare inner tubes and a bicycle pump with you in case you get a puncture.

• If you are not sure how to change an inner tube, check out this video from our partner Evans Cycles.

• Don’t forget to charge your lights or carry spare batteries.

If you are concerned about your bicycle, get it serviced before a long ride. Book your bicycle in for a service at your local Evans Cycles store here.

What you eat and drink – both on the bike and before and after training sessions – can have a big impact on your cycling performance.

Good nutrition will help you to get the most out of your next ride. Below are some tips on how to plan your nutrition strategy next time you go cycling. You can also find out more about nutrition and cycling from HIGH5 here.

Hydrating your ride

You lose fluids and electrolytes when you sweat. If you don’t replace these, you become dehydrated, which can really affect your performance. Sports drinks like HIGH5 ZERO and Energy Drink contain electrolytes to help you absorb water and rehydrate.

On a long ride, consider having more than one drinks bottle with you and research in advance where you can replenish your water on your route. You can learn more about the effects of dehydration and the benefits of keeping hydrated here.

Whether riding your bike in a sportive or just for fun with your family, bicycle insurance can help ensure you enjoy your ride with complete peace of mind.

Yellow Jersey offers a bespoke bicycle insurance package for the Prudential RideLondon event however, it’s just as important whatever sort of cycling you are doing.

Don’t rely on your home insurance

If you rely on your household insurance to cover your bike, it’s worth checking the small print. Often, bikes worth more than £800 are not automatically covered and if they are, it’s often only for theft from the home and won’t include liability cover in case you accidentally cause damage to a third party.

Many people need to use the roads, but if everyone shows a little consideration and respect for the rules then it can be a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.

We now live in a world where distancing is the norm and this should be taken onto the road. It’s vital to ‘Stay Wider of the Rider’ because close passing is an intimidating and significant hazard. To a cyclist, it can be deeply unsettling to have a one-ton object suddenly bearing down on them.

Up to a third of reported near misses between cyclists and motor vehicles involve close passing. Not only is this dangerous for cyclists; it also discourages people from embracing more forms of sustainable transport. Fear of injuries on the road is one of the main factors deterring people from cycling.