Biking to work is a great experience. If you are nervous about trying it for the first time, simply knowing that it comes with several benefits on your health, wealth, and the planet may not be enough to encourage you to start it.

However, you should try not to let your nervousness hold you back. Let’s have a look below at some of the things you can do to stay safe cycling to work.

Plan Your Route

Often, I hear people say they would like to bike to work but they would have to ride around roundabouts and down A-roads. It may be possible to avoid certain sections of the route with some good planning. Taking an alternate route will make your journey more pleasant even though you will need to ride slightly farther. CycleStreets allows you to map your walk or ride from A to B using the Cycling UK journey planner. You can check out things such as cycle lane markings on the roads, levels of traffic at certain times, etc.

Have Cycle Training

It can be intimidating to cycle to work if you’ve never done it before, but there’s a national scheme that can boost your confidence. It is an educational initiative that develops skills and raises awareness for riding on the roads across the country.

It might be thought that you did your cycling proficiency test at school. You may remember cones in a playground, but things have changed and training is now done in a variety of settings tailored to the type of journey you want. It is even better news that the training can often be taken for free.

Use Some Bike Lights

You must have lights on your bike at specific times according to the law, and that may affect when you commute to work and at what time of year. You should always carry a set of lights with you in case you might be stuck at the office later than expected.

Remember to Enjoy It and Be Kind to Yourself

Do not be alarmed if the weather on the day you think you will ride is horrible or you simply do not feel like it. If you want to do it again, just plan it for a different date. It should be enjoyable for you to cycle to work each day. It is not something you should feel guilty about. Rather, it should be a sense of accomplishment that you are likely to have met the government’s targets for physical activity thanks to cycling.

Get Cycle Insurance

Accidents do happen on and off of bikes, unfortunately. To be at peace with your cycling possessions, and to ensure that you and your possessions are protected, you may want to think about taking out insurance. Have a look online at some comparisons of cycle insurance for those just in case scenarios.

This short guide should help you to remain safe when cycling to work. Remember to educate yourself about the dangers of the road before you set off on your journey. Do you have any other tips that could help? Share a few in the comments below.