Common Cycling Mistakes City Riders Make (And How to Avoid Them)

Ah, London cycling - dodging pedestrians glued to their phones, playing chicken with taxis, and the special thrill of hitting a pothole you never saw coming. Whether you're a fresh-faced newbie or a battle-hardened veteran of the city streets, we all make mistakes that turn a simple commute into an unintended adventure sport.

At Newlane, we've not only watched these errors - we've committed most of them ourselves. Here's our not-so-serious guide to very serious cycling mistakes we see daily on London's streets.

1. The "Just This Once" Helmet Gamble

We've all been there. You're just nipping to the shops, or meeting mates at the pub, and that bulky helmet feels like overkill. "It's only a five-minute ride," you tell yourself, conveniently forgetting that accidents don't check your calendar before happening.

Ironically, those quick familiar trips are exactly when you're most likely to have an accident. You're relaxed, perhaps a bit complacent, and drivers aren't expecting a cyclist to appear.

The simple fix: Make helmet-wearing as automatic as putting on your seatbelt. We created the Newlane foldable helmet specifically for these moments - it shrinks to half-size and slips into your bag, eliminating the "but I don't want to carry it" excuse. Your brain cells will thank you.

2. Playing Chicken with Car Doors

Nothing wakes you up quite like a car door suddenly flung open in your path. That innocent line of parked cars is basically a row of booby traps waiting to catch out the unwary cyclist.

"Dooring" incidents send countless London cyclists to A&E each year, and they're entirely avoidable.

The simple fix: Imagine every parked car has an invisible force field extending one door's width into the road. This might mean taking a more central position in the lane, but trust us - a momentary driver's impatience is vastly preferable to a face full of car door.

3. The Curb-Hugging Wallflower

New cyclists often ride practically in the gutter, as if trying to apologize for their existence on the road. It feels safer to stay out of everyone's way, right?

Plot twist: hugging the curb actually makes you less visible to drivers, gives you nowhere to go if you need to avoid obstacles, and counterintuitively encourages unsafe overtaking as drivers try to squeeze past without fully changing lanes.

The simple fix: Channel your inner Londoner and take up the space you deserve - about 1 meter from the curb or parked cars. Think of it as the cycling equivalent of standing on the right on the escalator. It's not rude; it's the proper way to do things.

4. The Unpredictable Free Spirit

We get it. The road is your canvas, traffic laws are merely suggestions, and why signal when you can surprise everyone with your spontaneous lane changes? Except... every other road user is now treating you like an unpredictable squirrel they'd rather not hit.

The simple fix: Be boringly predictable. Signal turns early, maintain a consistent line, and make eye contact with drivers when possible. Save your creativity for your Instagram, not your commute.

5. Ignoring the British Weather (A Rookie Error)

Sunny morning commute? Pack sunglasses. Rainy ride home? You're soaked through because who checks the forecast, right?

Beyond the obvious discomfort, different weather conditions fundamentally change how your bike handles. Those white lines and metal drain covers that were fine in dry weather? They're basically ice rinks when wet.

The simple fix: In wet conditions, brake earlier, corner wider, and treat road markings and metal surfaces like they're covered in butter - because essentially, they are. When it's windy, grip with your knees and prepare for building-gap gusts that can push you into traffic.

6. The Mobile DJ

I get it. That 40-minute commute is the perfect time to catch up on your favourite podcast or blast that playlist that makes you feel like you're in a movie montage.

The problem is, you're removing one of your most crucial senses for detecting danger. That bus you didn't hear? It still exists, podcast or not.

The fix: If you absolutely must have your audio fix, try bone-conducting headphones that don't block your ears, or use just one earbud (right ear, keeping your road-side ear free). Or just enjoy the weird urban soundtrack of London for a while - it's fascinating in its own chaotic way.

7. Dressing for a Funeral (At Night)

All black everything looks cool in the pub. It looks considerably less cool when you're practically invisible to drivers after dark.

Even with London's street lighting, it's astonishing how many cyclists blend completely into the background at night, with a tiny light that's one pothole away from falling off.

The fix: Light up like you're trying to signal alien life. Front and rear lights are just the starting point. Add reflective bits to moving parts like ankles and wrists (the movement catches drivers' attention), and consider a reflective jacket or vest for winter commuting. Looking slightly uncool for 20 minutes beats not being seen at all.

8. Getting Caught in the Left-Hook

Left-turning vehicles are the nemesis of many London cyclists. That moment when you realize the massive bus beside you is starting to turn left while you're in its blind spot? Pure terror.

The fix: Never, ever undertake a vehicle that might be turning left. If you're not sure of their intentions, either hang back or position yourself where you know the driver can see you in their mirrors. At junctions, taking the center of the lane temporarily prevents vehicles from turning across your path.

9. Following Car Routes on Your Bike

When I first started cycling in London, I basically followed the same routes I would have driven. Big mistake. Main roads, complex junctions, heavy pollution - not a great combo.

The fix: Discover London's parallel universe of back streets, canal paths, and quiet routes. Apps like Citymapper suggest cycling-specific paths that favor calmer streets. An extra five minutes of peaceful riding beats shaving off time while having seventeen near-death experiences.

10. Ignoring That Weird Noise Your Bike's Making

We've all done it - pretended not to hear that strange clicking, grinding, or squeaking coming from somewhere on our bike. "It'll probably fix itself," we lie to ourselves, moments before something important falls off at the worst possible moment.

The fix: Learn the basics of bike maintenance or make friends with your local bike shop. A quick monthly once-over takes minutes but can save you from the special joy of a mechanical failure in pouring rain, miles from home.

Consistency Beats Skill Every Time

Here's what I've learned after years on London's roads: the safest cyclists aren't doing anything fancy - they're just consistent. They've built good habits, ride defensively but confidently, and make safety non-negotiable.

That's exactly why we created our foldable helmet at Newlane. By making protection convenient, we're trying to remove the friction between knowing what's safe and actually doing it consistently.

After all, the best safety gear isn't the most expensive or technologically advanced - it's the stuff you actually use, every single time.

What's the worst cycling mistake you've made in London? Tell us in the comments - we promise we've probably done worse!