any brand new cyclists?

I just took my first ride in the city today. The traffic was a little crazy but it was really a perfect day for the lakefront.
I'm actually working on a story for my journalism class at Columbia, focusing on how new cyclists approach traffic and what their first experiences are actually like. If you're interested in sharing any stories or being interviewed, please let me know!

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Permalink Reply by Ryan L on October 25, 2009 at 12:13pm

My first recommendation for any new cyclist here in the city is to get a proper lock, cable locks and chains are insanely easy to cut. I have seen a bike get stolen before by two guys, one cut the chain while the other grabbed the bike and took off. The whole incident took less than 10 seconds, crazy.

Kryptonite locks with the orange or yellow colored straight bar are the best. The cheaper locks only have one side that locks while the other hooks in making it easy to cut with a hacksaw. The yellow and orange ones lock on both sides of the U-bar and are made using stronger metal.

Not exactly riding in traffic advice but important none the less :)