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faqs

Frequently Asked Questions

This section of the site will grow as more and more people submit questions that get good answers from our panel of industry experts. However, before submitting questions please make sure the answers aren't already on the site as many FAQ submissions to date have been on topics covered well elsewhere on Bikeforall. Please allow up to a week for either a personal email answer or a general FAQ answer to be posted here for all to benefit from.

"I am considering the purchase of a 49cc engine (sold as a kit) to go on a bicycle,the sellers claim you need not register,insure,pay road tax or wear a helmet. Is this correct? "
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"I currently drive to my local station, catch a train into London and then walk to work. I am looking to switch to cycling to the station before catching the train but I have been told that I cannot participate in my employers Cycle to Work scheme as I already have a season ticket loan. I do not believe this is correct as the Cycle to Work scheme does cover part journeys to work. Could you help clarify?"
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"My wife lost her hearing in one ear which affects her balance, she would like to ride her bike but fell off a few years ago and she has lost confidence in trying to ride. I did see a comment about a large children's bike with stabilisers. Any other suggestions please. "
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"Is it now a legal requirement to wear a cycle helmet?"
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"Just recently purchased a bike - When I stop at a light, for example, I have to get off the seat & stand. I thought I should lean the bike over a bit & stand while hovering over the seat. When I purchased the bike, the person at the cycle store told me I should not be able to sit on the seat & touch the ground from that point. I was thinking the bike was too big at first but because the bike fit well in all other aspects, I bought the bike. But just curious - sholuld I be able to stretch my leg & touch the ground with one foot while still above or on the seat when I am stopped at a light?"
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"I was recently stopped by the police for cycling through a red light. In fact they stopped me to say I had run three red lights - I had cycled through on the pedestrian lights taking due care of pedestrians etc. I accept that I had broken the legal requirements of the Highway Code - however the police advised that the 3 offences would attract 9 penalty points on my licence - which would be sufficient for me to lose it. Which licence do they mean. My car licence? and if so why?"
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"What is the UK legal position on wearing head mounted front and rear torches riding bicycles at night? They are incredibly useful as one can direct the light towards a hazard ahead rather than rely purely on the straight ahead beam of a fixed front lamp."
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"My wife has recently aquired a bicycle from Holland which is new. It has a "back pedal" brake only, can you advise if this is legal in the UK and if not what is required to make it legal here?"
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"Is any 26 inch tube suitable for a 26 inch wheel?"
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"I'm cycling from gloucester to plymouth on I have been trying to find a cycle route or routes to get there as i don't fancy my chances on the A38, can someone point me in the right direction?"
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"Is it the law that a bike has to have a front brake?"
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"Do you have to have had any training before you can cycle on the roads?"
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"I am getting back into cycling following a heart attack. I recently bought a front lamp for my bike only to find that it is a green LED type. Is this legal, or do I require a white light by law! "
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"I love cycling as a keep fit activity but I don't always find the weather that great! Is there some sort of device that props up the rear of the bikes which allows me to ride my bikes (mountain and road) in the garage? Thanks. "
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"I have recently been given a bike and wish to use it to ride to work. This is a very busy route and I am uncertain of how i should handle busy crossings etc I completed my cycling proficiency test at school, and was wondering whether there was a similar course for adults that might give me more confidence on the road? "
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"I have a friend who cannot ride a bike to save her life. We were wondering if there are any specially adapted stablisers to fit onto a 26" mountain bike? If so, where can we get them?"
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"I was wandering if it is legal to cycle on a dual carriageways? "
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"When I lived in Denmark I enjoyed the fact that most cycle shops provided an air pump gratis. These pumps would be placed in an accessible location and you did not have to enter the store. I want to try and arrange such a service to be provided by the parish council. However, I could not find a provider for such a compressor. Could you point me at someone who sells a heavy duty air compressor such as used in cycle repair shops – or better someone who leases it and maintains it."
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"Recently I was hit on a roundabout by a car driver who didn't look when entering the roundabout. The police sent me a letter saying that they are not going to prosecute the driver. I am furious about this, as the driver is clearly at fault. My bicycle was a write off,I suffered soft tissue injuries to my left shoulder and no fractures.It was purely good fortune that I wasn't killed or seriously injured. Am I wasting my time complaining about this? The attitude of the police seems to be that because I wasn't seriously injured I should count my blessings and keep quiet about it ,as they have more important things to do."
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"I allow my son to wear a casual t-shirt whilst cycling to school, he then changes into his school shirt, tie and blazer, and wears his t-shirt home again. The deputy head told him he must wear his full uniform while cycling. This means that he would then sit all day in a wet uniform which also means he would have an offensive odour due to perspiration. This is surely unhealthy and does everything but encourage a healthier lifestyle. My son is also overweight for his age and is embracing efforts to become fitter and lose weight. What can I and the school do to allow my son to be able to continue this exercise?"
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"I want to store my bike by hanging in from the roof beam of my garage by the front wheel i.e. it will be hanging vertically. Is the wheel sufficiently strong or would the downwards weight of the bike cause it to distort?"
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"This may seem to be a silly question, but my husband and I are thinking of buying bikes for health reasons and plan to ride on routes where there is no traffic. Some of the routes mentioned on your site sound very picturesque, but we have a dog and would not like to leave him at home as he loves to be outside, how can we both ride and manage the dog at the same time as I would constantly be looking over my shoulder and worrying about him"
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"What is the ideal tyre pressure for an ATB? The track I cycle on varies from tarmac to gravel, mud, cobble stones and flagstones."
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"I need to plan a journey where the quickest route is taking the A647 towards Bradford. The A647 is a dual carriageway and i want to know if i am by law allowed to ride on it? At parts it is 70mph/national speed limit, it may not be the safest route but the only other route would add a lot of time to the journey."
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"i have a question bout losing weight while biking. I am trying to lose weight biking is a lot more fun and safe than running, but the result is that I dont lose as much weight as fast. How much do u have to bike to burn the same amount of calories as if u were running for a mile. "
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"If a car door opens and a cyclist loses teeth is the car owner liable?"
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"I cycle a lot but now need to buy a car. I would like to be able to carry a bike IN the car easily. I would also like a smallish car - any suggestions? "
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"What is the legal age is for a child to ride alone on a public road?"
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"I don't condone riding while under the influence of alcohol but I play rugby/squash and every week go out for a bike ride of about 15/25 miles in the evening once a week. On all these occasions I drink alcolhol after the event or on the bike ride halfway into it. I have been told today that I can lose my driving licence if I get caught by the police. Is this right? "
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"If i buy a pair of SPD cycling shoes do I need to buy cleats as well or are these fixtures already a feature of the shoe? "
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"I am trying to find some safety information about when it is safe to carry a child in a bicycle child's seat. I am particularly interested in tracking down any information about carrying babies who were born prematurely and who may therefore be smaller. This raises issues with not only the criteria used to determine safety but also of finding suitably small cycle helmets."
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"Car users where I work claim a mileage allowance but I have been told there is no similar allowance for cyclists. Is there any legal obligation on employers to pay an allowance to cyclists?"
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"Is bicycle registration a legal requirement in the UK?"
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"I have a mentally handicapped daughter, now aged 11. She loves cycling with the family but is now too heavy for the trailer-bike we have used for several years. She cannot cycle independently for safety reasons. Is there anywhere I can purchase a more robust trailer-bike (>70LBS) or some sort of tow-bar arrangement so we can carry on cycling? I need to be able to cycle independently myself so a tandem isn't an option."
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"What are the legal requirements for bikes? My son is doing his cycle proficiency test at school soon and i would like the legal check list for his bike. Are there laws for cyclists? "
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"Why don't all the photos on Bikeforall.net feature cyclists wearing helmets?"
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"I'm planning to buy a bike as an aid to becoming fitter. Do certain bikes have weight limits? As a 17 stone man, do I have to be aware of the most appropriate frame to support my weight?"
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"My girlfriend picked up a second-hand bike and it's gonna need a bit of a tuneup. The brakes are very dull, we may need two new tyres, the gears stick, the seat joint is rusted, the spokes are rusting, and the chain is rusting. As a very basic guide, is it worthwhile trying to get it fixed or should we just pick up a cheap new one?"
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"I read there is a TfL grant for school bike sheds and training. I cannot find further details on this site, please can you advise. "
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"I'm close on 50. I learnt to ride as young lad and it was drummed into me that pedestrians went on the pavements and cyclist on the road. Is it now permissable in law to cycle on the pavement as many cyclists, young and old, seem to do? "
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"I want a bike suitable for riding on roads and on towpaths at the weekend. What brands do you recommend?"
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"I am trying to put a fact sheet togeher for schools. I would like to use some statictics such as number of children wanting to bike to school."
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"I am a female adult who has never ridden a bike. I am very short, just 5 foot, so find getting on/off bikes very difficult. My husband is about to buy me a bike, for exercise. Can you get stabilisers for adults? "
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"I recently found out that l am not supposed to ride on footpaths with my three year old because this is an offence. I contacted the police and they confirmed this and suggested l take him to a park. I wanted to ask if this is in fact the case and will l have to stop taking him on one of his favourite journeys a cycle along the seafront."
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"I've heard there's a bike buying scheme that you can ask your employer to adminster and it saves loads of money on buying a new bike. What is this scheme?"
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"What is SPD?"
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Got a particular question/comment which you can't find an answer to? Submit your comment/question to the BikeForAll Team and we will endeavour to provide you with a suitable reply.
Good questions often make it onto the website!.

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