Before You Ride

• Check your bike. Before riding, make sure your bicycle is in good working condition and is safe to ride. Take it to a local bike shop for a tune-up or complete an ABC Quick Check yourself to check it over.

• Invest in a good bike u-lock. There are many bicycle thefts in Denton, unfortunately. To avoid losing your bike to a thief, learn to lock it securely.

  • Use a high-quality u-lock. Avoid cable locks, which can be cut in seconds.

  • Lock the bike frame to a secure object like a bike rack. Locking only the wheel or the handlebars makes it easy for thieves to steal the rest of the bike by removing it from the wheel. Locking to a weak object like a thin tree means thieves can break the object and take off with your bicycle.

  • Don’t leave your bicycle out overnight, if possible. All locks can be broken if thieves have enough time. Thieves also steal bicycles from balconies on the second and third floor of buildings.

  • UNT offers free u-locks for students as well as free engraving to help it get returned to you if it gets stolen.

• How will you carry cargo? Carrying your personal items can be as simple as a backpack. 

  • Avoid hanging things on your handlebars. This increases your risk of crashing.

  • If you have the money, consider upgrading from a backpack to a bike rear rack with panniers/bags or a basket. Your back will be less sweaty and you may feel your balance is better.

Bike Law Basics

Most bike laws in Denton are identical to Texas state law.

• Follow all basic traffic laws. Stop at stop signs. Stop at red lights. Yield to people in crosswalks.

• Ride with traffic, not against it. Always ride in the same direction as the traffic in the lane you’re in, including bike lanes. Riding the wrong way in a lane is illegal and significantly increases your risk of a crash because motorists will not expect you there. If you are traveling against traffic and are struck by a motorist, you will be legally at fault for the crash.

• At night, you must have a white front light and a red rear reflector. It is strongly recommended to also have a red rear light even though only a red rear reflector is legally required. The more visible you are at night, the easier it is for motorists to spot you, react and avoid hitting you.

• It’s legal to ride on the sidewalk except in downtown Denton. You may ride on sidewalks in Denton everywhere except for a roughly two-block radius around downtown, where you should walk your bicycle when on the sidewalk.

  • Caution: Sidewalk riding can increase your risk of being struck by a motorist, because most won’t look for you before turning into your path at intersections and driveways. You are typically safer riding on the road where motorists are more likely to see you. If you choose to ride on the sidewalk, ride slowly and use extreme caution at all intersections and driveways. Video: Safer Sidewalk Riding

• You can legally ride in the center of lanes that are 14 feet wide or less. Most lanes in Denton are 12 feet wide or less, so you can “take the lane” on most streets. Taking the lane is generally safer for you, because it encourages motorists to change lanes when passing and discourages them from dangerous close passes in the same lane with you.

• You are not required to ride in bike lanes. You may exit bike lanes and ride in main travel lanes for any reason. Common reasons include:

• There are hazards in it such as parked cars, debris, trash bins, cracks, etc.

• You are turning left.

• The bike lane design itself is dangerous, such as the “door zone” of parked cars where doors could suddenly swing open into you.

• Helmets are not legally required but they can save your life. Crashing and hitting your unprotected head on something like a curb can easily kill you.

Safety Tips

About half of all bicycle-car crashes are the fault of the person on the bicycle. You can reduce your risk of a crash by half or more by being predictable, conspicuous, thinking ahead, and riding ready. Read more about these principles

Register for a free online Smart Cycling class through the League of American Bicyclists to learn more strategies to keep yourself safer while riding. Click the green “Register” button to get started.

Bike Routes

When traveling by bicycle, it’s good to choose your route before you go. There are often lower-stress alternatives to riding on high-stress roads. If you are biking to school, work or an appointment, consider practicing your route on a weekend first.

Use our Denton Bike Routes & Conditions Map to help you choose a route. Map works best on desktops, laptops and Android phones. Videos cannot be accessed on iPhones but stress levels are still visible.

Other Resources

Find other resources on the Bike Denton resources webpage:

• Group rides

• Denton bike shops

• Commuting tips

• Bikes and public transit

• How to report an issue or suggest an improvement

Have a question or concern? Contact Bike Denton