Denton Bicycling Basics
August 22, 2022
New to biking for transportation? Or just new to biking in Denton or Texas? Here are the basics you need to know.
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 and TWU students and employees can register their bicycle with campus police. This helps police return stolen bicycles to their rightful owners if found. UNT students can also get a free u-lock if they visit campus police to get their bicycle engraved with an ID number such as a driver’s license.
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. Some children are taught to ride against traffic and continue to do it as adults. This is illegal and increases your risk of being struck by a motorist, because motorists do not expect wrong-way traffic and don’t look for it. Always ride in the same direction as the traffic in the lane you’re in. Always ride the correct direction on one-way streets.
At night, you must have a white front light and a red rear reflector. While not legally required, it’s strongly recommended to also have a red rear light. The more visible you are at night, the easier it is for motorists to spot you, react and avoid hitting you.
PSA from TxDOT’s Bicycle Safety Campaign
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.
A standard 11 or 12-foot lane is too narrow for motorists to safely pass a bicyclist within the same lane. (Image source: Cycling Savvy)
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.
W Hickory Street bike lane illegally blocked by a vehicle..
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
The League of American Bicyclists offers a free online Smart Cycling class to teach you how to significantly reduce your risk of a crash.
Select the course you want to take and then click the green “Register” button to sign up so you can access the content. The content will remain locked until you register.
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.
Denton Bike Routes & Conditions Map
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
