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I am new to cycling. Tried riding my husband's road bike and it was too big. So he bought me a Cannondale Quick Feminine 3. It is perfect for me. Now I need to overcome my fear of riding in traffic. Does anyone have any advice? I live in League City, TX.

Welcome PollySue!

I need this kind of help as well. I adore mountain biking and just don't enjoy road riding at all. I don't like cars around me. My boyfriend used to mountain bike ride with me but he adores road riding and now really wants to focus on that. Which means I have to get over my fears.

I also think I like the relatively slower pace of mountain bike riding, if I fall it's not at 40 miles an hour into traffic.

I would guess that the more you do, the more comfortable you get with it. Are there no bike trails you can ride near you? We do have some trails so I am going to try to get Bob to go on those with me as a compromise

I have to agree, getting used to riding in traffic can be nerve wracking, but it does get easier. To start with, you might try finding a bike path that runs beside a fairly busy road. Then you'd be able to get used to the road noise while still being safe.

As a second step, or first if the bike path isn't available, try a secondary road with little traffic. Remember to ride to the right side of the lane going in the same direction as traffic. Legally, you are a vehicle and have the right to be on the road. Don't ride so far to the side that you don't have room to move over if you need to, however.

You might also consider getting a mirror so you can see what's coming up behind you. They aren't perfect, but are better than nothing.

Keep working on it and you'll be zipping in and out of traffic in no time!