Cycling Tips
Cycling Tips for Centre County
If you like to ride a bicycle, Centre County is an outstanding place to live and/or visit. Whether it’s rolling backcountry roads, steep mountain climbs, technical single-track, or in-town bicycle paths that you seek, the greater State College area delivers. While the information contained in these routes should ensure a successful ride, some prior familiarity with the Centre County area roads and trails will definitely help. You may wish to pick up the excellent Purple Lizard maps. An great and free map of the area can also be obtained from the Happy Valley Adventure Bureau. Finally, if you are lucky, you might be able to scare up a copy of Bike Rides From Beaver Stadium or Mountain Bike Madness in Central Pennsylvania, two excellent (but currently out of print) books by Scott Adams (no, not the Dilbert Guy). Some of the Bike Rides from Beaver Stadium are available on our Happy Valley Ride with GPS site.
View our Multi-Lingual Cycling Tips for Motorists and Cyclists.
Ride Smart Ride Safe Tips
Light Up! Be Safe, be seen!
PA Law requires you to have a white front headlight and rear red reflector visible for 500 feet if you are riding before sunrise or after sunset. So you can be seen and also see where you’re going, CentreBike recommends at least a 300 Lumen front light and a lighted, blinking taillight. Many options are available at our local bike shops and online. Twilight is the period after dawn and before sunset when we recommend you have your lights on. See the chart in the next slide to get an idea of when you’ll need lights to get home safely.
Resources for Biking to Work
Helpful Videos for Commuters and Road Riders
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Traffic Laws
Where Should I Ride?
Lane Changing
Intersection Positioning
Bike Lanes
Riding on the Sidewalk
Sharing the Trail
A few words of wisdom about road riding in the Centre County area:
- While most of the roads in the area are well paved, some lack an adequate shoulder. Please exercise caution on these stretches!
- Be advised that some automobile traffic often travels faster than the posted speed limit. In our Happy Valley Ride with GPS maps, particularly tricky sections have been marked. Note, however, that your tolerance, or lack thereof, of traffic may differ from the author’s.
- This is rural Pennsylvania. You will run into the occasional and most likely unleashed dog which will invariably give pursuit. Generally, a stern (and loud!) ‘NO’ or ‘STOP’ will do the trick. If not, a squirt of water between the eyes (the dog’s, not yours) is an excellent plan B. Those of you with poor aim and requiring a plan C should work on your sprinting.
- Note that State College has a short, but very definite ‘rush hour’ in the evening. Roads that see, on average, light traffic may be heavily used from 4-6pm. These include, but are not limited to, Whitehall Road, Fox Hollow Road, etc.
- Many rides take you far, far away from civilization. Mechanical trouble at the apogee of your ride would be a serious drag. Please consider carrying, at the bare minimum, a patch kit, tire lever, spare tube, and pump. You may also wish to carry an adjustable wrench, a few allen keys, and a chain tool. While on the topic of what to carry, be sure to carry adequate water and food. Food stops are noted in our Ride with GPS maps and in the cue sheets, but an extra banana or bagel never hurt anyone.
- Wave and say hello to the folks that you pass in the countryside. They are the ones who drive (and therefore pass cyclists) on the backroads. A little courtesy will hopefully be returned in kind.
- Always, always, always wave with all five fingers. You are an ambassador for the rest of us. Angry words and gestures only serve to make people more irate, and they’ll take it out on the next cyclist.