Starting and Stopping

There is a tendency to think that once you get so that you can ride around the block without falling down, you've "mastered" riding a bicycle, and know all you need to know about basic riding technique. Like most skills, however, there are levels of mastery, and a cyclist who has learned and practiced good technique will be a safer, more effective cyclist.

See bicycle guru Sheldon Brown's article on the most effective techniques on how to start and stop. Useful for the beginner, but even experienced cyclists will benefit.