How to Ride a Bike Safely

Riding your bicycle can be a great deal of fun, & it is a amazing way to keep fit. Nevertheless, bicycle riding has its hazards, when you are sharing the road with motorized traffic. To keep safe, it is important to have a bicycle in top condition & to pay attention to some basic but important running requirements when sharing your ride with the general traffic.

This article is based on right-hand traffic; in case you live in a country with lefthand traffic, bear this in mind when reading the directions.

Steps

1. All checked & prepared to ride. All checked & prepared to ride. Check your running equipment. Before you even set out, it is important to make positive that your bicycle is roadworthy & safe. This is important for aging bikes. Checking your bicycle means taking a look at the following:

• Air -- are your tires inflated adequately?

• Brakes - do they work, are they neat?

• Chain - is it neat, free of debris, & able to turn with no issues?

2. Check the brakes. Wheel your bicycle around a flat surface, pulling the brake levers on & off. In the event that they do not work, & you are not positive how to fix them, contact your local bicycle shop & ask them to help.

3. Check the bike's tires. Put the whole tire in to a small bowl of water. See if there's any bubbles coming out. If there's any bubbles, it means your tire is punctured & you can get it fixed by a bicycle shop or do it yourself. Repeat for the other tire.

4. See if the bicycle is the right height for you. This is simple as all you require to do is sit on your bicycle & make positive that the tips of your toes touch the ground (& nothing else). Change the bicycle chair as needed, & the handles.

Dress appropriately

1. Wear bright clothing, a reflective vest, or have flashing lights. These all increase your visibility. You can also add reflector lights or reflective tape to your backpack if you are wearing one.

2. Wear comfortable shoes. Riding a bicycle in high heels or flip flops is never a nice suggestion. Wear shoes that fit snugly, are flat soled, & have no dangling pieces that could become caught in the bicycle structure & spokes.

3. Use trouser elastics or ties to hold back long pants or skirts that are threatening to flap in to the wheel spokes, or become dirtied by the chain grease.

4. Wearing a helmet is always a nice suggestion when running. In some places, you have no choice but to wear a helmet by law. Yet, even where this is not legally necessary, it is a nice suggestion to wear one to increase your safety.