Posted by Art on Jul 7, 2010 in
Biking
Cyclists, no matter how careful they get, still is susceptible to getting injured while riding. Accidents may happen, especially when driving on a busy road or perilous terrain. It’s vital that one’s safety is maintained at all costs. And this is when having the right protective gears and knowing road rules step into the picture.
Although protective wear will not prevent injuries from happening, they can lessen their severity. Wearing appropriate garments for bike riding, such as Pearl Izumi shorts and a matching top isn’t enough. These garments give you a certain level of protection all right, but there are other must-haves to be worn with them.
Wearing a helmet keeps your head from sustaining critical injuries. Studies have concluded that head injuries are reduced by 60 percent when a helmet is worn during a bicycling crash. However, it’s not enough that you put on any helmet type. Go for one that’s specifically designed for cycling. Look for that sticker or label saying it meets strict standards.
There are other essential gears such as shatter proof goggles and gloves. If you’re a beginner or if you’re going in the direction of extreme sports, you should have additional ones. Some of them include shin guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and the likes. Shoes specifically for cycling are also available, for comfort and extra safety.
Your bicycle should also have accessories that are meant to keep you out of harm’s way. Your Schwinn mountain bike or BMX may not come fully accessorized. If you intend to ride at night at times, it’s important for your bicycle to have front and rear lights. Installing reflectors will also make you more visible to motorists. Then there are also mirrors and horns available.
Aside from wearing protective gears, knowing certain road rules will add to your safety when taking your bicycle out. See to it that you ride in a straight line and always use hand signals when turning or stopping. Behave like you’re also riding a car and drive defensively. Sometimes, common sense is important, such as avoiding busy roads for your own good.
Having a personal trainer is essential if you’re planning on becoming a professional cyclist. He or she will coach you the right way, each time your skill level advances. However, it’s not constantly that there’s someone to guide you while riding. Putting on proper protective gears and abiding by road rules will help minimize your risk of getting in an accident or injured.
Tags: Bicycle Riding, Bicycle Safety, Cycling
Posted by Art on Jul 7, 2010 in
Biking
Cyclists, no matter how careful they get, still is susceptible to getting injured while riding. Accidents may happen, especially when driving on a busy road or perilous terrain. It’s vital that one’s safety is maintained at all costs. And this is when having the right protective gears and knowing road rules step into the picture.
Although protective wear will not prevent injuries from happening, they can lessen their severity. Wearing appropriate garments for bike riding, such as Pearl Izumi shorts and a matching top isn’t enough. These garments give you a certain level of protection all right, but there are other must-haves to be worn with them.
Wearing a helmet keeps your head from sustaining critical injuries. Studies have concluded that head injuries are reduced by 60 percent when a helmet is worn during a bicycling crash. However, it’s not enough that you put on any helmet type. Go for one that’s specifically designed for cycling. Look for that sticker or label saying it meets strict standards.
There are other essential gears such as shatter proof goggles and gloves. If you’re a beginner or if you’re going in the direction of extreme sports, you should have additional ones. Some of them include shin guards, elbow pads, knee pads, and the likes. Shoes specifically for cycling are also available, for comfort and extra safety.
Your bicycle should also have accessories that are meant to keep you out of harm’s way. Your Schwinn mountain bike or BMX may not come fully accessorized. If you intend to ride at night at times, it’s important for your bicycle to have front and rear lights. Installing reflectors will also make you more visible to motorists. Then there are also mirrors and horns available.
Aside from wearing protective gears, knowing certain road rules will add to your safety when taking your bicycle out. See to it that you ride in a straight line and always use hand signals when turning or stopping. Behave like you’re also riding a car and drive defensively. Sometimes, common sense is important, such as avoiding busy roads for your own good.
Having a personal trainer is essential if you’re planning on becoming a professional cyclist. He or she will coach you the right way, each time your skill level advances. However, it’s not constantly that there’s someone to guide you while riding. Putting on proper protective gears and abiding by road rules will help minimize your risk of getting in an accident or injured.
Tags: Bicycle Riding, Bicycle Safety, Cycling
Posted by Jeff on Dec 30, 2008 in
Parenting
Scarlett Capelli asked:
One of the most enjoyable activities in a child’s life is bicycle riding. Kids seem to use bicycles to go everywhere. Teaching your child the proper bicycle safety can prevent them from sustaining any serious injuries.
The first step to safety with a bicycle is the bicycle itself. Making sure that the bicycle is kept in good operating condition is important. Your child should check the brakes regularly and in the case of hand brakes, worn pads should be replaced. Rims that have missing spokes should also be replaced to ensure that the wheels are sturdy, especially if your child is doing a lot of jumping. Reflectors and headlights are helpful accessories if your child rides in traffic frequently. You should also check that your child’s bicycle is adjusted properly for his height. If the child cannot touch the ground properly, this situation can make his ability to stop and start difficult and can pose a serious threat when riding in traffic.
Clothing is a very important element to practice bicycle safety. Your child should wear a helmet at all times to prevent him from sustaining a head injury. Smaller children who are still shaky on their bicycles may want to wear elbow and knee pads also. For children who ride regularly in traffic, reflective or light colored clothing is recommended, especially for riding past dusk in the evening. These clothes will enable oncoming motorists to see them against the dark sky.
Younger children should not ride in traffic at all and older children should refrain from doing it unless there is no other choice. Your child should try to stick to marked paths or trails instead of busy city streets. If your child does need to ride in traffic, he should always remember to travel in the same direction as the traffic. Hand signals should always be performed when turning in traffic so the motorists will know which way the child is going to go. The standard hand signals are extending the left arm straight out to turn left and bending the left arm at the elbow with the forearm pointing up to turn right. These only take a few minutes to do and can prevent your child from being hit by an oncoming vehicle.
For older children, riding double is never a good idea. Single-seated bicycles are not designed to be ridden with two people on them. It throws your balance off and both you and your passenger can be hurt in a spill.
Many children also enjoy jumping on their bicycles. This is not recommended on a bicycle with a standard design. For children that want to do a lot of jumping, the mountain bikes that are on the market hold up best during this activity. The rims are reinforced and do not bend as easily to make for easier landings. It is recommended that these children should do this kind of jumping in existing bike ramp areas. Building ramps and jumps on their own can be a key for disaster.
Bicycling can be a lot of fun, but it can be dangerous as well. By teaching your child bicycle safety, you can ensure that he has a safe and enjoyable experience.
Gayle E. Martinsen
Tags: Bicycle Riding, Child Rides, Proper Bicycle
Posted by Art on Dec 2, 2008 in
Biking
road bike
Mountain biking is an exciting sport that can be enjoyed by anyone who knows how to ride a bike. Compared to the average bike ride, it does present some danger. Therefore, you should master these basic skills before you hit the trails or the dirt. You can practice these beginning skills at a local park, school, bike path, or simply around your house. If you can, try to find a location with a steep hill.
Get a feel for your pedals
Practice moving your foot away from the pedal, first while sitting on your bike with one foot on the ground. Next, move on to releasing and replacing your foot while pedaling around for a bit. Those with toe clip and clipless type foot pedals will want to spend a bit more time practicing. Just remember that this is not a bike racing competition.
Sit and spin for position
Simply sit on your bike and pedal around. You should keep your arms slightly bent. You should also adjust your seat height so your leg is 70 to 90 percent extended at the bottom of every stroke on the pedal. Keep your body relaxed, as there will never be a position where you should have either your knees or your elbows locked.
Shifting gears
Get a feel for shifting gears with your touring bicycle. The higher gears are harder to pedal and will go faster while the lower gears are easier to pedal and will help you ascend hills. As you get to steeper hills, its best to shift before you get to the hill rather than while you are on it.
Coasting
You should spend a bit of time coasting while standing on your pedals, without actually sitting on the seat. Keep your arms bent but don’t lock your knees. Now, try experimenting with shifting your body towards the rear end of the bike.
Pedal while standing
You should get as comfortable as you can with pedaling while standing on your bike. Try lifting yourself off the seat while standing on the pedals, then crank them around. Try this on lower gears while on a hill, and higher gears on flat ground.
Dropping down a curb
Try finding a curb where you can easily get to the upper portion of it. Practice at a moderate speed, standing and coasting right off the curb from the upper level to the lower level. Try this at different speeds until it becomes second nature.
You will be able to travel on feeling good on your mountain bike once you practice your techniques and get used to them. Even though it may take some getting used to, it’ll become second nature before you know it.
Tags: Bicycle Riding, bike race, bike races, bike racing, cycling bikes, Road Bike, touring bicycle
Posted by Jeff on Mar 19, 2008 in
Bike Trails dreamelixir4453 asked: The cool breeze the cool breeze the bike and the incessant visual stimulation but sometimes my daughter starts nodding stop and we both have helmets.
The rhythmic feelings of the bicycle and we take water break she gets sleepy because of the rhythmic feelings of the incessant visual stimulation but is it alright to keep peddling with her child seat on her head down shes strapped in has safety bar on the bike and we.
Merle F. Kaler
Tags: Bicycle Riding, Feelings, Visual Stimulation
