Safety Gear
Not buying the essential cycling safety equipment because they’re “too expensive” is an unacceptable reason, especially if you end up in the hospital with a long list of bills. Therefore, if you don’t want to keep yourself protected if ever you get into a cycling accident, we suggest you have these important safety gears.
Clothing
Cycling is one of the few sports that require different types of clothing in various kinds of weather. For winter, you’d want an outfit that will keep you warm. Usually, the winter outfit includes arm and knee warmers and lightweight, compact rain jacket. Most of the times, the clothing should also be windproof.
Helmet
All of the cycling helmets are made to meet safety standards. There are many arguments that it will still kill you in an accident even though if you’re wearing a helmet. But, will you really take away that opportunity to be able to protect your head in case an accident focuses its impact to your head?
Water Bottle and Cage
Even though you’re just strolling through the city, you’ll still feel thirsty. A filled water bottle, and a cage (if the cage provided doesn’t fit your bottle or if your bike doesn’t have one) is important to keep you from being dehydrated. Dehydration doesn’t just make you feel thirst, it also causes significant cramps.
Cycling Shoes with Clipless Pedals
This pair of safety equipment allows you to enhance your efficiency in pedaling by letting you pull both on the upstroke and downstroke. This method is fairly easy, you’ll just need practice to master it.
General Safety Cycling Rules
DOs
- Ensure that you have the proper bike for the type of cycling you’re going to do.
- Make sure that your bike is regularly maintained. Twice a year is the general recommendation.
- Check your tire pressure several times a week and lube your chain every other week.
- Check out the route before actually taking it.
- Ride in groups.
- Prepare your kit in advance.
- Wear a comfortable and proper clothing and gear.
- Always try to pass on the left, the same as you do with your car.
- Use hand signals to inform other drivers/cyclists.
DON’Ts
- Ride a bike that is too big or too small for your height.
- Wear yoga outfit or cotton-made clothing.
- Overload your bike with things you don’t need.
- Start too fast, especially in sportive.
- Wear headphones.
- Ignore other people using the roads/trails.
Cycling Tips
- Avoid hunching your shoulders so you won’t get so much soreness and fatigue.
- Picking the right seat to fit your anatomy. There are seats that are specifically made for women.
- Start slowly, especially if it’s your first time cycling, or if you’ve been out of shape for the long time.
- To avoid accidents in low light, wear brightly colored, reflective clothing. Or, you can also install reflective tape in your gear, and the bike itself.
- Avoid pedaling in high gear for long durations to avoid the increase of pressure on your knees.
