Top bike safety tips 

You’re ready to hop on your bike to explore the roads and trails near you, but let’s first get a quick refresher with bike safety tips

Most riders would agree with me that in order to minimize mistakes and defend against hazards, you must find your focus and confidence while riding.

If you’re an expert rider or a complete beginner it’s important to consider bike safety tips when operating your bike.

Whether you have a bicycle, electric bicycle, or unicycle these bike safety tips will give you a defense against dangers.

Today I’ll show you how to increase your focus and confidence on your bike which will help you ride more safely.

 

Check out this quick video and bike safety tips 

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Bike Safety Tip – Know your Bicycle 

There are quite a few moving and stationary parts on a bike. You need to inspect a couple of these parts to ensure your ride doesn’t fail. Goals for the end of your ride:

Bike in one piece

Body in one piece.

First check the seat to make sure that it is the right height. The right height is going to be different for everyone.

I recommend the right height as the position where you feel like you have the best balance and control of your bike.

If you need to find the best cycle trails, check out this blog 

Once you’ve found this height, lock the seat height into place. Also check that the seat is locked to prevent any side to side movement.

Now let’s check the bolts or levers which secure the tires in place.

Simply use your fingers to manually test the tightness of the bolts or the lever.

If you cannot move the bolt or lever with your fingers, you’re probably in great shape.

The last thing you want is your wheel flying off your bike.

A real confidence breaker! 

 

Find your tire pressure

The pressure depends of which type of terrain will you be riding. 

A smoother paved surface calls for higher pressure of pounds per inch or PSI.

• A mountain bike trail requires lower PSI.

You should have tire gauge to get an accurate read of tire pressure on your bike. 

 

 

 

The rubber part of the tire should have a faintly written number which tells you the exact PSI for your tire. You want your tires to be evenly inflated. The only exact way to guarantee your tires are even is to check with a tire gauge.

 

If you get a flat and need to know how to fix it, check out this blog 

You should get a tire repair kit to be able to fix flats while on the road. 

 

If the tires are evenly inflated, make sure they are the correct PSI for your terrain. If you need to add air you will need to get a bike pump.  A floor bike pump inflates bike tires quickly 

A mini bike pump can be carried in your flat tire repair kit. 

 

A tire gauge and bike pump are crucial tools for riding with cycle safety as a priority.

 

Check your reflectors

How many reflectors do you have on your bike? Your bike should be equipped with reflectors at front, rear, and pedals.

The goal here is to remain visible. Make sure the reflectors don’t have dirt or debris covering them.

It can also be beneficial to wear reflective clothing. Remember to be seen so that traffic can prepare early and increase your chances of remaining safe.

Test your brakes

Before you get moving, you need to make sure you have the ability to STOP. You will need to test the brakes.

Without getting on the bike, you can push the bike slightly forward and squeeze brakes handles to see if the brakes prevent your bike push. If your bike has two brakes, test them separately.

You’ve inspected your bike and are one step closer to minimizing errors while riding. In order to communicate with pedestrians and other cyclists, it’s important to have a bell or horn. ***Install your device close to your grip so that you can access quickly.

Here is the bell I recently installed on one of my ebikes. It’s tiny and provides enough sound for any pedestrian traffic to know that I’m coming! 

 

Bike safety tips- Communicate with traffic

It’s important to give people a safe distance warning if you will be coming close to them. When pedestrians have their backs to you, it’s important that they hear that you are near. This helps avoid accidents by preventing sudden movements into your cycle path.

In order to increase your level of safety I highly recommend getting front and back lights for your bike. It’s good practice to even use lights during the day. If you’re riding at night, these are a necessity.

A front light has the ability to help you illuminate a path and these lights often have a strobe feature. Here is an example of a front light that is wired into an ebike battery. This cycle safety feature comes standard on many ebikes.

Here is an example of a rechargeable front light I use on my DIY Ebike. I use this rechargeable strobe front light most rides because it helps me be seen at a distance where I might not normally be noticed.

 

Most vehicles have tail lights because It’s a great way for traffic behind you to see you and accurately gauge distance. Strive to be recognized as a cycle from a great distance.
The example in this photo is wired into the ebike battery.

The light runs red and when the brakes are pressed, the battery lights up in additional areas to indicate a stop.

 

Here is the back light I use with the DIY Ebike. This light has the option to stay solid red or to continuously strobe. I choose the strobe option because it’s easier to see.

These rechargeable lights come together in a package and don’t require tools for install.

Bike safety tips- Monitor Traffic 

You’re riding on the road If you want to monitor the traffic behind you there are two ways to do this.

1. Turn around and look

2. Install a rear view mirror

As you’ll see here, I’ve put a rear view mirror on the DIY Ebike. Personally I don’t like to ride on roads without one. The mirror will let you know what is happening behind you at all times without having to change your posture.

Mirrors have become a more widely used accessory in cycle safety. Now you know how to inspect your bike for cycle safety. Ride with more confidence knowing your bike will give you the performance you expect.

 

Bike Safety Tips- Get yourself ready

Your bike is ready to explore the roadways, now it’s time to get yourself prepared.
Let’s talk about bike helmets. They come in all shapes and sizes. Make sure you find one that’s a good fit and wear it whenever you cycle.

When I was growing up the police in my hometown would hand out Ice cream sundae coupons if they saw a kid wearing their helmet. Check out bike helmets here 

Wearing a helmet while riding is a great habit to get into. You never know, you might be wearing your helmet and someone might stop you and give you free ice cream..That’s all I’m saying.

One the common themes of bike safety tips is to be seen and heard. To make sure you are seen I recommend wearing bright or reflective clothing. Wear colors that don’t blend in with the path you’re traveling.

There are numerous options for reflective clothing online. With your bike lights/reflectors and your bright/reflective clothing you have a much greater chance of being seen at a long distance.
Make sure you don’t have any straps, ropes, belts, or loose clothing hanging from your outfit.

The last step is to protect yourself from the elements. In the photos in this blog the weather was 89 degrees and sunny. I try to wear plenty of sunscreen. I prefer this type of sunscreen because it doesn’t contain avebenzone. Avebenzone has the tendency of making stains on clothes when they get sweaty.

Stay hydrated for your best performance.

A dehydrated body is prone to inflammation and injury. Depending on your bike’s bottle holder capabilities, there are tons of options for water bottles.

Personally, I used a camel back on longer rides, It holds more water than a typical water bottle and allows me to take quick drinks.

 

Protection from elements

A neck gaitor is a great way to keep the wind and sun off of your face and neck. If you use this to cover your face you might also prevent bugs from flying into your mouth. This is the one I use.

 

Many riders wear sunglasses to prevent glare and for eye protection. If you’re moving fast on your bike, the lenses of the glasses could prevent debris and bugs from damaging your eyes.

Sunglasses also prevent the wind from directly hitting your eyeballs and drying them out. These are the sunglasses I‘ve had for the last two years. 

Make it a habit to glance at the weather radar before you hit the roads. You want to be prepared for the unpredictable mother nature. With this knowledge you will have the confidence that you are correctly prepared for any situation.

 

Bring your phone and cash. A phone and cash can get you out of tricky situations. Gain confidence in your bike safety tips by acquiring the right gear.

Bike Safety Tips- Hitting the road 

Equipped with your bike and gear you are now ready for your ride. Stay within your range of confidence as you cycle.You want to know the capabilities of your bike and your ability to control your bike in different situations

As a kid I used to participate in the Bike Rodeo. This was a competition to see how well you could control your bike safely as you rode through a challenging course that tried to throw you off!

One of the specific events tested your ability to stop on a dime. You had to travel at varying speeds on varying surfaces and score points by stopping on targets.

This practice gives you a great recognition of the time and distance it takes your bike to stop.

Another event was the zig zag. You had to follow a traced chalk outline which took you through difficult turns and obstacles.

Points were deducted if you touched the chalk with your tires. At a safe speed, this practice gives you a clearer idea of your turning abilities on your bike. The Bike Rodeo was pretty much the original X Games.

Riding scenario examples 

Let’s go over some of the best practices for riding in different scenarios.

On a paved bike trail use your bike bell in advance before approaching pedestrians or another biker.

In most cases, the person will move and you will have plenty of room to pass. If the person doesn’t move, I will try the bell again once closer.

If the person does not move, I will decelerate and say, “on your left” as I pass them on their left. Stay at speeds where you know that you have the confidence to make quick adjustments.

If you are looking to have the least amount of interaction with auto traffic, a bike trail is usually a good bet.

 

In bike lanes on roads be aware of traffic and road conditions. Sometimes the bike lane may have rough terrain.

Be careful not to enter the road unless you know that traffic doesn’t present a danger. Turning can be challenging.

Make sure you are confident in your control of the bike before heading into high traffic areas.

On roadways you want to make sure to use hand signals. Use hand signals that drivers understand. To signal a left turn or lane change, hold your left arm straight out from your body.

 

To signal a right turn or land change, hold your right arm straight out from your body.

To stop, hold your left arm down to the ground with the palm of your hand facing behind you.

There are other ways to signal. But I don’t think many non biking car drivers are aware of what these other signals stand for.

 

Bike safety tips-riding the road

 

For the best practices of bike safety tips follow traffic signs, signals and lane markings when riding in the road.

Ride with the flow of traffic in the same direction of motor vehicles. Be predictable to drivers with your movement.

 

Yield to traffic when you are unsure of what to do in a given situation.
All vehicles could potentially be dangerous and a parked car might be equally as dangerous as a moving car.

When possible, keep your distance from the possible opening of a parked car door and travel at speeds that allow for quick stopping.

Bike gloves can help maximize grip for riders with sweaty hands. 

 

You are gaining confidence in your ability to practice the best cycle safety. A gain in confidence will help you focus while on your ride.

This focus will give you a broad picture of your surroundings while maintaining the ability to adapt in any situation. 

You are on your way to minimizing mistakes and defending against hazards. Whether you’re an expert rider or a complete beginner, practicing bike safety tips is a top priority.

Good luck exploring the roads and trails near you. Leave a Comment. I’d love to hear about your latest ride.