Bicycle Safety Tips for Heavy Riders
Being safe on a bicycle is almost completely in your hands. The following bicycle safety tips for heavy riders are actually very simple and basic but are undoubtedly essential in helping you be an effective, skillful, and safe bicyclist.
1. The very first thing you need to be knowledgeable about in order to have a safe bike ride is controlling your bicycle. There are a lot of bike crashes which only involved the bicyclist himself. You need to know how to skillfully control your bicycle when you are starting or stopping, and when you are making a turn. This way you are more likely to avoid falls.
2. And of course, knowing and following road rules is another significant and indispensable thing. Among the bicycle safety tips, this is the probably the most basic one. In all 50 states of America, a bicycle is considered a legal vehicle. This means you are obliged to obey traffic rules, laws, signals, and signs. Make use of the right-most lane towards the direction of where you are going. Use the right lanes when making a turn. Be extra cautious and alert when you are moving through intersections because this is where most bicycle crashes happen. As you approach an intersection, make sure you are on the proper lane and do not forget to make use of the right hand signals. When you are sharing bike lane with other bicyclists, stay watchful and observe right group riding procedures. Aside from hand signals, you can also use voice signals. Bicyclists riding in a big group are more likely to hit and crash with one another compared with motor vehicles.
3. You must know how to skillfully manage hazardous elements. Of all bicycle safety tips, this is perhaps the most challenging one for heavy riders because it takes time to learn and master the tricks and maneuvers such as quick stop, quick turn, and quick dodge. You need such skills in order to avoid hazardous obstacles like stones or rocks, glass, puddles, debris and others; or in order to avoid mistakes committed by motorists. In a heavy traffic, an evasive move may force you into the path of another vehicle. If it is not safe to turn or dodge, you have to know the skills of riding over obstacles. However, do not ride through or abruptly stop on dangerous ground conditions such as gravel, sand, or oil slicks. Otherwise, you will lose control of your bicycle and crash.
4. Always be ready; and one way to be such is by keeping both your hands ready to brake. If you brake using only one hand, you may not be able to brake in time. Some bike crashes are caused by not being able to brake at the right time. If you hit the brake too soon or too late, bad things may happen, so always be ready. Since hand brakes are less effective when riding on wet surfaces, allow extra distance when you have to stop in the rain.
5. One cause of bike-related crashes is by using bicycles that are not sturdy enough to carry 200 pounds or more. The tires, rims, and frames of common bikes are most likely to wear faster than specially designed bicycles for heavy riders You will have a bigger chance to fall or crash if your bike is not suited for the size and weight of your body. Also, since you have a tendency to move a little slower than lighter riders, choose a bike with lower and extended pedals. Such bicycle would enable you to put one foot on the ground quicker and with less effort in case you need to stop without using your hand brakes.
1. The very first thing you need to be knowledgeable about in order to have a safe bike ride is controlling your bicycle. There are a lot of bike crashes which only involved the bicyclist himself. You need to know how to skillfully control your bicycle when you are starting or stopping, and when you are making a turn. This way you are more likely to avoid falls.
2. And of course, knowing and following road rules is another significant and indispensable thing. Among the bicycle safety tips, this is the probably the most basic one. In all 50 states of America, a bicycle is considered a legal vehicle. This means you are obliged to obey traffic rules, laws, signals, and signs. Make use of the right-most lane towards the direction of where you are going. Use the right lanes when making a turn. Be extra cautious and alert when you are moving through intersections because this is where most bicycle crashes happen. As you approach an intersection, make sure you are on the proper lane and do not forget to make use of the right hand signals. When you are sharing bike lane with other bicyclists, stay watchful and observe right group riding procedures. Aside from hand signals, you can also use voice signals. Bicyclists riding in a big group are more likely to hit and crash with one another compared with motor vehicles.
3. You must know how to skillfully manage hazardous elements. Of all bicycle safety tips, this is perhaps the most challenging one for heavy riders because it takes time to learn and master the tricks and maneuvers such as quick stop, quick turn, and quick dodge. You need such skills in order to avoid hazardous obstacles like stones or rocks, glass, puddles, debris and others; or in order to avoid mistakes committed by motorists. In a heavy traffic, an evasive move may force you into the path of another vehicle. If it is not safe to turn or dodge, you have to know the skills of riding over obstacles. However, do not ride through or abruptly stop on dangerous ground conditions such as gravel, sand, or oil slicks. Otherwise, you will lose control of your bicycle and crash.
4. Always be ready; and one way to be such is by keeping both your hands ready to brake. If you brake using only one hand, you may not be able to brake in time. Some bike crashes are caused by not being able to brake at the right time. If you hit the brake too soon or too late, bad things may happen, so always be ready. Since hand brakes are less effective when riding on wet surfaces, allow extra distance when you have to stop in the rain.
5. One cause of bike-related crashes is by using bicycles that are not sturdy enough to carry 200 pounds or more. The tires, rims, and frames of common bikes are most likely to wear faster than specially designed bicycles for heavy riders You will have a bigger chance to fall or crash if your bike is not suited for the size and weight of your body. Also, since you have a tendency to move a little slower than lighter riders, choose a bike with lower and extended pedals. Such bicycle would enable you to put one foot on the ground quicker and with less effort in case you need to stop without using your hand brakes.
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