Cycling Safety Rules

Two wheels can make you memories of a lifetime. Here are some basic Cycling safety tips to help keep you injury free!

See also Cycling Pedaling Technique.

11 Cycling Safety Tips

			11 Cycling Safety Tips
		Obey Traffic Laws.  Familiarize yourself with all applicable traffic laws and cycling rules. Do not run stop signs or red lights or use the wrong side of the street. Be respectful. Ride on Same Side of Traffic.  It is generally either illegal or unsafe to ride on a sidewalk or on the road towards oncoming traffic. Join In. If you are traveling at the same speed as other traffic, it may be safer to jump in and ride with traffic and be more visible to motorists.  Wear Your Helmet.  Always wear a helmet and make sure it is properly fastened and fitted. Make Eye Contact with Driver.  Making eye contact with drivers ensures that the motorists see you and helps you assert your rightful place on the road. Ride Straight and Consistent.   Do not weave in and out of traffic.  Ride consistently and predictably.  Inconsistent conduct increases your chances of being squeezed out of traffic or getting hit. Ride Defensively. Make sure you are always aware of your surroundings. Know what is behind you and watch out for what is in front of you. Be on the lookout for road hazards, sand and gravel, glass, railroad tracks, parked cars, snow and slush.  Sewer grates and cracks in the road can catch your wheel.  Watch for parked cars where people may be opening. Wear Bright Clothing.  Have reflectors on front, side and rear of bike and wear bright clothing.  Use Your Hands.  Always keep at least one hand on the handle bars and use your hands to signal turns and lane changes. Maintain Brakes.  Keep breaks in good condition and be aware of how weather can affect braking ability. Keep Ears Attentive.  Keep your ears attentive.  Don’t ride with an iPod or cover your ears with clothing. The first 10 tips are courtesy of David Zabriskie’s  Yield to Life

Cycling Hydration for Safety and Alertness

Good Hydration is essential to maintain safety for very active individuals and competitive athletes. Good hydration keeps the body functioning properly and the mind alert!

However, reliance on water alone for hydration, or excess water consumption, can have the effect of flushing needed vitamins and minerals from the body. The more active one is the greater one’s hydration needs.  Hydration is important for cyclists particularly when cycling long distances.  Hydration is equally as important during cold weather as it is in hot, dry or humid weather.  In cold weather, dehydration can cause hypothermia very quickly.  Drinking plenty of fluids during cold weather is essential to maintain core body temperatures.

When cycling in hot weather, the combination of the external heat and the internal heat produced from cycling, heat within the body can build causing Hyperthermia which is having a core body temperature that is too high.  Maintaining good hydration can reduce the onset of Hyperthermia as good hydration enhances sweating which acts to cool core body temperatures.

In very humid weather, our sweat doesn’t evaporate as very well and we tend to sweat more with less cooling effect thereby loosing needed fluids to maintain good performance.  When lost fluids are not replaced our body begins to shut down starting with heat cramps and muscle cramps due to lack of electrolytes.  Fatigue will begin to increase when fluids are not replaced and under extreme lack of fluid replacement heat exhaustion or stroke can occur.

It is recommend we drink 24oz of fluid each hour cycling.  It is also recommended to maintain best performance that fluids contain electrolytes, carbohydrates, calcium and protein.  Interestingly, Nonfat Milk contains a natural mix of electrolytes (Yes, milk is high in Potassium!), carbohydrates and protein and is a good source of Hydration when the weather is cooler or in early morning rides.

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