By Jane E. Brody for the NY Times
Click on the full link at the bottom to read more about riding with Jane.
What a Safe Cyclist Should Have
First, choose a sensible bike for your needs. Will you be using the bike for recreational trips, racing or shopping? Unless you’re an amateur or professional racer, or plan to take long road trips, you don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to get a perfectly suitable, practical bike.
Neither do you need 27 gears to ride in most cities; three gears will do just fine. But if hills are in your riding plans, look for a bike with at least 21 gears so you can downshift easily when necessary. Riding in a gear too high for the terrain puts too much pressure on your knees and quads.
Get fitted for a bike by a well-trained bike store employee. An ill-fitting bike will put undue stress on joints and muscles. If others may occasionally use your bike, know how to adjust the seat and handlebars to their needs. Quick-release seats are great but easily stolen if the bike is parked on the street; you may need to take the seat with you.
Consider weight if you must carry the bike upstairs at home or work. No sense in risking a back injury.
As I use my city bike for transportation and errands, I have an inexpensive hybrid fitted with a handlebar basket to carry groceries. Other storage choices include handlebar bags, behind-the-seat bags and panniers that fit over a rack behind the seat. Consider balance when choosing and packing the carrying bags, or use a backpack.
If you’d like to keep your clothes clean, pick a bike with fenders or have them installed over the wheels. Use a bell (not a whistle) or a horn; in New York City, a bell is required by law. The newest ones require only a flick of a finger to alert others to your approach.
Essential safety features include reflector lights, front and back. If you sometimes ride in the dark or at dusk, get a reflector vest and a light for the bike or your helmet. Helmets are essential, even though New York City law does not require them for people over age 13.
Be sure the helmet is certified by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and fits properly; a helmet that is too loose or sits too far back on the head or is not buckled will not protect your brain.
If your bike may be parked outdoors, even for a little while, get a heavy lock that is not easily clipped. Mine is a U-shaped Krypton lock that can be stored on the bike frame or carried in a pack. If you have quick-release wheels, you may need a locking chain to protect them from theft.
It Takes More Than the Right Gear
Obey all traffic rules — stop signs, lights, pedestrian crossings, etc. — and signal your turns. I know this is hard to do when you’re in a hurry, the light is red and you can see that there are no cars coming or pedestrians crossing in front of you. But get used to it, because more summonses for cyclists are likely in the near future. And stay off sidewalks unless you are 12 or younger and your bicycle wheels are smaller than 26 inches in diameter.
Although there may be no laws yet banning use of handheld phones while cycling, there should be. Distracted cycling is just as dangerous as distracted driving. Keep your mind on the road. Watch out for cars making right turns; you may not be seen if you come up on the right after a car has stopped for a light or waited for pedestrians to cross. And stay alert for cars pulling out of a parking spot or driveway or a car door about to open in front of you.
Ride in the direction of vehicular traffic, not against it, and wherever possible use designated bicycle lanes, riding with the traffic unless the lane is bidirectional. Further tips for city cyclists can be found at www.nyc.gov/html/dot/html/bicyclists/biketips.shtml.
Click here for full article.
Subscribe