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10 Hot Tips for safer cycling
- Be visible
- this means bright clothing in the daytime and bright lights as well at night. A light coloured
cycle helmet is visible a long way off.
- Ride positively and decisively
- use your personality - you are in charge of a vehicle and have every right to be there. You
need a 2-ton ego to make up for your lack of size. Take pride when you ride.
- Make bold, clear signals
- always make big, exaggerated, hand signals; in good time and after checking your rear.
- Anticipate problems and situations before they arise
- try to read the road ahead and use your height to get a better view.
- Shout a warning where necessary
- or use a bell or horn. If the driver or pedestrian sees you anyway you've lost nothing.
- Make eye contact with drivers when moving slowly
- a driver will generally avoid eye contact if he does not intend to give way to you.
- Expect aggression and ignorant behaviour
- this is no longer unusual nor unexpected and should not upset you.
- Ride away from the kerb where you can be seen
when moving the same speed as other vehicles, but pull over again to allow cars to overtake
when you cannot keep up.
- Whenever possible, keep to quiet roads and cyclepaths
- there's no point in trying to compete with heavy traffic on roads that are not designed for
cycles.
- Maintain high cycling standards
- this means stay legal, be considerate towards others (especially those most vulnerable) and
load no more than your bike can safely carry.
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What to look for when buying a bike
Where do you go? Well, first of all there are shops which sell bikes and bike shops. Is
the difference important? Cyclists think it is. When a bike comes from the manufacturer it has to be
finally assembled and adjusted in the shop by a bike mechanic. This is a skilled job and if the bike is
put together by unskilled hands then more harm can be done than good. You may only find that out when
you go out on the road. Good bike shops employ trained staff. They will offer you an after sales
service and also put things right which go wrong. After a month they should take the bike in and give
it a free service, checking various bits like the bottom bracket, brakes, gears, headset which can
work loose. What should you look for?
- Check the frame. Make sure it is straight and true. Stand behind the bike and
make sure the wheels are in line. Hold the bike by the saddle and wheel it around. If the frame
or forks are bent it will veer to one side.
- A good bike shop will let you ride a bike before you buy it. Remember it may
feel strange at first. However if the bike steers to one side when you are either holding
the handlebars lightly or when you ride "no hands", then there is something wrong. A
bicycle should go straight, in control, without pulling to one side. Reject any bike which fails
these tests. A bike which will not track accurately is tiring and unsafe to ride.
- Check all the nuts and bolts are tight.
- Wheels should spin easily and when the bike is lifted off the ground the weight of
the valve stem should pull the wheel around so the valve is in the six o’clock position.
- Wheels should be centred in fork arms or chain stays. If the wheel can be moved
from side to side and there is a clicking sound, hub cones are out of adjustment.
- Side to side movement of the wheel should not exceed 1/8”.
- Pluck the spokes. All should be evenly tight and give the same “twang”.
- Brake blocks should hit rims squarely and not drag when released. Brakes
should not judder and make a noise when applied. If they do they require toeing in.
- Gears should work smoothly with no slippage. Test first with the wheels off the
ground and then on a ride.
- Pedals and chain wheel should spin easily but without side to side play. If
they do the bottom bracket needs adjusting.
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What should you do if things go wrong after you buy the bike? All new bikes,
whether they have guarantees or not, are covered by the Consumer Protection Act. Bike frames
usually have lifetime guarantees. If you cannot get your problems sorted out try the Trading
Standards Office. Good bike shops take pride in what they sell and in the service they offer. If
they give good service you will go back. A good bike shop may often build wheels or their own
frames. Having a frame made to fit you is not as expensive as you think. Finally take a cyclist
along with you when you go to look at bikes if you don’t know what to look for. They will
know the questions to ask.
Sam Webb
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