Thursday, October 14, 2010

Bicycling Safety and Clothing Tips

Cycling is fun right? Riding outdoors in the weather and enjoying the natural greenery really makes it a pleasure. Recreational cycling can use tips from the bike racing world. Most everything innovative for the public began from the competitive world. Helmets, eye ware and safety belts came from auto racing. Lets start with making your bicycling a safer experience. Wear the clothing designed for bicycling safely with these tips.
Wear sunglasses designed for riding. Some eye ware may wrap around the temples. It keeps debris away from your eyes. Protect your most important body part, your head, with a proper fitting helmet. Helmets now are light and aerodynamic. Ventilation holes keep you cool and comfortable. It is better to damage a helmet in a crash than your head. Wear a helmet always to bicycle safely. It is your life.
The gloves you wear serve purposes. They are finger less and the palms are padded. Gloves are designed finger less because your fingers are bare to grip the hand brakes, shift the gear levers and handle your water bottle while riding. The padded palms grip the tires with if the brake cables fail. The padded palm areas reduce the pressure of your body weight on your palms.
Clothing is snug to the body. Jerseys have long sleeves and pockets on the lower back region. The pockets hold tires, water bottles or anything needed. Snug fit makes you aerodynamic by cutting down wind resistance. The latest materials are designed to wick perspiration from your skin. Shorts are snug too for the same reasons. Like gloves, they are padded. A padded crotch makes any bike ride comfortable. Shorts are worn without under ware. Your under shorts have seams and piping around the leg openings. It is the cause of road rash, resulting in your crotch skin rubbed raw. Cycling socks are designed with the same reasons mentioned.
Cycling shoes are made for cycling not walking. The soles are stiff. That takes the pressure off the balls of the feet and spreads it across the entire bottom of the shoe. Cleat and peddle binding areas rare designed into the soles.
Bicycle head lights are for illuminating the road ahead. You will be seen by oncoming traffic. Get a head light and use it. The reflectors are on the front, back and on the spokes if the tires. The peddles also have reflectors on them. Remember when bicycling on the roads to follow the rules of the road. Ride as you would be driving your car safely.

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