What Every Cyclist Should Check before Hitting the Road

When it comes to bicycle safety, not only do you need to know how to stay safe on the road, but a big part of that is making sure your bicycle is safe to ride. By performing a simple pre-ride check each time you are getting ready to head out can make sure that you are as safe as can be.

A pre-ride check should include:

  • Check tire air pressure and add air as needed for an easier ride.
  • Check the tread on your tires to make sure they are not completely balled. This should also include checking for any debris stuck in the treads that could cause a flat.
  • Check that the wheels are secured tightly and the quick releases are secure so that the wheels don’t come loose while riding.
  • Check the brakes to make sure they are grabbing. Make sure they are grabbing the rims of the wheels and not the wheels themselves as well to prevent wear and sudden flats.
  • Compress and release suspension to make sure it is working properly.
  • Check your chain for dryness and add lube if needed.
  • Spin the wheels looking for wobbles. If wheels are wobbly, make sure to get them trued.

The above may seem like a lot of steps, but they can actually all be done rather quickly. By doing this pre-ride check every time, it is just one more variable of bicycle safety to remove. However, if you have been in an accident, you shouldn’t have to suffer it alone. If you need representation to make sure your rights aren’t stomped on, contact the Law Office of Gary Brustin today.

Three Skills to Master Before Road Cycling

There is a reason that you hear about bicycling accidents in the city so often. It is because road cycling is one of the most dangerous things a cyclist can do. The honest truth is that very few drivers know how to deal with sharing the road with a cyclist, and it is that lack of knowledge that gets cyclists hurt. While drivers should work to educate themselves, so, too, must cyclists work to prevent accidents. Before even getting on the road, you should be a master of these three skills.

Riding a Straight Line

It sounds like common sense, but we have all had to ride behind that sloppy and unpredictable cyclist at some point. You don’t want to bethe cyclist in the bike lane that is weaving all over the place not only because it can weave you into traffic, but it puts other cyclists at risk of hitting you.

Looking Back Without Curving

You know how sometimes when you look back your entire bike moves with you? Well, when you are one slight swerve from being in front of a car, you definitely can’t let that happen. It requires some practice, but you need to know how to observe your surroundings without causing your bike to veer in any direction.

Control Speed

It is easy (and super fun) to pick up speed on a bicycle, but when you are riding a busy road, you need to focus on being able to stop quickly and safely avoid any obstacles. You better believe you will have something unexpected happen almost every time you get out there, too.

Have you been in a bicycle accident and need to make sure your rights are represented? Contact a California bicycle accident lawyer today, we fight for the rights of cyclists.