Bike Handling, Safety, Comfort, and Group Riding Bike and Build Workshop, June 4, 2004

Transcription

1 Bike Handling, Safety, Cmfrt, and Grup Riding Bike and Build Wrkshp, June 4, 2004 I. Bicycle Handling fr Safety Wear a Helmet Understand the physics f bicycle riding Hw yur bike stays upright, and hw it steers and crners Yu learn uncnsciusly t make minute adjustments, and withut realising what yu are ding, yu steer t the right if yu begin t fall right, thus bringing the bike back underneath yur center f gravity The steering f the frnt wheel is the key t cntrl f the bicycle It is very hard t push a cyclist ff his bicycle by pushing his bdy r the bicycle itself It is easy t push a cyclist ff his bicycle by pushing his handlebars r arms Starting & Stpping A prperly raised saddle wn t allw yu t straddle it stpped always get ff the seat t start/stp Quick tip: Shift dwn a gear when yu are abut t stp t allw starting up again Falling ff yur Bicycle This will prbably happen sme day, and it prbably wn t really hurt Cause Crashes almst always caused by frnt wheel being turned unexpectedly (mst ther ways are creative enugh that nly racers manage them) Preventin Ride in a straight line (dn t crash thers) If yu must swerve, d it in a cntrlled, minimal fashin Prtect yur frnt wheel NEVER verlap ( crss ) wheels ALWAYS keep hands tightly n drps r hds ver pthles, sand r dwnhill

2 Sand, Debris and Water Water can hide dangers, s g slw r avid Sand r Debris can grab yur frnt wheel Slw dwn a little Ride in a straight line Use a small (easy) gear: pedal sftly, but dn t stp pedalling DO NOT try t turn, get ut f the saddle, r mash a big, hard gear by thrwing yur bdy weight arund Dealing with dgs Yell firmly NO Menace with pump, r squirt water bttle Better t stp than t crash (dgs usually lse interest if yu get ff the bike) Put bike between yu and the dg t deter it Stpping Suddenly Frnt brake has mre pwer, but ptential t flip yu Rear brake weaker, ptential t fishtail Use a cmbinatin f bth fr cntrlled braking Try This At Hme Ride in a straight line While lking ver yur shulder (IMPORTANT SKILL) While taking and replacing water bttle With nly ne hand (n hands if yu can!) While using hand signals (see grup riding belw) Swerve arund small imaginary bstacles withut lsing cntrl II. Basics f Riding in a Grup Grup Frmatins Single line The mst usual frmatin. Leave enugh space t be safe (d nt verlap wheels.) Duble line Only suitable in lw traffic cnditins Ride next t anther and chat

3 Yur Respnsibilities in Grup Riding Ride Safely DO NOT OVERLAP ( CROSS ) WHEELS Ride in a STRAIGHT LINE Only grab a waterbttle r balance bar while riding if yu are cnfident yu can d s withut swerving NEVER brake r swerve suddenly Any deviatins frm a straight steady line must be annunced t thers yell r hand signal Braking/slwing must be annunced and gradual Pint ut dangers Hand signals If yu are afraid t take yur hands ff the bars, yell instead Pint t hles and dangers n the rad Hand t lwer right, wave: t indicate swerving t pass a parked car r ther bstacle Hand behind back, palm ut: stpping/slwing/watch ut Others: parked cars with peple, glass, radkill, hrse pp, turning signals Yelling Car up : ncming traffic Car back : vertaking traffic Car left/right : entering traffic Runner/Walker/Cyclist up : if grup is vertaking and may need t swerve t make rm Cmmunicating Yur Desires with Others If yu re tired, say s If yu need t stp, say s If yu want t g slwer, say s Cnstructive Criticism f Others Others need yu t tell them if they are ding dangerus things: swerving in the grup, braking suddenly, etc. Try t use cnstructive and plite criticism cmmunicatin is essential fr safety. The Draft

4 Riding in the wind prtectin f anther rider Huge efficiency savings (25% r mre) When yu becme cmfrtable, yu can take advantage f this III. Basics f Riding in Traffic Yu are a vehicle Yu have a right t a lane Hwever, yu shuld stay t the right whenever pssible Understanding drivers Drivers think bicyclists are statinary. Knw that they will ften cut yu ff because they dn t think yu can mve that fast. They feel a need t pass yu even if yu are speeding. Drivers dn t see yu. Seriusly. REQUIRE eye cntact befre expecting a driver t yield right f way t yu Drivers NEVER lk right befre turning right Drivers d nt see cyclists behind r next t them At night, a rear blinking red light is the mst helpful item Als, bright & reflective clthing, frnt headlight Drivers d unexpected things. Drivers ften frget t signal never assume they are nt turning Ride like yu might drive in winter Never assume smene is stpping just because they shuld Make sure yu understand what each car is ding as yu apprach it Be Assertive Make it clear where yu are, what yu are ding and where yu plan t be. When turning left, take up entire leftmst lane (r left turn lane) and signal clearly Ride t the left f right turn lanes if nt turning

5 D nt ride up between lanes f traffic/parked cars unless in a very small grup. Use hand signals Right turn: right arm ut r left arm bent up Left turn: left arm ut Stpping: left arm dwn, palm backward. Signal if crssing/entering lanes IMPORTANT: Crssing/entering lanes f traffic requires that yu can safely see behind yu Best: Learn t lk ver yur shulder while riding If yu can t lk ver yur shulder while riding, stp t lk NEVER crss a lane f traffic withut lking behind fr cars If yu like, als get a rear-view mirrr but be warned that as in cars, mirrrs nly give partial views, s yu need t lk fr yurself befre navigating traffic anyway. The Rules f the Rad apply t Bicycles. Perid. Alng with the rights f a vehicle cme the respnsibilities. Dn t even think f running red lights. Yu re representing Habitat fr Humanity as well as cyclists everywhere. IV. My Bum Hurts (and Other Discmfrts) This WILL happen t yu. General sreness will dissipate n its wn after the first few days If it desn t, cnsider changing yur saddle Saddle shuld supprt yur sit bnes, nt the part in between Try sitting further back n yur saddle t use the right part f yu fr supprt Rash and/r Saddle Sres Clean yur shrts every time yu use them. Seriusly. D nt wear underwear inside yur bike shrts. Seriusly. (It chafes.) VASELINE is the answer

6 Als targeted prducts like Shammy BUTT-er r anything designed fr diaper rash in the lcal pharmacy (yes, that s what it is) And when I say Vaseline, I mean LOTS f it. All ver everything making a huge gey mess is best. There s smething called shammy time which refers t the time yu wear thse grss sweaty bike shrts Get ut f them as sn as yu can! Clean yurself ff after. Sme like baby wipes. Sme like t put n sme Gld-Bnd/Baby pwder afterward (nt while wearing the shrts). Bicycle Psitin Saddle lw enugh s hips d nt sway Mre efficient; Allws yu t ride straight and spin (see belw) Saddle high enugh s knees can extend fully with heel drpped Prevents knee pain Handlebar psitin is t suit cmfrt, minimise back/shulder/arm discmfrt Efficient/Healthy Pedalling Pedal circles Pull/Push all the way arund smthly and quickly spin! Yu shuld hear n pulsing frm the tires (yu shuld create smth even frce n the bicycle) Yu shuld nt sway side t side with each pedal strke High cadence (90+ revlutins per minute f the pedals (rpm) best, 80+ minimum) These tw cmbined (called spinning ) prevent knee damage and save energy Trubleshting Knee pain: raise saddle, high cadence, pedal circles Back pain: adjust handlebar psitin, dn t let back sag frm shulders use back muscles t supprt yurself Shulder pain: dn t lck elbws V. Further Infrmatin & Final Advice

7 Cntact: Kate Stange, / streamergirl@brwn.edu Web reference: Gd luck and remember t pack vaseline, chapstick, bugspray and sunscreen -- the balms f the cycle-turist.